Guatemalan Dollar Store

We were in the local Walmart store and I noticed the Guatemalan version of a dollar store.

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from to	Quetzals (GTQ)	is	1.16 Dollars (USD)
Rates on 24 Apr 2015

So it's "A little more than a Dollar Store"

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Q 10	$ 1.29

MA JA DAS Once

Just what Guatemala City needs, 
another mall.  

This mall is tucked behind the Sears Store, across from TGI Friday's. 
 I felt like it was a very exclusive mall catering to the elite in the area. 
 It's an outdoor mall - the weather is so agreeable here all year round.  There is no anchor department store such as Semans or Cemaco, yet it has a dozen of nice, very nice restaurants.  

We had a 2 for 1 coupon that we used at the Tamarindos Bistro.
  (Tamarindo is a fruit here in Guatemala that is used to make 
a kind of Kool-Aid drink).

The decor was unique and quaint.

The ceiling even had wooden planters, on which grass was growing.  Amazing.

The lighting was water pipes that had electric lines and light bulbs.

The mall did have a Pops, the best ice-cream outside of Texas (Blue Bell).

Looks like this blog post is more of an endorsement for
 the MaJaDas Once Mall.  

I would give it 2 thumbs up.

  Nice atmosphere. 
 Nice restaurants including Tre Fratelli, Saúl, Frisco Grill and several others.

Flowers and Dirty Dishes

 This is what I look at when I do the dishes.  (Let me say it this way.  This is what Glenn looks out 
at when he does the dishes:)

Thank you, Glenn, for doing the dishes.  At least you can't complain about the beauty in the back yard.

Redeeming Love

 

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

This morning, I woke up to the words of this heart-felt Hymn on my heart and mind.

My Shelter

 Psalms 91: 1, 2

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

He is my God, and I trust him.

How Shall we Praise God?

Psalms 66:1-4

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

Sing about the glory of his name!

Tell the world how glorious he is.

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

Everything on earth will worship you;

they will sing your praises,

shouting your name in glorious songs.”

Report on Fellowship Conference 2015

We had our annual Fellowship Conference last weekend, which all the Camino Global missionary families living here in Guatemala and Nicaragua attended.  We were blessed to have our current president join us as the special speaker. His wife was also able to attend.  This year, our missionary family was quite a bit smaller than previous years, as families have moved on from Guatemala, kids have gone off to college and others have returned to the states for ministry there. 

We were also blessed to have Dr. Barbara and her retired Captain husband join us for the extended weekend.  Barbara has served the missionary family before on previous trips down here and she was able to speak one-on-one with several missionaries to encourage and challenge them as well as listen to their hearts.

 On Thursday, we drove up to Antigua and had lunch at a new restaurant that overlooks the city.  

The food and company was pretty good up there on the mountain side.

We walked through the gardens there at the Cerro de San Cristobal Organic Farm and enjoyed the beautiful orchids, flowers and fresh vegetables.

The weekend went off with-out any major complications, despite not having any running water at our house for 2 days while hosting the Russells, and a miscommunication of possibly having our CRV stolen on Wednesday night, only to have it found by Thursday morning. And there were no major illnesses or challenges during the conference.  We are thankful for God's word spoken through Doug, special music from our own Camino family and special fellowship with games and food. 

My heart is full. 

My tummy is full

 and

 I am grateful for the missionary family here in Guatemala.

Faithfulness

 Psalms 89:1

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.

Direct thy Paths

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5,6

Easter Week

(10:00am on Friday morning - CA 1 - no TRAFFIC at all)

During Easter week, the city of Guatemala literally shuts down.  People will flock to Antigua for the processions, to the lake for family reunions and to the beaches to soak in the warm sunshine.

Glenn and I stayed in the city.  Each morning, we left our gated community and headed out to explore new roads, locations and sights.  

Literally there is no one out on the streets.

We stopped off at the Mira Flores mall to see the new additions and developments.  We enjoyed watching some kids put together a huge, gigantic rompecabezas (puzzle.)

We even stopped by DQ, yes, Dairy Queen and purchased a Blizzard. Cool!!

Member Care Meetings

Several weeks ago, probably nearly a month now, Glenn participated in a Member Care workshop with several other key missionaries with Camino Global.

We had just flown in the night before, arriving at 11:30pm into our house, and Glenn on the next day, ran some errands, deposited some money in the bank, bought some food, charged up our Guatemala cell phones and was on his way out of town by 11:30am, a 12 hour turn around.  Pretty good.  Plus we had an overnight guest that night!

 Glenn and the gang enjoyed visiting the Centennial camp

and breakfast at Casa Del Mundo.

I sure don't get tired of this view!

Crown of Thorns and a Risen Savior

Euphorbia milii 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns, Christ plant, Christ thorn) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaciae, native to Madagascar.  The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Reunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821.  It is suspected that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns worn by Christ.

^{Before He was crucified, the Roman soldiers “twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said”  Matthew 27:29}

He is Risen.

3 Days and No Water

Today I tried to flush the toilet.  

No water.  

No water to wash the dishes.  No water to wash your hands, etc.

In our gated community, we have a large well that supplies water to the 45 homes on the 3 block residence area.  Today, the water wasn't working.

Just after dinner, we saw a large tanker truck pull into the street, back up, and lower a large tube into the water tank area.

Yea!  Water!

Then we got a knock on the door. Salvador said, "We will have water between 8pm - 9pm and then again between 7am - 8am.  However, please be very conservative and try not to use much water."  It is a good thing most of our neighbors are out of town because of the Semana Santa celebrations.

Now there are 3 trucks out there.  Still no water.

 Fast Forward....

That was a few days ago.....

A couple days ago, there was major activity at the water well.  The pump didn't work.  A large truck backed up onto the empty soccer field and started the procedure of pulling up 20 sections of pipe to get to the pump.  

Life here teaches us to be flexible.  We have to be flexible on the days when we have no water.  

We had a total of 6 hours of water for 3 days. 

 That was just enough time to wash 2 loads of clothes, take 3 quick showers and fill the kitchen sinks with water so we could wash a week's worth of dishes.

Summary:  The water men installed a new motor.  Yea!  Everything should be working now.  Oops, now there are electrical problems with the new, up dated controller that manages the water pump.

Like I've said before, "If it is not one thing, its the same thing."

Finally, the water is working.  Looks like the water is on ALL the time now.  Yippee!

Flowers on my Table

Yes, these are flowers from my yard

placed on our dining room table.

How sweet is that?