{An update from our Vision Team sent by Sally Thomas}
Our group had a strenuous but very interesting tour of a small coffee farm and the home of a construction worker from Common Hope. Afterwards we had a nice lunch in Antigua in an old Spanish Colonial home, with marimbas playing in the courtyard. Then we had some time to visit the shops and sit in the central park watching all the people — families, teenagers, street vendors, etc. We have really enjoyed the comfortable and fun family atmosphere of week ends in Antigua, with lots of people walking around and visiting in the streets, on the sidewalks, and in the central park. There was even a fun festival in the street on Saturday night, with costumed wise men riding around on horseback following the star. Then there was a live creche scene with a young Mary and Joseph, a real baby, and a baby lamb, a rabbit, a chicken or two, and various other animals. Another scene featured a sweet young angel, prettily dressed with wings and all. Oh, and there was a Santa Claus who said in a loud voice, “Vive Jesus!”
Last night we had a lovely worship service together up on the patio here, as the sun was setting behind the volcano in the background. Our “worship committee” of three put the service together, and John set up a colorful table covered in Guatemalan cloth with a cross put together from two hand-carved flutes. Afterwards we were taken into town for ice cream (also in an old colonial house with a courtyard) by Tamalyn Gutierrez and her family. She is the head of all the work done in Guatemala.
Today we cleaned the preschool classrooms (with all the seemingly thousands of tiny toys and things), finished up the quilting class (Marilyn), did construction, helped cook in the kitchen, went on social work visits, translated godchild letters, and learned more about San Rafael, the village where our godchild lives.
We are all both tired and happy, though we will be sad to say goodbye to Ann tomorrow, as she has to leave a little early.
Saludos a todos (greetings to you all),
Sally