Letter from the Trunk

Dear home,
I’m doing great over here in Sumpango, Guatemala. I’m writing you from the trunk of a car on the way to ministry now. Living my best life!
Guatemala is very different from America, of course. There are strange things like mayonnaise and drinking water in a bag. And here instead of raccoons roaming the streets looking for trash food they have dogs. Street dogs are everywhere! I love dogs but I was told not to touch them because of fleas or bugs or goodness knows what they might have. I definitely have not being petting any street dogs at all ;). Another thing is they say not to do is use the running water for anything like bushing your teeth because of parasites. I lived by that rule for about one day and well no parasites yet. wooo! There is also delicious street food on every other street! Which I definitely did not try because everyone definitely said not to eat it because something about getting sick…. Or something.
Despite the differences I have fallen in love with here. I love the mountains and the volcano at every turn and the lush green that’s vastly different from the typical New Mexico shade of dusty brown. I love the kids we minister to and their childish joy despite the hardships they face everyday. I love all the street dogs running around, the constant rain, and the endless fireworks going off in the streets day and night. I will miss trying all the strange new fruits I don’t know the names of. I think I will miss giving the Kids of Santa Marta and the homeless of Sumpango a good meal the most. Serving them has brought me so much joy, I am so glad and relieved to know that won’t stop even when I am not around anymore.
I have been loving Guatemala so much, it’s true! But even so life here still has its challenges… like thinking I’m getting cookie dough ice cream but actually getting rum with raisin ice cream (I’m still recovering from that one, not going to lie (and yes that is a real ice cream flavor unfortunately)). Or having alcoholic men knocking on our door asking for more food or to stay the night. And the hardest of all is seeing those same men passed out drunk on the side of the street in the middle of the day. And of course there are things I miss: like singing loudly in the shower, being able to read ice cream labels (like I said…. Still not recovered), the colors of autumn, not having those closest to me there to give me a comforting hug when I need one, etc.
Even though I miss you so much I do have a lot of fun over here with my team. I mean don’t take me wrong we work hard for sure but as we go it feels less and less like work. Some days are long but the weeks seem to fly by. Last Friday marked exactly 3 weeks until we leave our ministry in Sumpango and head to our very first debrief in Antigua. Reindom has already said they will miss us when we are gone and we will miss them so much as well. We have so much fun going to church with them and staying up way too late playing games with them.

Much love!
-Liv

P.S. the picture is mini barrilete we made for the holiday they celebrate in Sumpango called Festival de Barriletes