Ministry in the mountains

We went with our visitors, Leiser and Karina Rojas, to the mountains to talk with the families up there. We had such a wonderful visit!  They are both from Guatemala, but living in the US for about 20 years. 

We started out by walking to the mercado where we picked up a colectiva, which is a van that takes people to locations outside of town.  We picked one up that left at 9:15 going up to Panamachel. It's a small village that isn't even on the map - but it's about 15 minutes past San Andrés Semetabaj.  

Chichicaste

A bit before getting on the colectiva, unfortunately I brushed up against a bush that is called "chichicaste" plant. (There is a city here called Chichicastenango, which means, "Place of the Chichicaste plant").  It has nearly-invisible hairs that stick into your skin and burn and itch for a few hours.  The remedy?  Bubble gum!  Chew it then press it into the affected area to pull out the spines!  However, when I got it all over my right arm and hand, the local woman I was talking with told me about the plant - and then rubbed my arm firmly as if to comfort me!  OUCH!  So I spent the first couple hours with some distraction! 

When we arrived, we started to walk through the homes that bordered the road.  The ground was hardened and was sculpted around the homes for paths and for water flow during rainy season. Homes were surrounded by small plots being hand-cultivated with milpa or beans or other crops. 

We talked to a tiny bent-over elderly lady who spoke Kaqchikel. She said she didn't speak "casti", which is short for Castellano, another word for "Spanish". We spoke a moment with her and her limited Spanish, then moved to the next home. Some spoke Spanish, some Kaqchikel, and others spoke Quiche. 

The most memorable family was headed by Doña Catarina, with her girls Rosa, Xina (pronounced Shina), and some boys. They spoke some Spanish, but mostly Kaqchikel. We had fun learning some greetings from them.  This is my weak attempt to transliterate what I heard, but it sounds like Klingon with lot of gutturals:  

• Hello (in Spanish, hola):  utz a WATCH
• Good morning (buenos dias):  shee-kha RAKcha
• Good afternoon (buenas tardes): shee-kha ICHkesha - which is written "xeq'ij")
• Good evening/night (buenas noches):  t'shoca- ACH-shekesh
• Goodbye (adios):  neNA kachaa
• Goodbye (adios): maTYOSH chawecha
• God (Dios): k'ochi-CAkch
• Sauna (sauna): tuksh - spelled tux

We had SUCH a great time with them.  They delighted in trying to teach us their phrases, and then they laughed shyly with their hands over their mouths as we tried to say it back to them!  We also left the boys a simple brochure, Listen to God, with more images than words, plus, scriptures they could read from their own Bible.  We always asked permission, by the way. Here are some pictures: 

This is a sauna - they use it as a bath every 3 days or so.
They heat it up, then bring in water for steam.

Doña Catarina

Xina (Shina) and Rosa

Sauna at Doña Catarina's

Explaining the sauna to us

 

Field

This is ?chilacayote?, which is spaghetti squash

Outdoor toilet

We found another home with women working on their backstrap loom. She was preparing something for Semana Santa in a couple of weeks.  After we talked for a bit, we asked if we could take their picture, and they shyly agreed, giggling.  There was an ancient grandmother sitting in the yard, whom I greeted, but didn't feel it was appropriate to take her picture.  She had a magnificent lined face, but out of respect, we moved on.

She was shy but had picked up her work to share with me! 

At the end of a path, we found a magnificent overlook of a valley and more work to be done!

At the bottom of a mountain is a community.
I don't know if anyone has ever called on them!

Climbing up a steep section to return to the road

Planting corn right up to the edge of the road! 

Panajachel from the mountain road. We live on the left side.

Can you see why we love it so much here?  Sending love.