Setting Up Housekeeping

We just finished moving. Again. (Didn't we just go through this, like, 2 months ago?)

Thankfully, there wasn't a whole lot to move this time. I mean, pretty much everything we own down here fits into this:

Oh - except for our furniture and appliances.

Did you know you kind of have to have furniture and appliances to live? (Well, to live comfortably at least...) Our first home here (an apartment) came "fully" furnished - by which I  mean we had a very small, old, uncomfortable living room set; sagging, ancient, uncomfortable beds; and a refrigerator that broke down unexpectedly and took a week to get fixed. (And then there was the shower...)

We really aren't complaining, though. It was a soft place to land when we arrived, and much more luxurious than what most people Guatemala have. Honestly, even with all of those frustrations, we seriously considered just staying in our apartment for the duration of our time here.

But - it was kind of out on the far edge of town. And, we were isolated there, and didn't have many opportunities to talk with (and learn from) our Spanish speaking neighbors. And, there was no room to host people, which we love to do and want to have as a part of our ministry. And,  because of the layout and furniture, it wasn't really all that easy or comfortable to spend time together as a family. And, we didn't sleep well there. And, and, and... you get the point.

So - we prayed about it and really felt like it was best for us to move, which meant we had to buy a whole lot of stuff.

That was very scary...

First off, it's scary because everything is harder in Guatemala, and the thought of doing big stuff is especially terrifying. And, while I do love the hunt for a good bargain, that's not as much of an option here. Second-hand items are VERY used, still pretty expensive (usually 60% to 80% of its 'new' price) and much more likely to break or wear out. So, in my quest for furnishings, I had to either spend weeks searching for bargains, and put up with things failing apart and needing to be replaced frequently; or, put aside my natural inclination to buy the cheapest available options, and actually go to a furniture store.

I chose the latter.

That was scary too. Let me assure you - sticker shock is a very real thing, especially when you're a missionary living off the financial support of other people. There are no words to express how utterly grateful we are for our supporters. But, there are also no words to express how strongly we desire to be good stewards of that support. (You can tell why shopping was a conflicting experience.)

Thankfully, God is gracious, and well able to provide both enough finances, AND good Guatemalan friends with a spectacular aptitude for haggling. (If this was an Olympic sport, they would totally win the gold.) Though there was a wide range in prices for the items I needed, I was grateful to find that the cheaper stuff was still pretty good quality and a good fit for us. Also, there wasn't a single item that I bought that didn't end up being close to half off the listed price because of my friends' insistence - and the store even threw in free delivery and a blender and microwave before it was all said and done.

So, we're now the proud owners of a Jeep/car top carrier worth of stuff, PLUS a refrigerator, stove, a couple of small kitchen appliances, two beds, and a living room set. (The latter still hasn't arrived. But, since it's only two weeks past when the store *promised* they'd deliver it, I'm fully confident it will arrive in at least the next month or two. We do live in Guatemala, after all...)

In many ways, the two months we spent in our first apartment were kind of like an introduction and orientation to Xela. We were surviving. We were learning. But, we are really just now beginning to live here. That means that, in addition to the big things we had to buy, we're also finding a million little things that we need for our daily living, and to make us more effective in the ministry God sent us to Guatemala to do.

You know - things like dish towels. Baking dishes. Flour, yeast, baking soda and powder. Hydrogen peroxide and bandaids. Extension cords.  Pillows, sheets, and blankets. Strange things that you don't really have to think about that often (or, at least, not all at once) once you've already set up a household. So, we make frequent trips to Walmrt, Maxi Dispensa, and Cemaco (kind of like a Bed Bath and Beyond mixed with an Ace Hardware).

I'm looking forward to the day when our shopping list *only* has grocery items on it once again! Still, even though it's challenging to find everything we need (dish drainers and mixing bowls, for example, are hard to come by), and it's very hard to spend money rebuying all these things that we already owned in Iowa, it's also tremendously satisfying.

God has been sooooooo good to call us to this beautiful city and allow us the privilege of ministering here on His behalf. He has been good to give us this house to live in, and the resources to set up housekeeping here. But, most of all, He's been so good in blessing this place with His presence, so that it's become more than just a house filled with things - it has become our home. 

Uncomfortable

I am going to talk about the thing no one likes to talk about.  Not me. Not you. Only sadists.

That topic is money.

Now, I could go on about how much we need your support to do the work God is calling us to do, or how much things have cost so far to give you a better idea of our needs. But honestly, the only thing I want to say in this blog is:  THANK YOU.

Thank you for supporting us.  I would imagine if you are reading this you are supporting us somehow, either through prayer of financial support.  (Most people don't read blogs they don't have a stake in.)

Everyday I wake up and thank the Lord that He brought me to this place.  I know I have been homesick. I've had had to put up with cold showers. I get terrible headaches just from trying to understand what is going on around me. I've had an upset stomach for almost two weeks, and many other such things. Yet, it has all been good.

I would rather be here than anywhere else.  When I think of going back to the USA - to a normal life - and I just can't see myself happy there.  God is not done with me yet here.  I do not believe I have even scratched the surface of what God wants for me here.

So, thank you for supporting us.

If you have not contributed to us financially but you have had an unction to do so, I would recommend it.  We still give to other missionaries that God has put on our heart, and I have never regretted giving.

If you are friends and do not give to us, don't worry about it! This is between you and God.  We have no expectations from our friends.  We have many missionary friends that we do not contribute to because God has not laid them on our hearts, and it does not affect our friendship.

One final note: if you are feeling like you are supposed to give to a missionary, but do not feel it is us, let us know.  We have a missionary friend in Yemen who is sacrificing a LOT to be there, and she is definitely doing God's work.  Email us at farriersoffaith@yahoo.com  to get her information if you feel this would be a good fit for you.

Once again - thank you for everything, I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be able to do live this life. Thanks for making it possible.

Children's Day

Happy October, everyone! How is it possible that time has flown by so quickly!? Yesterday it was exactly 2 months ago that we pulled into Xela. (And 19 years ago to the day that Mark and I first met, incidentally.) 

Today is a national holiday of sorts in Guatemala (though we still had school) - Children's Day. It was interesting to hear my students bring it up as a prayer request - at first just thanking God for the many little presents they received from their parents, and the fact that our school's PTA brought pizza and cupcakes for lunch. But, gradually, they also started being more reflective and thoughtful - mentioning that we needed to pray for those children who don't have the privileges they do. Who don't have enough food. Who don't have parents. Who don't have a home. Who don't have safety. To be honest, the children they initially mentioned in these types of situations were the ones across the globe - in Asia, or Africa, for example. It is hard for them to realize and remember that these types of kids are present in their own nation. In their own region. In their own city...

On Children's Day I found myself reflecting on these types of children - the broken, needy, desperate ones - who I know are in Xela, but I don't yet know how to connect with them or make a difference in their lives. I also found myself reflecting on my own children, who have been blessed with so much, but who also have chosen to give so much to come with us to Guatemala. When Mark and I have found ourselves struggling with culture shock, exhaustion, sickness - our children have been the ones who have prayed for us most readily and most often. They are the ones who face even the hardest days with a smile and a sense of humor. They encourage us, and one another. And, they speak profound truths when we most need to hear them. 

One of our biggest challenges is feeling like we're not doing enough. We so desperately desire to honor and represent our donors and supporters well. Our church well. Our ministry well. And, most importantly, our God and savior well. One day Rachel brought this up (like I said... it is something that we all feel) on our drive to school. She said that she didn't "feel" like she thought a missionary should feel. She was frustrated that she hadn't had the chance to share the gospel with dozens of people, see miraculous healings each week, and more "amazing" things like that.

After a long pause and a moment of thought, she continued by saying, "But, I've prayed about it, and I really feel like what God wants me to do is just be sure to show His love to at least one person at school, each and every day." 

Once again, I found myself learning so much from the simple, honest faith of children - MY children.  I don't have any doubt that there will be more opportunities for us to participate in salvation, healing, and all the rest of the things we were sent here to do (see Mt. 10:8). BUT, I'm grateful that Rachel helped me keep sight of the fact that sharing the love of Christ is my primary purpose, and the gateway to all the rest. And, it is enough.

Anyway - that's we've been up to lately - sharing the love of Christ. Oh, and moving to our new house, which includes a whole lot of Guatemalan challenges. (We're still waiting on our livingroom furniture to get delivered...) We're also continuing to plug away at Spanish lessons, work hard at school and the Bible college, make new relationships, and look for ways to connect with this community that we've come to love so much. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you beyond words for your support and faith. We honestly, truly, and literally couldn't do it without you, and are grateful to you each and every day! (And hope you'll consider coming for a visit!!) 

A Day in the Life

One of the things that people often ask about is what daily life is like here, so I thought I'd share a "Day in the Life" post.

My weekdays usually start when my alarm goes off between 6:00 and 6:10 a.m. (For those of you who know me well, you'll recognize that this is entirely new territory for me, since I am NOT accustomed to being an early riser.) After Mark and/or I get the girls up, they get started on breakfast (cereal most day) and I face the shower. <Insert dramatic music here.>

For the first several weeks that we lived here, the shower was kind of okayish, and put out intermittent pulses of warmish and ice cold water. For some reason, the shower head got more and more temperamental the longer we lived here, and became increasingly obstinate and cold, before finally giving up entirely last week. I'm pleased to say that our new shower head works like a charm, and even has honest-to-goodness hot water, though only at very low water pressure. This forces us to decide each day if we want to shower under a hot dribble, or a warmish gush. Hey - at this point we're just happy to have the option.

After making sure we've got all of our homework, packed lunches, and (often) our dirty clothes and empty, 5 gallon water bottles, we pack into the Jeep and head off to school. Mark was our family's fearless driver for the first 6 weeks here (and still drives most often), but I've been getting braver, and have actually driven a few times. Our commute to school takes between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on traffic, holidays, and protests. (The latter has not yet been a problem for us, but there have been several teachers and students who literally couldn't make it to school because protests closed the only road from their town to Xela)

We generally arrive at school between 7:10 and 7:25. On days when we have laundry to do, we have to stop at the middle school building, which is down a steep hill from the high school building. It has been SUCH a blessing to have access to the school's two washers and dryers. Of course, all of the other staff have access, too. It is somewhat strange to know that your colleagues are probably touching your underwear when they switch loads. But, such is life here.

My day starts with 10th grade Grammar and Composition. Then it's 11th grade American Literature (we just finished reading The Scarlet Letter), 9th grade Grammar and Composition, a prep period, and 12th grade British Literature (we just started reading Hamlet). After lunch, I have an elective that focuses on creative problem solving (except on Wednesdays, when we have high school chapel), and my final hour of the day is either a prep period (T, Th and F) or a class I co-teach for the juniors and seniors to assit them in getting ready for college.

Our day officially ends at 3:00, but I usually stick around the school to finish planning, grading, etc. until 4:00. It is a very rare day indeed when we don't have somewhere we need to go after school - either the store, the money changer, the market, or an a wild goose chace to find school supplies or something we need for our house.

I must admit - our travels out and about often lead us to fast-food restaurants - especially during the week that our refrigerater was broken, and before we got gas for the stove or pots and pans. We will be moving into our new house soon, where (hopefully) everything will work reliably, and we REALLY hope that the frequency of these fast-food feasts will dramatically decrease.

After supper (fast-food or home-cooked) we hurry to finish all of our homework (usually an hour to an hour-and-a-half) and then jockey for position in the shower so we don't all have to get in there in the morning. After everyone has finished their work and packed their lunches for the next day, we brush teeth (careful not to use tap water) and hop into bed. We aim for having the girls tucked in by 8:30, but it's usually more like 9:00 or 9:30. Mark and I are generally able to turn the lights off by 10:00 or so, and are serenaded to sleep by the traffic noise and the barking dogs.

The next morning, the alarm goes off, and we start another blessed day in Quetzaltenango.

Like a Trip to the DMV on Steroids

On Thursday of this past week I got to go to Guatemala City, which people here just call Guate (say: Gwah - Tay). I had to do some official stuff. I'm still not sure what stuff I did. Or still have to do. But, I have it on good authority that I'm well into the process of receiving my two-year Visa.  <whew>

The day started at 5:30 (in the morning!!!) when I had to get up in order to shower (in cold water), get dressed (in the dark) and walk to Parque Central (in fog). Here are some of the things I saw along the way:

Stray Dog. One of ten or so I saw on my walk.

Sunrise on my street in Xela.

Fresh juice, anyone? 

I think the church in the background is called the Transfiguration Church. Don't know for sure. It's old. And pretty. And visible from a distance.. 

The downtown catholic church from a distance.

Security measures are important. You see a lot of razor wire here.

The downtown catholic church, as seen through the overhang of the gas station. :) 

Another dog.

The catholic church up close. The facade in the left of the pic is almost 500 years old.

Right now the city of Xela (and all of Guatemala) is in the throes of celebrating Independence weekend. Apparently Xela is the THE place to be for the Independence Day celebration. There are parades, a fair, tons of people from out of town, and TRAFFIC!!!!! It's always a challenge to get around here, but apparently even more so this weekend. Oh - and there are also flags up everywhere, like these in  the central park.

The light blue and white banners represent Guatemala's flag. The red, white, and blue ones represent the flag of Xela.

After a big of delay in getting everyone and everything situation in the very comfortable van we were blessed to be riding in, we were on our way. The drive from Xela to Guate usuall takes between 3 and 4 hours, depending on traffic. You have to ascend to over 10,000 feet, and then descend again into the city. The views are spectacular. Unfortunatley, my camera skills in a moving vehicle are not. That's why the only pics I got look like this:

See... there's a mountain back there. Honest.

The view just a second before these trees got in the way was really something.
It's too bad you missed it. (Or, that I missed it with the camera.)

There was fog. Or, is it just called clouds at that altitude? 

Our trip went smoothly, and we made good time - only stopping once for a few snacks and a potty break. It was a very typical gas station / convenience store.

Because of *course* the toilet wouldn't have a toilet seat, or TP.

Because of *course* the gas station is going to have a stuffed alpaca out front.

After we arrived in Guate, I became even more grateful for our intrepid driver. You know you're in a bad traffic situation when you hear the navigator calmly say from the front seat, "Remember - you shouldn't honk at them, even if they cut you off. That's a red chicken bus, and they are the ones who always shoot people."

And she meant it.

But there were other interesting things to look at, too. Like this motorcycle, which had deer antlers, even though I don't even think there are any deer in Guatemala.

Thankfully, we arrived in one piece (despite our proximity with red chicken buses) just before 11:00, and plopped down in non-descript seats in a non-descript room in a non-descript government building. And then we waited. For four hours. During that time I got up twice - once to sign a piece of paper, and once to get my picture taken. I'm so grateful for the school's lawyer, who did all the hard work, and for the people I was with. They were awesome, and we managed to have a blast despite the long wait.

The lady with the purse in the background was waiting with us... AND her two young children (who were so well behaved)! The one giving the thumbs up had to spend her BIRTHDAY in a Guate govt. building, and still managed to smile through it all. Like I said - we had a blast together!

Ok, maybe he wasn't having as much fun as we were. But, still... :) 

After 653,000 hours (give or take), we finally headed back to the van, and stopped off for the most delicious McDonalds we'd ever eaten. (Perhaps not having eaten for 12 hours might have had something to do with it as well.)

Thumbs up! We were so happy to be back to the van.

So, here's something interesting... the McCafes in Guatemala sell the most amazing cake and pastries. We bought Mary a piece because it was her birthday. There may or may not have been open flame and some off-key singing in the van as well.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful. The sights were almost as pretty on the way home as they had been on the way there. Somehow my camera skills hadn't improved any, though, which is quite a shame, since we saw a volcano puffing out smoke and ash. You really missed quite a sight! :) 

Sleeping off the cares of the day (and the sugar from the cake).

Resting from all the resting he did at the government office. (I don't blame him, though. If I could sleep while sitting upright I would have done it too!)

One of the bus stops along the way home. Lots of people...

There's a volcano there. On the right. Beyond the blurry red lights It's even erupting a little as this picture is being taken. Not that you could tell, though...

 

We finally arrived back in Xela around 8:30. It was a long day, to say the least, but we're learning to be patient and enjoy the process and the ride (figuratively as well and literally). So, all in all, I'd say Thursday turned out to be a pretty great day!

Visit

What can happen if you decide to visit somewhere truly different?

By the end of September, Andrea and I will be moved into our new home.  The Lord has blessed us by opening up a house that has six bedrooms, though by United States standards the rooms are very small.   This means though that we can have visitors.

So, we want to open this up to every one of our friends.  Come visit us.  Come down - whether for a day or a month.  Call us, email us, let us know what works best for you.

Do you want to come down and learn Spanish? There are a lot of good Spanish teaching schools, or you could work with a private tutor like I do.

Do you like kids?  The school Andrea works at is always looking for substitute teachers to give a break to the regulars. On the days you are not called, you could take time to explore the city or join me at the Bible College. 

If you are a physical labor person, we can find at least a couple of projects for you to work on.

If you want to be a tourist, that is fine too.  There are many buses to take you to sights around Guatemala.  I would also drive you when I had time.  (Though I will not go down the zip lines, I will watch when you do.)

Come and see a different life. Come with an open heart and see the ways in which people need Jesus.

Just come. Everything else will take care of itself.

I'm Not Quite Sure I Understand...

It's kind of important to be able to speak Spanish down here. Even more so to be able to understand it. I know that sounds obvious, but the reality of it hits you in a million different ways everyday - ways that even I really didn't expect.

For example - my Yahoo! email sign in is now in Spanish. As is Yahoo! news. And the ads in my Facebook feed.  The people who pump our gas also speak Spanish to us. Now, this doesn't sound like it would be a big deal, except if you don't know whether they're asking if you want your windshield washed, or telling you that you're leaking extravagent amounts of oil and other important fluids.

Most of the time we manage to get along with our limited understanding, lots of exaggerated hand gestures, and the seemingly infinite patience and kindness of the locals. But, there is one situation where these things really don't help... instruction manuals.

I just bought my first pressure cooker. I know other people who've had them, but have never used on myself, or even seen one used. Apparently they're kind of necessary when you live at 7,500 feet elevation. At least, if you want to eat beans, among other things. So, on the recommendation of - well, everyone - I went out and got one at our local Walmart store.

It's new! It's shiny! It's exciting! And, its instruction manual is entirely in Spanish.

After a bit of panic and dismay, I decided to dive right in and do my best to understand how to work my new piece of kitchenware. A piece of kitchenware, I might add, which can kind of be like a mini bomb filled with superheated steam and bits of scalding beans.

(I really wanted to get this right and understand what I was reading.)

So far, here's what I've got. (Things in caps and bold are also in caps and bold in the instructions. I'm sure this means they're super important, which is all the more disconcerting when I can't understand what they say.):

IMPORTANT SECURITY (safety?) MEASURES:
-Revise (check?) the escape tube, (something, something) that it is free of obstructions before using your Pressure Express Pan (pot?)
- Be sure (?) that the Pan (pot?) is well armed before using. (I'm pretty sure this is a wrong interpretation, but it's all I've got...)
- Never (something?) the pan (pot?) for (??) 2/3 of maximum capacity, as a general rule. (Or a general gift. Those two words are pretty close, and I get confused.)
- EXTREME PRECAUCIONS WHILE USING THE PAN (pot?) CLOSE TO CHILDREN AND MAINTAIN A CAUTIOUS SUPERVISION (I'm beginning to feel pretty cautious about using this thing!)
- The Pressure Express Pan (pot?) is (something. It has an n with a little curvy thing over it) EXCLUSIVELY for domestic use. (Does it count as domestic use if I'm in a country foreign to me, but native to the pan? Pot?)
-ALWAYS USE ORIGINAL (something. Looks like refraction, but it's not). It is INDISPENSIBLE (this has another meaning... I'm almost sure of it) for the perfect and totally safe functioning of the Olla Pressure Express (tm).

<sigh> It's pretty clear I'm going to have to get some help with this. Either that, or we're never going to eat beans again. I can live without chili, right?

I'll keep you posted...

How to Spend a Holiday Weekend

It's Labor Day weekend, and I'm not at the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. (That's kind of a big deal.)

I haven't missed an OT since 1999. It's where our family has spent this holiday for 15 straight years. It's the longest-standing tradition our little group of five has. We've attended (and camped, many years!) through cold, heat, torrential rains, and knee-deep mud. We've been to OT in learn years, and prosperous years. Through Democrat and Republican presidents. Through sickness. Through three pregnancies. Through babies and toddlers, and even the early part of the teens years.

To say that this historic reunion means a lot to us is an understatement. But, God means even more, which is why we were in Xela, Guatemala on this fine day, instead of in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

BUT - we weren't about to miss out on a bit of fun over the Labor Day weekend - even if it wasn't our usual fun, and even Labor Day is not even a holiday here. So, we did the next best thing to looking at antique tractors and eating food on a stick - we visited a ramshackle, lovely Guatemalan farm and picked berries, and then headed off up the mountain to the hot springs.

It was lovely.

The farm belongs to the family of one of my students. From the outside, all you can see is a ten-foot wall with a metal gate, with a few tangled berry bushes draping over the top. But, once you drove inside the gate, it was like a forgotten paradise. The family hasn't used the farm much for the past decade or so, but the remnants of its former glory are still evident in every turn and corner.

The property had a small house up front, and another one of about the same size (for the guard/caretaker) further in. There were chicken houses and a few other outbuildings, an abandoned little swimming pool, and lovely, half-hidden paths that meandered through the property. But, my favorite part - the part that took my breath away - were the plants. A few big oak and pine trees. Flowers I've never seen. (Never even dreamed of!), as well as stunning examples of some of my favorite blossoms. Endless rows of berry bushes taller than my head with the biggest blackberries I've ever seen. Apple trees. Peach trees. Fig trees. Other trees with fruits I've never even heard of.

The plant behind Rebecca (which was the same height as she is) was a poinsettia.

The roses - though they'd been left unattended for years - were stunning.

Happy berry pickers in front of enormous berry bushes!

What a haul! :)

 We spent a very happy two hours there, and sincerely hope to have the chance to go back again sometime.

After our agricultural adventure, we hopped into the Jeep, stopped off for a quick bite to eat (McDonalds - what can I say?) and then wound our way up the steep mountain road toward Fuentes Georginas - the hot springs. The drive is truly breathtaking - sometimes literally, as everyone in the car held their breath while we passed an oncoming vehicle while trying not to drive off the sheer dropoff just beyond our windows. The views were stunning, until we got high enough that we were above the clouds, and were enveloped in a dense, moist fog.

It was lovely.

We were similarly spoiled while at the hot springs - enjoying the chance to soak in natural, volcanically-heated spring water, even as the clouds rolled in around us, and a cool, light rain began to fall. There was something transcendent about the experience. It was, truly, like a little slice of paradise that we were getting to experience together - almost unbelievable in just how perfect it all was.

It's so beautiful here!

Believe it or not, there are Farriers in this picture. They're just hard to see!

Farriers in the Mist

Unbelievably beautiful place

Words (and pictures) just can't do it justice.

After a good, long soak, we dried off, changed clothes, and headed back down the mountain - enjoying the view even more since we got to drive on the inside of the road, and NOT closest to the edge! :)

You could see for miles (most of it straight down!) :)

I can't say that it was the same as Old Threshers - or even as good, since we didn't get to be with our family and friends - but today certainly was a blessing, and might just have been the start to a different tradition that we'll treasure for years to come as well.

Five Impressions

I have been here now for 4 weeks - living in a different country, trying to find my way in what God has called me for.  After this amount of time I wanted to share five things. Some still amaze me, and some I find interesting.

• People and Friendliness – Luckily I grew up in a church that was very huggy.  You would not get to your seat on Sunday morning without getting a lot of hugs.  Since leaving there, though, I have become a person who likes my personal space. (Not with my kids and wife, just normally with other people.)  That idea goes right out the window here.  Here handshakes are normal for men, until you get to know each other. Then hugs, mostly side hugs, are considered good.  Women, for the most part, greet with a kiss on the cheek. They greet both men and women this way.  You can imagine my joy when, on the first day of classes, all the boys kissed Rachel on the cheek.  I am getting used to this, but it still makes for awkward moments.

•  Language Barrier – I knew Spanish would be hard.  But, I didn’t understand the paralyzing fear that is created when you cannot speak to people.  At least people are friendly here. And, though they laugh at you, they do not make fun of you.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would not have lasted this long without Andrea.  At this point I am on my 3^rd week of Spanish tutoring with a great Christian man named Guillermo, and I have gone to McDonalds by myself and ordered food.  The worry of a language barrier is so great that I lock myself away unless I absolutely have to do something.  Thank God for Andrea. She is my angel.

•  Cold Water – I think this is a challenge everyone can try at home.  Only use cold water all day, for one day.  For everything but showers.  Dishes by hand, laundry, washing hands. (Oh, and make sure you don’t touch your face before drying your hands. You don’t want to get sick).  Now, to replicate a shower, turn your shower pressure down so it is about a quarter of what you normally use.  Get the water to where the chill is just out of it.  That is the average temperature. Occasionally warm it up so it is comfortable, not hot, then turn it to cold about thirty seconds later. This replicates the suicide shower head turning off.  Repeat.

•  Noise – You ever have a couple kids playing outside till midnight keeping you awake? Do you go out and tell them to be quiet? Call the police?  Here, you never call the police unless you absolutely have to. They almost always make things worse.  No one cares about noise, so good luck getting them to be quieter - especially if their drunken parents are enjoying their soccer game.  This is somewhat liberating though. When our kids are running through the apartment making noise, who really cares?

•  Hard workers – Ever wonder why all of those Guatemalans are risking their lives to get to the United States?  Why they’re sending their underage children, with a high risk of death, rape, and mutilation? It is because of the poverty.  There are no jobs.  Now before we talk about no jobs in the United States, I want to let you know that before I left I went to Omaha. There, I saw at least twelve help wanted signs out at businesses.  Yes, they were restaurants and places like that, but they were jobs.  There are no jobs here. None.  And, when one does come up, it is gone very quickly.    No questions of health insurance, minimum wage, vacation, or sick time.  Just, “I will take it.” Also, there is also no government assistance. You don’t work, you don’t have money.   So, for the most part, people work very hard here.  They stand in the market and sun all day, hoping to make enough to make dinner that night.  The idea of retirement or savings is kind of silly, really.  Being an American, I do often wonder, would I work that hard for so little money?  If I knew that was my life here, would I send my kids on a risky trip to the United States, even though I love them and my country? Would I stop looking for work and drink my worries away, looking for easy targets to steal from? These are the kind of things I wonder about as I drive through the streets.

These are a few of my impressions now that I have been here awhile.  If you would like to hear about anything else, leave a message in the comment section or on my Face

Impressions After Three Weeks

It may not seem like much,
but it's home - and filled with
a thousand little blessings and
opportunities each day.

It's been just over three weeks since we arrived in Xela. Hard to believe, huh? It's also been almost 6 weeks since we left Iowa. (Harder still to believe!)

I find myself frequently awe-struck by the beauty of this place, the mystery of a million little differences between here and home, and the wonder of the fact that God allowed US to do this.

Seriously - at least a few times a week I can't help but comment, "Hey, Farriers - we are living in GUATEMALA!"

I hope that never wears off. (The language barrier, though- that can wear off. Aaaaaany time now. For real.)

Mark and I were talking with Rachel yesterday (as we walked miles back to our house after a malfunctioning electronic key fob hampered us from being able to get into our Jeep... it's a long story), and we came to the realization that so many of the things that were/seemed really hard to begin with have become total non-issues now.

Not being able to flush your toilet paper. No papertowels in any bathrooms. Remembering not to rinse your toothbrush under the faucet. Having to wash all the veggies with elaborate, scientific precision. The suicide shower head. The horrible roads. The constant dirt and dust. All of these things are now completely insignificant -to the point that we really don't even think about them anymore. They're just a part of our dailys lives.

In fact, instead of noticing and focusing on the negatives and challenges (of which there are many - don't get me wrong), we're actually at a place where we're discovering a whole wealth of new, tiny wonders and delights each and every day.

Payphones on every corner, which people still use...

The way they wipe the dust off the 5 gallon water bottle before they pass it across the counter at the little tiendas...

That a hug and a kiss on the cheek are the standard greeting...

Haircuts for men aren't complete until the barber has shaved the stray hairs on your neck with a straightrazor...

That the employees at McDonalds open the door for you, carry your food to your table, and gladly take your tray when you're done...

The girl in the market who carries around a scale and will tell you your weight for 1Q (and the fact that paying 5Q [around $0.40] for our whole family to get weighed costs us practically nothing, but gives her enough to buy something to eat that day) ..

The window washers who so tirelessly (and perilously) wash windows at stoplights in hope of earning a couple Qs...

The beauty of the people...

The beauty of this place...

The beauty of being allowed to be a part of it all.

Honestly, I don't know what else to say except that God's been so very, very good us, and we are humbled and privileged to be here, and excited to see what new wonders, blessings, and opportunities He sends our way in the days, weeks, and months to come.