Sometimes Things Are Hard

Ugh. Sometimes on the mission field you soar, and sometimes you hit the wall. We have done the latter, folks. It's nothing specific. There's no giant tragedy or drama. Nothing tangible or terrible is wrong, but things are also just not right. Not easy. Not feeling happy happy. Last year at this time we were kindasorta just starting to get over our initial culture shock and find our sea legs (mission field legs?). I don't know why or what exactly happened, but somehow the waves of everyday life have caused us to feel off kilter again. Yo ho ho, a pirate's life for us.

Thankfully, we understand that this happens sometimes, no matter where you are or what you're doing. It's part of life. We've done it before. We'll do it again. God's promises are no less real in the tough times than they are in the easy ones. We're just finding this especially challenging because it is hard enough to proceed without equilibrium when you are on home turf, but even more so when the world around you still feels so foreign.

Learning a language is rough. Learning a culture is rough. Working in a place that has some core values which are pretty different from yours is rough. Watching your loved ones give their all and still struggle is rough. Still struggling yourself after you've given your all is rough. The quicksand of one rough thing after another is... well, rough. (Are you sensing a theme?) Perhaps roughest of all is that underneath all of the other stuff is the endless throb of, "You're not making a difference... you're not making a difference... you're not making a difference..."

That really sucks.

Honestly, it would all be enough - all of the changes and challenges, all of the heartache and helplessness, all of the struggle and strife - if we just didn't feel like our work was for nothing. I know that's a lie from Satan, and that Satan is a busybody and a poopyhead. I know God wouldn't send us somewhere where our efforts would be wasted. I know that we're planting seeds and watering what other people have planted. I know that God honors and uses even our most feeble of efforts, and He promises to use the foolish to confound the wise. But, by golly feeling foolish is getting awfully old, and our efforts do seem pretty darn feeble right now.

So, um... this is where I sum things up in a really cool way, and tie a scripture bow on everything to make it all sunshine. Sorry, the rainy season has lasted longer than usual, so I'm even all out of sunshine these days. At least I still have the Word. God said in Zechariah 4:10 that He doesn't despise humble beginnings, but rejoices to see the work begin.

Oh, Lord Jesus - sometimes it feels like we're at more of an ending than a beginning, but I know you know more than we do. I can at least faintly recall the feelings of hope you planted long ago, and the glimpses you gave which told us we'd be fruitful for your glory on the mission field. I guess that means there's more work to do, 'cause I know you don't lie.

I can't say that I'm rejoicing much these days over the work you've started through us, either. For now it will have to be enough to know that you are rejoicing. I'll have to abide in the idea of you boogying in Heaven over the oh-so humble and messy beginnings it feels like we're slogging through. After all, that's what your Word promises that you're doing.

We desired that our lives would make you happy. Would make you smile. Would make you rejoice. That's all we ever wanted, even more than fruitfulness that we could count and quantify and package into neat little boxes that make us feel good. Thanks for the reminder that we're doing what we said we wanted, even if it doesn't always feel that way. I just have one request - turn up the music a bit louder, would you? I could stand a bit of dancing right now.

Missionary Momma

Being a missionary mom is tough. :(

Before we left, I reminded the Lord that I had kiddos, and He promises in Isaiah 40:11 to lead gently those who have young. And, as always, He's been faithful, but not necessarily in the way that I expected.

Our oldest daughter is a sophomore. Let's just say her adjustment to life in Guatemala, and especially her new school, has not been an especially easy one. I'll spare you the details, but it was bad enough that before the end of her first semester last year, her dad and I were ready to pull her out of school and home school her.

But, then we asked her about it.

Instead of giving a knee-jerk reaction based on her emotions (which most definitely would have led her to come home for her education), she prayed. She sought the Lord. She put His desires above her own, and told us that she felt like He wanted her to stay there to help her classmates and the few friends she had made, and that there were benefits to staying at school that she felt outweighed the challenges.

My kid.
My precious little girl.
The one who used to be my tiny baby.

She prayed to God and got a Word from Him about her life, and her plans, and her ministry here. That's the kind of thing that makes a mama super proud, but that doesn't mean it's made it any easier to watch her walk it all out. Often (almost daily) things are still pretty tough for her at school. It takes everything within me not to walk into the office and tell them that she's done, and then take her home where I know she'd blossom once again in home schooling just like she did before.

She'd be happier. Her life would be easier and more convenient. She wouldn't be as stressed out. She'd reopen old doors of opportunity that had been closed to her when we moved. She'd have more time for herself, more familiarity, more comfort, more peace, more fun, more, more, more...

You know -

More of all of the things we very willingly walked away from in order to serve the Lord in Guatemala.

More of all of the things that we decided were worth living without because the benefits of life here far outweigh the challenges.

More of all of the things that make it hard for our loved ones when they look at the life we've chosen.

And, why did we choose it?

Because we prayed to God and got a Word from him about our lives, and our plans, and our ministry here.

<crickets> 

(Ok, God - I see what you did there.)

Like I said - being a missionary mom is tough, but I really wouldn't have it any other way. :)

Enough!

My handsome hubby (left) with his cohorts in Nepal!

Mark's been gone for over a week. I've only been able to Skype with him once and message him a handful of very brief times. The last one was at 2:00 in the morning days ago, during which he warned me that he would have even less access to internet over the next several days than he has already. I've had enough already!!! <sniff sniff>

Mah hubby's gawn, an' I got de blues.
<insert sad harmonica music here>
Oh, yeah, I sed my hubby's gaaaaaaaaawn, an' I got de bluuuuuuuuues.
<more harmonica, and maybe a bit of twanging string bass>
I got dem blu-u-u-ues, I got de missionary wife blues.
<snazzy sort of 'mwah mwaaaaaah' musical ending>

Only, not really.

Yes, I miss my husband. Yes, I wish he was here. Yes, life is easier when he's around in oh so many ways. And, yes, we're super excited to see him on Sunday. But, we're also fine. He's doing exactly what God has asked him to do. He's telling people about Jesus, loving orphans, encouraging and strengthening those who are doing the Lord's work in Nepal. I'm doing exactly what God has asked me to do. I'm teaching and equipping Guatemala's future leaders, praying with and for those in need, supporting and loving my colleagues. What's not to love? Honestly, I can't imagine a better life. It's like God showed us the sweet spot and then allowed us the blessing of living there every day.

He's so good.

That doesn't mean things are easy, but they are good. Some of my students have recently shared deep hardships and challenges with me. But, they've shared them with me. I see grinding poverty all around me, and often (as was the case yesterday) all I can do is offer some simple food, a Bible, and a few dollars. But, I can offer simple food, a Bible, and a few dollars. Perhaps hardest of all, my friends and family are struggling with profoundly difficult and painful situations, and all I can do is pray. But, I can pray.

I went into mission work with an idea that I was going to change the world for Jesus. And, I am, but it looks different than what I expected. The things I do now are the same things I've always done, but I do them more often and more willingly. Somehow I find myself less hesitant to enter in to the heartache, and the struggle, and the poverty, and the challenges, and, and, and... than I ever was before. I don't have any more answers, but I've realized that's ok. I never was the answer to begin with, but He always was, is, and always will be.

 That's enough for me. It's enough motivation to jump into the thick of things. It's enough equipping to enter in where I don't feel equipped to enter in. It's enough comfort for when things get hard. It's enough peace for when I can't find peace any other place. It's enough, because He's enough.

How?

Oftentimes Andrea and I look at each other and say, "How did we get here?" or "Wow. We live in Guatemala."  These expressions sometimes come at happy moments when we can't believe how God has blessed us.  Other times they're when things are hard and the U.S. seems like a nice comfy bed that you'd want to crawl into and never leave.

I am pondering this question now as I get ready to go to Nepal, a country I did not known much about until this trip came up.

Spoiler Alert: I'm going to talk about personal and emotional things.

Five years ago my Mother passed away from ovarian cancer after three years of believing for healing. 

Now, if you read our blog a lot you know I reference this event frequently. This is the post where I'll tell you why.

I believe her death was one of the most pivotal moments in my life.  Everything since then seems real. Everything before then seems like a dream.  The three middle years seem like a mix of dreams and nightmares.

When I was 32 my Mom passed away at the age of 63.  The lingering thought for me for the next several days was, 'If I live as long as my Mom, my life is half over.'  This led to other questions. 'What have I done with my life?'  'Is this all there is - an average life of working and going to church, which we have fallen nicely into?'  'Is there a God?' (Unfortunately with pain always comes this question) 'If my life is half over, have I done all I want to do?'

When you realize you don't have much time left, these questions make a big impact.  So, Andrea and I made a decision to make more of our lives. (Thankfully, I had an experience with Christ that took care of the God question.)

Nothing really changed much for a while.  In fact, things got worse for a while when depression and sickness sat on our family for a season. 

After much prayer and some tears, we left the church I had grown up in and Andrea had joined, not because of anything they did, but because after my experience with Christ, my mission and their mission no longer lined up.

I believe this one step - to follow God, even when it meant leaving what had been more than a church, but a family - showed the Lord our hearts were set to follow him, no matter the cost.  From this one step, we now find ourselves living in Guatemala.

The thing is, though, the more we follow the Lord, the more addicting it gets. At first, it was enough to find another church.  Then we started to pray for people at work and on the street. Then we started feeding the homeless.  Then we moved to Guatemala.  We keep pushing the line and deepening our desires to serve.  Life now feels empty when we are not putting Him in everything we are doing, and the passion only seems to be growing.

If I live as long as my Mom did, I have 26 years left, which is a blink of an eye. (Though I don't believe I'm going to die that young, it is always something in the back of my mind.) I will pursue the Kingdom of God as hard as I can until it is time to go home to be with my Mom again.

Some may think this blog posts sounds sad, but it is not.  This is my motivation. This is the thing that reminds me that time is short on this earth, but Heaven is eternal.  This is the thing that pushes me out of lukewarmness.  This is the thing that motivates me to get on a plane for a fifteen hour flight (I'm not a big fan of flying), to go to a country to help people I do not know, and to learn what I can to help people here in Guatemala.

And, when I get to Heaven, I know there will be two people to greet me - Jesus, who will say, "Well done good and faithful servant," and my Mom, who will say, "You did good".

P.S. My Mom may also say, "Go Hawks." Only time will tell.

A Caring Father

So, in sixteen days I will be leaving Guatemala and flying to Nepal, a one-way flight of 26 hours.  I am so amazed the Lord is blessing me with this opportunity, but He also personally blessed me in another way I didn't expect.

A friend from my church in Iowa is joining me on the trip, so I will fly up to Chicago on a Sunday, spend the night, and then fly out with him the next day.  Splitting up the trip like this saved almost  $800 in airfare and I get to fly with my friend, so it works out well.

When we started to discuss flight options and such, he thought we should stay an extra day after the mission trip for some sight seeing. (After all, when will we be in Nepal again?) Andrea and I prayed about it, and it just didn't feel right.  My friend tried to talk me into staying, but it just didn't seem to be the right thing.  We tried to come up with reasons: I should get home as early as possible, the trip would already cost a lot, it could be dangerous without the group, etc. In the end, though, none of those reasons were why I ended up deciding not to stay an extra day. All I can say is that it just didn't feel right. So, I went ahead and got online to buy my tickets.

Then came the problem.

There were no direct flights to Guatemala on the day I needed them. Everything had twelve plus hour layovers and would get me back to Guatemala City way too late to get home that same night.  The next day, though, had all direct flights. It looked like I could have stayed an extra day to sightsee, afterall! I bought the ticket for Sunday and decided that even though I hadn't wanted to be gone an extra day, spending that time in a hotel in Chicago would at least be restful.

One of the hardest things about being a missionary is decisions about family.  You have to decide up front what you will come back to the United States for. Death of a parent? Illness of a friend or famly members?  Class reunion? (My twentieth was last week, and it didn't make the "worth coming back for" list unfortunately).  These are really hard questions.

When my grandma got sick -  a woman I greatly admire and respect and who had been a true spiritual covering for our family - it was hard not to go back and be there to hold her hand to help escort her from this life into eternity.  She ended up passing away while we were driving through Mexico to the United States this summer. We came so close to getting to see her again!  Had we still lived in Iowa, we would have at least driven to St. Louis and said our good byes. Because of scheduling conflicts, the memorial service was set to be held in October. One more hard thing I'd be missing because of the choice to live in Guatemala...

Two days after buying my tickets for Nepal, we got a message from my Uncle. My Grandma's memorial service was moved to November 7th - the very same day I could not get a direct flight back to Guatemala!

So, this is how my final schedule worked out: fly into O'Hare airport at 1:30 in the afternoon, after a fifteen hour flight.  Rent a car and drive the five hours down to Kalona and spend the night.  Go to the 11:00 a.m. memorial service.  Drive five hours back to Chicago. Spend the night.  Fly out at 6:00 a.m. to Guatemala City. Be home with my family by evening.

Yes, it all sounds exhausting, but all I see in this schedule is a God who loves me so much that he set up everything perfectly so that I could be there for my grandmother's memorial service. Why was that weekend the one finally chosen for the service?  Why were there no direct flights to Guatemala City for the day I originally wanted?  Why was my flight landing so early Friday? And, of course, why did both Andrea and I feel that staying an extra day in Nepal would not be right?

The answer to all of those questions? It's because my Father loves me, and he knew how much getting to be there to honor my grandmother would bless me.

As you can see, this trip has God's hand all over it, and I can't wait to see what other amazing things He makes happen on it, and the ways that I will get to encourage and help others during my time in Nepal.

If you would like to help witht the cost of this trip, you can easily and safely give tax-deductible donations online here. Simply select 'Farrier - Mark and Andrea' from the pull-down menu and follow the instructions. Or, you can mail a check to WOM, PO Box B, Marietta, GA, 30061. Please be sure to write 'Farrier - 251' in the memo section.

Thanks for all of your faith, love, prayers, and support. It is appreciated more than you will know!

What an Opportunity!

I have been given a wonderful opportunity.  A local missionary here in Guatemala has been working with a group in Nepal since a major earthquake struck in April.  About a month ago he shared that he was going back in late October and was looking for individuals to join him.  After much prayer and talking with other ministries I trust and look up to, I have decided to go.

Here's a little information about Nepal:

Nepal is a country in Asia most known for being the home of Mt. Everest.  It is a small, remote country with scores of ethnic groups and languages. It’s literally at the crossroads where the Middle East meets the East. It is both modern and ancient. It is densely populated but also has regions that are desolate and remote. It has frozen tundras and tropical savannas. Where the U.S. has about 81 people per square mile, Nepal has 526 people.  The country is very poor and, after a large earthquake last April, is still rebuilding.

It is 80 percent Hindu, 10 percent Buddhist, 5 percent Muslim, and 1 percent Christian.  Christianity is heavily rejected in this country, with people losing jobs and families disowning them when they convert.

So - what will I be doing in Nepal?

Our group is going to be involved in various aspects of a local ministry, like visiting churches (there are 29 in all, but obviously we won't go to all of them), seeing the results of relief aid after April's 7.8 earthquake, doing children's ministry, helping with human trafficking prevention and recuperation, and attending a pastor's seminar.  Quite a bit to do with only eight days on the ground!

I am excited about this opportunity and to go and see how missions work in other countries, especially in a nation where Christians are persecuted. I am excited to make connections with other missionaries and be a help to them in the work they are doing.  But, the thing I am most excited about is seeing how the human trafficking prevention and recuperation efforts work. This is an issue very close to my heart, and to be able to see how it's done will hopefully give me knowledge and skills I can use later.

The cost for this trip is a little over $3,000 dollars, well over half of which is for airline tickets.

Obviously this is outside of our normal budget, so we are asking for help.  We believe that this trip is an important part of God's plan, so we have already taken a step of faith and paid for the tickets, the fees to the mission company, and other costs. We are now asking you to pray and, if so led, to participate financially in this wonderful and important ministry opportunity.

I will be putting out more blogs as we get closer and I get more details about what is going to happen. For now, I would appreciate your prayers and support. If you'd like to make a financial donation, simply go to

https://www.worldoutreach.org/donate

Click the arrow to reveal a pull-down menu. Select 'Farrier - Mark and Andrea - GUATEMALA'.From there, simply follow directions to complete your donation. Or, if you'd rather, you can make a check out to WOM and write 'Farrier - 251' in the memo section. Checks can be mailed to WOM, PO Box B, Marietta, GA, 30061.

All donations are safe, tax deductible, and oh-so appreciated!

This and That

<sigh>

I went and did it again, didn't I? Left this blog unattended for way too long. Sorry 'bout that.

One of these days I'm going to learn that these posts don't need to be the epic literary masterpieces that they usually are (hah!), and that the occasional, "Hey, folks! Here's what's happening in our corner of Guatemala" will suffice. I guess I'll give it a try. Here goes:

• Year two is infinitely better and easier than year one on the mission field. Like, in every conceivable way. Things are less scary. More familiar. There is more sense of purpose to each and every day, and there are fewer moments of sheer panic during which the cry of, "What on EARTH am I doing here!?!" leaps to your throat. It's nice, really. We are thoroughly enjoying being second year missionaries, and praying that God will make us ever more useful for His purpose, kingdom, and glory with each passing day.
• It's really fun not being the new kids on the block, especially if that means getting to assist the even newer kids on the block. We are so very far from being experts, but it's fun to watch people who are even less expert than we are trying to acclimate to, well, everything. It's even more fun that we get to help. There are several new people and families in town, and we're grateful that God is allowing us to come along side and be a blessing to them just as so many others did for us during our first year.
• The longer we're here, the more God is clarifying our purposes. I (Andrea) really feel like I'm called to be a blessing and support to my fellow teachers as much as to my students. So, our family started a Bible study on Friday nights for my colleagues. It has been awesome! We eat too much. Laugh a whole lot. Get to know each other better. And, best of all, we get to really dig into the Word of God together. I am praying that these times will help us all be closer to one another, and especially to Christ!
• I'm going to Bogota, Colombia, in early October! Woot Woot! <Say it with me, now!> Woot woot!!! That's right, my school is sending me away. Already! (That didn't take long.) Actually, I'm going on behalf of my school to a conference about Advanced Placement classes, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm attempting to start our AP program this year with an English class I'm currently offering, but I want to see the program expand as much as possible so our students can take advantage of all the benefits of AP. The conference will be a great chance to learn how to implement the many facets of Advanced Placement at IAS. What a great academic opportunity. (Oh, and it's in BOGOTA, ya'll. So, woot woot all over again!!) 
• God is good. (If that's not the understatement of the millennium, I don't know what is!) Seriously. Like, in all the ways that anyone can be good, times infinity, and then a whole lot more. Each day we learn to trust Him more and more. Each day He proves Himself more faithful, capable, and loving than we ever thought possible. He's always been good, but there's something about being so utterly outside of our comfort zones and abilities to meet our own daily needs that makes us all the more aware of how amazing He is. We are overwhelmed by His goodness! We are so grateful He brought us here! We are so grateful for all the people He uses to bless us, and for all the people He allows us to bless as well. What more can I say? God is just soooooooooooo good.  

Well, I think that's it for now. I mean, it's the rainy season, so we have the daily excitement of finding the latest leaks in the roof. And, I've officially convinced two other teachers to get chickens (if only I was as successful at evangelism!), so we'll be helping them embark on that journey in the weeks to come. And, Guatemala's Independence Day is on Tuesday, which means that Xela is going to be positively inundated for the next week or so as we celebrate and host the country's biggest fair. And, the only bridge to our school is still officially closed, though we (like hundreds of others each day) take the terrifyingexhileratingfaithbuilding drive over the single lane that's still in use. (Hasn't collapsed so far!)  And, I got pied in the face last Thursday at school, but it was at least expected and for a good cause! And, and, and...

I guess this post wasn't exactly an epic literary masterpiece. Still, at least it lets you know some of what's happening in our corner of Guatemala. :)

Coming Home

We have been back in Guatemala for a week.  It was such a whirlwind trip through the United States, filled with with great memories and many blessings.  But, it is good to be back.

While we were in the United States, the number one question we got was, "When are you coming back?"  This was normally followed by, "Where are you coming back to?," or, "What kind of job will you do?,"  etc.  Our normal response was, "We don't know. We'll make a decision in January, when Andrea has to decide whether or not to sign a contract for another year."

When we first came down we made a commitment of a minimum of two years.  This was a self-made commitment, since Andrea's school only does one year contracts and my internship was only for a year.  The two years was so we didn't quit too early.

After Andrea and I drove back over the border of Guatemala last week, though, we both knew - this is our home.  No matter home much we loved our home country, and even played with the idea of going back and resuming our old lives their, the Lord has placed our hearts in Guatemala.  This is the life we have chosen.

So, we have made our decision.

We will be staying until God says otherwise.  We don't know how long that will be. After all, three years ago we didn't even know about missions!  We are going to stop looking at end dates and trying to figure out our next steps.  This is where we are supposed to be until we are not supposed to be here anymore.

From now on, when we're asked, "When are you coming back?,"  I know our response will be, "We'll be here until God changes our hearts."

Highlights

Hoooray! We just got home from a reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally long trip, during which we made countless memories that we will treasure forever. (That's writer talk for, "I'm going to spare you all the long, intricate details.") Instead of giving a blow-by-blow (which I kinda sorta already did in the last two posts), I thought I'd just take a few minutes and share some of the more, um, interesting highlights of our trip. SO - here goes:

• We spent 50 mights away from home. Exactly. Precisely. And, because of the kindness, patience, and generosity of friends and family (who opened their homes, guest rooms, sofa beds, campers, and fridges to us) only 8 of them were spent in hotels. Four hotel rooms were in Mexico. They ranged from what you'd consider a really poor 1 star American hotel to something much less than that. (There were bugs almost the size of a deck of cards, lizards who serenaded us as we slept, and one sleep-walking incident in which one of my children had the door almost open before I managed to convince her to get back into bed.) 
• We put 10,660 miles on our Jeep Liberty between June 9th and July 29th. We were in 16 different American states. (I don't know how many Mexican states we were in. Forgot to keep track of that.) Most of the time, it was just the five of us in the Jeep. At one point, though, there were 8 of us crammed in, along with all of our bags and purchases. We can put a LOT of stuff (and people, apparently) in that little space.
• I highly recommend being church tourists, like we were, when you're on vacation or away from home. We were gone for 7 Sundays, and attended 5 different churches during that time. It was great. I know a lot of people moan and worry over the state of the church in America. And, trust me, I get it! There are problems, to be sure. There are many churches (whole denominations of them, perhaps), who have walked away from the true purpose of gather together. But, there are also amazing, faithful, wonderful, joyful, honest, sincere, open, welcoming, Bible-reading, Jesus-loving, gospel-sharing congregations in every corner of the country. It was so good to get to worship with so many different people in so many different ways and places.
• Borders are always interesting and a bit unnerving. We think it's particularly important to teach our children how to fill out paperwork and complete border requirements. (It's a good skill for them to learn, and helps save us time.)  On this trip, Sarah (who is 8) filled out her own Visa form, complete with signature... with a heart at the end. :) Other border incidents of note - we may have inadvertently and completely accidentally sorta kinda bribed a border agent, and once got followed by a border patrol truck and instructed to turn around when we misunderstood a hand signal and drove off without having completed the required inspection. Oops. You live, you learn.
• The view out of our windows was awesome. We saw mountains, grassland, farms, ocean views, rolling hills, expansive skies, huge cities, little towns, remote villages, and so much more. Mexico is beautiful. The United States is beautiful. Life is beautiful if you're paying attention. 
• It's good to be careul what you wish for. During Day Two through Mexico we always end up skirting the coast for about half the day. I've always wished we could stop and play a little, since I dearly love the ocean, and the beaches were almost completely empty. This time, I got my wish. (Unfortunately.) One of our traveling companions kept hearing an unpleasant sound during big bumps (of which there are MANY on Mexican roads). He stopped once to try to get it fixed. The mechanic said it was the spring in the shock (forgive my automotive ignorance), but didn't have the parts necessary to fix it. Several hours down the road, it finally broke, causing us to have to pull off, find another mechanic, and have the spring welded back together. Can't say I would have wished that on anyone, but we did have fun for about an hour and a half on the beach while we waited. The fact that it broke 2 blocks from a mechanic and 3 blocks from the beach was pretty awesome, all things considered. 
• If you're planning on moving to Guatemala, don't bring a Toyota truck. I don't know why, but they are the single most popular vehicle here. The smaller ones, usually from the early-to-mid '90s are EVERYWHERE! (Like, one out of every three vehicles). Turns out, they're also the ones most likely to be pulled over by military and police checkpoints and at borders. Unfortunately, one of the members of our caravans, who were just moving to Guatemala for the first time, had a really nice Toyota truck, and they were hassled, stopped, inspected, and bothered WAY more often than we were. I'm not gonna lie - it feels good to not be such total newbies anymore. 
• Goodbyes don't get any easier the second time you leave the country. As much fun as it was to see everyone, in some ways it was also harder than before. Our bonds were deepened, but the pain of our separation was too. I wonder if that will ever change. 

There was more. Of course, there was so much more. But, since there wasn't room for you to join us for the ride, I hope you at least enjoyed the highlights. Next time we'd love to have you come along, though I'm thinking we might need a bit bigger vehicle. :) 

Our Trip, Parts 2, 3, and Beyond

<sigh> It happened again. Life got busy, and this blog got neglected. (Sure glad I'm better at caring for my children, pets, and houseplants than I am the blog.)

Anyhoo - let's see... where all have we been? Where are we NOW, come to think of it?!?

After wonderful, relaxing, amazing, fun-filled times with family and friends at the Gulf Coast of Alabama (including wicked sunburns and our very first jelly fish stings), we headed north for more visits with family in St. Louis. This is always a highlight for us, since we spent part of our honeymoon there, and always love coming back.

Our time there was brief but beautiful, and then we went north again, this time to the town in Eastern Iowa where we lived for most of our married life. Since our mailing address is there, we had to catch up on correspondence, update drivers licenses, pay our taxes, and do other business stuff. But, it wasn't all business. We laughed. We ate. We visited friends. We ate. We shopped. We ate. We soaked up the sunsets and countryside. We ate. (Catching a trend? There's a reason there's a whole lot more Farrier heading back to Guatemala than left there.) I think we squeezed in more visits with people to this part of the trip than any other, and we sure are grateful for each one! It was so very hard to leave our friends again, but indescribably good to have gotten to spend that much time with them as well.

From Eastern Iowa we went west, and right into the warm embrace of more loved ones, including our church family. The days were long and lazy, just like we wanted them to be. We soaked up the love and hugs, ate all of our favorite foods (we won't mention just how much Chex mix was consumed), worshiped the Lord (in English!), played with farm animals, caught lightning bugs... all the good stuff! This goodbye was also very hard, but we were starting to be ready to be home by then, so off we went, headed south.

In Oklahoma and Texas we caught up with some family and friends we'd made in Guatemala (a missionary and a teacher at my school), and were very refreshed by our time with them. We sure hope they were serious in their offers to have us back again, because it's something we're already planning for our next trip to the States. It's all been a blur, but now we find ourselves near the Mexican border, ready to cross over tomorrow. Prayers are much appreciated, since three solid days of driving can be hard to do. Though we will miss each and every one of our beloved family and friends, we're also very excited to be getting back to the loved ones we left behind at home, in Xela.

Thanks for following our adventure. I wish I'd have taken the time to chronicle our trip better (for my sake, mostly, since it's so easy to forget things like that). But, I can promise you that we treasured each moment, even if we didn't have time to write about it all. And now, it's time to be on the road again.

Thanks for loving and treating us so well, America. See you next time!

Happy

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 
 - John 15:11 NKJV

Joy:
1a :  the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires :  delight
  b :  the expression or exhibition of such emotion :  gaiety
2:  a state of happiness or felicity :  bliss
3:  a source or cause of delight

I have been reading a lot of articles on Facebook and the news lately about "happy Christians." The persecutions in the Middle East, which have been going on for more then five years but were not filmed until now, are being talked about too.  In light of them, some very good men and women of God have decided to let us know why God does not care about your happiness or have a great plan for your life.  They seem to have a focus of telling people that being a Christian is to slog your way through your life.  To not have joy or a destiny in this world.  To just get through until you die - don't worry, it is only eighty years away.

I believe Jesus has a very different view. Jesus has great plans for your life and he cares about your happiness.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  - Romans 15:13 NKJV

Did you know that happiness does not look the same everywhere?  In all countries people find happiness.  It may be harder, but they do find happiness.  So, saying that a Christian in another country who does not own a car or other western comforts is unhappy and suffering for Jesus is untrue.  They are happy in their own way, because they have Jesus.

Joy is a state of happiness and felicity.  Many people do not see the word happy in the New Testament so they say that God does not care about happiness (yes, this is an argument I have actually heard).  My New King James only has the word happy twice in the New Testament, but it has joy 62 times. This does not include other offshoots of the word, such as joyous.

When I rededicated my life to the Lord five years ago, I was a little nervous about what he had in store for me.  Then, we felt called to move to Guatemala.  A lot of people would think that this could make someone miserable.  We are constantly uncomfortable (mostly because of language) and in danger (the crime rate is very high here).  We are not living as good of lives as we were in America, at least by material and luxury standards.  Any plans of retirement or career advancement are put on hold.  But, I have never been more joyous or in a state of more happiness, because God has a plan for my life and He is with me and my family.

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."  So she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son." - Genesis 30:22-24 NKJV

If the Lord did not care about Rachel's happiness, why did He open her womb?  I believe the Lord cared about her and her happiness, and happiness for her was the birth of a child.  There was no other reason to do this except it was the desire of Rachel and would bring her happiness, and he is a good God.  Rachel is not the only one God heard crying out for something and blessed them. Some other examples to look up:  Ishmael, Hannah, the woman with the issue of blood (she may not have cried out verbally, but she was specific about her healing).

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4 NKJV

Did you know that God wants a relationship more than anything else?  If He wanted robots, He would have made robots.  If He wanted to limit our choices He would not have put the tree in the garden.

We were looking a few years ago at moving to the Raleigh, North Carolina.  This had been quite a process with many ups and downs.  One day during this time, I felt one the strongest feelings in the spirit I had ever felt.  It was "move" - no job, no plan, just "move".  I tried to shake off this feeling for a week, but it would not go away.  When I prayed over it, I felt very deeply at the same time "I will take care of your needs."

Finally, after a week, I stopped ignoring the Lord and talked with Him.  I spoke respectfully, and said I couldn't do it.  The main reasons were my children. I spoke to my Heavenly Father about being a father, and how my kids were the most important thing to me.  After discussing why I couldn't just move, the feeling went away.

One year later, almost to the day, we moved to Atlantic, Iowa, which set us on our current course.  I believe this is plan B.  But, I believe plan B is just as good as plan A would have been.  I was not punished for disagreeing. I was not left out.  Instead, the Lord saw my concerns and set my life on a path that worked for both of us. Why?

Because He cares for me.  He is not a bully, and when we are honest with Him, our plans and His Plan mix to make an awesome plan for all of us, as long as our plan is pure in desire.

Therefore we wanted to come to you-even I, Paul, time and again-but Satan hindered us. - 1 Thessalonians 2:18 NKJV

One final note: The persecution in the Middle East is not of God.  Jesus foretold persecution but he does not bring it.  All of these works come from satan.  If he could hinder Paul, he can do much.  It makes me sad to think that people believe God is using these deaths to glorify himself.  Only one glorifies himself in death, and that is Satan.  Many of those who have been killed have died singing because of the joy and glory they felt in Jesus. This was not God's plan for their lives, but He brought them joy even in suffering because they followed the One who brings joy and peace.

Our Trip - Part One

I’m a chronicler. It’s what I do. So, while you’re perfectly welcome to read about what we’ve been up to so far on this trip, don’t feel like you have to. This post is for our own records and my inner need to keep track of things. If you get a kick out of it too, all the better! 

We left Xela around 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 9^th, and took a different route north than we’d ever taken before (through Huehuetenango). The drive was much more rural and very beautiful. We crossed at a new border, which was a little bit quicker and easier, but you had to drive through a long, teeming, busy market in order to get to the immigration office. Definitely a crossing to remember for future. 

The rest of day one was pretty uneventful. We drove until almost midnight and stopped at Tuxtla Gutierrez for a bit of sleep. The stop would have been more restful had Rachel not sleep walked over to the door and opened it during the night!  I’m so glad the lock stopped her and I woke up. When I asked her what she was doing, she replied (with a great deal of attitude in her voice), “I’m going to bed, like you told me to!” She didn’t remember any of it the next morning. :)

 

We were on the road by seven on our second driving day in Mexico (Wednesday, June 10^th), and enjoyed another good (but long) day. It was amazing how much less terrifying and mystifying Mexico seemed to us this trip than the first time we drove down. Language issues, road conditions, culture and customs – everything seemed somehow much more familiar and much less strange. Our big excitement of the day was having to find parts and a shop to get our rear brakes replaced. They’d been making ominous noises for the better half of the day before, and we decided it would be best to just get them changed.

Since day two wasn’t mountain driving, we could go a lot faster and really ate up the miles. For most of the afternoon and evening we were skirting along the eastern coast of Mexico, and kept popping around corners and being treated to breathtaking views of blue water and beautiful beaches. It was so hard not to stop!!! However, we drove on until around 11:00 and stayed in a hotel in Tampico Alto where we saw the biggest beetle we’ve ever encountered. It was almost two inches long. We were fascinated, and very glad it was outside of our room, and not inside!

Day three (Thursday, June 11^th), started bright and early at 7:00 a.m. again. We were all very excited knowing we were only seven or so hours from the U.S. The scenery in northern Mexico was very beautiful. It’s a loooooooooooong country, and has so many different types of landscapes – from mountains, to deserts, to beaches, to rolling farmland. The flora and fauna are also fascinating, and kept us very well entertained. 

We crossed into Texas around 3:00 in the afternoon. Every border crossing is always interesting, and there were details and fees we had forgotten about since our last time through. Once we had things squared away on the Mexican side, there was much squealing and cheering when we crossed the bridge and found ourselves on U.S. soil. We said goodbye to our friends with whom we’d been traveling, and continued heading north.  Though we would have liked to have relaxed a bit, there was still a lot of driving to do in order to get Rachel to National History Day competition. It is as far from Xela to Brownsville as it is from Brownsville to Washington D.C., so we were only halfway to our destination, despite having already completed three very hard days of driving. We did give ourselves a bit of a break and stopped around 7:30 that evening and got a hotel just south of Houston, where we continued to process of rediscovering simple joys like carpet, free ice, and the ability to easily communicate with everywhere. 

On our fourth driving day (Friday, June 12^th), we got up early and hit it hard so we made it all the way to Memphis, Tennessee around 9:00 p.m. It was a pretty uneventful day, aside from the little excitements like lunch at a buffet, having our choice of dozens of radio stations in English, and getting to see the beautiful scenery of the south. Oh, and we made a quick stop at a Bass Pro Shop in Memphis! (We do so love to go to Bass Pro Shops!!) 

Our fifth day of driving (Saturday, June 13^th) was also Rebecca’s 11^th birthday. I can’t say that spending fifteen hours in the car is the most exciting way to celebrate, but we did our best to make it special by letting her choose which spot she got in the back, picking where we ate lunch, and allowing her to touch and bother her sisters as much as she wanted to. :)

 

We got into the suburbs of Washington DC around midnight Xela time, 2:00 a.m. local time, and were immediately greeted by gridlock traffic created by construction. We quickly discovered how much our driving experience in Guatemala would come in handy. Without even knowing it, we’d become experts in making difficult merges and dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic, since they’re daily realities where we live. We were so grateful to be welcomed into the warm embrace of H.(a friend of mine from high school), C., and their dog, Panzer. They opened up their home to us, and we were SOOO grateful to have comfy beds, room to spread out, and wonderful company during our time in DC.  We were even greeted with three different types of freshly-baked goodies. Hospitality doesn’t get any better!

The next several days are a bit of a blur. On Sunday, June 14^th, we met up with M and P (family who came to see us), and wen to registration and attend the opening ceremony for National History Day. Monday, June 15^th, was our big tour day. We saw the National Archives (including the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and a 13^th century copy of the Magna Carta on the documents 800^th birthday), took a special tour of the Capitol given by a member of the Capitol Police (complete with insider-access to some pretty cool places in the building), visited the National Botanical Center and Air and Space Museum, and did our own walking tour of the National Mall, Reflecting Pool, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Vietnam Memorial. All told, one person’s pedometer estimated that we walked almost 14 miles during the ten hours we were out, some of them in the driving rain. Definitely a day to remember! 

On Tuesday, June 16^th Rachel and her team faced the judges for NHD, and then we were able to meet up with some old friends we hadn’t seen in years before having a relaxing supper with H and C where the kids chased fireflies and played with the dog while the grownups laughed and swapped stories until it was way later than we should have been up. Wednesday, June 17^th was another tour day, and we split up and covered the Air and Space Museum, Natural History Museum, and enjoyed an NHD-sponsored evening at the American History Museum. 

Thursday morning, June 18^th, we had the NHD closing ceremonies, which were pretty impressive. There were almost 3000 young scholars and their teachers and families present at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland campus. None of the teams from our school received any awards, but it was such an honor and a thrill to be part of representing the nation of Guatemala for their first time ever at the competition. We’re really hoping to be back next year, too! Afterward, we went to the National Cathedral, which is an impressive building. Its main chapel is a tenth of a mile long, and is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world. It was an interesting visit, and made for another long, interesting day.

On Friday, June 19^th, we slept in late (SO AWESOME!) and enjoyed a great breakfast before going  to Gettysburg. It was everything we expected it to be – hallowed, historical, memorable, interesting, difficult, emotional - and so much more. What a privilege to be able to have seen and experienced this wonderful place, and to be citizens of the Union that this battle (and the entire Civil War) helped to preserve. 

And, that brings us to today. (Is it really June 20^th already!? How did that happen?) We headed out early and our morning started with Dunkin Donuts, which is immensely satisfying in and of itself. Add to that that we got to see the Jefferson Memorial and the Pentagon from the road, and this day is off to a great start! It’s a travel day today. We’re headed south, with the Gulf Coast of Alabama as our final destination.  Can’t wait to see what adventures lie ahead! 

Capitol Tour Highlights –

Walking on the steps where the President walks to the inauguration.

Getting to stand on the floor of the Senate, and seeing signatures inside the desk drawers from Kennedy, Obama, etc. Also, seeing our Senators’ desks, and “the candy desk.”

Seeing Jefferson Davis’s senate desk, which was battered by the bayonets of his colleagues after he announced he was leaving to be preside of the Confederate States.

Seeing Walt Disney’s graffiti signature behind a window shutter.

Seeing the place in the Capitol that the designer had made as a vault for Washington’s body. (He didn’t want that, choosing to be buried in Mt. Vernon instead.)

Getting to stand on the Speaker of the House’s private balcony behind his office, and seeing the Bob Dole patio (so named because he used to spend so much time there, even having a desk and computer taken out so he could be there all day).

Alien Surroundings

Okay, so I know we've only been away for 11 months, and we only moved two countries south. Living in Guatemala means we're even still on the same continent and hemisphere, for goodness sake! But, even though we've only been back in the United States for about five hours, we're kind of sort of shocked over every little difference. (And there are a LOT of them.)

I'm sure it sounds strange, but after going 11 months without flushing toilet paper, seeing a drinking fountain (let alone being able to use one), or stepping on carpet (think about THAT one!), this sort of seems like a whole new world.

Here are a few more of the many revelations and surprises we're rediscovering in our first 24 hours back in the states:

• Radio stations we can understand and music we know
• Remembering to say, "excuse me" instead of "disculpe" when you bump into someone
• Smooth and reliable roads with rest stops. (We'd honestly forgotten about rest stops.)
• U.S. Netflix selections - there are so many more options!
• Things written in miles and feet instead of kilometers and meters
• The fact that we can understand road signs, advertisements, people... 
• Road kill other than dogs
• Cheetos! A & W Rootbeer! Beef jerky! Starbucks! Etc, etc, a million times etc.
• Air conditioning in buildings
• Our favorite television shows in English
• American money - looks and feels totally different
• Hotel staff that acts like they actually want you to stay at their establishment
• Vertical light switches
• Being able to rinse our toothbrushes and fill up water bottles from the sink
• Putting our passports away and not needing them for six weeks

Honestly, the waves of differences just keep coming. Each new moment is filled with startling finds in our home land, which somehow has become a strange, alien surrounding in its own way. It certainly makes for some interesting moments, but we're so excited about rediscovering the land we love! 

The Good Ol' U.S. of A.

Well, we're headed home! That is to say, um, back, anyway. <sigh> It all gets so confusing when you live out of the country. I mean, really, here IS home now, but not in the roots-planted-deep, shared-memories, this-is-where-my-people-are-from sort of sense. So, I guess it's fair to say that we're leaving home to head home, and then we'll come back home again.

Think that's complicated? You should check out our itinerary! I will spare you the details, but it's going to be a 7,000 mile six weeks. I know that would strike terror into the hearts of most people, but we are super excited about every mile and moment of the five of us being crammed into our faithful Jeep Liberty. We like being together.

I must admit - I've got mixed feelings about the trip. I've talked to many missionaries who say that it's hard to be back. Most people assume furloughs or returns to your home country are some grand vacation. And, in a way, they are. I mean, we're going to be visiting friends and family, taking in the sights, eating at restaurants, staying in hotels - your average vacation activities. But, it's also kind of not a vacation. We have a lot of official business we've really got to get done in the few short weeks we'll be in the U.S.A. (where things like telephones, internet, and the postal service work reliably), not to mention a year's worth of birthday parties, small talk, card games, meals, get-togethers, hugs, etc. with our loved ones, who we probably won't see for at least another year once we drive off into the sunset.

So, um, vacation? Required business trip? Special brand of torture? I guess it's all in how you look at it. Not many people would sign up for the type of trip that we're planning on having. Then again, not many people would sign up to live in Guatemala, either, so I guess that makes us double strange. Yes, it will be hard. And will use up a lot of our resources. And will try our patience. And will have a lot of challenges. And will probably make our friends and families happy, but also sad all over again. But, despite all that, I'm going to have a great time this summer.

I'm planning on eating like a pig, staying up late most nights, sleeping in as often as I can, watching fireworks to celebrate America's birthday, catching fireflies, sitting on a porch swing, eating potato salad, laughing until fluids come out (I'm not saying where), and hugging everyone I can for as long as I can while we're home. And then, I'm going to get back in the Jeep and come home again. Because, let's face it - any place we call home this side of Heaven is going to have its blessings and its downfalls, so I guess we're doing just fine.

*********************************************

Just to keep it real, I thought I'd include a list of what foods everyone in our family is most looking forward to this summer. I hate to say it, but aside from friends and family, familiar food is probably what we miss most. Here is our top 15. 

1.) Chinese Buffets (especially with sushi)

2.) Softshell Crabs in Alabama

3.) Digiorno Chicken and Spinich Frozen Pizza (there aren't frozen pizzas here)

4.) Sour Cream

5.) Casey's Takeout Pizza (an Iowa favorite)

6.) Tex Mex Food

7.) Crab Legs

8.) Subway Sandwiches With Generous Toppings (they skimp on the veggies here)

9.) Meatloaf

10.) Cream Cheese and Bagels

11.) Dollar Menu Sandwiches at McDonalds

12.) Sterzing's Potato Chips (another Iowa favorite)

13.) Really Good barbecue (good quality meat in general, for that matter)

14.) Good Quality Chocolate

15.) Bacon - Lots and Lots of Bacon

Purchased, Not Sold

I've spent a lot of time pondering and written many a blog post in the past about how I kept waiting to feel like a "real" grownup. A "real" teacher. A "real" professional. A "real" mature Christian. Now, I sometimes find myself waiting to feel like a "real" missionary. Hmmm... amazing how that works.

Here's the problem with that - there's no such thing as An Idiot's Guide to Becoming a Missionary or  How to Be a Missionary for Dummies. Trust me - we looked! Though there are several books that have been written about becoming a missionary, there is no one, single, definitive guide except for the Bible. (Then again, what more could you need than that!?) What's conflicting, though, is that many of the human resources that have been written don't necessarily line up with the original mandates and instructions given in Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Luke 9:30, Acts 13, etc.

To be honest, much of what we read about becoming missionaries (aside from the Bible) before we moved down here had to do with fundraising. With quantifying what your work is worth. With selling yourself and what you do. <sigh> Seriously, people!? This is what's available out there? This is what people are going to come across in their search for answers? This is the advice you have to give people going into the mission field? If that view of mission work is true, and success is only about what's the most exciting or interesting in people's minds, then we will never, ever measure up.We will never be "real" missionaries.

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of another friend, who was gifted by God through a series of dreams, with an invention that makes dirty water safe to drink, works in even the most remote location, and lasts longer and costs only a fraction of what most water purification systems cost? How can we say that what we're doing is as important or more important than what he does, when he has literally saved hundreds of eternities and lives (mostly the lives of children and babies) who didn't have to face the threat of water-borne illness because of his faithful dedication?

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of our friend, a single woman living in the middle east? One of only a handful of Americans still in her war-torn, dangerous nation? A woman who bought back three children whose mother had sold them for their organs (yes - you just read that correctly), and now struggles to keep them fed? Struggles to keep them educated? Struggles to keep them safe? Struggles to stay safe herself because she refuses to leave the country (no matter the danger) if it means leaving them behind?

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of yet another friend who lives in Northern Iraq with his wife and six children, and helps refugees who have lost everything (often, including loved ones) in the ever-advancing onslaught of radical Islam? Whose very life is in danger each day because of his insistence on sharing more than just food or supplies, but in sharing the gospel of Jesus along with them? Who helps support, equip, train, and pray with military forces who have bravely volunteered to try to stop the advance of ISIS and take back cities which had been strongholds of Christianity for almost 2,000 years and have now been emptied of every living soul?

According to the books (well-intentioned though they were), our family must now consider itself somehow in competition with these other missionaries - our brothers and sisters in Christ - so that we can win the precious and limited prize of financial support that (let's face it...) we all need in order to complete our ministry. The message is that we have to sell ourselves well if we want to do our work well.

Here's the problem with that: 

We were already purchased by Jesus Christ, so we don't need to sell ourselves any more to anyone, and neither do our friends (Gal. 3:13).

It's not our job to convince people that they should believe in what we're doing and support our work. That's God's job. He's the one who sent us (Rom. 10:14-15). He's the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). The whole Earth is His, and all that it contains (1 Cor. 10:26). When He (through his son Jesus) told the first missionaries to not even worry about taking an extra bag, or shirt, or pair of shoes because the worker is worth his keep (Mt. 10:10), I believe He meant it for now, just as much as He meant it then.

I guess since the Bible is always right (hallelujah!), and all those books are wrong, it's really not our job to convince other people that we're "real" missionaries. That means I don't have to try to convince myself of it anymore, either. Hmmm... amazing how that works. :)

I sincerely appreciate the intentions of the people who wrote those books about how to enter the mission field. But, dear friend, take some advice from a REAL missionary (yes, that's me!) - you will never have to compete with anyone for what the Lord wants to give you for His work (resources, love, approval, etc.), because in Him there is ALWAYS more than enough (2 Cor. 9:8).

First Impressions

So, in early April, I had the privilege of going back to the United States.  When I landed in the Atlanta airport I thought it would be fun to write down the first five things that were different to me after nine months in another country.

This list is for fun.  I love my country, and though I do see issues all of us could work on together to fix, that is not what this list is.  This list is just observations. On top of that, these are merely observations from the Atlanta airport (my favorite airport) and not necessarily the rest of my trip.

Noise:  This may be odd due to the fact that mufflers seem like mere suggestions down here in Guatemala, but things are done quieter here.  People talk a lot, but they speak quieter, not feeling the need to shout to get their point across.  People do not talk loudly on their phones.  They step quietly. Even in louder shoes, you may not hear them walk up on you.  It also considered rude to close doors loudly, and this attitude seems to permeate into other actions.  One things I noticed is that as Americans we speak loudly on our cell phones. I could not help overhearing a woman on her cell phone and almost thinking of going over to help her with the issue, since I knew everything about it after sitting near her for five minutes.

Skin:  I understand it was around eighty degrees in Atlanta when we landed, so it was warm.  There were a lot of shorts and tank tops on both men and women.  We live very high in the mountains, so people do not dress that way, because it is cooler.  Where we live it is also more formal, so women normally wear slacks or dresses and men at least wear dress shirts, if not slacks.  The only people I normally see in shorts in Xela are tourists or people exercising.  Not bad, just different.

Invisibility:  I stick out in Guatemala.  I am probably taller than 95 percent of the country, and I have a lot lighter skin tone.  Kids point at me in the markets. Homeless people come up asking for money, knowing as a foreigner I probably have some.  There is never a time when I do not know everybody knows I am different.  But, in the Atlanta airport, I was completely average.  I am the size of an average male in the U.S. I am an average weight.  In the states, I completely turned invisible. It was kind of nice, to be honest.

Food:  Specifically, the heaviness of food.  Butter, cheese, and meat are very expensive in Guatemala, so you cook with less of them because they are costly to use.  Restaurants use less of them for the same reason.  I got some chicken strips at Popeye's and couldn't even finish them because they were so heavy and greasy. It took me about four days to get used to the food again, and even then I could not eat more than one helping.

Trash Cans:  There are no trash cans in the toilet stalls in the men's restroom in the Atlanta airport.  In Guatemala you throw your toilet paper in the trash can, so you get used them being there.  I never did make this mistake in the States. But, before my mind caught up, I did find it weird that the airport didn't have trash cans.

These were the first five things I noticed.  They were many things after this, but I was amazed how I have gotten used to life in Guatemala, and how different it is from life in the U.S.