Sunday, June 6, 2010
Home
We are all home safely now in the states. Becky V. left on Friday, the first group member to fly out. The rest of us were able to get flights out to Houston on Saturday morning at 6:30 am. The morning started at 4:00 am when we left the hotel and did the process of customs, security, and baggage checks. Once in Houston, four members left on the 2:00 pm flight. Unfortunately, three of us had a 5 hour layover and nearly lost our spots on the overbooked flight to Pittsburgh. But everything turned out okay. It was 9:00 pm by the time the last team member arrived home.
What an amazing, surprising, stretching, enjoyable trip. It was great to be able to return home, despite the trifecta weather anomalies, but sad to be leaving as well. So many relationships were made during our time there and we hope our medical outreach made a difference for every person we met. Each of us is very grateful for the experience – every minute of it! Future trips are in the making….
The 3 Hour Tour
Like Gilligan's Island, our three hour tour began as a 10 day adventure and turned into 15. Apparently, God didn't feel our work was finished last Monday. We spent the extra week in Guatemala City at hotel Barcelo. By the end of our time there, we knew every nook and cranny. To escape the hotel limits, we continued to embrace the Guatemalan culture by exploring the city on foot during the daytime hours when it was mostly safe to travel. The team took turns making trips to the local laundry mat where we supported local business. McCafe became the hot spot for mid-afternoon chats and down time. The sights and sounds of the bright culture where slightly muffled due to the volcanic ash blanketing the city - the business owners were in the process of cleaning up during our stay. Little mountains of ash were on every street corner, making the air hazy and somewhat unhealthy. However, we continued to venture out and became well versed in pedestrian ways. The chicken buses we saw in Chichi are all over the city, with drivers just as deadly. A friend we met in the hotel described them to be "killers with a license." Just picture a renovated school bus, painted with bright red fangs and creative patterns along its entire length barreling towards you at a cross walk...that about captures the essence of their reputation.
You would be surprised who you meet in foreign country hotel lobbies. Amy spent some of the extra days there reconnecting with her childhood friends from the surrounding area. We were so lucky to meet them and to hear about their life stories. The U.S. military sent support upon the request of the Guatemalan gov't and we often ran into them in passing. One Air Force member nicknamed "Bubba" shared some of his story with us throughout the week. He is a Louisiana native and definitely stands out among the locals, partly because of his southern drawl. One night we also connected with a leader from a group of traveling doctors who provide clinics to Guatemala every year. We enjoyed the company of our fellow American friend from Florida who helped to lighten the mood with his interesting stories about random business endeavors in several Central American countries.
Our extra days were interesting. We passed the hours creatively - sometimes we met after breakfast in the mornings for devotions and prayer. Other days we would split off and do separate things and then reconnect for dinner in the evenings. Bill assisted in giving us inexpensive restaurant options that were within walking distance of the hotel. You would not believe the status of their places like Pizza Hut. It was the nicest one we've ever seen with its glass-walled balcony, two story play area for kids, shiny floors, and attentive professional staff. People dress up to eat there.
All week mom continued to refine her "expert" Spanish communication skills. We encouraged her to use one phrase in particular because she knows it so well:
?Cuantos anos tienes? It made everyone laugh each time she did, including the Spanish-speaking recipients of the question..hahaha.
You would be surprised who you meet in foreign country hotel lobbies. Amy spent some of the extra days there reconnecting with her childhood friends from the surrounding area. We were so lucky to meet them and to hear about their life stories. The U.S. military sent support upon the request of the Guatemalan gov't and we often ran into them in passing. One Air Force member nicknamed "Bubba" shared some of his story with us throughout the week. He is a Louisiana native and definitely stands out among the locals, partly because of his southern drawl. One night we also connected with a leader from a group of traveling doctors who provide clinics to Guatemala every year. We enjoyed the company of our fellow American friend from Florida who helped to lighten the mood with his interesting stories about random business endeavors in several Central American countries.
Our extra days were interesting. We passed the hours creatively - sometimes we met after breakfast in the mornings for devotions and prayer. Other days we would split off and do separate things and then reconnect for dinner in the evenings. Bill assisted in giving us inexpensive restaurant options that were within walking distance of the hotel. You would not believe the status of their places like Pizza Hut. It was the nicest one we've ever seen with its glass-walled balcony, two story play area for kids, shiny floors, and attentive professional staff. People dress up to eat there.
All week mom continued to refine her "expert" Spanish communication skills. We encouraged her to use one phrase in particular because she knows it so well:
?Cuantos anos tienes? It made everyone laugh each time she did, including the Spanish-speaking recipients of the question..hahaha.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Waiting
We made it back to Guatemala City! Last night news reports told us that crews had labored through the night to clear the Pan American Highway well enough for slow passage. So we spent our last day in Chichi (Sunday) together as a group, with the cyclone passing and the recovery efforts in progress. We did offer our services at the private hospital in town, but it was sufficiently staffed. Everyone seemed grateful for the reprieve in terrible weather - the rain stopped and gave rescue teams the opportunity needed to save more homes from being destroyed by the dangerous, unpredictable mudslides.
After some bitter sweet goodbyes with the staff and loved ones at Casa Del Rey, our van left at about 9:00 am this morning. It took us nearly 6 hours to reach Hotel Barcelo here in the city..a trip which lasted barely 4 hours originally. Our Marimba music helped to pass the time. Because of the obvious affects from the weather and volcano, it was slow moving. Dangerous pieces of roadway had collapsed along the way, revealing how devastated some areas must be. Rushing water continues to drain from the mountains. At times, incoming and outgoing traffic took turns (with the guidance of traffic police) to maneuver around huge amounts of land which covered entire sides of the highway. It was crazy to see chunks of the mountain lining the road, especially when it meant driving even closer to the already encroaching road ledges.
Our drivers let us stop at the airport (which is still closed) to update our flight information before coming to the hotel. Thanks to Amy and Rachel, we did reserve enough seats to get home. Unfortunately, our flights are postponed until Saturday and Sunday (worst-case scenario we think) this week because ash is continuing to be cleared from the runways, etc. We were originally supposed to leave today. Hopefully we can snatch earlier flights out if at all possible; we are doing everything we can to made that happen! Once arriving to the hotel, we said goodbye to our amazing Guatemalan drivers who took great care of us throughout the entire trip.
SOooooo, here we are again at Barcelo making due with seriously limited supplies! We are being resourceful with just about everything, including supplying our own water bottles form local stores haha. We all brought suitcases full of supplies for our clinics and barely anything to wear for more than the 10 planned days. It's pretty interesting what outfits we're coming up with.
Thank you for your continued concern! Good continues to provide and has kept us mostly cheerful...with some stress here and there. Our team is for sure growing through the hardships - we keep remembering those who continue to suffer and are grateful for every single safe part of the journey. Even a staff member here lost family members in the disaster, so the hurt is everywhere.
We just keep hoping to hear some good news from Continental and are checking every hour on flights and whatnot. Dealing with the travel insurance is always fun, too ... especially when it might run out before we can leave!
When in doubt, we remember that we have the Rotary Letter in our possession. Haahaha.
After some bitter sweet goodbyes with the staff and loved ones at Casa Del Rey, our van left at about 9:00 am this morning. It took us nearly 6 hours to reach Hotel Barcelo here in the city..a trip which lasted barely 4 hours originally. Our Marimba music helped to pass the time. Because of the obvious affects from the weather and volcano, it was slow moving. Dangerous pieces of roadway had collapsed along the way, revealing how devastated some areas must be. Rushing water continues to drain from the mountains. At times, incoming and outgoing traffic took turns (with the guidance of traffic police) to maneuver around huge amounts of land which covered entire sides of the highway. It was crazy to see chunks of the mountain lining the road, especially when it meant driving even closer to the already encroaching road ledges.
Our drivers let us stop at the airport (which is still closed) to update our flight information before coming to the hotel. Thanks to Amy and Rachel, we did reserve enough seats to get home. Unfortunately, our flights are postponed until Saturday and Sunday (worst-case scenario we think) this week because ash is continuing to be cleared from the runways, etc. We were originally supposed to leave today. Hopefully we can snatch earlier flights out if at all possible; we are doing everything we can to made that happen! Once arriving to the hotel, we said goodbye to our amazing Guatemalan drivers who took great care of us throughout the entire trip.
SOooooo, here we are again at Barcelo making due with seriously limited supplies! We are being resourceful with just about everything, including supplying our own water bottles form local stores haha. We all brought suitcases full of supplies for our clinics and barely anything to wear for more than the 10 planned days. It's pretty interesting what outfits we're coming up with.
Thank you for your continued concern! Good continues to provide and has kept us mostly cheerful...with some stress here and there. Our team is for sure growing through the hardships - we keep remembering those who continue to suffer and are grateful for every single safe part of the journey. Even a staff member here lost family members in the disaster, so the hurt is everywhere.
We just keep hoping to hear some good news from Continental and are checking every hour on flights and whatnot. Dealing with the travel insurance is always fun, too ... especially when it might run out before we can leave!
When in doubt, we remember that we have the Rotary Letter in our possession. Haahaha.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
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