SUSHI, SHOPPING, AND SURPRISES

Today we visited a local indoor market in the city. It was full of trinkets and clothes and fresh food and lots of people. Since it was indoors all the vendors are packed in like sardines, so claustrophobes may have a tough time. Still, it’s an adventure in itself to walk around and bargain down prices. When you pass a vendor most likely they will say something like “Very good price for you, special discount.” You have to get used to saying “No gracias” and keep walking.

I didn’t buy anything today, but mom did. Things are much cheaper here than in Antigua, which is full of tourists. If you have any special requests for items you want from Guatemala, let me know and I’ll see what we can do.

After the going to the market, we went to the downtown mall. Talk about yin and yang. It felt strange going from a dank basement filled with handmade products made by families just trying to get by to a shiny, fast food-filled box with lots of affectionate teenagers groping each other and drinking lattes from & Cafe. Jeanette told us that only about the wealthiest 2 percent of Guatemala shop at the malls like the one we went to. The income disparity in America is startling, but it’s nothing like that in Guate.

We headed home and prepared the donated clothes and toys that we’re going to give the kids in the villages this week. A lot of the clothes and shoes are in really bad shape, but the kids who will be receiving them have next to nothing, so to them they will be brand new. Some have never even owned a pair of shoes. It will be quite the experience to minister to these kids.

Jeanette prepared yet another fabulous dinner. Tonight was sushi with shrimp. I’ve never had sushi before, so it seems strange that I’ll be having my first one in Central America. We’ve been doing a lot of touristy things anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

Jeanette has been quite the entertainment for us here. She likes to make random noises and faces. It’s best when she’s tired because she becomes really slap-happy. My favorite line of hers so far was when she was talking about her beloved coffee maker. “If you break this,” she tells me, “you’re going to pay…with pain.”

Anyway, tomorrow we’re heading to Chiquimulilla to meet with our future host family and Hector, the guy who does the kids ministry in the villages. Then we’ll be off to Antigua for the week, before coming back here on Friday to help with a huge concert event at Jeanette and Juan Carlos’ church. I’m not sure we’ll have an Internet connection in Chiqui, but hopefully we will in Antigua, so look for some updates in the next few days. Thanks to those of you keeping up with our adventure!

Next time: how time slows down in Guatemala, and the Chiqui heat.