FULL WEEKEND

Well it has been a full weekend. Yesterday I left my house about 9:15 and got a ride in a Tuk Tuk to the base because the road was closed and I don't know how to get around on the buses with the road closed and don't want to find myself left somewhere I have no idea where I am which is most anywhere here. Olga came to the base to spend the day with Susy and I. Kalissa was taking the DTS students to a town called Chimaltanango, which is a town I haven't been to so we joined them for the day. They were going to a Mega Paca which is a second hand store to find last minute clothes they might need for their travels as they left this morning for their outreach.  Olga, Susy, and I walked over to a small mall that is in town and ate at a Taco Bell. Then when when we were coming back Kalissa stopped in Antigua for about an hour. Susy, Olfa and I went to a couple of tourist agency places to find out about taking a shuttle and going to Panajachel and Lake Atitlan for a weekend.  When we got back to the base I rested for a while and then Olga and I stayed and had dinner. Susy was driving into Antigua for Soul Patrol and Olga and I went with her. It was a good day and evening. My problem is I get too many of the ladies who sell things in the market trying to sell me things and I like some if them and buy things from them. They do have nice stuff they sell but you can only buy so much. I am learning a little more about some things around here. I've learned that most of the ladies that sell stuff around Central Park love in a town called San Antonio Agua Calientes and people in that town so a lot of the back strap loom weaving of the things they sell.
This morning I walked down and left my dirty clothes at the laundry. I like having my laundry done. Then I met Susy and the two Canadian girls who are staying and volunteering at the YWAM base at Iglesias Del Camino church. We had lunch and parted ways. I went to find a market Clara Luz told me about that is a couple of blocks from Central Square and they sell in the streets there only in Saturday and Sunday. I found Clara, sat with her and talked with her for a while. I bought a couple of nice pieces from her she said she had made.
It's a nice day, cloudy but very pleasant weather. I am going head back to my room and do some studying and of course resting and then later I will go with Susy to Soul Patrol. I continue to stay busy doing and learning new things which has been good.

Mi Lugare Favorita - McDonalds

At home, McDonalds is not one of my favorite places so it does seem odd I am at McDonalds so often in Central America but it's not the food that draws me but the Internet number one and then here the coffee is great!  Since I don't like McDonalds food I stopped at a little bakery I like and bought a sweet bread to eat with my coffee here and then since I like the coleslaw here I also stopped at the store and bought some soda crackers to eat with my coleslaw. Kind of a different lunch but it works for me. At school today I learned that tomorrow on Saturday is Mother's Day. My teacher said it is whatever the actual day is for Mother's Day so the day it is celebrated on changes each year. Yesterday after class Susy was in town picking up Florecita from the market so I rode with them back to the base and spent the afternoon. I got to talk with Bruce for a while. He is leaving tomorrow for the states for about a month to help raise funds to build a permanent YWAM base here in Guatemala. I caught a bus to go back to my house and the bus was pretty full when I got on and after a few stops it was 'Full' at least by my standards and anyone I know would have said the same but not by Guatemalan standards. The driver kept stopping and picking up more people which I couldn't believe and finally he stopped and picked up about 8 guys who could not even fit in. Some were literally  hanging onto the outside of the bus. I could barely squeeze off but was glad when I did.
The rest of the day I don't have any plans so my plan is to rest a little, read a little, and study a little.

ANOTHER DAY

Another day here in beautiful Guatemala. Yesterday was a restful day. I caught up in writing emails and my blog, went back to my room and rested for a while then read the Bible and did my homework.  I have really enjoyed having friends here and things to do but it was nice to have a down day.
The weather have been very nice but that is no surprise. We did have a couple afternoons of rain last week but other than that it is pretty much perfect weather.
Susy and I found a bike for Olga on Monday and Bruce was kind enough to stop by my place afterWednesday  night service and tie it to the top of the van to take back to te base. Susy called me this morning and said Olga got the bike and she really likes it. I pray it is a blessing for her and all the walking she has to do. There are two new girls at the base from Canada that came here to volunteer and she is going to drive them into Antigua to show them around so I am going to meet up with them this afternoon. So for today I have plans this afternoon. I will head back to my room and rest for a while before I go.

McDonalds

Class is over for the day. The place where I am staying only provides breakfast and dinner so I am on my own for lunch. There is a McDonalds here that I like, not because of the food but the view and the coffee are both great.  I am not a fast food eater but I found they have pretty good coleslaw so I am eating that with some soda crackers and having a delicious cappuccino. They also have free wi-fi here which makes it a good place to come.  Last night I went to the YWAM Monday night service at la Inglesia del Camino. Bruce played a video from a guy who was speaking about world missions. He was very good and interesting and I enjoyed it.
Traveling in places like Guatemala are not for the faint hearted or those not looking for adventure. It's a place where walking is not for exercise but a necessity if you want to get anywhere and drinking bottled water is not a luxury but a necessity if you don't want to become sick. A place where you don't know what you might be fed for your next meal or once you do have your food in front of you you still might not know what it is. For all the differences that are strange, difficult, or weird there are  many more differences that are interesting, fun, challenging, and rewarding. I want to embrace the differences and pray God uses me to build His Kingdom with those of different cultures.

SECOND WEEK

This is the beginning of the second week. I changed my class hours from 4 hours a day to 3. It was too much to sit one on one with my teacher Evelyn. It was a busy weekend. The road was open so we could take the bus as normal which was good so I didn't have to pay for tuk tuk's or taxi's. Susy and I went to Joe and Karin Bedford's to visit and play cards Friday night and it was good. They know Olga's family and have been to her house so it was good to know a little more about Olga. Saturday morning was the Macadamia nut farm and then that evening I met Bruce and Susy at Central Park for Soul Patrol. It was a good evening. Sunday morning I walked over and picked up my laundry and then met Kalissa at Camino Church. After we stopped at Subway for a sandwich and then went to the base. Kalissa and I visited for a while when we were waiting for Susy and I enjoyed talking with her and then we watched the DVD 'The Bema Seat'. I went to my house for dinner and then Susy stopped and picked me up when they were headed into town for Sunday Soul Patrol. It was another good evening and a very good weekend overall.
Susy is headed into town now and we are going to meet at the market to try and find a bike for Olga.

SATURDAY

So this morning I caught a bus by myself and headed down the road where I met up with Kalissa and Susy where we continued in the bus a little further and met up with Olga and then went further and got off the bus at the macadamia farm. We had great macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast and then had a good time of fellowship and relaxing. I went back to the base and then rode into town with Susy when she was coming to pick up
Florecita. Susy stopped at my place and let me gather up my laundry and dropped me off at the laundry place which was good. They said it was suppose to be ready tonight at 8 so I will have to figure out how I am going to get it because I was going to me them at 7 tonight for Soul Patrol at Central Park.
By the way school has been good so far. I like the school I am going to this time, Maximo Nivel. They are open from like 8 in the morning until 8 at night and you can go there and hang out and use their wi-fi and they have a little snack bar place.
All is well so far Praise The Lord.

UNA SEMANA BEHIND ME ALREADY

Wow I can't believe I have been here one week already. It has been the same as last time in that I go to school in the morning (although a different kind of school) and then I seem to be very busy the rest of the day. The difference being all the things I stay busy doing now are what I want to do not what someone else has planned for me to do. Susy has been a real blessing to me and helped me with lots of different things getting oriented to being here again and then not only that but being here by myself. I have been doing a "home stay" with a family in Antigua. I have a small room and then I eat breakfast and dinner there. It has been fine but certainly not fancy. My two favorite classmates from the DTS were Alicia and Olga and I have been able to spend time with both of them. Alicia came to Antigua for a couple of days so we met last Wednesday after u got done with class and went to the base and was able to see several people we know which was good. Then again on Thursday it was a holiday here so no school so Alicia and I met in the morning and went to the base. Olga goes to school in the afternoon but she had no school that day so she met us at the base and it was so good to finally see her again. We are lunch at the base then the three of us came back to Antigua and went to McDonalds for coffee which was great. Then they
Both took buses and went their seperate ways and I went back to my room.