A SEASON TO DIE 
Lois Carey, our new friend. We've had a very "stretching" and "emotional roller-coaster ride" these past few days. Let me explain.
Over the past 2 weeks, a Toronto Canadian work team has been helping CAM missionaries Ken and Cindy Spaugh in a work construction project in Patzún (about 2 hours from the capital city). Last week, Glenn and I were driving back to the capital and stopped off to visit the work site and visit the team members. They were finishing up their second week of "dry walling" and some "electrical work". The next day they headed to the resort town of Panajachel on Lake Atitlán.
Saturday morning, work team member, Bob Carey, 65 years old, had a splitting head ache. They drove back as far as Antigua with his wife holding his head as smoothly as possible on the mountainous roads. Early Sunday morning, Bob was admitted into a local hospital unconscious and in a coma. An MRI was performed and revealed a massive brain hemorrhage.
The work team left as scheduled on Sunday morning and flew back to Toronto while Bob's wife, Lois stayed behind. Sunday night, the neurologist, came and spoke to us (we were with Lois, Ken and Cindy) and said "it didn't look good". The doctor took down Ken's cell phone and said he would call us if his vital signs changed down.
Lois stayed with us last Sunday night and the following 4 nights. Before we went to bed, we watched her's and my favorite show, the "Amazing Race". Monday morning, we got a phone call at 6:30 and the hospital asked for us to come on down immediately. Because of 7am rush hour traffic, it took us 1 1/2 hours to go 10 miles.
In summary, it didn't look good for Bob. But it looks bright in terms that he'd be going home soon. Lois is doing well. They're both well-traveled, (Lois being from New Zealand) and have a heart for missions. She mentioned that they travel twice yearly on mission trips and fun trips around the world. They have no children and have been married 27 years.
Tuesday morning, Lois made the decision to "turn down" the life support system (apparently, you can not turn them off in Guatemala). Glenn and I joined Lois, Ken and Cindy in the ICU at noon. We sang songs around the bedside. Read scripture. Prayed. Told stories. Laughed. And cried.
Then on Tuesday afternoon, 1:35pm, (March 6th), 65 year old Bob Carey passed into the presence of our Lord, right before our eyes, this brought on by a cerebral hemorrhage. His wife of 27 years, Lois was there by his side.
Here is Cindy with one of the workteam ladies 
The following 3 days were a "blur" as we helped Lois with the tedious paperwork of dismissing Bob from the hospital into the funeral home, paying for the hospital bill, going to the Canadian embassy, getting death certificates signed and translated, and preparation of his remains. Glenn and I volunteered to make the travel arrangements for Lois's return trip back to Canada. Each night, we came back home totally exhausted. Lois flew back to Canada on Friday afternoon. Oh, yea, I stayed up until 4:30am on Friday morning making a "memory book" of e-mail notes from members of their church in Canada,so she could have that on the TACA plane to read.
As you think about it, pray for Lois and her encouragement from family and friends. Pray for the team members that worked alongside Bob and their grief that they are dealing with. Pray for CAM missionaries, Ken and Cindy Spaugh.
Judy Stewart
email judy.stewart@scbbs-bo.com
John and Jan Lohrenz took us to these hot springs just outside of Guatemala City on your way to the Pacific Coast.
Santa Terrista
Each pool has a different temperature. The hottest pool is so hot, you can only stay in it no longer than 10 minutes.
This place is a "must" on our trip when folks come down to visit us in Guatemala!!
Look at the candle wax
Jim Eberline stayed with us for 2 nights. We go "way back", when we first met in 1977 on PMT.
Craig Williams and Gary. We first met Craig several years in Mexico at the Annual Fellowship Conference
I had Juana wash their clothes, they "chilled out" watching DVDs and movies. They loved using the microwave and catching up on internet usuage and emails. Feel free to go to Stacy's blog to read more about her experience in Guatemala. 
Lois Carey, our new friend. We've had a very "stretching" and "emotional roller-coaster ride" these past few days. Let me explain.
The following 3 days were a "blur" as we helped Lois with the tedious paperwork of dismissing Bob from the hospital into the funeral home, paying for the hospital bill, going to the Canadian embassy, getting death certificates signed and translated, and preparation of his remains. Glenn and I volunteered to make the travel arrangements for Lois's return trip back to Canada. Each night, we came back home totally exhausted. Lois flew back to Canada on Friday afternoon. Oh, yea, I stayed up until 4:30am on Friday morning making a "memory book" of e-mail notes from members of their church in Canada,so she could have that on the TACA plane to read.
Recently, we got a call from our dear friend, Jeff Orcutt, who told us that that Matt and Amanda were in Guatemala for a wedding. No phone contact. No email. Then we heard that they were visiting Antigua on Friday. Glenn and I were heading to Antigua for Intermission Conference. We had no idea where to look, however, I mentioned to Glenn that we should drive around the plaza and then also drive by the market. Just as we made the turn into town off the "main hiway", I said "There they are!" Sure enough, Matt and Amanda were walking down the street. We took them on by surprise. We joined the Orcutts with Juan and 2 other friends from JBU. (SIDE NOTE, Matt grew up in Bolivia along with our kids as MKs. His parents, Jeff and Kathy are dear dear friends of ours.) 
Ok, so we are visiting with Matt and Amanda's friends from JBU. Emily says she's an MK from Moscow. I said "NO way, you must have gone to Hickson Academy in Moscow!" Long story short...or maybe this is where "small world...big family" comes in. Emily's mom was my contact person when I traveled with Annette in 2005 to represent Moody at MK schools through Europe. And then to find out, Emily's sister, Annie is the Admission director for MKs at JBU and Gary has been in contact with her these past few weeks/months. Small world.
President Bush arrived on Sunday, March 11th in Guatemala. He'll be flying out to these Mayan ruins later today. These were the same ruins Glenn and I visited just 2 weeks ago. .
That was why they were cleaning up there. Its not as impressive as Tikal in northern Guatemala, but it is pretty cool. We've been instructed to stay off the streets these next 2 days as there will be lots of protests, riots and stuff. I hear large helicopters flying over the house now, security stuff, I guess
Just past Paulinos Restaurant on the hi-way, is the cut-off to Iximche Ruins. When the girls where here at Christmas, Karen was begging to go see some Mayan Ruins. Being new to the country, we didn't really know of any close by, except out in Huehue. Last week, driving back to Pana, we stopped off and climbed on the ruins.
There are about 4 major areas where the ruins are situated. There is also a museum right after the entrance. Glenn called up Ken Spaugh on the cell to see if there was a back road from Tecpan to Panajachel. After discussing and hearing that the roads was pretty bad (probably lots of curves and not in good condition), we decided to go back to the main hi-way and head on to Solola and down to Panajachel.
Back towards the far side of the archeological site, I took this picture of an Indian lady and her (probably) son. They were just sitting.
The steps to the temple.
Last week, while Glenn and I were in Panajachel, we met up with Stacy and 2 of her team mates from "Adventures in Mission" (Race Around the World).
I had connected with Stacy via email, and made arrangements for her to meet us at LBN on Wednesday morning. It was neat to hear her story and listen to her adventure. She is just beginning on a 11 month adventure to 11 countries. They spend a month in each country doing ministry. This month, their in a village across the lake doing ESL. To read more about her adventure, go to stacyutecht.theworldrace.org
On our way back to the city, we stopped off and visited with Ken and Cindy Spaugh and their work team from CompassPoint Bible Church in Canada. More on that later
On the property of LBN (Las Buenas Nuevas, sits a 80 year old house that was purchased and assembled from a mail-order catalog. This old house is where Uncle Cameron Townsend (founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators) spent hours upon hours working on a local translation. It was here where he got the vision to begin WBT. The house sits on the shore of Lake Atitlan in the town of Panajachel. Surrounded by small villages all along the lake sits 2 large volcanoes. The site is priceless.
The flowers in this place are spectacular. Have you ever seen a flower with such 3 dimension and intriquet details? God's creation is beautiful.
Traveling back from Pana, we stopped off to visit with Ruth and Paul Philippi (CAM missionaries). By the way, they both graduated from Moody in 1953 (over 50 years ago)and have served just as many years in Antigua. Normally, we stop in the house to use the restroom, but this time, we enjoyed an afternoon lunch at a local Hotel. Look at the beautiful orchids!
