Back in the USA

Well friends, we made our first visit home to Atlanta. We went to all our favorite places - Chickfila, Longhorns, Chickfila, Starbucks, Chili's, Chickfila..... we ate our way through Atlanta, those old North American habits came back with great ease. So many people asked how it was to return home after four months in Guatemala???

First day in town - #1 combo, no pickles w/Coke

Big Bite!

Maybe we should get some advertising kick-backs...

Well, it was easy. It still feels like home. It seemed as if we were on a long vacation and nothing changed much while we were gone. Certainly, there are some changes, but we still feel comfortable there. We don't feel like outsiders yet. Several days into the trip, I kept thinking, "oooohhh, I missed this about home or I loved that, things are so ..... civilized in Atlanta. My southern sensibilities really like it here."

I realized I need to careful in my thinking. If I keep this up, I won't want to go back to my new home. I decided that every time I thought of something I love about being in the US, I had to also think of something about Guatemala that I really love too. It wasn't easy because the things that I noticed are the things that make life in Guatemala hard. After two or three days, I stopped comparing. I enjoyed the US for what it is, knowing that I would return to Guate and enjoy a different but equally blessed life.

Here are a couple things I found to enjoy life in both homes:
1. USA - I like being able to rinse my toothbrush in the sink and drink from the tap. (Unlike most Guatemalans, I am blessed to have access to clean water. I'll take any minor inconveniences that come with it.)
 Guate - I love that I can go to the market and buy a huge bunch of Calla Lillies (or many other flowers) for Q8 = $1.

2. USA - I love driving in the civilized world. (I know you all think that traffic is insane where you live - but I dare you to drive from Pana to the airport in Guate City!)
Guate - I love the slower pace of life here (other than the driving which cannot be considered slow!) I also like walking through town - you see, hear and feel your town and the local people from a completely different perspective than when you are secluded in your private vehicle.

3. USA - I love shopping in clean, well-lit, well-organized and odor-free environments.
Guate - I just walked to the market, where I purchased 2 bouquets of flowers, 2 lbs. of potatoes, 1 lb. of green beans, a pineapple, 5 oranges, 8 jacotes (small fruit) for a grand total of Q43 = $5.50. Then I rode a tuk-tuk home for Q5 = $0.65.

My new market basket along with today's purchases!

So, what do I think after our first trip home - I think God is changing our hearts. We love the USA and we love the life we had there. BUT we also love our new life here Guatemala. It's different, but different isn't bad, it's just different.

Rambling around Guatemala...

It’s been a while since we posted anything. So many things have happened in the last two weeks. Here is the short version.

Juliet, Angel, Anna Kate, Liz, Parker, Lee & Carmen

We graduated from language school. We are not finished; we have a long way to go but we are at the end of our time in Antigua, Guatemala. We will continue with tutors a few times a week for as long as it takes….probably the rest of our lives.

The Turkey - beautiful & delicious!! Todd is an awesome cook!

My Southern Pecan Pie with homemade crust! YUM!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with our dear friends, the Ericksons before leaving Antigua. We enjoyed all the classics, Turkey, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, pecan pie (I made my first pie crust from scratch) & pumpkin pie. It was a divine feast. We are so grateful to our Lord for friends and community which enrich our life.

The view of Panajachel, Lake Atitlan and the volcano as you come down the mountain.

Our new home in Panajachel.

Cozy fireplace and living room.

We moved to our new home in Panajachel. We will be living here and beginning our work at Eagle’s Nest. The Lord has been so generous in blessing us with a beautiful and peaceful new home.

Breakfast with the eSwicks in our dining room. Love the tropical view.

Enjoying a day on the lake with Max & Riley.

Our very dear friends, the Everswicks came to visit us and help us get settled in our new home. We had so much fun moving furniture, unpacking crates, and exploring Pana. They were a great encouragement and blessing to our whole family.

Our huge tree with our homemade ornaments!

We put up our new (artificial) Christmas tree. We don’t have any ornaments yet, so the kids made angels, snowflakes, stars and snowmen. We added candy canes and a big star on top. It looks great!

May the Lord bless and keep you during this season of Joy!

Halloween & Day of the Dead

Let's go fly a kite... up to the highest height...

We wondered if and how Halloween might be celebrated in Guatemala...it turns out, they don't really do much. There are some Americans who have imported Halloween, so you see a little bit of decorations and candy, but for the most part it is a non-event. This was just fine with me - we have had many years of fun - dressing in cute costumes and playing with the neighbors.

Our apartment complex has several Americans living here, so they decided to have a little Halloween party on Sunday afternoon. My kids wanted to go and they wanted to dress up. We heard that costumes were available at the Paca (Guatemalan version of Goodwill), so we hauled ourselves down to the mercado to have a look. I was amazed by the sights and smells of the Saturday market. We found a few costumes, but I was not crazy about them - they seemed really dirty and smelly. We kept walking...until we found a table covered with sheets and bedding. We found a really funny sheet for Parker's costume. It was printed with huge $100 dollar bills on it. He cut a face hole and called himself the Ghost of Money Past. We found a nice clean white sheet for Anna Kate. She was a Greek goddess. Two costumes from two bedsheets for $6 total! Can't beat that deal. (BTW- we washed everything before wearing! Gross!) All the neighbors played Halloween bingo, broom stick relays, apple contests and more. The kids got a small bag of candy, but there was no trick-or-treating. No one seemed very disappointed. We all enjoyed a lovely "fall" (warm & breezy) afternoon with the neighbors.

The ghost of Money Past and our lovely Greek Goddess

The following day, November 1st is the real holiday in Guatemala. It is similar to The Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in many Central & South American countries. Fortunately, it isn't as spooky or gloomy as some other countries (No skulls and skeletons) For weeks and months leading up to November 1st, people begin making kites of all sizes. They make them from bamboo and tissue paper. Some are really elaborate and beautiful. Some are very simple. The idea is to write prayers for the dead on the kites and then fly them to heaven. A little strange, but not too creepy. They spend several days ahead of November 1st, cleaning the cemeteries and decorating the graves with fresh pine needles and flowers. Then they fly the kites in the cemetery on the 1st.

A young women adding flowers to a family grave.

A young boy trying to get his kite in the air.

Several friends from language school decided attend this celebration. So we hired a driver to take us to Santiago Sacatapaqez. Our driver walked us through town to the cemetery on the hill. We walked all through the cemetery and saw the most amazing kites! Some of these kites were 10-12 feet across with long heavy tails and flags on top. It was a little scary to see something so large take off - even scarier if it crashed. The largest kites (50 feet across) do not fly, they simply lean against giant posts in the ground. It was an unbelievable sight to see. We saw several break from the weight of the bamboo frames, but they immediately started work on fixing them and eventually had 5-6 really huge kites on display.

These guys are standing on top of a tomb, setting there kite aflight. 

It's about 6 feet across.

This is one of the larger kites.

This is the bamboo structure in back.

The designs are really amazing - made from tissue paper.

The atmosphere was like being at the state fair - loads of people, tons of food vendors, souvenir vendors etc. Yet this huge "party" takes place in the cemetery. The young boys are literally hopping from grave to grave as they chase kites. It was strange, but beautiful at the same time. After the kite festival, everyone goes home to eat "Fiambre", a traditional Guatemalan dish eaten only on November 1st. To me this looks like it has everything AND the kitchen sink in it. It has several different kinds of meats - chicken, pork, fish, sardines, beef tongue, red sausage, black sausage and other mysteries of the sausage world. It contains hard boiled eggs, baby corn cobs, green beans, beets, olives, and more. It is all soaked in a vinegar based dressing for at least a day. I cannot imagine how this dish came about...perhaps it has something to do with the mourning of dead relatives....or joining them soon. I'm not sure.

This is the bamboo framework for the gigantic kites.

Raising one of the giant kites.

This kite was truly amazing. You can see the scale by the people in the corner of photo.

It's no sacrifice to give up our "Halloween traditions." It's one of the few things I didn't miss about being home. We enjoyed learning and experiencing new holidays and celebrations in our new culture. 

Southern Sensibility - Part 2

In my previous post, I wrote about my struggle with certain aspects of our new Guatemala culture. There are several things that don't sit well with my Southern sense of right and wrong.

Let me ask you a question....do you believe that our government can and does brainwash the American people? (before you think I have become a conspiracy theorist - just hang with me) If your answer is no, I have a little experiment for you to try. Run down to the Quiktrip and get yourself a Coke and a candy bar. I want you to go stand outside and enjoy your snack. When you are finished, I want you to throw the bottle and the wrapper on the ground. Don't try be sneaky about it - do it in plain sight of everyone. Go ahead, I'll wait right here.

Could you do it? NO - you cannot! Why can't you do it? I'll tell you why - because you give a HOOT and you Don't Pollute, right? Just like me, you have been brainwashed by the "Keep America Beautiful" campaign. Since the early 50's, we have been taught through Public Service Announcements that we can't throw our trash anywhere we want. Who remembers the Crying Indian commercial from the 70's? This organization coined the phrase "litterbug." It worked, they have succeeded. We cannot in good conscience throw our trash on the ground in plain view of God and man. It has been ingrained in us, it has become part of our culture to care for our surroundings. Those who litter can and will be punished - because pollution hurts all of us, right?

                                          

Well, no one has ever heard of a "Keep Guatemala Beautiful" campaign. It is common to see people throw trash and litter on the ground. They have no shame or conscience for disposing of their waste wherever it happens to fall. In Antigua, we have seen a garbage collection truck picking up trash from local businesses and the wealthier residential homes. Antigua is unique - they believe in preserving the city for it's historical value as well as it's tourism value. Most parts of Guatemala have one of two methods for disposing of their waste. They burn it or they throw it down the hill. Of course, this is very unsanitary, since the rain also washes down the hill and picks up all manner of bacteria and disease before it joins a creek or river which in turn becomes bathing, washing and drinking water.

Trash and debris around town.

Speaking of unsanitary - it's not just the trash that bothers me. At least once or twice a week, I see someone (usually creepy men) peeing in the street. Sometimes it's on a tree, a bus tire, or just in the corner of a wall. Really?? I know there is a shortage of public restrooms, but somehow I manage to live without peeing in public. (So do all the males in my household.) I kinda understand if you're in the middle of nowhere, but not in the middle of town!

My thoughts are very conflicted as I try to reconcile myself to these cultural habits. The American in me is of course, disgusted and repulsed by such behavior. I find it uncivilized and barbaric. I know, I know - it's very arrogant and pretentious of me to look down from the mount of self-actualization and take such notice of others. I recognize that most Guatemalans are consumed with surviving their daily life - they can't be concerned with pollution and waste management. It is the luxury of proud and conceited Americans to concern ourselves with writing tickets to litterbugs.

Vegetables and garbage in the market.

Somehow, I don't think God's heart is crushed because they have a litter control problem in Guatemala. I think His heart is crushed by their hopelessness. I see this problem as symptomatic of their hopelessness. Why does it matter what they do with their trash when life is so uncertain? Can I find work today? Can I feed my family today? Can I pay the rent? Will the crops fail? Are we safe?

I am asking the Lord to give me compassion for the lives of these people. Kill in me all, that wants to look down on these people. May I see them as He sees them - a people in need of hope for their future.

Southern Sensibility - Part 1

Every morning our walk to school begins on this lovely path 

next to the ruins of Santa Rosa Cathedral.

Several weeks ago I wrote about the process of Culture Shock (see Lost that Loving Feeling post). Here are more thoughts on the cultural differences we experience on a regular basis. Recently, there have been several things that really bother me. I have had a hard time naming exactly what it is that drives me crazy ... then one day I realized that not only does this culture rub my "American" skin the wrong way; my southern sensibilities are often offended as well.

For example, in the South we are generally considered to be polite, warm and hospitable. We like our tea sweet and our vowels wide. We love our country, our family and our church. We really love food and gatherings built entirely around food - we invented "comfort food." In the South, we go out of our way to show kindness and respect for one another. It's just the way we are, it's in the soil, our roots soak it up and we become Southern. With the exception of sweet tea and wide vowels, Guatemala is very similar. The people are warm and hospitable, they love family and food as well. Yet, there are some major clashes with my southern heritage.

Generally speaking, in the South drivers give a wide berth to cyclists and pedestrians on the street or in parking lots. It's bad form to hit people with your car. You also don't want to scare them or in anyway give the impressions that you might run them over. This is definitely not the case in Guatemala.

Walking in Guatemala can be very dangerous for a number of reasons. The first being - respiratory health. The streets are full of diesel and gasoline fumes. I don't think the Commission for Emissions Control has ever heard of Guatemala. The second danger is the sidewalks themselves. They tend to be narrow, many places you cannot walk two abreast - single file only. The sidewalks are crumbly, they have varying elevations or open holes - perfect for breaking an ankle. In addition, one must always be on the lookout for dog poo. Completely foreign concepts - Walk your dog on a leash and clean up after your dog. The dogs don't look well fed, but the sidewalk has evidence that proves otherwise. One thing I love about Antigua - the amazingly beautiful window boxes - until you whack your head on one. They make the sidewalk even more narrow and they are the perfect height for causing brain injuries to even the most observant of pedestrians.

Watch your step - it's a big drop!

Window box - perfect height for bashing your brains out!

So far, I have only covered the dangers of walking on the sidewalk. You can see why we frequently end up walking on the edge of the sidewalk or in the street. Here is where the cars, tuk-tuks and motorcycles become really dangerous. At times it seems as if they want you think they are going to run you over. The street can be wide open, no traffic and a tuk-tuk or motorcycle will ride right up next to you, within inches of your body. It's one thing to do this to me or Lee but I really get bent out of shape when they do it to my children! I keep thinking  "Really, you have to drive right here? REALLY? You can't make a little room for pedestrians?"It's infuriating.

Sometimes the sidewalk is there, sometimes it's just dirt.

We pass this hole in the sidewalk everyday on our way to school.

That's a broken ankle and a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Pedestrians beware!

So how do I reconcile this new culture with my Southern sensibilities? I can't decide - "Is it me? or is it them?" Well, there's more to it than just getting used to the insanity of walking and driving in a foreign country. I keep looking deeper at what this behavior says about our new culture. What does it say about me? More thoughts to come....

Despite the dangers, the vistas are truly amazing!

Our first visitor from home...

This past week, we had our first visitor from home - Mimi! Lee's mom arrived on Monday afternoon. She had three suitcases full of gifts and goodies. (She only need half of one for her clothes - the rest was LOOT!) The kids thought it was Christmas in October!

We had treats like M&Ms, decaf tea, movies, new games, flip flops and much, much more.

We took her on a tour of Antigua - we drove up to the Cross on the hill which overlooks the city of Antigua. We took a tour of Jades SA - which is a shop that mines and cuts Jade into jewelry. We took her to see some ruins, some cathedrals and of course the market! Apparently, she can shop in any language. She loved all the beautiful textiles in the market.

View from Cerro de la Cruz (Antigua and Vulcan Agua)

Wednesday was my birthday. Mimi had some special gifts from friends and family. What a treat to open fun and thoughtful gifts from home. That evening, Patty was able to meet several of our new friends. Lee organized a birthday party at the home of our friends, The Ericksons. (Our place is too small, so Maureen was so kind to host for us.) We had so much fun laughing and telling fun stories about life in our new country.  Too much FUN!

Erickson family, Radfords, Amy & Andy, Joy & Jared (photo by Katey Erickson)

So many great new friends!!

On Thursday, we drove her to Pana. She was amazed by the sights and sounds of the Guatemalan countryside and terrified by the driving down here. We were able to see the house we will be renting in December. She really enjoyed seeing where we will live for a while. It was good for me to see it again too. I can start planning how to set up our next home. (This nomadic life is very different for me - I have to make a plan - I'm not a fly-by-the-seat-f-my-pants kind of girl!) We ate a really fabulous dinner at the Posada Don Rodrigo and the kids swam in their pool. We took Patty shopping on Calle Santander (market street).

View of Lake Atitlan from Sunset Cafe

On Friday morning, (we did some more quick shopping) then we went up to Eagle's Nest and took the grand tour. We had a delicious lunch with some of the EN staff. Then we drove back to Antigua. It was fun to show her all the places and people who will be part of our new life in Pana.

The week seemed to fly by; good times always do! On Saturday, she flew home to Atlanta. What a blessing it is that friends and family can come to visit! (It's cheap and only 3 hour flight from ATL - you know you want to come see us!) Who's next???

Retiro de Mujeres

Last weekend, I had the privilege of teaching at a retiro de mujeres (Ladies Retreat) which was hosted by Eagle's Nest. We had almost 100 ladies from the western regions of Guatemala join us for food, fellowship and fun.

We had four North American missionaries who were teaching on various aspects of prayer life. We each taught a workshop four times as the ladies rotated through in group of 20-25. We each had a craft or activity to help reinforce the teaching time.

Getting the ladies registered for the retreat and assigned to room.

(Notice the lady with traditional Mayan dress and her beautiful braids with ribbon)

This was a new experience for me, as I have neither taught at a retreat nor have I taught with a translator before. The first workshop felt a little stilted, not very natural. As we went through the weekend, each time was a little easier and more natural. It really helped to have a great translator. A wonderful missionary named Tammy was my translator. I really enjoyed getting to know her between sessions and playing with her sweet baby Jenette. (Tammy is not only a fabulous translator, but a wonderful mother of seven.)

Together we taught from Matthew 6. Jesus was teaching about prayer in secret - private prayer. He warns against the proud and arrogant prayers of men who like to hear their own voices. The emphasis is on seeking Him in private - when we are humble and honest before Him. We pray because we want to be in relationship with God, because we love him - not because we want to be seen a certain way in the eyes of men. "Prayer doesn't change God, it changes me."- C.S. Lewis

The ladies in my class made secret prayer pillows from fleece blankets. They wrote little prayers on a piece of paper which they inserted in the pillow. When the Lord answers that prayer, they can insert a new prayer. The pillow is meant to remind us to seek Him in prayer for all our needs.

This was my classroom. 

Working on pillows.

I have learned many things about women in Guatemala. Most get up about 4:45 every morning. They start the day by preparing food for breakfast, lunch and snack time (Guatemalans have a mid-morning snack at 10 am because it is a long time from 5:30am to 1:00 pm) Lunch is the large meal of the day, so there is much work to do. Some women have to gather firewood or get water from outside sources for cooking meals. They have children to care for, husbands to send out to the fields, and an endless list of chores like laundry and shopping in the market. Many of them also try to earn an income for the family through small businesses like handicrafts, jewelry making, domestic cleaning or running a tienda (corner shop) I have always wondered if a Proverbs 31 woman really exists. I am realizing they exist all over the world, just not in the US. Women here rarely have time to relax or time alone - forget about time with girlfriends. It simply doesn't exist here.  As North American women we are so spoiled. It was a special treat to see these ladies spending time with one another. They were given an opportunity that most of us not only take for granted but often feel entitled to - uninterrupted time with girlfriends.

What a privilege to serve these ladies and their families. May the Lord bless and keep them, make his face to shine upon them!

Adventures of Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley goes to Guatemala - by Parker & Anna Kate

Who is Flat Stanley you may be wondering....well, Flat is the main character in a very popular series of children's chapter books. Flat can travel the world easily because he simply mails himself everywhere. Anna Kate has been enjoying this fun collection of books. A young friend from Marietta named Kelly is also reading through the book with her class. Her dad asked if they could send Flat to us and we could show him around Guatemala. Well, he arrived by First Class Priority Mail last week. The following is a brief history of Flat's adventures in Guatemala with the Radford family.

This is a picture of Flat Stanley watching passion 2011 live in our kitchen. We loved singing along with Chris Tomlin.

Our family took a quick trip to Panajachel on the shore of Lake Atitlan. We were lounging by the lake. We had a lovely view of the lake and a volcano. We watched boats traveling across the lake.

This is a picture of Flat Stanley in some flowers at Los Buenas Nuevas (The Good News) on our one week vacation from language school. Guatemala has many tropical plants.

While we were in Panajachel, we climbed trees. This is a limon (lime) tree. We also saw orange trees, mango trees, avocado trees and banana trees. We watched some pretty orange and black birds catching breakfast in these trees.

This is Flat, Anna Kate and me (Parker) on a wall on lake Atitlan. This is a view of Vulcan Toliman. There are many small villages all around the edge of the lake.

While we were sitting by the lake, Flat decided to climb the volcano. Don't worry, this is an inactive volcano. (Picture by Parker)   

We walked up the main street of Panajachel called Calle Santander. Many locals come to the market area and sell their goods. We saw colorful fabrics, jewelry and souvenirs.

This is Flat wearing my bracelet that we bought from the vender. Flat loved all the colorful bracelets and fabrics.

While we were wondering around Pana, we stopped at Crossroads cafe for a cup of hot chocolate and some coffee. Mr. Mike was very happy to see Flat Stanley in his shop. Mr. Mike made a smiley face from foamy milk in my hot chocolate. The coffee and hot chocolate are really yummy!!