Stuck in Guatemala

Unfortunately, things have not been going smoothly here in Guatemala and I have run into some bad luck. As you may have heard, Thursday night, the day before my flight home from Guatemala a volcano erupted and shower Guatemala City in ashes and sand. The airports have been shut down indefinitely as they try to clean off the runways. To make matters worse, we are being hit with what is now being designated Tropical Storm Agatha. It has been pouring for two straight days and with no end in sight. Roads are closed, streets and homes flooded. I'm currently at the CFCA headquarters in San Lucas Toliman where we are experiencing our own water problems.

My rescheduled flight is for Tuesday, June 1st at 6:30AM. This is, of course, assuming that the airport is open by then and that the streets are accessible as I am about 3 hours from the airport.

Wish me luck getting home!

MAT April 2010

A few weeks ago we ended another great Mission Awareness Trip in Guatemala. It was the smallest group that has ever come to San Lucas (15). The nice part about having such a small group is that everyone gets to know each other really well, and I definitely felt that this was one of the closest groups I have seen in my time down here. Some MAT groups are quiet and reserved but April group was very outgoing and hands-on.

Some highlights of the trip:

Sunday: Lunch in Patulul; first interaction with sponsored families
Monday: Meeting sponsored children and families and having the sponsors dance the YMCA on stage
Tuesday: Visit to Santa Maria; boat ride to San Pedro La Laguna; intense drive up a mountain; eating typical Guatemalan lunch; visiting sponsored family homes
Wednesday: Mayan Prayer; parrish projects; talk with Fr. John

Thursday: Solidarity walk; playing soccer with sponsored children; eating about seven meals; 
Friday: Antigua Guatemala

Thanks so much to all the sponsors who came down and made this trip one of the best yet!

I have posted pictures from the trip on Facebook so click here for the link.