Hi Tim Here

You cannot stop a rooster from crowing in the middle of the night.
You will leave yourself open for a very big fight.
Hot lead and a chopping block during the daytime can make things right.

The picture of us was take by Dave from Ontario while we were with a team visiting a coffee plantation.

My measuring stick regarding what is right has been broken in two. I have been passively looking for work for the students and have found a chance for some to work at tree pruning for a greenhouse operation. The Chap I spoke to thought that since this was training that they would pay 1.35 Q per hour, which works out to about 20 cents per hour. I have to write up a proposal and have wrestled with the issue of fair wage. Do you know any summer students that want to work for 20 cents an hour? Well my Canadian measuring stick is absolutly useless so I have proposed an alternate pay scheme that places 36 Q(~$4.75) per 9 hour day in the pocket and allows for a scholarship to the school to be added once after each month of 500 Q ($70). I do not believe that the business will except this high pay which will average out to 61Q per day total(remember 100Q is about $13.50Canadian)
I suspect we will not place anyone in this job opportunity! The locals have a saying down here. They get paid in quetzels and buy in dollars! What a sad place this really is. My heart is broken for the poor which is 80% of the people. Minimum wage is used agaist everyone. It is about 60 cents and hour and rather than being something that applies to a fast food joint they apply this to everyone. If the minimum is met then employers do not feel that they have any other obligation to pay more. It reminds me of the speed limit in Canada. It has become the standard and everyone expects to go at least 5 km faster. Here anyone under 18 can expect the rate of pay to be lower than minimum or a snakes belly. No wonder there is bitterness and civil unrest!

Serving a Big God in Guatemala
Tim