Greetings from Guatemala! These last few days have been filled with adventure: bartering in the marketplace (we're all taking tips from Jen), travelling in the back of a pickup (those kids on the first day serving as our inspiration), and riding across Lake Atitlan with the wind (and in Emily's case, water) blowing in our faces. We've had a lot of laughter, a lot of learning, and a lot of tortillas!
One of the most impactful legs of our journey came in our visit to the Mayan Families Project where Grace, our guide, was a living demonstration of what's possible for someone who immerses herself in the culture. She spoke of San Jorge as "her town" and of the people there as "her people"; the way that they interacted with her suggests that this was no exaggeration.
As we made our way to the Seniors Lunch, Grace told us about the bravery of the women we were about to eat with. During the civil war, these women, inspired by the many occurrences of nonviolent resistance in the life of Jesus, protected their town by linking arms to block the entrance, their only "weapon" a Westerner looking down on the scene with a camera.
Some of these women were killed by government forces in order to protect their families. Some who weren't would now eat with us. It is humbling to be in the presence of "ordinary" saints, people who have lived out what it means to seek justice and resist evil in the midst of overwhelming darkness. I pray now that their example might touch your heart seven as it did ours.