Hi
It has been a good week or more since I contributed to the blog. I trust all of you are enjoying reading about this missions adventure.
We decided to start the process of acquiring our 2 year residence papers. We drove into the city on Thursday night to attend a Friday morning breakfast meeting and meet all staff at the William Cornelius. We had ID pictures taken and listened to a guest speaker in the courtyard. The water fountain and greenery is wonderful thanks to the team from Crowsnest Christian Center under, of course, the direction of Deb and Ernie! After the meeting, we headed for the Canadian Embassy to have copies of our passport authenticated. Just getting there was a challenge but we did it and proceeded up to the 8th floor. Upon completing the paper work we began talking with the Embassy employee to discover that she had given us the wrong certification so we had to cough up another 160 Q (total of 400Q). We then discovered that our criminal checks also have to be stamped at the embassy, so we have to return on Monday. Why so soon you ask? Well it is because once the process starts we have 30 days to complete it or the first authenticated documents expire. We left the embassy to find green water under our vehicle. A good thing that our next stop was to pay the mechanic what we owed him from last week. We got there just in time to discover where exactly the leaking was coming from. So there we were at 11:30 with nothing to do until the repair was made, which was expected at 5:30. What to do?? We ended up calling the school and Alan had to rescue us from the heat. We made it back to the school and I began working on a fund raising idea for the Vocational School. After I have reviewed the plan with the rest of the missionaries and completed revisions I hope to share this with everyone!
We returned to the mechanic at 5:15 and the job was complete at a price of 1050 Q. So we paid him 300 (which was all we had on us) and will have to return on Monday to pay him the rest.
Traveling to the city is a big deal if you go at the wrong time. It is roughly 48 KM but seldom make it without waiting in a line of traffic, where to our amazement there are always venders selling something, everything from water to nuts, sunglasses to sponges etc.
Life is a bit of a drag at this time although we are doing a little better in Spanish. It is a drag because we are here living out of a suit case 24/7. We walked to the central park and watched the people. We have a bet on regarding how long it will take for a shoe shine person to ask about my shoes. I threaten to paint NO on the tips and just point. In any event it took 30 seconds. Over 20 minutes we had about 10 requests. I am too cheap to spend a nickel on my shoes although if they needed it I would.
Coming up with a personal strategy towards the needy is a challenge. Who do I give to? I decided to carry some 25 centavos pieces. It takes about 60 of them to make a Canadian dollar. I give one to anyone who asks. My thought is that at least others might see the donation and also consider doing so. Of course I do not flash around the large amount of money donated. The other day a man was walking down the street as we drove by and his whole right leg was gone and his left arm. An industrial accident I suspect. I stopped and gave him 3 Q. and drove on. The needs are so great that trying to meet all would be impossible so I will stay focused on the tasks at had and learn Spanish so that I can be as effective as possible at providing a real need of the people of Guatemala.
Each Sunday for the past 3 weeks, the Catholics have put on processions. They are something to see. People pay the big bucks to carry huge displays of graven images of Christ and Mary etc. For this they receive forgiveness for another year. The Catholic faith is, as I said in the past, a different thing from Canada’s version. You will find some pictures from the taping we have done to date. I feel like carrying a placard stating:
But He Lives!
I think in one respect the Easter season is celebrated here in a better way than in Canada where it is a 3 day event. Christmas is not a big event down here I am told, but Easter is another matter, although Easter Sunday is totally dead around here. The holy week is called Semana Santa and goes on for a number of days, however everyone is tired by Easter Sunday and I guess the risen Christ has little meaning. Here it is the suffering Christ that is identified with along with ritual and ceremony which perhaps adds meaning. Personal walks with Christ as Lord are not, it seems, part of the Catholic faith.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
I have been reading the Book How Now Shall We Live by Chuck Colson- student edition. It is great and talks about world views, in particular how the Christian world view differs from the dominant world view of today which at its core is built upon a false foundation. The foundation is constructed to provide an alternative to the view of Creation as an act of a loving creator. Instead of a loving creator, this world view is entrusted to cosmic muck and random chance. I will complete the book and provide a review. Many of you who do not go to church and do not believe in God may discover that you are religious! But enough of this for now.
We are doing well and counting the weeks until we can leave our Antigua language studies and head into to Guatemala. Oh, that reminds me! We have been blessed with a chance to housesit for 6 months. The only costs we will incur are for utilities so we are going to redirect our monthly budget into the purchase of some basic home furnishing in preparation for January 2008 when we finally get into our own place.
Well that’s all for now.
Tim
It has been a good week or more since I contributed to the blog. I trust all of you are enjoying reading about this missions adventure.
We decided to start the process of acquiring our 2 year residence papers. We drove into the city on Thursday night to attend a Friday morning breakfast meeting and meet all staff at the William Cornelius. We had ID pictures taken and listened to a guest speaker in the courtyard. The water fountain and greenery is wonderful thanks to the team from Crowsnest Christian Center under, of course, the direction of Deb and Ernie! After the meeting, we headed for the Canadian Embassy to have copies of our passport authenticated. Just getting there was a challenge but we did it and proceeded up to the 8th floor. Upon completing the paper work we began talking with the Embassy employee to discover that she had given us the wrong certification so we had to cough up another 160 Q (total of 400Q). We then discovered that our criminal checks also have to be stamped at the embassy, so we have to return on Monday. Why so soon you ask? Well it is because once the process starts we have 30 days to complete it or the first authenticated documents expire. We left the embassy to find green water under our vehicle. A good thing that our next stop was to pay the mechanic what we owed him from last week. We got there just in time to discover where exactly the leaking was coming from. So there we were at 11:30 with nothing to do until the repair was made, which was expected at 5:30. What to do?? We ended up calling the school and Alan had to rescue us from the heat. We made it back to the school and I began working on a fund raising idea for the Vocational School. After I have reviewed the plan with the rest of the missionaries and completed revisions I hope to share this with everyone!
We returned to the mechanic at 5:15 and the job was complete at a price of 1050 Q. So we paid him 300 (which was all we had on us) and will have to return on Monday to pay him the rest.
Traveling to the city is a big deal if you go at the wrong time. It is roughly 48 KM but seldom make it without waiting in a line of traffic, where to our amazement there are always venders selling something, everything from water to nuts, sunglasses to sponges etc.
Life is a bit of a drag at this time although we are doing a little better in Spanish. It is a drag because we are here living out of a suit case 24/7. We walked to the central park and watched the people. We have a bet on regarding how long it will take for a shoe shine person to ask about my shoes. I threaten to paint NO on the tips and just point. In any event it took 30 seconds. Over 20 minutes we had about 10 requests. I am too cheap to spend a nickel on my shoes although if they needed it I would.
Coming up with a personal strategy towards the needy is a challenge. Who do I give to? I decided to carry some 25 centavos pieces. It takes about 60 of them to make a Canadian dollar. I give one to anyone who asks. My thought is that at least others might see the donation and also consider doing so. Of course I do not flash around the large amount of money donated. The other day a man was walking down the street as we drove by and his whole right leg was gone and his left arm. An industrial accident I suspect. I stopped and gave him 3 Q. and drove on. The needs are so great that trying to meet all would be impossible so I will stay focused on the tasks at had and learn Spanish so that I can be as effective as possible at providing a real need of the people of Guatemala.
Each Sunday for the past 3 weeks, the Catholics have put on processions. They are something to see. People pay the big bucks to carry huge displays of graven images of Christ and Mary etc. For this they receive forgiveness for another year. The Catholic faith is, as I said in the past, a different thing from Canada’s version. You will find some pictures from the taping we have done to date. I feel like carrying a placard stating:
But He Lives!
I think in one respect the Easter season is celebrated here in a better way than in Canada where it is a 3 day event. Christmas is not a big event down here I am told, but Easter is another matter, although Easter Sunday is totally dead around here. The holy week is called Semana Santa and goes on for a number of days, however everyone is tired by Easter Sunday and I guess the risen Christ has little meaning. Here it is the suffering Christ that is identified with along with ritual and ceremony which perhaps adds meaning. Personal walks with Christ as Lord are not, it seems, part of the Catholic faith.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
I have been reading the Book How Now Shall We Live by Chuck Colson- student edition. It is great and talks about world views, in particular how the Christian world view differs from the dominant world view of today which at its core is built upon a false foundation. The foundation is constructed to provide an alternative to the view of Creation as an act of a loving creator. Instead of a loving creator, this world view is entrusted to cosmic muck and random chance. I will complete the book and provide a review. Many of you who do not go to church and do not believe in God may discover that you are religious! But enough of this for now.
We are doing well and counting the weeks until we can leave our Antigua language studies and head into to Guatemala. Oh, that reminds me! We have been blessed with a chance to housesit for 6 months. The only costs we will incur are for utilities so we are going to redirect our monthly budget into the purchase of some basic home furnishing in preparation for January 2008 when we finally get into our own place.
Well that’s all for now.
Tim
2 comments:
What time do you get up, to be posting so early, and animatedly? (Is that a word?)
Good to hear of your housing situation. being able to house sit will really help your budjet eh?
Well, interesting itme you guys are having. Thanks for the looong post Dad, it was a greatl unch time read. A window into your life.
Love,
Caroline
oh how i love you both, and your blogging allows me to have a picture of you's in my mind going about you daily business. this one made me smile father tim.
we are off for a week with our grandkids...
will check in with you when we get home.
lotsa of love Tami
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