God has blessed us with 3 wonderful children who all have their birthdays between March 15 and April 7. So immediately following the Christmas season we start saving up for "Birthday Month." And each year Aaron and I try to get away for one day to make all the birthday purchases for the year. This year our wonderful friends the Millers (Thanks Kevin & Becky, Hannah, Joseph and Moriah) took our kids overnight (Friday to Saturday, Mar. 6-7th) and we headed out on our shopping adventure.
The first stop for the weekend (after fighting rush hour and weekend traffic) was the restaurant Portal del Angel where we had gift certificates from the parents of the students in Beauty & the Beast. This restaurant is on the road to El Salvador (the opposite side of Guatemala City from where we live) and the view as you can see from above is spectacular! This is Guatemala City and we live on the mountains that the sun is setting behind. Just amazing watching the city come alive at night! Special shout out to my Drama Kids and their parents...you all rock!
The following morning we headed up to Antigua...trying to get a picture of the grade of this road...but the pictures just don't do it justice. We're talking...road up to Denver steep. Takes us about 25-30 minutes to get to Antigua from our home. We have to go up over a pass and then back down to the city. Quite a beautiful drive. Always makes you nervous when the runaway ramps all have deep tire tracks in them.
This is the road entering Antigua. The volcanoes in the back are Fuego (Fuego is the most active volcano in Central America and goes "off" regularly...but can't see it from our house because it is behind Agua) &....actually I'm not sure what the one in the front is called. I'll get back to you on that.
Aaron standing on a typical Antigua street with Volcan de Agua in the back ground...makes a great back drop doesn't it!
This is the central park of Antigua...I love the beautiful purple trees in bloom right now! Beautiful!
Aaron enjoying a sit in the beautiful park while I'm taking pictures.
Here I am sitting by a fountain in a little garden in the restaurante we ate in for breakfast. You never know what you are going to find when you go through a gate or doorway in Antigua.
The picture from above was taken just to the right here. But through the arch and then another, we sat in a garden at a lovely concrete table with canopy and had a fantastic Guatemalan breakfast. Eggs, beans, & other lovely things. Yum!
Here is a fountain in the Artisans market with Agua in the background. We got most of our kids presents here. Authentic Guatemala things. A birthday to remember.
This is a little street market for the tourists, next to some of the ruins there. The perfect ending picture to another lovely morning in Antigua.
On Palm Sunday, we had the opportunity to share in the ministry with our dear friends the Millers. They are involved in a ministry here called Hearts for Hope and they run a number of feeding centers for children around Guatemala. Every Sunday afternoon from 3:30-5:30 they go up to the closest feeding center, at the settlement of La Primavera (only about 15 mins from our area), to conduct a children's Sunday School Program for kids ages 4 or 5 to 15. The first hour is when the kids come in a just play & get settled. Caden has been there a couple of times with them so this time he shared with them two orgami projects he had for them, a cup and a ball. With the help of Ms. Rensch (Lois is the high school math/science teacher at CAG for the past 20 years and will probably be leaving this year) to translate, Caden showed them how to do it and it was a big hit as you can see.
Aaron got his fingernails painted by the adorable Madelin seated next to him while others worked on puzzles (rompecabezas=head breakers) while they watched.
Lily was next and loved it!
Most of the boys play soccer on the third level of the building which was built specifically for this feeding center.
Then it is time to pack up and get ready for our singing time. Here is Kevin Miller helping things along.
Here is Becky, with two of her girls from the area. As you can see, it is such a blessing to work with these kids.
This is during our singing and praying time and what it is all about. Go God!
Hannah, Kevin & Becky's oldest daughter and Caden both had their birthdays this week so they sang to them and all the kids came up to give them hugs or high-5's.
Then the groups break into age groups and here are the younger ones listening to the story that Lois is sharing with them. Moriah, the youngest Miller is facing us, behind her is Lily & Maya, and across the table wearing their red shirts is Caden and his best buddy Joseph. What a great opportunity to sharing in the lives of these children even for a day. Thanks Millers for being faithful to what God has called you to and sharing that experience with us.
Fuzzy but another "only in Guatemala" experience. Obviously a motorcycle with a helmeted rider...what not might be so clear is the woman on back is holding a blanket on her lap with a small dog in it...Yup...and in front of the man straddling the gas tank is a small child. Maybe 4 years old...maybe younger. It is a different world here...but it is very comforting that God is God no matter where in the world you are!
