Leaving Guate!

I'm very sad to go, but I know that there is much ahead of me. I'm looking forward to hanging at home for a few days before Alaska with my family, and seeing my friend Hailey get married!

Tomorrow is my last day teaching so we are taking classroom pictures and playing games to say goodbye! I can't believe how fast the time has gone and I will miss all 113 of my children! I may be paying extra for the weight of my bags as I sneak them home. =)

Last week wrapped up nicely as we said goodbyes to our host families. I played some futbol and frisbee with my little bro Aaron and gave them the gifts I brought from Canada for their hospitalidad. They loved the quilt, thanks Mary!

Early Saturday morning we headed into Lake Atitlan, the largest lake in Guatemala. It was absolutely stunning! We drove to the town of Panajachel, which took about three hours, and then we hiked through paradise for about an hour. As we summit ted the crest of our hill, I looked down the cliff to see a beautiful house situated against the mountain with a sprawling staircase that led directly to the lake. I had barely turned to my friend to express my delight when I heard my prof say that the house/resort was our destination. All of us screamed and were loud Americans for a few mintues. We were soon relaxing on the upper deck with a view of the lake and volcanoes as our breakfast backdrop. It was unreal surprise. After breakfast we jumped into the lake and swam for a few hours. I jumped off heights I never though I would. Yikes. Man, I wish you all could have been with me. It was absolutely incredible. To top it all off, we rode in a boat back to Panajachel. Probably one of my top 10 favorite days ever!

We took another boat ride to a random villa near Panajachel, and as we hiked up we found a Catholic church where the local people were praying to Maximon- the native god who has an unquenchable thirst for the local moonshine and cigars. The sculpture dresses in western clothing with a cowboy hat and layers and layers of silk scarves. People from the village offer their houses for the Maximón sculpture for a one year period that starts right after Easter. Usually in place next to Maximon is a sculpture of Jesus, which shows the merging of Mayan and Catholic faiths into their own form of religion. It was very sad to hear the people's wails and pleas to Maximon for his help and I prayed that they would instead know and be filled with the peace of Christ. It was a haunting and moving experience.

I have felt so blessed to take part in this travel studies. I've been reflecting on what it means for the Lord to give us the desires of our heart- I often don't want to ask for these things because I feel selfish or silly as I juxtapose it against the needs of people around the world who live without the knowledge of him, in persecution, or in absolute poverty. But then I came to the realization that sometimes it isn't about asking, but instead acknowledging my Lord who already knows me in the most intimate way possible and so desires a relationship with me- whether I'm in a time of rejoicing or not feeling His presence at all.

Jeremiah 17:7

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream and doesn't fear the heat.

North to the Future- Alaska bound I am!