nitty gritty

How do you end a trip to a place and with people you love.  Isn’t it strange when you have that paradox of being drawn home to family and fellowship and simultaneously wanting to continue in the sweet fellowship with brothers and sisters from a different culture?  How do you leave well & right?  How do you keep your heart in the place where God has placed it?

First, eat a lot of Guacamole!  Not the store bought stuff that is 2% avocado.  The fresh stuff, made by people who have an unexplainable love for you and will go out of their way to give you the best!  Eat a big pile of it with fresh hand-made tortillas.  Eat it with your friends and talk of things sweet and spiritually refreshing.

Next, Have a massive water balloon fight with the entire staff and student body of a school in a barrio in Santa Faz!  So we have all probably had water balloon fights, right? You know, they always start with a plan and after the first few lobs, it degrades into a American Revolutionary War shoot when you see the whites of their eyes battle at close range.  Then it becomes guerilla war-fare.  Buckets, sponges, hats, shoes, anything that will deliver water to a target!  You know Hydro IED’s!  The only problem is that Gautemalans are short.  We are taller and easier to hit!  We had a blast!

So, tonight we dine out with our guide and translator (and good sister) Karen.  We have said our goodbyes.  We have started packing for our 4AM trek to the airport. We are aware of the fact that we get to come home to our loves and our hearts, yet we leave something of us here.  We also take a big part with us (including a little queasy friend in our stomaches.  So, again I leave moments of joy and elation and lows and struggles.  It is what makes me long for July.  Bring on the guacamole.