Spanish flub of the week! Our friend Robyn (gringa) introduced us to her friends (guatemalans) and told them that we had been married for three years. I was shocked when Kallie responded "posible mas", meaning possilbly longer. I and the three women looked at Kallie with confusion, and I answered, "I sure hope so". Kallie quickly realized they were not talking about the three years we will be living in Coban. We hiked Volcan de Pacaya and saw lava for the first time!

Shane and I came walking home one night, when a young man came into sight acting a bit odd. Naturally, as paranoid gringos we tensed up a bit wondering if the unusual behavior was potentially threatening. As we briskly walked passed he tried to say something and held out his hand. Thinking back, obviously this man was probably dehydrated (which can be fatal) and sick which explained why he was off balanced and confused. "Fortunately", we had just purchased a cold gatorade for the boy that is usually selling flowers, but had already left for the day. So without thinking much we handed it to the man and then walked the last few feet to our door. Just as we opened the door the maid, Marta, (who works for the Gonzalez)was leaving the house since her shift was over. I pointed towards the man and in broken spanish told her that something was wrong. She sort of shrugged and responded, "yes, the man is very poor." Shane and I were so quick to first assume that the man was drunk or dangerous, but when looking back he was probalby dehydrated and in need of a meal.
Later that evening the encounter was still on our minds. Why hadn't we encouraged him to sit down and then make sure he was ok? Why hadn't we gone to the nearest tienda and bought him something to eat? Is he ok right now? Surely we could have done something more? We have seen many, many beggers, but this was different. He was more desperate. God convicted us that in this situation we did not react how Jesus would have. So we did the only thing we could do after fleeing the situation, we prayed. We asked God to stabalize his condition, and also asked God to give us wisdom for other times that we will have these encounters. We can't help every poor person we see, but we can study God's word to learn how Jesus interacted with the poor. This verse came to mind, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me..." Mathew 25:35-36


Shane learning how to wash laundry by hand from Marta (family maid). It takes Marta 1 hour of hard scrubbing for one load of laundry - hard work.