Tropical Storm Agatha

near Patzún

Tropical Storm Agatha

Thursday night, Volcano Pacaya explodes sending ash and debris up into the air.  Friday morning we wake up to 1/4 inch of ash everywhere.  Clean up time.  Flights are canceled in and out of GUA Aurora Airport for several days.


Then the rains begin.  Tropical Storm Agatha is dumping rain here in Guatemala City and the countryside.

Now we are beginning to see photos of the effects of this storm.

Tormenta Agatha San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá

This is Ave. Batres Zone 12 and 54th Street

~J

Lava Ash on AA

Note: lava ash on the top of the 737
and ash on the wings

AA2195 was the last flight into Guatemala Aurora International Airport on Thursday night, arriving just after 7pm.  Other flights were diverted to nearby San Salvador, El Salvador, just a 4 hour drive from here.  All flights were canceled in and out of the Guatemala City airport on Friday and Saturday and today, Sunday, as airport personnel continue the major clean up after the Thursday late afternoon Pacaya Volcano eruption.

The big question is, "When will the Aurora airport re-open?"  We noticed that AA's flights are canceled through Monday.  It is very important to sweep up all the lava ash off the runway.  Its a tricky runway to begin with and ash would make it even more challenging as well as destructive to the engines.

Check here to read articles about Pacaya 

http://www.sigloxxi.com/pulso.php?id=11826

More later 

~J

Cleaning Up After Pacaya Volcano

Beauty in the Ash.  As Glenn was cleaning the patio, driveway and road in front of our house, I noticed there were simple flowers caked with the volcanic ash.  Still  beautiful.

Residents of Guatemala City were urged not to just wash the ash down the street into the gutters, rather, pack up the ash and place them in large garbage bags.  I noticed this sidewalk full of ash bags.

Today, Saturday, May 29th, we have had a steady flow of rain showers through the night, this will help clean the ash off the streets.  

I believe the Guatemala City Aurora International Airport is still closed and should reopen in the next few days.  Our 2 nieces (Haley and Molly) are still scheduled to fly down on Tuesday, June 1st for their 2 week missionary adventure here in Guatemala.


More later
~J

Black Snow

The streets are covered with Black Snow - this after the Pacaya Volcano erupted late yesterday afternoon.

The entrance to SETECA - photos courtesy of David S

Glenn has been cleaning up the patio, driveway and stuff around our house.  Here are more photos.

What a mess.  The black ash was so heavy, that as Glenn was sweeping, the handle to the broom broke.




~J

The Sky Is Falling

Anyone else here in Guatemala City see the phenomenon?

We just got a call from a friend who told us to look out on our patio.  We couldn't believe it.  There was black ash, soot covering our white patio floor.

Evidently the nearby active volcano, Pacaya, is erupting and the wind is blowing the ash towards the city.  This is quite an unusual sight.

The patio floor is white, but here it is covered with black ash. I could not resist doing some "finger painting" in the fresh "lava dust/sand blanket".

~J

21 East Chestnut

 Back in the 70's, while a student at MBI, Glenn worked the front desk of the condominium building 21 East Chestnut.  Glenn would take advantage of studying during the late night and early morning hours.  He had "wake up" calls to make to residents.

I wonder what other Moody students worked here?

~J

MBI Part 5 - Last Photos of Graduation

3 Stewart graduates from the class of 2010

Karen

Alphabetically, G comes before J, so Glenn graduated before me.

Thomas and Karen
They head to Dallas as Thomas begins Dallas Theological Seminary and Karen will be teaching American Sign Language at a local high school.

I think that is all of the Moody graduation photos.  Thanks for bearing with me!
Still catching up on "life".  I am thankful for the Moody education that my family has received, including Ellen and even Grandpa and Grandma Stewart.

With the graduation of Karen now, we have purchased 2 more bricks (Thomas and Karen) to be installed on the walkway near the Alumni Student Center.

I found this photo from 6 years ago...Ellen's graduation!
~J

MBI part 4

Karen, 2010 Graduate from Moody Bible Institute, with her husband, Thomas, MBI grad, class of 2008.  

We're proud of you Karen!

Glenn, me, Gary, Karen, Thomas, G'mommy and G'daddy

Karen with Mr. Clark

More photos tomorrow....

~J

MBI Part 3

Karen and Bethanne.  Thanks to Bethanne's encouragement, Karen was able to finish in record time.  Bethanne also worked hard to graduate herself.  She was one of Karen's advisors.

 More pictures....

MBI part 2

Graduation was held at the historic Moody Church about 1 mile from the Moody Bible Institute campus.

Moody Church hosts Graduation each year and traditionally hosts the February Founder's Week as well.  What a beautiful sanctuary.

Tomorrow...more photos

Moody Bible Institute Graduation Day Part 1

May 15, 2010  ~ An Historical Day in the Stewart family.  Glenn and I graduated with a BS in Biblical Studies and then to top it off, our daughter, Karen, also graduated, with a BA in Applied Linguistics.  Way to go Karen!

I love this picture that Gary took.  Here, the Grandparents getting ready for the graduation Day, Mom putting on her lipstick, Dad talking on the phone and then I got a congratulatory phone call from our good friend, Gene.

More photos in the next few days.

~J

Dear Facebook and Blogspot

Dear FB and Blog,

I have neglected you for over a week now.  But I do have a good excuse.  Let me explain.

Saturday, May 15.  I graduated from College.  Yes, Moody Bible Institute.

Also on that day, Glenn graduated with me.  That's 32 years in the making.  All to say, "you are never too old to graduate", even at the age of 53 and 54.

And to top it off, daughter Karen was in the graduation line too.  Sweet! How great is that?

Since graduation day, we have visited with Wildwood Church in follow-up of their recent trip to Guatemala.

Then Gary decided (with my blessing), to upgrade my laptop with Windows 7, do some tweeking to determine why it was running so slow.  Thank you Gary! I love it when my son can work on my computer.

I have a camera full of photos from GRADUATION day, but until my computer is working correctly, I will just have to wait a few more days to post those.

Bear with me.

~Judy

SETECA Mission Conference

Several weeks ago, we hosted 2 families who were here to attend the Mission Conference at SETECA.  People from all over Central and South America as well as other parts of the world came for this huge event.  There were mission agencies that had their booths set up for folks to explore the options of becoming missionaries.

It was obvious that God is at work in the hearts of latins to reach the rest of the world. They are more able and welcome to reach many difficult areas of the globe than we are in today's geopolitical environment. Our task is to partner with our brothers and sisters who are being called by God as a part of a new wave of missionaries from the Spanish speaking world.

This fits CAM's purpose statement:

to produce and empower committed followers of Jesus Christ in Spanish-speaking areas to reach the world.

~J

Landscape

 

The wooden fence eventually grows again!

~J