Our group arrived back in Minnesota yesterday afternoon. We had a wonderful trip! Upon our arrival, it was touching to see the students reunited with friends and family at the airport. Our last few days in Guatemala were some of the most eventful. We finished our work in San Lucas helping to make rebar pillars used to stabilize homes during earthquakes. We traveled from San Lucas to Antigua and were able to take-in the cultural center of the country. Antigua is a very beautiful and stylish place. I was able to take a few hours and just wonder the streets and shops, having time to reflect. The last time I had visited Antigua I was very ill and spent most of the day in, or near, a Burger King bathroom. Needless to say – this experience was much more pleasant. From Antigua we drove about an hour to Guatemala City. The city is certainly the most densely packed place that I have ever stayed. By this point, a few of the students were feeling sick and ready to get home. Despite the minor health problems, I have to say that our group was a dream throughout the entire trip. I am very thankful that they shared their experiences and learning with me! I am also very thankful to have made more friends in San Lucas - for your kindness, patience and hospitality – thank you!

“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.” -Dorothy Day

Things are going very well in San Lucas. Today we picked coffee with some local farmers. It was good for us all to understand the amount of work that it takes to get to just one a cup of coffee. Yesterday we went to mass and toured the lake. The students are doing very well - all have been great examples of humble and thoughtful travel. Each day the temp is between 50 and 80 degrees - it is very nice. A nasty bug has been going around town, but we have been safe so far. Some of us found a tv and watched a bit of the packer game on Sunday night. Seeing the cold just seemed unreal. It is now about time for dinner. Writing from here is not easy - I may get another chance in a few days. The internet cafe is packed, when open, and very slow. We will move to another village in a few days and I will try again. Father Greg is well, kind and wise. Learning a lot and full of thanks! Thanks for the thoughts and prayers! Wishing you all well!

Wow- It feels great to be back in San Lucas! It has been hard to find an internet connection and I only have time for a quick update. Our group is now setteled into our hotel and have been joining live at the mission and in the village. Today we toured many of the community projects and have been meeting locals as well as other folks from the US. I hope to be able to give a longer update very soon, but it is time for dinner.

Today I am at home preparing to leave for Guatemala. My airport ride will be at my house at 3:10am. When we arrive in Guatemala City we will drive a few hours by minivan to the San Lucas Mission on the shores of Lake Atitlan. I am excited for myself and excited for the students I will help to lead. I expect the trip will be both challenging and inspiring. San Lucas is very beautiful and poor. Last time the accommodations were…well…I’ll use a phrase here that we northerners are accustomed to – rustic. For me, the challenge of the trip comes with truth that all peoples equally deserve good lives – All are loved by God. Seeing how our human systems of government, business, and class can fail, and seeing people being hurt by these systems can be more than a little heart wrenching. Simultaneously, the natural beauty of Guatemala and people’s hospitality are very inspiring! I am looking forward to seeing Father Gregory Schaeffer of the mission. He is one of the greatest leaders that I have ever met and he truly walks along side of the people in his parish – not in front, and not behind. Many of the people in San Lucas show us how to love our neighbors in ways that we would never imagine here in the US. We will travel to Guatemala to make friends, offer help when we can, appreciate the country’s beauty and learn to be better global citizens. I appreciate people taking the time to read my postings and will try to send updated pictures or comments when I am able. Internet access can be difficult, so please be patient.

On January 18th I will be heading back to Guatemala. I will be helping to lead a group of young folks from Gloria Die Lutheran Church on a cultural exchange. Last April, over Holy week, several of us were in Guatemala for the holidays and relating festivities.

The time has come for a few of us to say goodbye to Israel. My mother, Jim and I are currently waiting at the airport in Tel Aviv waiting for our 11:25pm flight to Atlanta. The airport is remarkably nice and we are relaxing under a wonderful fountain. On this last post from Israel - I want to take a moment and express my deep appreciation for Dr. Schuler. He is truly a remarkable man and I feel very privileged to have been able to share time with him and his project over these last two weeks. The work was hard – very hard at times, but always rewarding and under great leadership. Thank you Dr. Schuler.

Readers - Please continue to follow along with all of the important discoveries and important shenanigans at virtualdig.org.

Thank you for reading along with this great adventure. May peace prevail & God bless you!

Several of us were just working in the lab and in walked Dr. Schuler covered in dirt. He had been up on the site digging a couple of hours after most of us were back at the kibbutz. It was such a great scene that I had to document it!

Today we started to uncover more of the new wall in my square. The team is working well and we have been getting a good amount of work done at a good pace. I am finally getting adjusted to the 4am wakeup call and working in the heat. This morning was much better physically than the last several days. I’ve been stretching all throughout the day and it is really helping me to feel better onsite! Cliché, but I am now acclimated and really in the flow of this work and heat and tomorrow is my last day here. After work today the fellas and I had our usually swim/clothing washing session in the sea – then time for lunch. After lunch, while walking with mother, I was thinking about how much my brother would love it here. This evening my mother and will be leading a small devotion/prayer service. This international context is a wonderful place to consider the relationship between faith and diversity. I feel very deeply happy to be around so many different types of people here. My mother and I will dig again in the morning and will then be packing up to head back to the states. Several of us head home tomorrow - but many others will remain to finish the season. I hope to post a final entry before taking off at the airport. I am very thankful to Dr. Schuler for sharing his passions with us and I am looking forward to seeing loved ones soon!

Today was a good day on the dig site! Very hot - but good. Our new square is coming along nicely and we may have begun to uncover the south wall of the church. Dr. Schuler was excited to see the wall emerging in that portion of the space. I asked if we could name the wall after me – but that request was not met with equal enthusiasm ;). Last night I got to sneak off by myself for a little down time. I watched the sunset from the fish restaurant at the kibbutz. It was nice to have some time to be alone and reflect on this time in Israel. Life is good! Only a few days left of digging. I was really stiff today and need to keep stretched out for the remainder of my time here – I hope to finish the work here strong.

My mind is starting to drift back to work topics. I hope that any transfer students reading will remember to complete application and FAFSA processes ASAP in preparation for registration. This afternoon I am going to lay low. We will have out pottery washing at 4:30. I have the remaining part of the day free and hope to get some emails out!

Well…my body is sore in a way that could only indicate one thing - I am indeed back at the dig site. Today was a good day of digging. We have two new team members I have been working with one of them on a new square where we are beginning to uncover a wall. I seem to have hit a wall myself today – physically. I am very tired. This evening I will rest up for my final week on top on Hippos.

After digging, this afternoon a few of us ventured around the sea to visit Tiberias. It was nice to see the city that has been the distant light backdrop to our 4am wake up calls. A funny thing also happened while we were there – I met a young lady from Edina MN! What are the odds? She had just arrived for 10 days in the country financed by the Israeli government in a program for Jewish people to visit Israel. I looked around a few shops and had a nice visit. Dad – mom bought some new jewelry. Speaking of my mother – I almost forgot to say that she found two third or fourth century coins yesterday! The LaCroixs came to Israel to produce artifacts! Now, with our good work done, it is about time for dinner and a sunset swim in the Sea of Galilee before bed. (My guest bolgger - Andrea- is the little lady in the middle photo)