Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Picking Up The Pieces

Nothing goes to waste in Guatemala.  (At least, this was my observation.)

Building Betty’s house required us to use a machete to shave off the layer of bark on each piece of wood used for the walls.  As we did this, we left a mess of wood chips and bark fragments on the group in Betty’s “yard.”

At the end of our first day of work, Betty and Jose took time to clean up the bark which they gathered in bags to be used later for cooking.

In the United States, many of us would have simply thrown away these pieces of wood.  We live in a consumable, disposable culture unlike our ancestors and unlike those in Xenacoj who live frugally in an effort to make ends meet.

Going to Guatemala reminded our family again and again of the blessings we have, and it reminded us to be wise in how we use these blessings.