Fireworks, fireworks and more fireworks!

Ahhhh the fireworks on Christmas eve was just as amazing as everyone said it would be! It was so cool to sit on the roof of a house and watch fireworks go off all across the city! It was super loud (of course) but so very cool!

We went to a Christmas service at church Christmas eve which was good. Was fun to see Andres in the drama (most of Guatemalans are natural actors I think!). We then went round to Harvey and Sharons (the Falconers son and daughter n law) about 11pm for Christmas dinner. That was followed by fireworks! The fireworks are still going off, I just heard some then.

So here in the Guates they celebrate on Christmas eve so the 25th was low key - I slept until 12pm, couldn't believe it! Family came over for a late lunch and we had fun playing charades.

Its been a low key week, just been hanging at home. But I am super excited for Thursday morning, heading to another part or Guatemala with the Franco brothers for a few days (about 3. 5 hours away) and then going from there to the second Vacation Bible School near the coast till Thursday I believe. I am looking foward to seeing another part of Guatemala. Tried to put up a video of the fireworks at midnight but I am a bit technologically challenged. Will try again later.

Andres in the Christmas play at Church

Choir

Rooftop fireworks viewing with Mel

Fireworks!

Christmas day lunch

Feliz Navidad!

Bid Caroline farewell on Thursday! So sad to see her go but I am so grateful that she was here with me for my first month here in Guatemala AND I get to see her in a few months time :) It was just a blessing to have her here! I can't imagine what my time would have been like without her. I am going to miss her A LOT

Hmm not too much has happened this week. We took a trip to the doctors to get Caroline a little fixed up and I have a gum infection so we got some drugs for me too. Helped Betty do some painting, went for a couple of runs and decided how quickly you become familiar to things. During my run I run by a security guard with a huge rifle! He stands only 1m away from me yet it does not phase me one bit, I barely even notice now!

On Wednesday, Caroline's last night, we had some friends over for a kiwi dinner! We (well I assisted Caroline) cooked a chicken roast and had pav and ambrosia for dessert! I love playing Charades with Guatemalans! They are so animated and hilarious (Enjoy the video below of our friend Emilio during charades). Our dear thoughtful friends also brought over some fireworks as Caroline will be missing the fireworks spectacular that happens over Christmas and New Years.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve here which is when they celebrate Christmas. I am very excited for fireworks (there has been a very big build up to it so I hope I am not disappointed!). I have also been reflecting on God's grace recently. It is uncomprehendable, it is overwhelming, it is undeserved, it can break down all barriers, it can heal, it forgives. Ahh it is just. so. amazing!!!

May you have a blessed Navidad (Christmas)! And may we reflect on the true meaning of the season. Thank you for being a blessing in my life xx

Painting

Fireworks

Our Guatemalan amigos!

Emilio playing charades

Guatemala has stolen a piece of my heart!

Another week has passed by and I have been in Guatemala 1 month (and I left NZ 6 weeks ago). It is such a blessing and privilege to be here and I am hoping I am not taking it for granted!

Last Sunday night we went with some friends to an English speaking church. It was funny to see a few blonde haired people and white faces! It was a Christmas service and the choir was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Camp was on the agenda this week! We were up there from Tuesday morning till Thursday night. Betty was on cooking duty so we helped out in the kitchen and once again were the dishwasher pros! We had 6am morning starts to help get breakfast ready...don't think we (Caroline and I) talked to each other in that first hour of the day - we were still half asleep! On the Thursday night we had dinner with some friends of the Falconers in the village. I cooked (well patted) my first tortilla! It was not quite as pretty as the others!

Went to Mira Flores mall Friday night with Marisol. AND the big news is I had dairy queen! Ahh it was so good! I think a blizzard a week until I go back will do me just fine (I'm sure it will do wonders for the waist line too!). Saturday arvo we went back to the beautiful city of Antigua with Marisol and Rudy. We went up a mountain to a restaurant and had a beautiful view of the city. We then looked around the markets back in Antigua - love those cute cute markets!

And no my spanish is not really improving. Sure I am learning more words but I can't talk in sentences. On a sadder note Caroline is cutting her trip short and heading home early on Thursday. She has not had the best run of health since being here and is going to make it home in time for a NZ Christmas. I will miss her A LOT! She has helped make this past month here in Guatemala so fun! I also don't know what I would have done without her spanish interpretations for me. Please pray with me for her health and that the fresh NZ air will do her a load of good!

Dish washing duty

Sweetest lady (the non-circular tortilla is mine)

In her kitchen

Blizzards!

Over looking Antigua

Antigua

That silly little westerner!

I feel I have had way too many moments here in Guatemala when the locals are probably just thinking 'that silly westerner'!

These moments occur way too frequently for my liking!

-The number 1 moment is when people find out I can't speak Spanish. I mean who travels to stay in a country for a couple of months and doesn't know the language AND does not seem to be improving after 3 weeks! Then she tries to speak English to us!
-Up at camp I feel there were a few of these moments, one was when I was sick - Silly westerner can't handle the altitude and the new country.
-Sometimes I forget to greet people with a kiss on the cheek (their customary greeting).
-Was playing basketball with a group of young adults at their Christmas party yesterday.
   No.1: I was wearing a skirt (who plays basketball in a skirt?)
   No.2: My ring fell off and so the whole game stopped (because Guatemalans are so sweet) to look for my ring. I felt just a little silly.

Some of you are thinking 'Cilla these moments don't just happen in Guatemala but for you -  anytime and anyplace.' And yes you may be right but they are accentuated here because I am the foreigner! :)

Doesn't this photo say it all? What the 'hang is that girl doing?

Thankful

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1

What does that look like? Am I living for God's glory or mine? Am I being intentional with my time for God?
I love this verse but in truth, I don't really know what it looks like. I want it to be true in my life, believe me I do. But I don't think it is very true. There is way too much of me! I love the last part of the verse "because of your love and faithfulness". Why should I live for God? Because he is love and is faithful! Just a little something I have been thinking about for a while.

It has been another stellar of a weekend here in Guatemala with our friends. In the afternoon we went to Lago (lake) Amatitlan about a half n hour drive from the city. Our friends were going to surprise us with a trip on a gondala but it was closed down due to maintenance so instead we went for a boat trip on the lake. God's creation is just beautiful! It was so nice! We (the 6 of us) had a boat to ourself and we had the most amazing views of the surrounding land and volcanoes! We then had Pollo Campero (Guatemalas equlivent of KFC) for dinner.

Sunday after church we again hung out with our friends. We are so thankful for their friendship and their willingness to take us places and to help me with my spanish. Rudy gave me a spanish/english dictionary so I now have no excuse not to learn! We went to a look out area where people fly their kites. One mans kite was flying (while still attached to him) about 1km away! The lookout gave us yet another beautiful view of God's creation. Am so thankful also for Graham and Betty too. Who willingly have us in our home and make us feel like this is our home too. They are so loving and caring and good to us! I love hearing stories of their adventurous life. They truly are an awesome couple!

Lago Amatitlan

The joys of travelling!

It has been an up and down week this past week. Sunday afternoon was fun where we once again hung out with some friends from church and saw a bit of Guatemala city. I think the highlight of the afternoon was when we were pounced on by a bunch of asian tourists! We (Caroline, Marisol, Andres and Rudy) were outside the presidents palace in the city and then a bunch of asian tourists who had a million cameras between then started taking our photos as if we were famous people! We are still not sure what the story was but we will claim our moment of fame!

We then went onto camp where we were based for the week. The leaders were all from the Falconers church so it was nice to be able to spend the week with them and to get to know then better. My problem? I cannot communicate in espanol so it made making friends a little tricky. In that respect it was a hard week. I am thankful that there were people who could speak in english but by not speaking spanish, I ostracised (yes I did look up the spelling for that one!) myself. Then by doing that I felt a little down...it was a bad cycle I got myself into! I feel if you want to have an identity crisis, go live in another culture that speaks a different language you don't understand!

It wasn't all bad but I think I can't just blog my good times. Its not all fun and games! Andres and Caroline are very patient and helpful in trying to teach me spanish but I have a terrible memory! They teach me words one day and the next day I have forgotten! Funny thing happened yesterday at camp. I was giving the kids a 2 sentence instruction for a game and one kid as he was leaving said in english "you need to learn english". I think he was meaning to say spanish but it was still funny!

Anyway the routine for the week was to prep for the kids programme during the day then the programme was from between 2.30-4.30. Caroline and I helped (in the litttle way we could) with Andres and the teenagers. By 'help' I mean I kind of just stood there and Caroline helped with some spanish instructions. Felt a little useless.

To make matters a little worse, I had a tummy bug on the thursday (guess what pleasant tummy bug it was)! Spent most of the day in the cabin. Caroline was also not feeling well during the week. Being in the higher altitude (camp is even higher up than Guatemala city) did not help things!
So the week had its ups and downs. I am still enjoying being here and I know that with the good times comes the not so good times. Its a beautiful country with beautiful people!

 The paparazzi

 Vacation Bible School

Some of the leaders