Guatemala: Thursday Recap

Thursday in Guatemala has been just as good as each day before. Maybe even better!

This morning we started with a breakfast of hot porridge, coffee, eggs, beans and tortillas. After breakfast we loaded up and headed to the local market that is open each Thursday and Sunday. There were many colors and sounds and things to see. It was a unique experience for sure!

After making our way through the market, we loaded up in or vehicles and went our separate ways. One team went to the home of Ana and her children and another to build our fourth stove.

We have a few ribs left to insert and tie at the house to complete the foundation and more U blocks to chip away at before we complete our work for the week and of course more blocks to haul. The team enjoyed a soccer game with the kids and more time spent enjoying their hard work and sweet smiles! We all have grown attached to this community and family and truly see it as a privilege to be here.

I and three others were on a smokeless stove again today. Today’s location was so simple and easy set up that we each had a good laugh to think how different it was for the team yesterday. We had two extra community helpers and large space to work in. We were so efficient from learning the process the day before and having extra hands that we were also able to spend some time assisting the family in shucking their large harvest of corn that they will later take to market to sell. Most of the corn was white corn, but occasionally we found bright and unique colors making it a fun surprise under each husk!

For lunch we enjoyed a stew they made for us over their current stove and fresh blackberry juice they made with the berries they picked themselves. They pick, package, and sell blackberries to be shipped and sold internationally. If you ever see Berry Best or Special Fruit brand, we know some of the hands that packaged them!

After our work day, our team of four, Kayla, Samuel and our driver all enjoyed another ice cream stop followed by homemade horchata! We then met up with the group at the hotel for a lesson in making corn tortillas and another delicious dinner where we ate the tortillas we made ourselves!

A brief meeting to discuss the next 48 hours was our after dinner plan. Tomorrow we work our last day and have plans to pack up and head back to Antigua. Saturday we have a day in the city to explore and rest. My hope and a few others on the team is to hike a volcano and roast a marshmallow over molten lava Saturday morning! Though these plans sound amazing, I know I will be sad to return stateside and leave this beautiful community behind.