Travel Inspiration #14

"Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again...the mind can never break from the journey" - Pat Conroy (via @travelblggr)

Preparing flowers for mass.

Photo by me.

Walk2Gether

Four days ago a 73 year old named Bob Hentzen (founder of CFCA) started a walk for the poor that will cover 12 countries. It started in Guatemala and will end in Chile. Each day he will walk approx. 20-25 miles covering about 8,000 miles. In 1996 he walked from Kansas City all they way down to San Lucas Toliman Guatemala and this time it is about four times that. I spread the word only because I know this is being done for the poor and and this is big for them. I know the intentions are true and I know love will be brought to these people through this event.

"By walking with them, we are saying, 'You are not alone,'" Hentzen said. "We are listening to you and learning from you."

See day one of the walk - video here.

Browse the website here.

Follow his trip here.

New Years

At this time last year my sister and I were galavanting around Guatemala. New years eve was spent joining the town of San Lucas Toliman in celebration with ancient Mayan dancing and crazy fireworks, visiting children's schools in Panajachel, eating mouth watering tamales, shopping in Antigua, getting car sick on long bus rides and just enjoying a holiday in a different country and culture all together. It was one to remember.

These past 2 years I have done way more traveling than I could have ever imagined. I really couldn't have asked for more. Once I started getting that anxiety that I needed to go somewhere - a trip was right around the corner. Then on top of that I found the man of my dreams. Could 2010 get any better? Lets hope so.

The video below was from our hotel balcony on New Years day. And those in Guatemala City were still in full swing celebration mode with their fireworks. When things died down, the volcano decided to erupt - leaving our year in a bang.

Also see this post

New Years

Yes I know New Years was like 4 months ago but I'm just now getting to it. The night started out with a special dinner and slide show and Andrea and I were pretty much the stars of the slide show. We had our own paparazzi the whole trip. When I sat down for dinner, I was ready to party. Afterwards there was a dance and firework show. Above is a picture of a crafted cow/bull with a person inside with fireworks shooting off of it. The day before I had busted it when I had kicked a soccer ball and it went crazy. Found out later I totally broke it and they had to start over. Oops. At least they thought it was funny.

Two boxes of Chilean wine later - we were up on the roof again shooting off fireworks of our own. We joined in with the town of San Lucas Toliman and brought in the New Years. After the crowd had left we hung out and enjoyed the first night of 2009 next to a volcano with a cool breeze and clear sky cluttered with stars till 4 am. Bliss.

My Favorite Village

Scenes from my favorite village near San Lucas Toliman. And to get there you had to travel on a narrow dirt road through fields of coffee beans. It was a hidden little paradise.

This village had also been cleared out by a mudslide off a volcano. But these people were lucky enough to receive their very own well built home - as you can see in the 2nd photo. And the kids there were so happy!

Santiago Atitlan

Boat ride on Lake Atitlan to the town of Santiago Atitlan. I always nab the front seat for the awesome views. Here we visited projects, walked around town, spent time in the crazy market with the locals, did some shopping and visited a town that is still in horrible condition after an attempt to recover from a deadly mudslide. The government decided to build temporary homes right back under the deadly volcano and 3 years later - no change. Way to put forth some effort.

Inspiration #8

Our Rooftops

In Guatemala, rooftops were our sanctuary, our hang out, and it was our "no trespassing zone" for those over the age of 30. It was a place for quiet moments as well as celebrations. It was a place were we would soak in the wonder around us, breathe in the fresh cool air and then smoke a cig or two. It was also our time to reflect on the day we just experienced. The chilled midnight wind would run through our bones but we were ok because it was our time to make new friendships, let loose, be immature and even sneak in a little of our friend - Ron Botran and raise our glasses and chant "here here Guatemala, salud!"

Side Note: We thought that 2nd photo would have been a cruel cruel email to send back home to the folks. ;-) It did cross our minds.

We Are In It Together

Melvin & Edwin

CFCA

As a Personal Outreach Advocate for Christian Foundation For Children & Aging (CFCA) I encourage you to sponsor a child. If you have been reading my blog, I write about how I have seen the results of sponsorship first hand. I have seen with my own eyes where the money goes. Not only does sponsoring help the child, but also the family and the community they live in. For only $30 a month you can make a child look forward to his/her future and make their quality of life that much better. I truly trust this organization and can say I personally know the President/Founder and have stood beside him amongst the many beautiful children being sponsored. So what is it....use the money for a couple beers on a Friday night and deal with the hangover the next day or truly change someones life? Some think that money follows the heart. But sometimes the heart follows the money.

Since I have been back I have already had a few friends sign up. Please, I challenge you. Start here or read their blog here.

Sponsorship - Part 2

The hours were passing, the afternoon was soon arriving and the air was becoming more warm. Fellow sponsors were becoming comfortable with this new friends and relationships were noticeably becoming stronger by the minute. Yet, I sat there with Reina and her family and really started to wonder if Edwin was even going to come. I was starting to get a little bummed. I wanted so bad to meet Edwin. I had been sponsoring him for 7-8 years now, I have always prayed for him and even had tried to meet him once before but the circumstances didn't allow it. I really thought this time I would see him.

Luis, a friend of mine that works for CFCA in Guatemala, soon came around the corner with a smile on his face and told me "Edwin is here." He informed me that they had driven for 10 hours and had gotten lost at the Mexico border. Such a long drive! It was then that Edwin walked through the door followed by his dad. I was so happy I didn't know how to act or what to say. I pretty much jumped up and hugged him. He was so much bigger than I had imagined! He was a 14 year old handsome young man! And when he spoke an unexpected low voice hit me. Wow, I have been part of his life for a long time now and it was so crazy to finally see him in person...it's hard to explain.

I showed him all the gifts I had brought for him and he then went to the car to get my gift. He came back with this large wooden carving. It was a twisted dark wood post with about 9 little prongs coming out the sides. I had no idea what it was but it was beautiful. Now I know how parents feel when they are given finger paintings that look like nothing familiar but they become the most cherished thing you own. And I must say, I was the proud owner of the most unique gift there. We then talked for a few minutes and it was difficult because him and his father were so incredibly shy. Sometimes Edwin wouldn't know how to answer a question and he would just hang his head down. I wanted so bad to show him how much I loved him, to know him more and become friends. But he was so shy.

Later Edwin and I played a game of soccer verse my sister and Melvin. After a couple minutes, 2 boy (couldn't have been older than 6-7 years old) joined in. Not five mints later I was wheezing and coughing like an asthmatic smoker. These 6 year olds were kicking my butt! Every once in a while I'd do some fancy foot work that would baffle them and I'd feel like David Beckham for a split second but in the end we lost. And when people asked how we lost so bad I'd just replied with "well I didn't want to trample any little kids so I took it easy on them." No one bought it.

Afterwards it was time for food. All three families surrounded around Andrea and I at the table. It felt like we were all one family and it was a time of celebration. At lunch I was able to talk with Edwin's dad and the words that came out of his mouth bout made tears come out of my eyes. I clinched my jaw so my chin wouldn't quiver and give me away. He told me that seeing me was so unreal because he didn't think I actually existed. And for me to come all the way down from the states just for his son - he couldn't believe and it filled his heart with so much joy. He thanked me for being part of Edwin's life and it had to have been the most real thank you I had ever seen.

My time with Edwin and his father was short, very short. A little over an hour after lunch I had to say goodbye. Goodbyes are not an easy thing for me. We hugged, took photos, hugged again and walked to the front entrance to see them off. Watching Edwin walk away made me so emotional I finally broke down and cried and hid my face with my jacket. If only I had more time with him. If only....

Sponsorship - Part 1

Traveling to me is all about meeting the people. If I don’t have that one on one time with a local or two, I feel I didn’t fully experience the trip or the culture. I feel as though I may have jipped myself from really learning something. Otherwise what is the point of travel if you don’t learn anything? You end up becoming a wondering tourist looking at things that may never develop into any great lasting memory.To me, the people are what make a trip and make it memorable.

This time around in Guatemala my sister Andrea and I came to visit three beautiful kids that we sponsor through CFCA (a great organization that sponsors kids all around the world). We had my parent’s girl Reina, my sister’s boy Melvin, and my boy Edwin. We had three kids and their families to meet and juggle for almost a full day and we were nervous as heck about the whole situation. The morning of, the butterfly's were a fluttering. To us it was like meeting someone famous that you only know through photos you see in magazines. Or in our case letters. We had each of the kids gifts sorted and ready to go. There was a knock on the door and a message for my sister, “Your kid is here!” We both ran down......ready, set, go.

The greetings were filled with hugs and kisses. Soon after Andrea left me to fend for myself with Reina. I was hoping I’d have her for a buffer in a time of any awkward silences. Nope. She had gone to play soccer with Melvin and had the game, crowd, and adrenaline to fill in any weird moments. So for most of the day I learned all I could about Reina. She was a happy, giggly, 16 year old girl that enjoyed being a home body and had an excellent family for support. Like me, she would much rather spend any free time at home with her sister. We eventually got to the subject of boys and I was asked if I had a boyfriend and that my brother was cute. I topped that conversation off by saying “yeah well, my brother drives a doughnut truck for a job.” Ha! Why is that so fun for me to say?

My sisters boy Melvin was an interesting character. He was always hiding some kind of food in his pocket and checking if we noticed. His dad was a teacher and came up with a whole performance for Andrea. It included props, dancing, and some good old lip syncing. Lucky her. She was also showered with many many gifts. The family was so very thankful for her sponsorship.

Andrea and Melvin were also mentioned in the CFCA blog here!

Sponsorship - Part 2: I meet Edwin.

Inspiration #7

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. ~Hilaire Belloc

They Cry For Peace

Guatemala is a land of great wonder and mystery. Beauty and joy are found around every corner. But if you listen and look closely it is also a land of acute distress, suffering, and pain. Guatemala is a country coming down from a 36 year long civil war and the wounds have left their scars. This was my third visit to the country. I had heard the stories before and this trip wasn’t any different.

While in the capital we visited a small project and a young girl told us a story that was soon broken up by tears. The tears were painful and pierced your heart. A few years before, she had been kidnapped while taking a shower right outside her house. The police didn’t bother to do their job and left the father and uncle in search for her. Kidnappings happen for two reasons - for ransom or for abuse, and the family wasn’t one to bug for a ransom. Shortly after, I stood aside and spoke with our leader (that lives there in Guatemala) and he told me how drug trafficking and gang violence is on the rise in the city (because of Mexico and Columbia). He believes that in just a short couple of years the violence will rise sky high once again. It was a comment you didn’t want to hear, but it also didn’t come as a surprise.


With our two police officers in tow for security (for the entire trip), we headed off to the area of Solola. Later I found myself no longer among palm trees, tropical flowers and sugar cane fields. Instead we were up in the clouds surrounded by the dense forest area of Corazon del Bosque. I jumped off the bus and viewed the crowd of a couple hundred that I was about to dive into head first. I took a deep breath, went in and was mobbed by 20 plus kisses of innocent children and nothing is better than that.

While there the massive crowd gathered in a circle around us, knelt, raised their hands to the sky then cupped them around their faces. Then in their Mayan language they fervently prayed for us. It was a prayer so devout it made us sponsors from CFCA feel uneasy. We felt as if we weren’t worthy and didn’t deserve such gratitude. We had come with CFCA to see our sponsored children and yet they still thanked us because we had come in place of all the sponsors that couldn’t be there. They are a grateful people by nature and I felt blessed to have such a prayer bestowed on me.


The celebration continued. Children danced, sang, and handed out mounds of fruit. And again the painful sound of children's tears rang in your ears. They sang of pain and blood shed. They cry for peace. The Mayan people are constantly persecuted in their own country. A friend of mine even told me he can’t even wear his Mayan bag to school in the city because of the persecution. I didn’t understand and probably never will. Unfortunately, the answers to solve the worlds hatred will most likely never be there. But the best thing I can do is to just walk along side the people and listen. Not in front or in back.....but beside. And that is my plan.

Welcome To My Country

I flew over and into a city nestled between endless mountains and low laying smoke that cushioned the many rows of inadequate housing along the runway in Guatemala City. Nothing has changed and yet everything has changed since the last time I was there 3 years ago. The airport was brand spanking new, polished, and clean. Did I get on the right plane? I expected to be mobbed by begging children and frantic families once I walked out the front doors. Instead it was clear and only one taxi driver confronted me and from a friendly face I received the words "welcome to my country."

The drive to the hotel was smooth and I had an intriguing conversation with a new friend. The streets were clear, sidewalks were empty, and the air smelt oddly fresh. Was it a lazy Friday afternoon, quiet day of the week, was I used to the stiff air of the plane, or were my senses calmed by being back in a country I love to be in?

I was happy to be alive and in Guatemala. I got a comment on my blissed out grin that never seemed to leave my face. Guatemala is a country that constantly calls my name and maybe I really was that excited to be there and it was written all over my face.

That night, after a re energizing nap and filling dinner, I camped out on the 12th floor balcony of the hotel. With a lollipop in hand as my dessert and a sister for company, I sat and listened to the cool breeze, the honking of traffic, the cat calls from neighboring construction workings, and the whisperings of lovers below. I was back in Guatemala and was reassured that all was right in the world.

Guatemala

I am currently in Guatemala and ready to bring in the New Year.
Posts to come when I get back!

Grandpa

It was about this week 3 years ago when I was in Guatemala and my grandpa had died. I had done a morning of shopping in Antigua and stopped by a McDonalds for lunch. At this particular McDonalds you receive internet time with every purchase, so I was able to finally check my email. I skimmed the inbox to find an email saying my grandpa had passed away. I walked back to my table, put my head down and cried. The family I was with had plans to visit their own grandpa's grave right after lunch, but when they noticed me crying all the way down the street, that plan was soon canceled.

Being out of the country and not being able to say goodbye or attend the funeral was hard. The way I dealt with it was through my photography. Above is a photo I took of one of my grandpa's antique jars and a photo of him, my dad, and my uncle wrapped up inside.

I then gave it to my dad that Christmas.

Seven Months To Go

So the tickets for the December 26 Guatemala trip are bought! But of course my procrastination has cost me. Because it is a holiday trip I did expect it to be pricey but $2,456.60 for two people to fly to a country maybe 4 hours from Dallas? Honestly. It crossed my mind to start buying the tickets a few weeks back but what I didn't expect was the rise of gas prices.

At least Andrea is covered with travel insurance and me covered twice over and the planning is done. Not that I think this trip will be risky, I'm actually not worried about it at all. It will be one of the least risky ones I have taken lately.

Anyways, I'm pumped and can't wait to go back for the 3rd time and see the kids. On top of that, I will get to see what New Years is like in Guatemala and show Andrea what the country is like! It's great to have something to look forward to and get me through the rough times of work.