Thursday, December 11, 2008

Antigua, Guatamala

Brian and I are sitting in a coffee shop in Antigua, Guatemala.  After arriving in Barillas Marina El Salvador, on Sunday afternoon, we took a day and a half to rest (swam in their pool, walked to see a nearby family of spider monkeys, visited with other cruisers, etc.).  Tuesday morning we hopped on a bus to the closest town and started our journey to Antigua.  Eleven hours and six means of transportation later, (various buses and taxis) we arrived. 

It's impossible to tell you all of the neat experiences but our favorite so far was last night.  We walked out of our hotel looking for dinner.  We both were craving atole (a traditional rice or corn based drink that's either sweet and cinnamony or spicy and salty).  We saw an open door with a table out front.  Poking our heads in, we saw a tiny room with two tables and a lady ladling out atoll into dishes.  We went in and 2 hours later we'd had delicious atole and tostadas and enjoyable conversation with the owners. 

Today we're hoping to visit a house that takes in malnourished infants.  Tomorrow and the next day we'll help out at the YWAM base and then Tuesday we'll head back to El Salvador.  We'll be giving out some toothbrushes and stuffed animals and school supplies (all from you guys!) to their Kids Club (http://ywamantiguanews.blogspot.com/2008/09/kids-club.html )

 

Just the short period of time that we've been here has shown us a small glimpse of incredible poverty.  The 1980s war in El Salvador and the social inequality in Guatemala have created some desperate people.  As you're thinking about gift-giving this year, please consider organizations like Opportunity International or Heifer International or World Vision.  These groups make micro loans or give animals to people that allow them to become self-reliant, not reliant on handouts.  Here are links: www.opportunity.org/ or www.heifer.org/  or http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10389

 

We're aiming to leave El Salvador around the 20th of December in order to arrive in the north coast of Costa Rica before my brother and Brooke get there.  We have family for Christmas! Yay.

 

Thanks for all of your emails and interest in what we're doing. 

 

Hope that your Christmas season is peaceful and focused on what's truly valuable. 

 

Megan

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