San Lucas Day 7

We took a trip to Santiago again today but this time in Guatemala´s public transportation!

We eventually were able to tell the taxi driver where we wanted to go...this is a peace park that marks the beginning of the end of Guatemala´s civil war.

Rita found Francisco...the driver who always used to pick her up from the airport...this is his grave he died last October.

This was our taxi driver in Santiago...he was very helpful and patient with us.

Kate Bruce and Jennifer went for a hike up one of the large hills...after we were locked in our hotel...when taking a breather Kate found an old string of Christmas lights.

Catholic church in Santiago where Fr Stan Rother presided, his heart and blood were kept here and buried in the back of the Church.

Statues of Saints are dressed up differently during certain time of the liturgical year. This has some sort of significance as far as food and farming go...that´s what Rita said.

Even the crucfix was dressed.

Bruce and Jennifer on our morning hike...the pictures do not do it justice.  We were able to look down and see all of San Lucas and Lake Atitlan.

San Lucas is the international headquarters for CFCA where 14,000+ children and elderly people are sponsored.  The cost is only $1 a day.  People who chose to sponsor a child while down here had a chance to meet them and their families.  Also we have met many people who have been sponsoring children and come down and see them while they are here.

Lesson for the day:  Take time every day to enjoy...well maybe you won´t enjoy it...but at least look at and embrace the scenery around you.  Here are a few things we have enjoyed...the beautiful scenery...everything is so lush and green, the flowers...we saw marigolds at the cemetary taller than we are, open air rides in the back of pick up trucks, trying/learning/succeeding in communicating with the local people, meeting lots of people both from San Lucas and other people from Minnesota and around the United States, teaching our taxi driver the word church in English, sharing stories/getting to know each other and laughing A LOT along the way.  Here are a few things that maybe we have not enjoyed...the dogs...especially when clearing the streets of dead carcusses, constant smell of smoke whether it be from cooking or burning garbage, eating peanut butter sandwiches with every meal, and a variety of other interesting sights and sounds.  Please do not take this the wrong way...we are very much enjoying our time in and around San Lucas.  All of our experiences have made us thankful to come home to our families and friends and remind us not take the simple things in life for granted.  Tomorrow we will be traveling to Antigua to spend part of the day there before going to Guatemala city for the night then catching a plane bright and early Wednesday morning.  We miss you all, peace and blessings.