
So this is us! Plus a couple guests. Back...Carina (with pigtails, she's who's place I am taking as CASAS study abroad director for the Semilla seminary in Guatelmala), John (Tara & Rob's), our driver!, Melany and Nataly (Irma and Antony's daughters) Next 'row'...me, Gini & Travis (Betel land project), Nate (emergency Hurrican Stan relief and food security coordination), Tara (Bezeleel school and agriculture projects)Frontish...Ruth, (Tara and Rob's), Toby (HIV and AIDS prevention program in El Salvador, , Juan Pablo, (a local Guatemalan who hosted us during a trip to his rural community in San Marcos), our driver!, Beth (Music and Arts school for youth in the capital), Antony and Irma (Guatemala/El Salvador Country directors), Peter (blondy with Antony is R & T's), rob (Connecting Peoples rep, coordinates US-Canadian group learning tours or service-learning).
Taken right before we were headed back from our team meeting in San Marcos, the department on the northwest edge of Guatemala. Weirdly we crossed the Mexican border to get there, since vehicle worthy roads gave way to an hour hike into the community up into the wooded mountains. BEAUTIFUL place. Hope to get you some pics once I get some forwarded my way.
Great time connecting with fellow MCCers and sharing about our lives and work throughout Guate and El Salvador. Made some ugly, misshapen tortillas on the comal over the open fire with women from the community while they chuckled and patted perfect circles. Sang some songs outdoors together to candlelight and a passed around guitar. Ate yummy campo (countryside) food and chatted with community folks about their hopes for their community in the rebuilding, including the agriculture and fish farming food security projects Nate is helping to coordinate, after the 2005 hurricane wiped homes and farming plots from steep mountainsides in the mudslides.
The resilience of people here continues to amaze and inspire.