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Fri., 6/26, and Sat., 6/27/09

(By Kwen Sanderson)

We left from the Elder's Center in Santiago at 7:30. We stopped at the Copavic Glass Coop. in Xela, or otherwise  known as Quetzaltenango. Diane ordered a number of glass articles for the store and the other women really enjoyed shopping. (This coop is interesting because all of their glass articles come from recycled glass that is
melted down, and remade into other glass products.)  We couldn't see the glass blowing process as the men weren't working.  They just didn't havenenough orders so would probably be out of work for 3 months. 

Today we are heading for Comotancillo.   We we arrived at one of the communities.  We were able to see the Sewing Center that Dalesburg Lutheran raised money for in 2004. The money provided a building and sewing machines. We thought we were supposed to be there by 3:30 (we got there at 4:00). The people thought we were
supposed to come at 2:00. We felt badly about it, but the women graciously accepted our apology. Such is the continuing challenge of communication! (A good word needs to be said for our driver, Vinecio. The ride was a LONG ride because it was on gravel  mountain roads, in heavy fog.)
The most encouraging thing about our visit with the women was to hear how the Sewing Center has not only helped their families out financially, but Diane N. noted the difference in the attitude and bearing of the women from 3 years ago. They spoke and held themselves with confidence, and looked us straight in the eye. One of the women, Olga, and her daughter, who teaches 2nd grade, were impressive, as they shared their stories. It was personally gratifying to me  to see how Dalesburg's efforts have made a difference in this community. Olga said that because of the sewing center her oldest 3 chldren were able to not only go to school but to go through high school and to have good jobs.

After our visit there we went back to our hotel in Comotancillo.  It is a humble place compared to our other stays but adequate.

Sat., 6/27, the big day for inauguration of the Weaving Center at Chamaque, one of the towns around Comitancillo. The original plan was for a 5 a.m. Mayan ceremony, led by a shaman.  The Mayan ceremony was cancelled as the shaman couldn't make it.

We then thought the day was going to start with mass at 7 but we then found out that mass was going to start at 9, none of us weary travelers objected to the time change.  It was a FULL church, with women and men sitting on opposite sides. It wasn't a rigid distinction, however, because some women, with children, came late, and slipped into our men's rows. Some of the liturgy I recognized, especially the passing of the peace. It was good to see how lay people helped lead worship, as well as some of the young people read Scripture. After worship, we headed down the hill to the Weaving Center.

The inauguration ceremony went on for over 2 hours, but no one seemed in a hurry to go. Diane and I were invited to join in the procession, and to sit up front for the ceremony. There were many speakers and some dancers and singers. There were 3 girls, and 3 boys, who were playing the marimbas. They were very good, and showed they were enjoying the occasion by their smiles. Overall, there was a deep feeling of patience, and tolerance for each other.

When my turn came to receive a presentation, I was given a beautiful, woven thank you to Dalesburg. I thanked them for such a wonderful job of construction on the building, and the dedication of the community to make this center work. I assured them that each Sunday morning they are being prayed for, as our brothers and sisters, in Jesus. There was a nodding of heads, and smiles. It brought a lump in my throat to see the people's appreciation, and community of spirit that bound them together.

They served an excellent lunch, and we got to see the old "structure", where the 8 looms were kept. It had bamboo walls, and a black plastic roof. A new structure was definitely needed. A humorous thing happened to me, as we w ere leaving. Being an extrovert, I try to be friendly, and welcoming to strangers. Since it was warm, I was holding my orange hat, given to me by my church, in my left hand, upside down. There were 3 men standing by the building. I had learned the Mayan greeting, which is to gently touch the other person's right hand, and then touch your forehead. I had also learned to say, "God bless you" in Spanish, which is, "Dios le vendiga". I went over to the 3 men, and was giving them a Mayan greeting and a "Dios le vendiga". The 2nd man put a coin in my hat. It never dawned on me until I was walking away, that the man must have thought, my upturned hat was for receiving money. How easily the best of our intentions can be misunderstood! (The next morning, I left the coin as a tip for out waitress.) Rueben also shared that it is common for people with physical handicaps to receive hand outs from people. When I thought about it, I was not only holding my hat out, but I was greeting the men, and blessing them, with my 1-fingered, right hand. Lord, have mercy!

In the afternoon we were suppose to go and see many of the projects that Sharing the Dream had worked on with AMMID the local organization. There were water tanks, drinking tanks, a pig project and a chicken project. Because of the rain and the conditions of the road this was very difficult. Trying to get back to where we were going  was another taste of Guatemalan life. It was raining, in the afternoon, which has been the pattern since getting here. We came to a muddy stretch of road that Vinecio, our driver, didn't want to try to cross. Reuben called for a 4-wheel drive pick up, with a double cab. That meant that Reuben, Diana, Barb, Peggy, the driver and his wife, and I were packed in the cab.

Jack, Diane, and Isabel sat in the back, under a tarp in the pouring rain.  We went to a community, where we saw (2) 7,000 gallon cement tanks used to collect rain in the rainy season. This water is used during the dry season. We were 1 hour late, but the people were patiently waiting. Diane emphasized how important our presence was to these people, because they never see outsiders. We walked through the mud and rain to see 2 different tanks. After we saw the tanks we climbed back into the truck.  Diane, Isabel and Jack were now sitting on a wet tarp too, besides it was still raining.  The driver and his wife left us in Village after about 30 minutes  and Reuben drove. Diane, Isabel, and Jack, got in the cab, and I took my turn, sitting in the back, under a tarp. It was cold and wet, but that's a part of being in community. It occurred to me how our day was a lot like life, every day, in Guatemala. Sometimes life is fun, and flows smoothly and other times, life is difficult, but you deal with it as best you can, and even have some fun, in the process. It's all life, and it's not so much the events that make life, good or bad, it's the attitude by which you face the day. When you know that others and God are with you in whatever you face, life becomes a good experience to live.
Amen!.