Guatemala Photo of the Day – Giddy Up!
You never know what you’ll see in the streets of Xenacoj.
This is one thing you would most likely see if you were on the streets in Xenacoj today. Horses are still used for transportation – especially for firewood.
How often do you see horses walking down the streets where you live?
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Sisters
German and Suzie’s daughters entertained and hosted us throughout the week in Xenacoj.
I sometimes wondered what they thought of the gringo families invading their house. Did they like us? Did they think we were weird? Did they mind?
Their parents certainly set an unbelievable example of servant leadership. I will cherish this family forever.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Do It Well
No matter how hard I tried, I could never make a tortilla as nice as the women in Xenacoj.
These women are spending the decent part of their morning making tortillas for the feeding programs at the various schools in and around Xenacoj. A couple of tortillas, a spoonful of beans, and a smile goes a long way for most of the children receiving these meals. In fact, this will often be their biggest and best (and sometimes only) meal of the day.
What you do matters!
If you make tortillas, do it well – do it to the glory of God. If you sweep trash, do it well – do it to the glory of God. If you design buildings, do it well – do it to the glory of God.
Whatever you do, do it with excellence!
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Gringo In Action
Gringos aren’t supposed to be all that great at making tortillas, but Hope Sgro proves this theory wrong. She makes tortillas nearly as well as the Guatemalan women. It doesn’t hurt that she lived here in Xenacoj for three years.
Gringo is the slang term used by Guatemalans to describe us – the white folk from elsewhere. Perhaps, it was meant to slam us, but it typically made us chuckle.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – This Is How You Do It
The women of Guatemala are amazing.
They shape tortillas with their hands in a matter of seconds. Then they put them on the pan over the fire. Who needs spatulas when you have hands? They turn them by hand to make sure they cook through. And they are ready to go. This is a skill all the women and young ladies know in the village of Xenacoj.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Tortillas!
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s never a wrong time (or a bad time) for a handmade tortilla.
These became a stable at almost all our meals while we were in Guatemala. I’ve tried to duplicate them at home, but I just can’t get them 100% right compared to those produced by the women in Guatemala.
Besides ice cream (of course), what is one food item you would eat for every meal?
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Breakfast of Champions
Here is German and Suzie’s kitchen where we ate most of our meals this year during our trip to Xenacoj. Most of our meals – even breakfast – included beans and handmade tortillas.
Today, our first morning of the trip, we also enjoyed cereal, Tampico (citrus punch), and apparently Pepsi. The dining table in Suzie’s kitchen was long with two benches on either side. Meal times provided an opportunity to sit with our team and to interact with German’s family.
Some day, German and Suzie hope to open up a restaurant just outside their kitchen where Suzie can feed villagers with her unbelievable cooking. I look forward to seeing this dream become reality.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – The Garden Path
From the dirt road to the homes below lies this path that cuts through the garden. I wonder how many people have used this path to get down into the village.
What path are you on? And why are you taking this path?
The garden path reminds me to be present right where I am. Whether I’m in the middle of the garden or walking alongside co-workers down the halls of my office, I am right where I’m supposed to be for now.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – The Garden Below
Along the dirt road between our house and German’s house, we passed a large garden below the road. The garden was well-organized and well maintained. It made my garden at home look like a small weed collection. Every once in a while as we walked along this path, we saw a few women tending to the field.
Americans have an impression that people in Guatemala are lazy. I generally didn’t see this in my Guatemala experiences. Many of the people in Xenacoj work very hard. The garden below represented a lot of hard work, a heavenly provision, and a hope for the future.
Guatemala Photo of the Day – Stairway to Heaven
Every day as we walked between our house and German’s house, we passed this staircase etched in the dirt. The stairway was steep, and I’m not sure it went besides up.
Upon first glance, Xenacoj looks nothing like the heaven I envisioned. Looking again, I undoubtedly saw and experienced glimpses of heaven in Xenacoj. I saw it on the smiles of orphans and widows. I saw it played out in the hearts of those we served. And I saw it in the hearts of our missionary partners.
