Then not just my hands, but my face as well

We told them to wash their hands for dinner, but they were so thrilled with the clean, warm water they wanted to bathe their whole bodies!

A Hard Workin' Man

Here are some of the projects that Matt has been working on over the last few weeks:::

building a Tienda (store) for the lady, Veronica, living here as a micro-finance operation

here's Matt helping the guys roll this ginormous tree up the hill, which will be cut into paneling for the Escuelita (little school) in the future

this is the main construction crew
after rolling the entire tree up the hill by hand

helping work on the tree house for the kids
it's so whimsical - the best tree house i've ever played in for sure

he made a fence for the compost pile which will be used to help revitalize the over-fertilized corn fields into something more productive

here he is painting the courtyard area

we HAD to GO to MEXICO

With a tourist visa every three months we EITHER have to go to Guatemala City for about two days of standing in lines and transferring papers to different offices OR we have to leave the country. but it's not even "just leave the country" because Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and Nicaragua don't count as leaving the country. SO, we Had to GO to MEXICO!!

We had a lovely time reveling in the cleanliness of the towns, the paved-ness of the roads and the delicous-ness of the food!

This is the town center of Comitan, Chiapas - we were completely surprised and enchanted by the atmosphere and beauty of this city. we always have great luck in Mexico finding street festivals and celebrations, maybe it's not us, maybe it's just Mexico, There were fire works and Mariachi bands and street vendors all throughout the city. It was partly a Valentine's Day/weekend celebration and partly something else. when we asked someone what the celebrating was for he responded in English, "it is a festival for, oh what is the man version of a virgin? ..." and i hesitated and then thought, oh maybe a saint, which turned out to be correct.


And here we are in our beloved San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas. This was our second time visiting the city which is completely "mexico" and "hippy-fied" at the same time, which means bright colors, cobble stoned streets, latin music, cold beer, wonderful hippy-food like falafel, organic, whole grain and herbal anything and everything, scrumptious European pastries and super-affordable prices.

Here is a lovely church on top of a high hill, which made for a lovely pic-nic and a breath taking view.



You gotta love the Mexican Plaza: they know how to be chill, they know how to sit in the shade and they know how to get together.

~:~:~Viva la Mexico!~:~:~

A Diary of Private Prayer

this prayer is the first morning prayer in a series of 30 which Matt and I have been reading most days here in Guate. I consider this book, A Diary of Private Prayer, one of those miraculous findings: several years ago a friend of mine, Camille, read to our Bible study group from this book and then later that very week I went to a used bookstore looking for it. The book store turned out to be completely chaotic and unorganized, you know the kind which are fun to visit but hard to find anything except by accident. Well, it was one of those and I was overwhelmed and just about to leave, when I nearly tripped over this very book lying on the floor right by the exit:: miraculous. and these prayers have blessed me as they have challenged and inspired me, so now I will share one:::


-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of Thee, let my first impulse be to worship Thee, let my first speech be Thy name, let my first action be to kneel before Thee in prayer.

For Thy perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest mankind:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life:
For the indwelling of Thy Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Thy Spirit:
I praise and worship Thee, O Lord.

Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of Thee. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day;

Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honorable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Thine.

O God, who hast been the Refuge of my fathers through many generations, be my Refuge today in every time and circumstance of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my Strength in time of testing. Gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.