Diary Saturday August 18, 2001

Diary

Friday, August 17 Guatemala and travel to Quetzaltenango
Saturday, August 18 Quetzaltenango
Sunday, August 19 Guatemala
Monday, August 20 El Salvador
Tuesday/Wednesday August 21/22 El Salvador/Guatemala
Central America 2001 Home
LifeNets Home

Pictures

Set 1 Guatemala and travel to Quetzaltenango
Set 2 Quetzaltenango on Saturday, August 18
Set 3 Guatemala City August 18-19
Set 4 Guatemala City August 19
Set 5 Guatemala City August 19
Set 6 Guatemala City -- at Senor/Senora Perez's
Set 7 We enter El Salvador August 20
Set 8 El Salvador Dental Office
Set 9 Social get-together at Cisneros in San Salvador
Set 10 Earthquake damage at Las Colinas August 21
Set 11 Goodbye to El Salvador and back to Guatemala

Today was the Sabbath and services were at 10:00 at a community hall in Quetzaltenango. We had breakfast with the Langarica’s at the Hotel del Campo. The elevation is about 7,000 feet and the air noticeably crisper than in Guatemala City. The hotel staff quickly recognized the Langarica’s and chatted warmly with them.

We had breakfast in the room where services were held for the Fall Festial when it was held in Quetzaltenango. It’s now held in Antigua that is about one hour from Guatemala City where 650 people are expected this fall including about 50 transfers from the United States. Unfortunately no ministers are transferring in and all the work and speaking will be done by Saul Langarica and the local church elders from Guatemala.

When we walked into the hall, Saul pointed out where in 1991 at the Feast his 65-year-old father Alejandro who was visiting from his home country of Mexico died of a stroke a few days into the Festival. He was rushed to the hospital, but died there later. Saul had to complete the Feast in Quetzaltenango and after the Feast transported his father’s body to his homeland in Mexico for burial.

Breakfast with beans and fried bananas that were very interesting. This was not our usual breakfast, but very delicious.

On the church services! What a warm reception! Almost everyone came up and greeting us with a little peck and a “mucho gusto” greeting. Oscar Queme, our host from the evening before, gave the sermonette. It was well organized and presented with great sincerity about the need for spiritual growth. Special music was extraordinary with two different groups singing hymns. It is always so pleasurable seeing the children in their costumes. The culture has noticeably Indian which dates back to the Mayans. While I cannot speak Spanish, I felt a closeness to the people and tried to communicate as best I could. We enjoyed a potluck meal with interesting dishes and tastes. I like their fried bananas. Bread was baked by Miguel Domingo Bartholomew for whom LifeNets constructed an outdoor bread oven.

After services we went to the home of local elder Luis Mundo and his wife Dorita who have three children, Ariel (14), Jasimine (12) andSharon (10). There along with elder Israel Robledo we discussed the future of LifeNets working in Guatemala. Saul Langarica is moving to Santiago to pastor the churches in Chile in late October. Israel Robledo’s wife Virginia was not present because she was with her daughter who gave birth to a boy early the next morning. Forty-nine of Israel Robledo’s family are part of the United Church of God. We talked about helping people with basic shelter such as completing the concrete floors, but then fix eight badly leaking roofs, helping a family that lived in a house made of cardboard walls and helping a family of nine that lived in one room. We also discussed sending a container of items that would help with income such as sewing machines. They would love us to send down more sewing machines.

In Guatemala where temperatures are mild year round, there is no need for insulation. I did not see any insulation in any structures. The scenery is beautifully picturesque with the volcanic shaped mountains to behold.

About 5:00 pm we started our four hour drive back to Guatemala City and stopped during a monsoon downpour at a cozy restaurant in the mountains which had a crackling fireplace going.

We arrived back in Guatemala City at 9:30 pm and were looking forward to what the next days will bring on our Central American visit.