Guatemala: Day 2

Hola! Today was day two of our Guatemala mission, and we were exposed to a closer look at Guatemalan history and scenery. We started off the day with a representative from NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala), which is an organization that works for justice in Guatemala. Carrie came to the Sister Parish Center to help provide the DGFUMC delegation a better understanding of the history of Guatemala and the involvement that the United States had in the Guatemalan civil war. We learned that, in order to understand the present, a knowledge of the past is necessary. 

Then, we took a walk to the marketplace. On the way, we were introduced to a few significant landmarks. The first was Gerardi's monument. Juan Jose' Gerardi was a widely recognized Guatemalan bishop and human rights activist. The monument was erected only a few yards from the place where he was assassinated in 1998. Next to the monument was his church, which we walked through and observed (a mass was being held at the time).  The Central Park was a few blocks down from the church, and was busy as expected. What was especially unique about it, were the tiles in the ground which had the faces of people that disappeared during the war. 

Our task for the day was to prepare lunch...the catch: we were budgeted to 65 quetzales per group, which is the minimum daily wage in Guatemala (equivalent to about $8.50).  We broke up into two separate groups of 6, and had thirty minutes to shop around the very, very large market. After the crowded kitchen preparation, the final product of one group was chicken, vegetable, and rice soup as well as papaya (yum). The other group made enchiladas and rice with a side of mango (yum).  

After the elaborate lunch, we gathered together for reflection and read some more DGFUMC sponsored letters. We continue to appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we continue to immerse ourselves into the culture and meet with UPAVIMAs. Peace.

Lexie and Stephanie