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.