Our month in Guatamala flew by. We had a wonderful host in beautiful Antigua. We'll definitely miss all of the wonderful people we met there!
Ministry:
Nueva Generacion with Luis Castillo
Antigua, Guatamala
What we did:
This month we worked with another team at our ministry and split our two teams into three teams doing different ministries. We had a Spanish team which taught Principals and Values in Spanish. An English team which taught English. I was on the fundraising team. Our team did a few things. We:
-taught Principals and Values (in English and our host translated for us)
-leveled a field for a house to be built and then started the trenches around the leveled field.
-built relationships with local social business, Guate Java and partnered with them to do a coffee fundraiser for Nueva Generacion.
-Created online social media and give platform campaign for Nueva Generacion and specifically to help finish a home for a Guatemalan family.
-I also had the opportunity to put my social work background to use in advising Luis and the Nueva Generacion's board in a housing situation.
Money:
– Quetzal is the currency in Guatamala and between 7-8Q equals 1 USD.
-Our food budget was 30Q a day and in Antigua meals ranged from as cheap as 3 tacos for 10Q to 15Q for a quesadilla to around 30 for a fast food meal. Of course nice meals could look much higher.
-There is both a bill and a coin fort 1Q, the coin looks just like I think pirate gold would.
Language:
-Spanish. Being in a tourist area meant that many people spoke some English but most of the tourists seemed to speak Spanish as well.
-"Hola" (hello) is not the common greeting but rather "Buenas dias" (good morning/day), "Buenas Tardes" (good afternoon), "Buenas noches" (good night), or just simply "Buenas."
Other interesting things:
-Our main mode of transportation was the chicken buses, old school buses that have been converted to public transportation. Many of them have been repainted or decorated in some way, such as with neon lights. One of them even had a TV that was used to play music videos. The cost to get from our house into town was 2Q, to get to a village about 20 minutes out cost 3Q.
– This month we ran a 5k on cobblestone. It benefited a non-profit doing work with kids with cancer.
– Vendors would come on to the bus with things such as ice cream, inspirational posters, candy packs, etc and they would attempt to hand you the good on theit way in and collect the money for it on the way out (with the exception of things that weren't wrapped such as the ice cream cones).
-We lived near active volcanoes and could see one smoking from our house some days.
-The Mayan culture still has influence in Central America and Amanda, Hannah, and I had the chance to go with Luis to see live ruins, meaning they are still used for rituals.
-When we helped in the village, we saw many people carrying supplies on donkeys up and down the hilly cobblestone roads.
-The buildings, particularly the doorways, were beautiful and colorful.
-Color is everywhere in Guatemala and the markets are filled with it and with beautiful Mayan stitch work, as well as hand crafted leather goods.
-Guatemala is largely Christian, especially Catholic, and Antigua has many beautiful churches.
-Guatemalan food is amazing, particularly the guacomole.
-The weather was beautiful; usually warm or cool.
We had a great ministry in Guatemala and were sad to leave it behind; however, I'm really excited for our ATL week in El Salvador.
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