Wordless Wednesday.....Missing Guatemala

The Market In Antigua, Guatemala........

Imagine hundreds of stalls.....literally hundreds, each person running them, just trying to make a living & feed their families.

(this doesn't even include the food market, which I have never been to)

Color everywhere......

People everywhere..........

Noises everywhere..........Spanish being spoken,

motorcycles zipping by,

fountains bubbling in quiet corners,

laughter & playing of children who spend the day in the market where their mothers are working......

How do you ever choose where to go?????

Well, you let your friend/guide show the way!! (Thank-you, Jose-I know your name needs an accent-can't figure out how to do it on my laptop!!!)

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Meandering through the market, we take everything in as we make our way to the opposite side of the artisan's section, Jose chatting w/ my sister & I about what type of things we want to take home.

Finally, we reach a stall, where the woman greets us all w/ a smile that lights up her whole face, & a mixture of English & Spanish that delights the heart of two Norte Americanas who are trying to use as much Spanish as possible.

As we visit over what things catch our eye, & barter a bit w/ the help of Jose (always watchful eyes on the two kids who can walk), she says something that THRILLS me to my core.

"Jose es mi hermano in Cristo,"

"Jose is my brother in Christ."

The smile really lights her countenance when I say,

"Somos hermanos in Cristo, tambien!"

"We are brothers/sisters in Christ, too!"

Wow! In that very moment, another stitch in the fabric of my love for Guatemala was sown.

Just like a stitch was sewn each time I visited the church there in Guatemala City.

Or, when we visit w/ Jose & his lovely wife Saskia, & hear more of their love for Jesus, & how they want to share Him w/ others, too.

Meeting other Christians there reminds me that my God is BIG.

Really Big

Big enough to provide salvation to all peoples everywhere in the world.

Does Christianity look different in Guatemala? YES!

(just like shopping looks different-no Target or Super Wal-Mart!!!)

Is "different" better or worse? NEITHER!!!

God is creative & big enough to work through the culture & languages the world over,

& just like the stall after stall in the market-no two places are alike.

Wow! I feel privilged to be a part of His work.

May I never cease to praise His name for all His mighty works!

& here are pics of the handiwork I brought home:

& for all my creative, handwork-loving friends, here is some of it up closer:

The purple bag above, Shannon spotted in the market & knew I just HAD to have!

Any other lover of this color out there know what I mean?!?!

Something for me......realised the night before we left, that I still had no clothes for myself, so I ran to the shop downstairs in the Marriott, & picked up this shirt, which has purple flowers & butterflies hand-stitched accross the neckline.

And finally, an outfit for Natty, also w/ incredible stitching.

He will wear this as a toddler, & you can see all of it in the bottom right hand side of the picture of everything all together.

What color!

What beauty!

Yes, in the fabric, but also in people-everwhere!!!

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:28 & 29

In Honor Of...........

My sister Shannon, who sacrificed a BUNCH to come to Guatemala with us…….

These photos from our trip will all have her in them!

(I have wanted to write this blog entry for a while,

but either Blogger or children would not cooperate!!!)


Thanks for:


~Getting up SO EARLY in the morning to head to the airport.

~Holding a SCREAMING baby on the plane on the way down to GT.

~Keeping Ana w/ you in your room at the hotel every night.

~Taking Ana swimming, out to dinner & just generally helping Ana feel special

~When things got frustrating (mostly w/ legal stuff), you were a calm head talking to me!

~Having a person there the girls are both comfortable w/ really helped w/ both of them.

~Enjoying the country, language & culture of Guatemala w/ our family. You have no idea how much that means to me to look back on.

~Just being a constant source of support, love & encouragement, as well as a person to bounce ideas off w/ the new baby, means more to me than I can ever express!!!!


1 Corinthians 13: 4 & 7

4Love endures long and is patient and kind;
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening.

Boy, did you demonstrate this to our family!

Thank-you, once again, Shannon for all the sacrifices you made to go w/ us! We love you & are SO GLAD you came!!! You’re the best!!!

At DIA, bright & early in the morning!!!


Waiting for the Marriott shuttle at the airport in GT.
Shannon w/ the foster daughter, who is 20 yrs old.
We went out to dinner w/ them the night they dropped off Natty.

Shannon, w/ the foster family & Ana.
Outside the church we visited Sunday.

It is the building in the background, that says, "Asamblea Cristiana" at the top.

"Sisters, sisters........there were never such exhasted sisters!!!!"

Helping Ruthie eat her "helado" at Pollo Campero.

At the hotel, after our Embassy appointment.

The previous 2 pictures were taken at the Relief Map.

It is a huge thing-& gives you good idea of the layout of the country.

At our lawyers for lunch.

The previous 3 pics were taken in Antigua,

at the coffee plantation our friend Jose took us on a tour of.

And, in closing........the plane ride from GT to Houston.

A million times over!!!!!