We got up bright and early for a delicious breakfast at our hotel, followed by singing and devotions led by Pastor Dave on guitar. He quoted Psalm 87, “As they make music they will sing, All my fountains are in you,” and talked about true joy. The hope is that each of us will experience that joy through serving the Guatemalan people.
One of our new team members, Ingrid Carter, had planned a mission trip here with this team in 2009. She was unable to travel because she was about to deliver her daughter Alysa. She is very excited to fulfill her desire to minister as a nurse in Guatemala this year. We all met Ingrid’s husband and sweet daughter Alysa at the airport.
After breakfast, we packed up our bags and moved to our home for the week, the Quinta de las Flores. Several people set out on a guided walking tour of Antigua. Our cooks, Jim Litterer and Mark Kiernan, joined our in-country favorite assistant, Vilma, to begin shopping for the week’s meals. Accompanied by Therese Kiernan, Melissa Bailey and Cathy Batcha, we went to the large indoor/outdoor market to purchase from the colorful array of fruits and vegetables. The next stop was an indoor grocery store, and our last stop was a bakery where we savored the tantalizing aroma of fresh bread. Shopping in the markets here is quite a sensory experience.
Behind the scenes, Debbie Jobe, Nan Peters, Susan Carrillo and Kellie Boyd, our administrative/financial personnel, were preparing for the week.
We gathered together for a team dinner at a local restaurant, featuring some tasty Guatemalan cuisine and an introduction to the Mayan culture. We’re all very excited to meet our new patients tomorrow morning!
