Vaya con Dios

I haven't had much time with my laptop and wi-fi in the past two days so here's a combined update.

Sunday-

Mother's Day began with breakfast with all of my host family before heading to church where my host siblings help to lead in music and my host dad Mefi preaches. I translated his talk (well the main points at least) for my mom and got to talk a little bit with many people I had gotten to know three years ago. After church, we picked up my host dad's mother and then headed out to spend the day at Lake Atitlan in Panajachel. We got caught in traffic getting there and the place we stopped for lunch was busier than usual because of Mother's Day so it took longer than expected to get there but we got to enjoy the view of the hills and valleys on the way out. Once we arrived in Panajachel, it started to rain heavily which was disappointing initially.

Rain at the lake

However, the rain died down and we were able to get out, see the lake, and explore the beautiful town for awhile. I've been there twice before with vision trip groups and it is truly a beautiful place so I was very thankful to be able to return.

Rainy street

Mefi, his mother, Andres, Andrea, Silvia, my mom

Happy to spend Mother's Day with my mom in Guatemala

Las madres y sus hijas

The view across the lake was a little cloudy but still far more beautiful than this picture can convey

Beautiful night in Pana

We got back to Guatemala City fairly late but it was a great Mother's Day.

Monday-

We got up early to go to the office with Silvia before heading out to visit and work on a video at Agua Viva, a Christian school serving kids in their neighborhood, many of whom live in poverty and come from broken families where parents have been killed or have abandoned them. The school's director Yadira showed us around the school and shared with us stories about the students and the school's history while I recorded her. We also stopped into classrooms to talk to the students a little bit and a few teachers stepped out to also share stories with us about the school. Yadira's passion and love for the students here was so evident and contagious. It was beautiful to have her share her heart with us.

Yadira

Yadira with her students who she calls her "heroes"

Yadira introducing us to one of the teachers of the younger kids

Yadira introducing us to some of the teenagers

After visiting Agua Viva, my mom and I met up with Silvia, Andrea, Kim, and Noah to grab lunch at the mall near the office (my mom had to have her first Pollo Campero experience before she left). Then Silvia, Andrea, my mom, and I went to Lake Amatitlan (different the other lake we visited on Sunday) and stopped by an area where they have an outdoor gym overlooking the lake from far above with a gorgeous view of the mountains surrounding the lake. We got back in the evening and I learned how to make Rosa de Jamaica (my favorite drink) with Silvia before organizing all of my photos and video footage from the past two days.