Around the World with CFCA

Bob’s notes – Visit to Guatemala

Mission awareness trip
Dec. 26, 2008 – Jan. 2, 2009

Trip participants are special

Our sponsors come in search of many things, many times in search of their place in God’s loving plan for this stage of their lives. The sponsorship relationship between the two families in different parts of the world takes on an immense significance in the lives of both.

As much as we love her, we must realize that Guatemala is plagued with a series of very complicated and challenging problems. In this scene, we live and work … and into this scene we dare to invite our sponsors. They travel with confidence, knowing from experience that CFCA lives here. CFCA takes every precaution to watch over our guests. And yes, we pray.

To the highlands

We are gathered in a very pretty place in the highlands near Nahuala called “Corazon del bosque” (Heart of the Forest). The CFCA families gathered here today are praying in the Quiche language. It is close to midday—bright blue skies and sunny—but still quite cool.

We now have nine dancers, the girls with beautiful guipiles (traditional Guatemalan blouses), “cortes” (wrap skirts) and “tocoyales” (headdresses), bearing colors and designs with centuries of significance. They carry the recently harvested corn in four different colors. Three dance with incense. The others have baskets of corn. The boys also wear the traditional dress: the “sherca,” a woolen blanket wrapped around them secured with a leather belt, a typical “morral,” a decorated woven bag, and a straw hat. (more…)

January 9, 2009 at 1:17 pm Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) 3 comments