Dickering on Faith and Discussing Faith

Jordan was a genious at bartering with the shop vendors.

It has been sometime since I was able to upload my journal entries from my Guatemala Mission Trip.  It isn't that I am losing interest in posting these updates but rather a case of getting extremely busy at my job.  I work as a Project Manager for a non-proift watershed committee and this is our busiest time of year and so my spare time is more sparse than spare.  It was partially my chosen career though that helped lead me to this Mission journey and the Mission has, I think, also allowed me to perform some of my job tasks with a greater clarity.  In my previous post I commented on the litter and trash that flowed down some of the rivers in the wake of Tropical Storm Agatha, well coming up at work, I will be organizing a shoreline clean-up, and though I have done this before I now have a great understanding of how important such a simple task can be.

As I wrote this journal entry we were safe and sound in a hotel in Antigua, but emotionally it was a stressful situation.  I wanted to be on the road home and yet I wanted to help those suffering around me.  It was a bit confusing with the uncertainty with our flights and such.  The day was still inspiring though as we explored the beautiful streets of this tourist city.

The cobble streets of Antigua along with the old style, colorful buildings
gave it an incredible charm.  I wanted to walk and explore every street.

March 30, 2010

We awoke to a nicer day today.  The tropical storm, Agatha, had dissipated much quicker than anticipated and thus the weather was actually nice.  This was the day we were supposed to visit the market and shop for souvenirs for friends and family, so that is what we did.  Before hitting the market though we had lunch at an amazing restaurant called Don Louisa.  The walk there was amazing as this City is very colorful in day light.  Old buildings, cobble streets, cozy shops, bright colors, and immense mountain back drops.  The most dominant mountain is actually a volcano and was impressive as it stood high over the City and was often shrouded by clouds.  It made me slightly uneasy given the events of the previous couple of days.

The view from the top of the Hotel we stayed at in Antigua.  This was one
of three very noticeable volcanos.

The restaurant was almost as impressive as the volcano, with many great photos of various genres decorating the walls.  Pictures of North America made me homesick.  The dining area was divided into many small areas but hardly any seats remained when we arrived.  We managed to find a small room in the back with enough seats to sit us all and I enjoyed traditional pancakes, bacon, and eggs.  I also decided to have a chocolate milkshake, as I have been craving ice cream.  The shake was so good, I had two.

After breakfast we returned tothe hotel to check on our flight status.  It was confirmed that we have flights booked for Fridaay.  Not really happy about the situation as I need to get home for work and I miss Michelle, Seth, and Shaylee like crazy, but there is nothing I can do about it.  We are truly in God's hands at this point and I pray that an earlier flight materializes.

The market was a wild experience, one I really enjoyed ironically.  Shopping is not my forte but interacting with the local vendors was really cool.  The dickering over prices was a learning experience that will not soon be forgotten.  To see this cultural practice and live it was awesome.  I was surprised, after I made my first transaction, how simple it was.  The vendors were very persistent, especially with the North American clientele, but it is their livelihood so you can't blame them.  I think I managed to get some good deals and I hope Michelle likes what I got for her.  I spent less than $150US and got presents for Michelle, Seth, Shaylee, Mom, Dad, Wendy, and Nancy.  The great thing about that is, I think I paid a fair market value for what I purchased.  That, we were told, is important as we do not want to increase market values for the vendors local clients.

After the market we went to the City Square.  this was similar to Saint John, NB's Kings Square, only larger, older, and much grander.  It possessed more character and many more people were moving about.  It was great to visit such a place and see the variety of people around.  Antigua is a great city with an economy based on tourism so it works to protect their historic feel and at keeping the City clean.  It is a contrast to what we saw in the rest of Guatemala and if I had to pick a place here to live it would definitely be here in Antigua.

Many times locals would come and push goods on you but we were encouraged not to purchase from these people.  It is hard to resist though as they are persistent and look so sad and needy.

We had supper at a steak house amd then spent the evening sorting out insurance and alternative flight options.  A few of us went for a short walk and enjoyed the evening while discussing youth journeys toward faith.  It was a great way to end the day as at this point some would have reason to doubt, but at moments like that, it is important to hold God even closer.