Second thoughts

Guatemala is not a quiet place either. At least where we were. Horns, cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, car alarms. This is not a place of peaceful retreat. Like the rest of this world, it is a frontline of a battle, a battle being waged for the souls of people. And God is always at work in the battle. Jesus died for all people (yes that does include you), and God’s will is that all would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is an honor to see the Spirit at work in the hearts and lives of the people here.

So what else did I learn? You never feel quite clean, you risk illness if you consume the water, it’s never quiet at night when you try and sleep, we didn’t eat any meat for almost two weeks, powdered milk just doesn’t taste the same, my nose was capturing all sorts of black and brown particulates, and you have to sanitize the dishes thoroughly after washing.

Would I do it again?

In a heartbeat.

First thoughts

The first thing you notice is the smell. Diesel exhaust fumes assault your nasal passages, permeating the air you breathe with thick  brown, black, and gray clouds.

The next thing you notice is the traffic. Picture the the place where you’ve experienced the craziest traffic. Multiply by oh, let’s say a thousand. And there you have the traffic in Guatemala. With centimeters to spare between vehicles, motorcycles weaving between lanes, large buses (of the school bus type) exiting and entering at will, and every inch of space in front of you utilized for braking, you have the makings of constant multi-vehicle accidents. Yet somehow it works. The traffic flows (when it is moving) and you arrive safely at your destination. In 12 days there, we saw relatively few fender benders. Lane markings are suggestions, and I determined ALTO means pause if you so desire. Like I said, somehow it works.