Guatemala Trip
This past week I enjoyed a trip to Guatemala. It felt a little like going home since I´d spent some time there in 2012 and developed some meaningful relationships.
I boarded the Hedman Alas bus in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Thursday morning and arrived in Guatemala City that afternoon. If you ever want to be nauseous, I highly recommend the 9-10 hour bus ride between those two cities. The views of the Sierra Madre are beautiful though. Calixto Ventura and his daughter Elizabeth had been paitently waiting at the station for 2 hours when we arrived. I spent the night in their humble, hospitable home.
Friday morning I took the Alamo bus to Quetzaltenango (aka Xela). From the station, I took a taxi to La Granja Penal, and then walked the half mile or so down the dirt road that leads to Jeronimo´s house. I stayed with Jeronimo in the winter of 2012 for about a month. David Raif, who now preaches in Philadelphia, put me in contact with him initially. Jeronimo is a very spiritually mature, 56 year old man. He is well known throughout Guatemala and a few other countries in Central America. He at one time served as the mayor of his community and enjoys the respect of everyone who knows him, Christian or unconverted. He lost his wonderful wife, Hipolita, last summer and is still feeling the effects of that painful experience. I remember that week vividly. He sent me an email the 9th of June asking for prayers because Hipolita had been diagnosed with Leukemia. I prayed with tears, as did many, but two days later she passed away. Although she was a humble woman without a secular career, her loss was felt around the world.
Friday night I taught a Bible study in the home of Benito and his family, Christians at the church in Urbina.
Saturday evening I taught at the church in Urbina and the church in Pachaj. We spent several hours that night in the emergency room with a boy named Angelo. He had developed a serious infection, had been running a fever for several days and could barely walk. Finally, around 2 a.m. the doctors were able to diagnose the problem and prescibe medication.
Sunday I taught class and preached at the church in Urbina. In the afternoon some of the men who are painting the church building got together and cooked a caldo de marisco, seafood stew. It was delicious.
Monday I didn´t teach any, but did accompany Jeronimo to visit various brethren and people in the community.
Tuesday morning we ate fried pigs feet for breakfast. Jeronimo´s daughter, Magnolia, prepared this for us since we stayed with her and her family the few days I was there. Plenty of people in the American South eat pigs feet, but I had never tried it. It is pure lard, with some tougher portions which Jeronimo assured me were not fat, but rather nerve tissue. Perhaps some would find this knowledge helpful; I did not.
Another thing happened Tuesday morning that I hope I never forget. I was sitting on the side of the bed, writing a letter before we headed for the bus. Jeronimo walked into the room with a brush and a container of shoe polish. He knelt down and started shining my shoes. He didn´t make a big deal out of it, he just did it. I couldn´t help but think of John 13, and it suddenly became very easy to sympathize with the apostle Peter. It was such a humbling experience, and I hope God can help me become that kind of servant.
After breakfast, we headed to Matzetenango and met with a few preachers to get checks cashed and to enjoy lunch together. From there I took a bus back to Guatemala City.
Tuesdy evening I taught at the church in Vista Hermosa.
Wednesday morning (yesterday) we left the house at 4 a.m. so I could board the bus which leaves at 5 a.m. every day bound for San Pedro Sula. Last night we had a study with a couple who recently had a terrifying experience. The wife was abducted and held for ransom for 11 days. The captors demanded 5 million Lempiras. The couple has understandably been reticent to talk about what happened to her or exactly how much he had to pay, but thankfully God preserved both alive.
Today Daniel, Digna and I leave for Quimistan again.
Thankfully, God blessed the trip with productivity and safety. Thank you for your interest and prayers.
I boarded the Hedman Alas bus in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Thursday morning and arrived in Guatemala City that afternoon. If you ever want to be nauseous, I highly recommend the 9-10 hour bus ride between those two cities. The views of the Sierra Madre are beautiful though. Calixto Ventura and his daughter Elizabeth had been paitently waiting at the station for 2 hours when we arrived. I spent the night in their humble, hospitable home.
Friday morning I took the Alamo bus to Quetzaltenango (aka Xela). From the station, I took a taxi to La Granja Penal, and then walked the half mile or so down the dirt road that leads to Jeronimo´s house. I stayed with Jeronimo in the winter of 2012 for about a month. David Raif, who now preaches in Philadelphia, put me in contact with him initially. Jeronimo is a very spiritually mature, 56 year old man. He is well known throughout Guatemala and a few other countries in Central America. He at one time served as the mayor of his community and enjoys the respect of everyone who knows him, Christian or unconverted. He lost his wonderful wife, Hipolita, last summer and is still feeling the effects of that painful experience. I remember that week vividly. He sent me an email the 9th of June asking for prayers because Hipolita had been diagnosed with Leukemia. I prayed with tears, as did many, but two days later she passed away. Although she was a humble woman without a secular career, her loss was felt around the world.
Friday night I taught a Bible study in the home of Benito and his family, Christians at the church in Urbina.
Saturday evening I taught at the church in Urbina and the church in Pachaj. We spent several hours that night in the emergency room with a boy named Angelo. He had developed a serious infection, had been running a fever for several days and could barely walk. Finally, around 2 a.m. the doctors were able to diagnose the problem and prescibe medication.
Sunday I taught class and preached at the church in Urbina. In the afternoon some of the men who are painting the church building got together and cooked a caldo de marisco, seafood stew. It was delicious.
Monday I didn´t teach any, but did accompany Jeronimo to visit various brethren and people in the community.
Tuesday morning we ate fried pigs feet for breakfast. Jeronimo´s daughter, Magnolia, prepared this for us since we stayed with her and her family the few days I was there. Plenty of people in the American South eat pigs feet, but I had never tried it. It is pure lard, with some tougher portions which Jeronimo assured me were not fat, but rather nerve tissue. Perhaps some would find this knowledge helpful; I did not.
Another thing happened Tuesday morning that I hope I never forget. I was sitting on the side of the bed, writing a letter before we headed for the bus. Jeronimo walked into the room with a brush and a container of shoe polish. He knelt down and started shining my shoes. He didn´t make a big deal out of it, he just did it. I couldn´t help but think of John 13, and it suddenly became very easy to sympathize with the apostle Peter. It was such a humbling experience, and I hope God can help me become that kind of servant.
After breakfast, we headed to Matzetenango and met with a few preachers to get checks cashed and to enjoy lunch together. From there I took a bus back to Guatemala City.
Tuesdy evening I taught at the church in Vista Hermosa.
Wednesday morning (yesterday) we left the house at 4 a.m. so I could board the bus which leaves at 5 a.m. every day bound for San Pedro Sula. Last night we had a study with a couple who recently had a terrifying experience. The wife was abducted and held for ransom for 11 days. The captors demanded 5 million Lempiras. The couple has understandably been reticent to talk about what happened to her or exactly how much he had to pay, but thankfully God preserved both alive.
Today Daniel, Digna and I leave for Quimistan again.
Thankfully, God blessed the trip with productivity and safety. Thank you for your interest and prayers.
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