Juhlin Missionaries to Guatemala
Hi
Long time no entry.
On Tuesday, I took a tumble in the dark. My right ankle gave way on the edge of a sidewalk. I wish it could have been caught on video. I gyrated in many directions. I had a bag with a few things including some peanut butter which was in a glass container. I figured it would break, so I bent one way, then another on the way down. My phone flew 20 feet ahead of me on the street, and I did not even know it had left my person. The peanut butter rolled out of the bag undamaged and I looked around hoping no one had seen the fiasco.
I have one of the worlds largest blisters on my right heel and can`t wear shoes, only my crocs. Hm hope this clears up soon.
We did manage to pick up a 2004 Kia with 57000 km and a diesel engine, 2.5 litre. It works for us and should be ok for touring up to 3 individuals plus ourselves.
It has been interesting thinking about systems. In this country many items and services are cheaper than in Canada and the selection here is much greater (Sheila disagrees. When I think about the kinds of vehicles available they are ahead here and I am sure sheila can give many examples of where they are behind) however the system of payment for staff is not fair, but to change it is near impossible short of going political and military. If one works hard 6 days of the week they should be able to pay for a home and food. Working all day for 10 dollars american is not acceptable, however is common.
Language training is interesting and my emotions run the ladder from depression to excitement. I have grown very quiet and now seldom say anything in stores. This is not uncommon. I have noted that I can read more signs and know the words being said on the radio however full comprehension is not there because they speak tooooo fast for me at this time. Sheila is doing wonderful in Spanish (so says Tim, I am not so sure).More next week....
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
So, now it's my turn. Tim brought home the van(?) last night, a KIA Sorrento. It's just what we need to get around on weekends, when language shool gets to be too much. We received two blessings today. The first? No homework!!! The second, something we were told could not be found. Foamies! Tim found a nice, 2" topper for the bed, so now we can REALLY sleep.
We are slowly getting into the school routine. Four hours in the morning with our teacher, Julio, then 'dinner' at the homestay, followed by a half hour siesta. The rest of the day is consumed with reviewing the day's lesson, homework, and WALKING! We walk everywhere, and it's at least 4 blocks to the nearest errand, so we should be in some kind of shape by the time June rolls around. We rarely go out after dark (6:30), and there's no TV here, so we read, play crib, or Tim serenades everyone on the guitar, and I work on a quilt top I'm piecing by hand. No room for sewing machines in our limited space!
We have figured out how to do some banking here. We can't access our bank accounts in Canada from an ATM, so do cash advances on our credit card at the bank that handles that card, which we can immediately pay online. WE've also figured out how to avoid the lineups. Go at 2 pm! everyone is at work!
We'll try to post some photos later in the week.
Blessings from the Land of Eternal Spring!
We are slowly getting into the school routine. Four hours in the morning with our teacher, Julio, then 'dinner' at the homestay, followed by a half hour siesta. The rest of the day is consumed with reviewing the day's lesson, homework, and WALKING! We walk everywhere, and it's at least 4 blocks to the nearest errand, so we should be in some kind of shape by the time June rolls around. We rarely go out after dark (6:30), and there's no TV here, so we read, play crib, or Tim serenades everyone on the guitar, and I work on a quilt top I'm piecing by hand. No room for sewing machines in our limited space!
We have figured out how to do some banking here. We can't access our bank accounts in Canada from an ATM, so do cash advances on our credit card at the bank that handles that card, which we can immediately pay online. WE've also figured out how to avoid the lineups. Go at 2 pm! everyone is at work!
We'll try to post some photos later in the week.
Blessings from the Land of Eternal Spring!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
It has been a day or 2 since I wrote anything. All is well, we completed a short video clip for head office today. I will be in the big city on monday afternoon to finish a deal on a dependable used vehicle, then paperwork, insurance, and anti theft devices.
I saw an unusual bee this morning, a lizard yesterday and we bought some nuts on wednesday which leads me to a story. I decided to have some yesterday. Sheila threw me the zip lock with the pack inside. Some fell out into the zip lock so I just lay down and started reading my spanish lesson. 2 nuts left, ummmm then I looked at the zip lock to see it crawling with little ants. I think they are good. I should not have looked. Anyway I jumped from the bed ready to hork the works and chuck the nuts. Ñow get this, my beloved said I should just wash the rest. So I washed them twice and dried them in the sun and they taste ok short the salts and ants. Small bear has learned to look close before eating anything.
Sheila´s years of trying to understand
We have purchased a plastic chair and bucket and a small iron.
Between the huge amounts of fireworks and crackers blasted off every day and the dogs barking, rooster´s crowing,trucks tooting and emergency vehicles whining it is sometimes difficult to sleep. Other than that, the evenings are quiet.
We have learned to quickly say no gracias, and we have the special finger movement down that will stop the salespeople in their tracks. If they still ask we claim student poverty and they leave us alone.
Todays devotions were in Romans ch 3 and 4. SAVED BY GRACE APART FROM OUR WORKS! A favorite theme of mine however as I study scripture I see the importance of obedience, therfore our works count. Just keep this straight: What we believe determines our destination and what we do determines our rewards.
We have several hundred verbs to learn and each has 5 variations. I think in retrospect that in terms of acquiring languages this is easier than some. At least the vowels have only one sound and there are only a couple of extra letters. We are learning a lot and it seems to me that we should be in good shape in 5 months as far as language is concerned. We are getting the basics.
We have a new boarder in the house, she is from ATLANTA georgia and is a JW. I shared COLOSSIANS 2:9 With her yesterday before she left for her bible study.¨For in Him dwells all the fullness of the GODHEAD or Godship bodily. The JW bible replaces GODHEAD with divine quality, which is not correct. Since this verse is one of the best on the deity of Christ it is too bad they have it wrong and walk in the darkness of deception.
Living in close quarters is a challenge so please pray for us, perhaps for Sheila more since she has to live with me haha hahahaha.
Off to look for a parking lot at a good price.
By and May the Lord BLESS YOU
I saw an unusual bee this morning, a lizard yesterday and we bought some nuts on wednesday which leads me to a story. I decided to have some yesterday. Sheila threw me the zip lock with the pack inside. Some fell out into the zip lock so I just lay down and started reading my spanish lesson. 2 nuts left, ummmm then I looked at the zip lock to see it crawling with little ants. I think they are good. I should not have looked. Anyway I jumped from the bed ready to hork the works and chuck the nuts. Ñow get this, my beloved said I should just wash the rest. So I washed them twice and dried them in the sun and they taste ok short the salts and ants. Small bear has learned to look close before eating anything.
Sheila´s years of trying to understand
We have purchased a plastic chair and bucket and a small iron.
Between the huge amounts of fireworks and crackers blasted off every day and the dogs barking, rooster´s crowing,trucks tooting and emergency vehicles whining it is sometimes difficult to sleep. Other than that, the evenings are quiet.
We have learned to quickly say no gracias, and we have the special finger movement down that will stop the salespeople in their tracks. If they still ask we claim student poverty and they leave us alone.
Todays devotions were in Romans ch 3 and 4. SAVED BY GRACE APART FROM OUR WORKS! A favorite theme of mine however as I study scripture I see the importance of obedience, therfore our works count. Just keep this straight: What we believe determines our destination and what we do determines our rewards.
We have several hundred verbs to learn and each has 5 variations. I think in retrospect that in terms of acquiring languages this is easier than some. At least the vowels have only one sound and there are only a couple of extra letters. We are learning a lot and it seems to me that we should be in good shape in 5 months as far as language is concerned. We are getting the basics.
We have a new boarder in the house, she is from ATLANTA georgia and is a JW. I shared COLOSSIANS 2:9 With her yesterday before she left for her bible study.¨For in Him dwells all the fullness of the GODHEAD or Godship bodily. The JW bible replaces GODHEAD with divine quality, which is not correct. Since this verse is one of the best on the deity of Christ it is too bad they have it wrong and walk in the darkness of deception.
Living in close quarters is a challenge so please pray for us, perhaps for Sheila more since she has to live with me haha hahahaha.
Off to look for a parking lot at a good price.
By and May the Lord BLESS YOU
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Juhlin Missionaries to Guatemala
DAY 4 of language training.
In Canada we walk to find the sun. Here everyone is walking the shadows and I can see why. It is plenty warm here even on a cloudy day you do not need a coat mid day.
We are sure feeling alone here. We mostly maintain devotions at 6.45 AND EAT AT 7.10. <
D ays are interesting. We start class at 8 work hard to 10.
there is a parrot and a turtle living at our home stay, and we are getting used to living close to each other. I am having some stomach difficulties which could use prayer.
ALL THE BEST
TIM
DAY 4 of language training.
In Canada we walk to find the sun. Here everyone is walking the shadows and I can see why. It is plenty warm here even on a cloudy day you do not need a coat mid day.
We are sure feeling alone here. We mostly maintain devotions at 6.45 AND EAT AT 7.10. <
D ays are interesting. We start class at 8 work hard to 10.
there is a parrot and a turtle living at our home stay, and we are getting used to living close to each other. I am having some stomach difficulties which could use prayer.
ALL THE BEST
TIM
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Juhlin Missionaries to Guatemala
Problems with banks, all are busy with hundreds of people in line. We decided to take in the group event. What an experience. The bus ride there was dangerous looking but nothing was like the chicken run back into town. We had to stand and there were 3 to 5 people on every seat. And they just kept stopping for more! At one point 2 girls wanted to get out. The aisle is less than 10 inches wide. I was told to move futher back on the bus so I basically sat on someone to let the first girl by. Passing the second girl was a virtually intimate act. When I finally made it past her I was more or less hanging from the rails, had one foot on the floor and the other lost back where I had started from. Boy pulling that leg back home was funny.
We visited a rich coffee plantation that had a building and approach similiar to the taj hall. Three levels with 6 to 8 tables on each side. Lots of grass between tables also. Third level had a nice pool, 4th level a childrens pool and the 5th level was a huge castle like building with change rooms. This was a resort within a coffee plantation but it had no tourists except us. Roads were 25 meters wide, great rock work. Some laborers were cutting grass and cleaning shrubs under the coffee and banana trees.
Must run this is costing us! More next time.
TIm & Sheila
Problems with banks, all are busy with hundreds of people in line. We decided to take in the group event. What an experience. The bus ride there was dangerous looking but nothing was like the chicken run back into town. We had to stand and there were 3 to 5 people on every seat. And they just kept stopping for more! At one point 2 girls wanted to get out. The aisle is less than 10 inches wide. I was told to move futher back on the bus so I basically sat on someone to let the first girl by. Passing the second girl was a virtually intimate act. When I finally made it past her I was more or less hanging from the rails, had one foot on the floor and the other lost back where I had started from. Boy pulling that leg back home was funny.
We visited a rich coffee plantation that had a building and approach similiar to the taj hall. Three levels with 6 to 8 tables on each side. Lots of grass between tables also. Third level had a nice pool, 4th level a childrens pool and the 5th level was a huge castle like building with change rooms. This was a resort within a coffee plantation but it had no tourists except us. Roads were 25 meters wide, great rock work. Some laborers were cutting grass and cleaning shrubs under the coffee and banana trees.
Must run this is costing us! More next time.
TIm & Sheila
Monday, January 15, 2007
Juhlin Missionaries to Guatemala
Hi All
We are now into our first day at language school. Yesterday we drove to Antiqua and were introduced to our home stay. We were shocked at the room and home we were put into. We are on the top level , in an obviously new room. We did not speak much for half an hour as we thought about whether we could live in the house. They are a very poor family. Breakfast was good so we are going to stay for a time. They installed a small light outside our 10 by 10 foot room. The patio is where they dry clothes. A room behind us is half constructed and I am sure that people can jump into the building from the trail above. We have one chair no closet an old 4 drawer dresser. No shelves no where to hang clothes, hats etc. One small window and the building faces south so gets very hot. Speaking of hot we have already had the 10 greatest days that would make up the best of summer in Canada. Weather is hard to take but the only compensation in a country very different from our own. Everything seems a little backwards and we can feel the frustration levels climbing. Spanish is simple until you study it and find they have 14 tenses ( English has 3) and you begin conjugating verbs. Not easy at all!!.
Our wireless cannot find a connection so all correspondence is from our computer hooked into a coffee shop port.
Must go looking for chairs shelves and corn oil to replace the soy oil being used at the house.
I will try to get back on this site by Friday.
In Deep here in Guatemala
Tim & Sheila
Hi All
We are now into our first day at language school. Yesterday we drove to Antiqua and were introduced to our home stay. We were shocked at the room and home we were put into. We are on the top level , in an obviously new room. We did not speak much for half an hour as we thought about whether we could live in the house. They are a very poor family. Breakfast was good so we are going to stay for a time. They installed a small light outside our 10 by 10 foot room. The patio is where they dry clothes. A room behind us is half constructed and I am sure that people can jump into the building from the trail above. We have one chair no closet an old 4 drawer dresser. No shelves no where to hang clothes, hats etc. One small window and the building faces south so gets very hot. Speaking of hot we have already had the 10 greatest days that would make up the best of summer in Canada. Weather is hard to take but the only compensation in a country very different from our own. Everything seems a little backwards and we can feel the frustration levels climbing. Spanish is simple until you study it and find they have 14 tenses ( English has 3) and you begin conjugating verbs. Not easy at all!!.
Our wireless cannot find a connection so all correspondence is from our computer hooked into a coffee shop port.
Must go looking for chairs shelves and corn oil to replace the soy oil being used at the house.
I will try to get back on this site by Friday.
In Deep here in Guatemala
Tim & Sheila
Friday, January 12, 2007
Juhlin Missionaries to Guatemala
The whole banking scene here is interesting. It may cost us $50 American to process a Canadian cheque in American Funds. So we have no need for an American Funds account from a Canadian Bank. It seems the main way to access money will be through a bank card taking out small amounts over time. Visa will become important for us because we have online banking.
We dressed for work yesterday at the WCVTC, however repairs were needed to our vehicle so we could not make it to the site. Many visitors have been coming at different hours so our hosts are run off their feet. They.ve had to do pickups from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
On Wednesday, we worked at the site, painting and planting. Yesterday I said to Sheila "look at all the bite marks on my arms, I wonder what that is from? Sheila looked at hers and had 2 bites. Well actually, they were not bites . We had potted 4 palm trees the day before and discovered that they have a needle like component around the base of the leaves/branches which did a number on our arms.
One good thing is the dental system here. It's all pay as you go, but it's not as expensive as in Canada. When I had to get a tooth capped in Canada, we had coverage, and still had to pay over $400. Here, when Sheila got her broken tooth capped, the total cost was $385, and some of that will be repaid through our dental plan at head office. AND they take Visa! The dental office and equipment was as modern as anything up north, and the doctor was American trained, so spoke excellent English. We've heard that Guatemalans living in Canada/USA will often get their teeth fixed while home for a visit, because it's so much cheaper.
Today (Friday) we are going to Antigua with the visitors from Canada. We'll check out our language school and pay our deposit and find out where our homestay will be. Then on Sunday, we'll make the move to start school on Monday.
The whole banking scene here is interesting. It may cost us $50 American to process a Canadian cheque in American Funds. So we have no need for an American Funds account from a Canadian Bank. It seems the main way to access money will be through a bank card taking out small amounts over time. Visa will become important for us because we have online banking.
We dressed for work yesterday at the WCVTC, however repairs were needed to our vehicle so we could not make it to the site. Many visitors have been coming at different hours so our hosts are run off their feet. They.ve had to do pickups from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
On Wednesday, we worked at the site, painting and planting. Yesterday I said to Sheila "look at all the bite marks on my arms, I wonder what that is from? Sheila looked at hers and had 2 bites. Well actually, they were not bites . We had potted 4 palm trees the day before and discovered that they have a needle like component around the base of the leaves/branches which did a number on our arms.
One good thing is the dental system here. It's all pay as you go, but it's not as expensive as in Canada. When I had to get a tooth capped in Canada, we had coverage, and still had to pay over $400. Here, when Sheila got her broken tooth capped, the total cost was $385, and some of that will be repaid through our dental plan at head office. AND they take Visa! The dental office and equipment was as modern as anything up north, and the doctor was American trained, so spoke excellent English. We've heard that Guatemalans living in Canada/USA will often get their teeth fixed while home for a visit, because it's so much cheaper.
Today (Friday) we are going to Antigua with the visitors from Canada. We'll check out our language school and pay our deposit and find out where our homestay will be. Then on Sunday, we'll make the move to start school on Monday.
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