After surviving our first travel day, we are finally in Guatemala! Tuesday we reported to the hotel lobby at 4 am {oh yes, 3:22 wake up call} with our bags smashed into our air porters. From there, we went in groups to the airport. Obviously we checked in with our frequent flier miles {I’m already planning a trip when I get back} and after weighing {…52 pounds before Michael ever so graciously accepted one of my packing cubes to knock me down to the 50 pound limit} them and goin through security, we had about 3 hours to kill. Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A with a pit stop to the bookstore and final text message and FaceTime goodbyes led to the 3.5 hour plane ride.
This month is special because it is our all squad month which means all 55 children of K Squad are living together. So we piled into the 2 buses and 1 van and started the tie to Santa Cruz del Quiche. From what I had heard of travel days I was expecting wheels that were about to pop off vehicles and not bein able to breathe because my bag was shoved on my lap. Instead, we had quite the opposite. Our bags were stowed underneath us and we were only 2 to a seat with A/C! We headed up the mountain with beautiful weather. When we finally reached our destination, the rain began. Buuut we took the sprinkles since the rest of the day went by so flawlessly.
We are stayin at the Agape in Action center at the Hospital Nacional Santa Elena. Erv {born in France, raised in Michigan} and Sally {born and raised in the Puerto Rico} are our ministry hosts and they are great. The quarters we are in serve as the dorm spot for the different ministry groups that come in to help the hospital. After hot soup and and bread for din din, we set up our tents in the dark {luckily the rain at this point had ceased}. I think I ended up going to bed at 9 and let me tell you, I was knocked out cold.
Overall we had a fabulous travel day – nobody lost their bag.. the buses were on time, we had hot dinner waiting for us… We have since been reminded not to expect that, but in the meantime I’m so very thankful. God blessed us with a great travel day and I can’t wait to share what else He has been doin since gettin here!
oh and ps? we have running water all month. yes ma’am. that means showers every day. Puh-raise.
More updates to come on dancing with senior citizens, pinatas on a mountain and scaling fire department walls.
