Finally got some roasted corn off the street yesterday.
BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.
Hard as a rock and salty.
Christian and I ate one anyway. It's the principle of the thing......
Sky finally clear enough today to walk outside of the house and a get a gorgeous view of the big volcano. WOW. It's like they put it up overnight. Haven't seen it from the house all week until today.
Drove into town to get a haircut yesterday. At first it was just going to be me and Christian, but Jeff, Drew, Kelly, and Tyson went, too and Jeff, Drew got haircuts. And after some coaxing and me offering to pay for it, Tyson got a buzz, too. Jeff and I got a shave. Jeff went with Muttonchop sideburns. I got a Fu Manchu. But the barber was struggling with the concept and kept trying to leave me a little chinstrap. Finally got it worked out. Cost me a whopping 25 q's ($3.00).
Been a great week. I think (for me anyway) there's a big benefit to returning to the same place for missions. To be able to establish relationships in a place makes it easier to work there, familiarity with an area is a plus, knowing ahead of time what you're facing, learning from past experiences.....it all helps.
But I like the "Big First Time" adventures, too.
What can I say?
Time for breakfast. see ya.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Looks like today is gonna be Adventure day for me and Christian. Gonna take a van into town and get haircuts, and continue to find local things to eat. Roasted corn is our primary goal. It looks good when they've got it on the grill.
It's become a tradition. The haircuts are around $1.25and$2.50 for a shave with it. I also get one when we're in Bimini at the beginning of summer. It's $10.00 there. A guy named DeShaun Bowleg is the barber who cuts it.
Christian is a great guy. He's a lot of fun, works hard and doesn't complain about anything.
It's pretty obvious he takes after Jayne.
It's become a tradition. The haircuts are around $1.25and$2.50 for a shave with it. I also get one when we're in Bimini at the beginning of summer. It's $10.00 there. A guy named DeShaun Bowleg is the barber who cuts it.
Christian is a great guy. He's a lot of fun, works hard and doesn't complain about anything.
It's pretty obvious he takes after Jayne.
Blog by Jeff Tanner:
Last night was celebration night at the mission house. We invited Samuel (pronounced Samwell) and his family, Max and his family, Paul and Christie, Louisa, Freddie and John King (the missionary). There were approx 40 people here for dinner. It was a great time of gathering together and fellowship with the families of the mission. After dinner, we played some games with Samuel's and Max's children - they know almost no English - lots of laughter.
At about 10 PM, I took Freddie home, a helper of the mission. He is 18 years old and helped us last year. It was raining so hard, I drove him home. I asked Gary to ride - glad I did. We know Chimaltenango pretty well now and can get around. But to get Freddie home, we had to drive about 30 minutes - almost got lost, saw some interesting sights - reminds me of Nat Geo! Found out after the fact he lives real close to the mission house
Even though our trip to Guatemala is to the same place to do the same thing, each year is different. If you look for it, something new will happen. At dedications yesterday, Max or Samuel talked to each family before the prayer. The last family apparently were not believers, so Max worked them pretty hard. Even though it was in Spanish, we all new he was working 'em, I mean really working 'em.. It was good.
David Barkley learned something yesterday - don't drink coffee and silk milk right before you travel. Ask him about it.
Waiting on the street side ice cream and sausage to hit Gary and Christian.
We have cell phones for each van. I had one and Gary had one. So Gary lost his. He asked me to call his phone and see who answers. Some guy picks up and says "buenas dias". Uh oh! I got Louisa to help me. She busted the guy and asked him to bring it back. She set up a meeting with him on the road to Pastores. We called him multiple times to confirm. About a day later, Gary calls me on his phone - I pick up and he says "found my phone, sorry". Now some guy in Antigua has it out for me and Louisa. Still can't figure why I dial Gary's phone and some guy named Alahandero picks up!
I never get used to seeing a volcano blow - take a picture each time.
I love food distribution - lots of kids and families waiting on us.
Lots of rain yesterday and last night - the most in three years.
Max's family is beautiful - he is a pastor of a church in Pastores (boot town). Without us, 14 people at worship, including 3 kids under 5. Most were his family, but they still get dressed up for church. Awesome service! Awesome faith!
Ask Jim George about time zones!
Ask Jim Everette about crossed or uncrossed! I still don't think he's got it.
Food distribution, dedications, work on homes, driving through traffic, playing with kids, etc - it's all good.
Last night was celebration night at the mission house. We invited Samuel (pronounced Samwell) and his family, Max and his family, Paul and Christie, Louisa, Freddie and John King (the missionary). There were approx 40 people here for dinner. It was a great time of gathering together and fellowship with the families of the mission. After dinner, we played some games with Samuel's and Max's children - they know almost no English - lots of laughter.
At about 10 PM, I took Freddie home, a helper of the mission. He is 18 years old and helped us last year. It was raining so hard, I drove him home. I asked Gary to ride - glad I did. We know Chimaltenango pretty well now and can get around. But to get Freddie home, we had to drive about 30 minutes - almost got lost, saw some interesting sights - reminds me of Nat Geo! Found out after the fact he lives real close to the mission house
Even though our trip to Guatemala is to the same place to do the same thing, each year is different. If you look for it, something new will happen. At dedications yesterday, Max or Samuel talked to each family before the prayer. The last family apparently were not believers, so Max worked them pretty hard. Even though it was in Spanish, we all new he was working 'em, I mean really working 'em.. It was good.
David Barkley learned something yesterday - don't drink coffee and silk milk right before you travel. Ask him about it.
Waiting on the street side ice cream and sausage to hit Gary and Christian.
We have cell phones for each van. I had one and Gary had one. So Gary lost his. He asked me to call his phone and see who answers. Some guy picks up and says "buenas dias". Uh oh! I got Louisa to help me. She busted the guy and asked him to bring it back. She set up a meeting with him on the road to Pastores. We called him multiple times to confirm. About a day later, Gary calls me on his phone - I pick up and he says "found my phone, sorry". Now some guy in Antigua has it out for me and Louisa. Still can't figure why I dial Gary's phone and some guy named Alahandero picks up!
I never get used to seeing a volcano blow - take a picture each time.
I love food distribution - lots of kids and families waiting on us.
Lots of rain yesterday and last night - the most in three years.
Max's family is beautiful - he is a pastor of a church in Pastores (boot town). Without us, 14 people at worship, including 3 kids under 5. Most were his family, but they still get dressed up for church. Awesome service! Awesome faith!
Ask Jim George about time zones!
Ask Jim Everette about crossed or uncrossed! I still don't think he's got it.
Food distribution, dedications, work on homes, driving through traffic, playing with kids, etc - it's all good.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Random Pictures from Drew's computer........
The food distribution line
Drew and Kelly
The road out of Guatemala City
Building doors with a 'liitle' help.
Deb and Ann at the Special Needs orphanage
In front of their new house
Jeff and I built this last year. Glad it's still there.
Samuel and Max, the ones who have to put up with us on the job site.
A day in the life...
Hola, this is Terri Hawley writing. I have watched Gary slave over this computer every night trying to give you folks at home a glimpse of what this trip is all about. (It is truly an act of love because the internet connection here is not what we are used to!)
As for me.... I am exhausted! (Not just because I washed dishes tonight after dinner and Twig had used EVERY dish in the mission house!! Note: All meals have been wonderful.) This week we have built 10 houses...no, we have built 10 homes for the families that live up on a hillside in some small community here called Altonega. The work was fun... I love sawing and hammering. But the playing was more fun. We have colored pictures, played with jump ropes, blown bubbles, practiced Spanish and English with flash cards, hugged, danced, and loved with the people up on that hillside. The faces you see in our pictures have names, if not their given names the ones we have given them... Elizabeth, Elvis, Miguel, Jackie Gleason.The places we have worked also have names... the garden house, the house on the top of the hill, the compound where we built 2. (Eating lunch in the beautiful flower garden at one house was a wonderful treat to us.) Today we all gathered, them and us, to dedicate these homes. Prayers, even those spoken in Spanish, were very moving.These people and these places have become a part of us. When we return to southeastern NC, when I close my eyes I will still see all that I have come to know on this trip. Yes, when I close my eyes I will see Miguel holding that new soccer ball so proudly. I will see Elizabeth running behind our bus today when we were pulling off for the last time. And yes, I will see Jackie Gleason doing the hippy-hippy dance. Jim said that when he saw that there was a sign over his head that said "well done good and faithful servant".
As for me.... I am exhausted! (Not just because I washed dishes tonight after dinner and Twig had used EVERY dish in the mission house!! Note: All meals have been wonderful.) This week we have built 10 houses...no, we have built 10 homes for the families that live up on a hillside in some small community here called Altonega. The work was fun... I love sawing and hammering. But the playing was more fun. We have colored pictures, played with jump ropes, blown bubbles, practiced Spanish and English with flash cards, hugged, danced, and loved with the people up on that hillside. The faces you see in our pictures have names, if not their given names the ones we have given them... Elizabeth, Elvis, Miguel, Jackie Gleason.The places we have worked also have names... the garden house, the house on the top of the hill, the compound where we built 2. (Eating lunch in the beautiful flower garden at one house was a wonderful treat to us.) Today we all gathered, them and us, to dedicate these homes. Prayers, even those spoken in Spanish, were very moving.These people and these places have become a part of us. When we return to southeastern NC, when I close my eyes I will still see all that I have come to know on this trip. Yes, when I close my eyes I will see Miguel holding that new soccer ball so proudly. I will see Elizabeth running behind our bus today when we were pulling off for the last time. And yes, I will see Jackie Gleason doing the hippy-hippy dance. Jim said that when he saw that there was a sign over his head that said "well done good and faithful servant".
The Day in Pictures...........
Anne and Terri buying boots in Pastores
Bubbles are a hit every time.
They've been married for......20 years! That's what they told us.
House dedication
The volcano reminds us it's still there
Jim "Early Bird " George and 2 new friends
Another House Dedication
Food Distribution in Santa Cruz, Bologna.
Waiting for the Distribution to start
Moving down the line
Jane getting a hug.
Monday, August 2, 2010
We call the Internet here "Wes Davis" because in 5 days it's only worked twice.......
Finished everything on the job sites today. 10 houses in 3 days work. Got to spend a good amount of the afternoon with kids and families, passing out candy, jumping rope with them, and just generally being silly- which they love.
Tomorrow we go back and do the "Dedications". We go to each house with a basket of food and give the family their lock and keys to their house. We present the Gospel and then pray with them. Incredibly powerful and moving. They are so grateful for their houses, even though by our standards it's barely a shed. They cry, we cry,.....it's cool.
Tomorrow night is when we pass out food in a different village. 100 families will benefit from this and so will we, just in a different way. The looks on the faces of the villagers as we hand them a month's worth of food is worth the trip alone. The way the Holy Spirit is present during the whole process is amazing and humbling. Most of us don't know Spanish and none of them know English but it's still a beautiful thing.
Pray for us and the folks we will be interacting with.
Drew has already called Christian Davis "Wes" 3 times....and Drew doesn't even know Wes.
I'm posting from a different computer than the one that has all the pictures downloaded to it. That one won't even pull up the Internet. It's Grayson Powell's. He's the one to blame for you having to put up with what I write instead of being able to look at pictures.
We've got some pretty sweet video we're trying to get on, it's just not working out. We'll keep trying.
Christian and I have had no ill effects from our Antigua restaurant adventure yesterday, so we're getting braver. We really want to stop and try the roasted corn we see them cooking and selling on the side of the road. We'll see.....
Played the scissors game tonight. David Barkley was the last one to catch on.
Had pork chops and eggs for breakfast. That was different but really but really good.
Taught them how to play "UP JENKINS" right before supper tonight. Lots of fun.
Probably going to visit some Mayan ruins Wednesday.
Also visiting a special needs orphanage for a little bit tomorrow.
Weather here is still muis perfecto. It's "The Land of Eternal Spring".
I'm out. See here again tomorrow,
Tomorrow we go back and do the "Dedications". We go to each house with a basket of food and give the family their lock and keys to their house. We present the Gospel and then pray with them. Incredibly powerful and moving. They are so grateful for their houses, even though by our standards it's barely a shed. They cry, we cry,.....it's cool.
Tomorrow night is when we pass out food in a different village. 100 families will benefit from this and so will we, just in a different way. The looks on the faces of the villagers as we hand them a month's worth of food is worth the trip alone. The way the Holy Spirit is present during the whole process is amazing and humbling. Most of us don't know Spanish and none of them know English but it's still a beautiful thing.
Pray for us and the folks we will be interacting with.
Drew has already called Christian Davis "Wes" 3 times....and Drew doesn't even know Wes.
I'm posting from a different computer than the one that has all the pictures downloaded to it. That one won't even pull up the Internet. It's Grayson Powell's. He's the one to blame for you having to put up with what I write instead of being able to look at pictures.
We've got some pretty sweet video we're trying to get on, it's just not working out. We'll keep trying.
Christian and I have had no ill effects from our Antigua restaurant adventure yesterday, so we're getting braver. We really want to stop and try the roasted corn we see them cooking and selling on the side of the road. We'll see.....
Played the scissors game tonight. David Barkley was the last one to catch on.
Had pork chops and eggs for breakfast. That was different but really but really good.
Taught them how to play "UP JENKINS" right before supper tonight. Lots of fun.
Probably going to visit some Mayan ruins Wednesday.
Also visiting a special needs orphanage for a little bit tomorrow.
Weather here is still muis perfecto. It's "The Land of Eternal Spring".
I'm out. See here again tomorrow,
Today is Sunday so we didn't work. We went to a small town called Pastores to go to a local church and buy boots. Pastores is a very small, one road town that has a couple of dozen boot shops They are handmade and way less expensive than any place else you could get them. You can barter with most of them for a price..
Currently trying to embed some videos and not having much success. Going to keep trying.hhh
Sunday, August 1, 2010
When in Rome.......
Christian Davis and I just hit a hole in the wall restaurant in Antigua. We had some Chorizo,rice, a little lettuce and sodas. WENT TO CHURCH WITH SOME LOCALS TODAY. great experience. Others went to Mickey D's. Cowards.
Here's Christian- this blog post is coming from a mcdonalds computer btw. We hit boot town earlier today and now everyone is checking out the markets. Everything is going great, hoping to find some local dessert shops
Here's Christian- this blog post is coming from a mcdonalds computer btw. We hit boot town earlier today and now everyone is checking out the markets. Everything is going great, hoping to find some local dessert shops
For the record.....
...disregard the info on the right as you pull up this post. This is 2010, there's 18 of us and we're here to bulid 10 houses. More pictures soon.
2 years ago on this trip, Wes Davis had a temperature of 99.2 and called it a "fever".
Later.
2 years ago on this trip, Wes Davis had a temperature of 99.2 and called it a "fever".
Later.
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