She looked like any other student...

She looked like any other student at my language school... in Guatemala to learn spanish, and pretty much the granola liberal look. As we talked about why we were in Guatemala, she mentioned that her parents had been missionaries to Guatemala in the early 80's. They were with the Wycliff Bible Institute (who she said have been accused of trafficing weapons during the war) and were here at the height of the war. During the early 80's I believe there were three coups...

Rios Montt was actually a member of her congregation. So as he was realizing policies just shy, or very much so, of genocide... they were worshipping together nearly every Sunday. Her mother still maintains that he is a very good man and that everything that happened bad in his Presidency was the fault of the military not of him.

This classmate of mine also told me about a time when she was about 6 when her mom picked her and a few classmates up from school early. A coup was taking place in the City and they had to go to a safer place... but that meant going through the streets of the City during the war. Her mom picked her up in the station wagon and told all the children to lay down in the back. Then she told them that if they crashed and even if she got shot and killed, they were not to move but remain lying flat in the back of the car.

My classmate and her family had to leave Guatemala shortly afterwards because the situation became too unstable. But she wanted to return and try to have another perspective of Guatemala.

There are many stories here to tell... but few people are listening. On behalf of the people who are sharing their stories with me, thank you for "listening."

My plans took a detour today...

The delegation spending time here with ILAG invited me to go with them to Copan to visit a parish there... so I am going. I decided 20 minutes before I was supposed to be going to the bus... because that was when the pastor asked... I only have my small pack with me which is okay because we have to hike in about 2 hours to get to this community. I also don't have my sleeping bag but have been given a small blanket... so hope that it is not too cold. This is the place where Padre Horacio got Malaria. I bought misquito spray today and tomorrow will buy some rubber boots since it will be really wet and muddy and I also left my closed toed shoes in Xela. It is just an amazing opportunity... This parish is another community made up of returnees from the war (externally displaced). They are a new parish and were formally Catholic so still are holding onto some of the Catholic theology intermixed with Mayan ritual (allowed in the Catholic church here).

I look forward to telling you more about it when I return.