Easter Sunday in Guatemala

 The last couple weeks have been busy with birthdays, sick children, a trip to Philadelphia for a field trip, a push to complete school work for the year, computer problems, and garden planting. I do plan to return to my normal posting here at Home Joys eventually.  But here is one last post on our Guatemala trip.

Without daylight savings time, the sun rises early in Guatemala but we had decided to enjoy a sunrise service on Easter morning out at The Hill. We gathered breakfast, blankets, and sleeping children for a shivering 4:30 ride on the tractor through the darkness.



The view was worth the sacrifice of sleep.



We sang songs of the resurrection (in English and Spanish) while watching a huge star-filled sky turn pink and rosy.


 

The sun popped over the hills to greet a gorgeous Sunday.



Benj and Holly warmed us up with pancakes cooked over a campfire.

Then we hurried back home to prepare for church. Any early morning goose-bumps were forgotten while walking the mile to church. I kept stopping to take photos of the flowers blooming on the fences along the road - and made Ed late for church! But they were so beautiful!

 
 


 

It was a busy time because the Gethsemane Mennonite church was hosting special meetings this weekend. Easter is a time to visit family and friends in Guatemala and there were many visitors.



During the church services that we attended while in Guatemala, I was so encouraged to see the young men taking leadership roles in the church. When I had last visited Guatemala, some of these men were only youth, but now they are married, with children, and a huge blessing to the church.



The goal of Mennonite Air Mission is to establish indigenous churches - churches led by native leadership. It was good to see and hear some of the fruit of that vision. I just wish I knew how to speak Spanish so I could have enjoyed more of the sermons and the fellowship. After the morning service we enjoyed a wonderful lunch with more great Guatemalan food including lots of corn tortillas! Even the evening services ended with yummy snacks like fried tortillas layered with black beans and fresh Guatemalan cheese!

 
The youth girls sharing a song

That is a glimpse of our Guatemalan trip. If you ever get a chance to visit the mission work in another country - take it! Even if you are woken by roosters, you won't regret it!

Now I'll get back to sharing what I'm growing and cooking in Pennsylvania!