Guatemala City (Aug 13th & 14th)

Despite rain showers and turbulence, my flight arrived into Guatemala City early. The flight was only about half full, which meant that I cleared customs and picked up my luggage in record time. Unfortunately that also meant that I walked into the main area of the airport, scanned the crowd, and recognized...no one.

Of course this wasn't a problem, because I had prepared extensively before I came. I had phone numbers, names, contact information, and a back-up plan if all else failed. And if you believed any of that you randomly stumbled upon this blog and you don't know me at all!

As per normal, I had no backup plan at all and I had forgotten to write down the contact information I had been given. So there I was: alone at night in a country I'd never been where I didn't speak the language with no plans and no ride...and I was happy: happy to be travelling again!

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not advocating this lack of organization for anyone else who plans to travel, and, yes, I really should be more organized. :)

Besides, in this instance everything worked out fine and I only stood there for about a minute and a half before my friend Luis Lorenzana showed up. Which was nice. That meant I didn't need to invent a backup plan on the spot.

I stayed with Luis and his mother Rachel while I was in Guatemala City. Luis has been a great friend and such a blessing since I've been here! He's been my guide, translator, driver, photographer, etc. Thank-you Luis!

The day after I arrived (August 14th), we visited with two ladies (Carmen and Lourdes) who are working to start a daycare in a poor area of Guatemala City. They have bought a house in the area and are currently renovating it. Hopefully, the daycare will be up and running in about three months. There will be room to take care of about 60 kids under the age of 6 1/2 (at 6 1/2 the kids will start school). The daycare will provide three meals a day, baths, schooling, play time, and lots of love!

“The idea [of the daycare] is to get the kids out of poverty and to dignify them really, because they live a lousy life where they live and they don’t have any chance to get any education at all.” said Carmen, when I asked her about the vision they had for the daycare.

Many of the families the daycare will eventually serve live in wood and tin huts which cling somewhat precariously to the side of one of Guatemala City's many hills. These families—many of them single mothers—work hard just to survive. They’re up early and home late and during this time their children are usually left locked in the house so they don’t get lost or hurt. Despite the parent's wish to have their children safe, this arrangement can prove deadly. Last year, five children were burned to death when their houses caught fire and they couldn't escape the flames. A daycare, therefore, will not only provide nutritional meals and education, but also a safe place for the kids to stay during the day.

Once we left the daycare, we spent some time touring a bit of the city, took care of details such as changing money, and did some visiting. On the 15th (and in the next post), we'll be off to Zacapa!