Our Guatemalan bus driver (the ring leader of the attempt to fix the sister bus) toyed with things until the bus started and was turned around. He returned to our bus, announcing that we were switching to the defective bus. We filed off the bus…one passenger took note of our foreign status, saying, “It’s American bus,” in our direction, chuckling at his cleverness. Knowing we were between 2 & 5 kilometers from our stop, we opted to take the trek on foot. It worked out in our favor in the end…we never did see that bus pass by.

Needless to say, Antigua was worth the trek. I know it isn’t “real Guatemala”; it is expensive and more full of foreigners than Guatemalans. But you can walk the whole town, and there seems to be a breath-taking church everywhere you turn. It has cobblestone streets, and a beautiful park (and church) in its center.

As a side note, I almost didn’t make it out of Antigua. I had scheduled a shuttle out of town for 5 a.m.—the only safe way to avoid hiring a private shuttle driver to bring me to my destination. The “night watch” employee at my hotel knocked on my door at 4:30 a.m. to tell me my shuttle had arrived. Turns out we started driving to Guatemala City…we had to turn around.

I am happy to be safe and sound, back with the kiddies….who were happily working on their homework, sprawled out in the dirt after school today. They still ask me to take their picture sometimes—I try to curb this as much as possible to avoid distractions. But they are warming up more each day—they seem to welcome the “guest appearances” of volunteers, and the new energy and faces.

It started storming in Chiantla yesterday—this is unusual for this time of year, as rainy season (here, the beginning of winter) isn’t expected until May or so. The rain has been nice—it is much-needed, and it makes the roads less dusty. The Cumbre is already turning from brown to green. Although I prefer the brown hue. (I have been known to root for the underdog.)

Please contact us by email at info@seedsofhelp.org if you are interested in volunteering with Seeds of Help.

Here are some photos from past trips…

We raised enough money to cover Florentina’s first year of technical school. Guatemalan children generally get school provided for them for the first 6 years by the government. If the child wants to continue, the family must pay for a middle school (like our junior/high school). Then past those three years, if the child wants to get a degree in a trade like shoe making, mechanical work, construction, nursing, teaching, they go for another 3 years (like our college/trade schools here) which again the family must pay for.

Most families in the rural area of Huehuetenango, Guatemala have 6+ children so they can hardly afford to feed their families much less pay to send their children to school. When we first met Florentina we saw her enthusiasm to continue her education and wanted to help her achieve her dream. Women in Guatemala have an exceptionally hard time continuing their education as they are perceived as the care takers and often marry young and have to care for their families. So, Florentina who wants to continue to study nursing and teaching is a beacon of light and with our help she’ll be able to go to school as well as be a great example to other young woman in her area.

Photos were taken by Jarvis Cooper of Faith Ministries in Columbus, Indiana.

When: Saturday, September 19, 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Where: Faith Ministries, 5103 State Road 46 West (Past CVS on the left)
Suggested free will donation: $10 per person | Raffle: $5.

Kids will be grouped by age for their own special classes while adults enjoy their
own yoga time in another room. Teachers include Kathy Therber, Sarah Hess
and Tracy Lehfeldt. After yoga, a raffle for Guatemalan goods, light snacks, and
information on Florentina and Seeds of Help’s work in Guatemala will be presented.

Contact (Yoga): Kathy Therber ktherber@hotmail.com or 342-7627
Contact (Seeds of Help): Walter Able wable04@gmail.com or 552-1007

Sponsored by Yoga Now and Seeds of Help

See photo and description of Florentina on the blog prior