My Reading Blog

Last week's post was about our worksite.  This week's is about the people of Guatemala. Driving thru the towns and countryside from Guatemala City to Antigua to Tecpan and further up in the mountains, we saw many Guatemalans traveling from one place to another, to get to market, to a job or back home.  They ride "Chicken Buses", in the back of pick up trucks, walk, some even hitched a ride on the back of large truck.  They smile, they laugh, they are serious, they are sad, but happy! They work hard and enjoy all that they have. The house we were building was for a family of four - Mom (Thelma) and Dad (who was working in Canada), 3 year old Jasmine and 2 year old Guatelupe. Lydia (Thelma's sister) and Guatelupe Jasmin Thelma's nephew Thelma's mother, Isabella Isabella, Thelma, Jasmine & Guatelupe and two other sisters Our Team and Family ...

Last year was going to be my final trip.  I figured five years was enough, but my mind was changed as my friend, JoAnn, really wanted to go to Guatemala, but wouldn't go unless I did.  So..... JoAnn & me with Volcano Fuego in  the background - quiet at the moment We journeyed with twelve other participants to a village to the north of Guatemala City - Tecpan.  A small village, not a tourist stop, pure Guatemala.  Lots of agriculture - field after field of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and corn - tall corn. Our worksite was over an hour from our hotel, so we saw lots of countryside with a tapestry of fields spread across the hills and mountains. Our worksite - ready for staking out the house and digging trenches The digging had started Ready to start cutting the wire All trenches had to be dug to a depth of 1 meter Cutting rebar to make the rebar ladders Even through our team worked Monday to F...