Sunshine gently warms the cobbled streets of Antigua. The stones, worn by centuries of passing feet, both bare and shod, by horse drawn carriages, bicycles, motos, tuk tuks, and trucks, know the secrets and stories lived on the streets– children who laugh on the way to school, young lovers dreaming of an endless future of promise, and the last steps of the elderly. They have seen days both ordinary and extraordinary, the births, declarations of love, the business transactions, and the parents calling after their children as they run off to play… all at the hem of the volcano that pushes at the sky and rolls upward into the heavens.
A right turn and there’s the arch, the same color as a sunflower’s petals, marking the time for those who walk by. The shops lining the streets are open, their brightly colored goods beckoning the tourists to spend money. Women walk the sidewalks with slings full of fabric, bags, and jewelry; while young men play wooden flutes for passersby. Artists sit in the shadow of the arch, painting the crumbling stone walls, the bouganvilla and red clay roofs, and, of course, the volcano.
**Photo bottom right by Connie Rock**
As if pulled by an unseen tide, people move towards the Plaza Central, for that is where the action is–vendors
with souvenirs, teenagers licking ice cream cones, a man shining the shoes of another, babies crying, and a sparkling, laughing fountain. A man sniffs glue behind me, his bloodshot eyes and pale face out of focus and yet full of despair at the same time. A woman named Maria laughs and tries to charge 5 Quetzals for photos of her beautiful, lined face. A blind man walks with his hand on the shoulder of another blind man, who navigates the busy streets with a cane–literally the blind leading the blind. The horse-drawn buggies move quickly past as we step into a bakery and are given a free piece of sweet bread. A woman selling newspapers tells us it’s “El Dia de la Mujer”– “The day of the Woman”.
with souvenirs, teenagers licking ice cream cones, a man shining the shoes of another, babies crying, and a sparkling, laughing fountain. A man sniffs glue behind me, his bloodshot eyes and pale face out of focus and yet full of despair at the same time. A woman named Maria laughs and tries to charge 5 Quetzals for photos of her beautiful, lined face. A blind man walks with his hand on the shoulder of another blind man, who navigates the busy streets with a cane–literally the blind leading the blind. The horse-drawn buggies move quickly past as we step into a bakery and are given a free piece of sweet bread. A woman selling newspapers tells us it’s “El Dia de la Mujer”– “The day of the Woman”.
*Photo by Connie Rock*
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It’s Thursday now as I write, sitting on my couch in my apartment. I can’t believe that the scene above was what I saw on the same day last week. The trip to Guatemala was short; but so full of life, purpose, and beauty that it filled a part of that had been curled up inside, waiting for winter to end.
What I loved about this trip is that it was literally living a dream… I got to see my friend’s dream come to life as she went on a Purchase Effect trip, met people with mesmerizing and heart breaking stories, and found beautiful things to bring back to sell to help those people. The more I’ve come to work with Purchase Effect, the more it’s become a part of my dream as well, because I believe in its potential and possibility, as well as the One who gave Connie that dream. It was a missions trip in every way but the name, for we found opportunity after opportunity to share of Christ, His love, and to share about Purchase Effect and the hope we had of bringing tangible help to those who need it. It was life, not a series of days planned with an agenda. Being aware of the people around us–servers, vendors, hotel staff, women and children on the street. Taking the time to make that connection and start that relationship. We laughed a lot, we explored Antigua, and asked the Lord to lead us to people and locations, to guide our actions, and to help us get the best deals on goods so that we can make the most profit possible–and therefore send more back. Spirit-led ministry… and a fulfillment of a dream.
One of the coolest things about being there were the actual dates we were there. Connie and I prayed that if we were supposed to go, that God would show us what days. While researching tickets, we even had to change the dates during the process. And it turned out that those dates were perfect. The week we were in Antigua was a week of celebration, from the “Day of the Woman” mentioned above to the Procession marking the 2nd Sunday of Lent the day before we left.
We got up early that last day and made our way to a nearby village, passing communities creating flower carpets as we passed by. In observance of the second Sunday of Lent, as well as the upcoming Semana Santo (Holy Week–Easter), one of the many ways the Catholic church celebrates is by a procession, or a parade. Each community contributes to a design of carpet, which lies in the center of the street. It’s made from the earth– seeds and flower petals, sand, dirt, leaves, roots, even vegetables and wood chips. I couldn’t believe how beautiful they are!
The procession we saw started at 10am, but the activity began much earlier. As the first “float” (for lack of a better word) exited the church, I was struck by what a HUGE event this was. Or maybe it was a few seconds before, when I looked behind me and realized that I was at the very center of a crowd of people bigger than I’ve never seen in my life. As far as I could see, there were people. The men from the city wore purple, as did some of their sons as well. Only they could touch the “float” which looked so heavy! As they were replaced and stepped away, they crossed themselves, then went to rest before taking another turn… because this procession went throughout the entire town and lasted for over 13 hours. We heard it still going at 11pm that night! It followed the path of the flower carpets, scattering the beautiful designs into a swirl of color.
We caught up with the procession four different times that day. And ironically, each time we seemed to find ourselves inside the parade without realizing it… we’d look around, see a float and a sea of purple coming right at us, and skedaddle quick. :0) By evening, when the procession went through the square and under the arch, the lights were incredible. As was the celebratory atmosphere. By then, we knew people who were leading the procession… they even stopped and came over to talk with us! The man at the very front, Rolando, has lead it for 7 years, and this year, his two sons were helping him carry his sign. What an honor. As he walked away, I couldn’t help praying for Rolando… that he would continue to be a good husband and father (it was evident how much he loved and was proud of his sons), that he would continue to be an example in his community, and that one day he would seek after a relationship with Christ without the trappings of Catholicism mixed with ancient Mayan traditions.
*Above photos of Rolando and sons by Connie Rock*
Everywhere I looked, there were people. And while it was a celebration for a different faith, I found myself watching the float with Christ on it and being able to worship Him for what I know to be true. And I was struck by the reverence of those around me… evidence of belief and tradition. Like this man… his face says it all.
It’s hard to see, and yet I was thankful. Thankful to see the beauty of the day, to be a part of the celebration even though I hold different beliefs, appreciative of the centuries of tradition around me, and praying for those who live here sharing the good news of Christ… that there will be those who listen and will turn from Catholicism. (I should state here that the Catholicism here is different from that in the Western world; it is often mixed heavily with ancient Mayan tradition. For example, one of the churches had a large tapestry of a swan at the altar, a symbol from pagan beliefs).
One thing I love about Latin America, particularly Central America, is how kind, loving, and welcoming the people are. How willing they are to take a few moments and talk with you, to tell their stories and hear yours. I struggled with the language barrier, for it feels like my Spanish is worse than it has ever been, but I had fun trying to hold conversations with people, asking about their lives and telling a little about mine. It was fun telling about Purchase Effect, but even more fun was sharing of Christ, the real Hope of the world.
In the next post, I’m going to tell you about one way the Good News of Christ is being shared in Guatemala. Stay tuned!
