Nepal

I have been wanting to write a blog about my trip to Nepal for some time.  But, it has been difficult to say the least.  The trip was eight days long, yet we did so much.  I made new relationships, helped hand out presents to children and adults, taught, listened to some great teaching, learned how to squat to use the bathroom, and so forth.

How do you narrow that down to one simple blog?

Well you can't, so I have decided to write about one thing that blew me away - something that amazes me even now.

Christians represent one to three percent of the population in Nepal.  Speaking to people about Jesus can start a small riot.  When people decide to accept Jesus, they do so knowing they may lose their families, their jobs, and their communities.

Because of that, the choice is not lightly made.  This creates a strong Christian community in Nepal where people help each other out. There was one way I saw an example of this that was so awesome.

Nepal is a very poor country.  Human trafficking is a big issue since many people are uneducated and fall for the schemes traffickers use to trick people into going with them.  Most are taken to India. The boys are used for mining and the girls are forced into prostitution.  Once they are used up or hurt they are discarded into the streets. Most never get home again.

With this in mind, and because there are a lot of orphans in Nepal, Christian families have taken it upon themselves to help as much as possible. 

So, they build these giant orphanages where they take care of thousands of children.

(No, I'm just joking.)

There is no money to do that, and the government makes building an orphanage in Nepal very difficult.

No, what they do is take children into their homes.  Now, these are people who are poor just like everyone else in Nepal, but they know the scriptures say to take care of orphans, so they just do it.  They can have four additional kids live in their house besides their own without any questions asked, and these families take in four kids, raise them as their own, and when those kids get old enough to move out they get four more.

This, to me, is walking out the gospel in the purest way.  They see orphans and they say, "We will take care of you, and raise you as family."  It is always amazing to see the gospel walked out in such a simple way by people who do not expect any praise, but they will be rewarded in heaven.

*Disclaimer: These are the things I heard in Nepal. Because of translation issues I may not have heard everything correctly. If I got certain details off, I apologize.

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. :)