Here we are..

Buenos Dias todos personas! That means good morning everyone. Well you are probably not going to get an excited feeling reading this blog entry because it's Kyler writing it, not one of the girls, so there will be about 90% less exclamation marks. So for all the parents out there and anyone else who may be worried about us, we are here and it's good to be here. The flight went really well, and we even got free meals on each of our flights. It was awesome. Other exciting events that took place on the trip down.. Buck sure was pretty excited to fly for the first time, I'm pretty sure he took about 30 pictures of take-off in Calgary. He was pretty adamant about getting a window seat. Rightfully so. We arrived in Houston and actually met some Canadian missionaries who were on the same flight. They were from the lower mainland in B.C. Oh also in Houston Lauren noticed there was an ipod vending machine in the airport that sold the little guys. I wonder if it took cash.. Steve and Elaine Taylor were patiently waiting for us with a CLBI sign and we loaded up the sweet mission van and prepared for the Guatemalan roads/drivers. I heard a lot about the driving down here from people that have been here, but I never really took it that seriously. I mean how crazy can you get before there are massive accidents? But it was definitely crazy without accidents and kind of cool. I asked Elaine if you needed a license to drive down here, and yes you do, but anyone can just go and buy one. Cars and buses are whizzing around and cudos to Steve our driver who maneuvered in and out of traffic like a pro. It's really funny when you see Western culture trying to work its way in Guatemalan culture or vice versa, but there are Burger Kings and Mcdonalds, and then we noticed a huge sign that reads El Big Mac with a giant picture of it. It was good for a laugh. We stayed at the Mission Ventures house in San Lucas, a suburb just on the outskirts of Guatemala city. It was good to get into bed and fall asleep, as it was a pretty long day. I still think the best feeling in the world goes to getting under the covers no matter how damp they feel and what country you are in. The humidity gets up to 90% at night. The next day we packed up and got ready for the journey to Quetzaltenango (Ketz-al-ten-ang-oh) to the Centro de retiros de Christianos, or the Christian retreat centre, which is home for the next three weeks. We went to church in a fairly touristy town called Antigua. The worship was in Spanish but the preacher preached in english with a spanish translater. He had an intersting message about if we have desires ahead of Christ, it muffles Gods voice in our life. I was very challanging and he had some pretty intense thoughts which got me going a bit. But I wont get into now.. We had lunch at a nice restaurent in Antigua and then got an the road for the 4 hr trip. It was cool to drive through Guatemala during the day and see some of the country side. We took what they call the coastal road, but its a long way from the coast, its just about the same ground level, so it was pretty hot and humid in the van. Sometimes looking out the window it looks and feels like the summer at the coast in B.C. and then you see palms trees. We stopped for some ice cream and Josh said hola to a Guatemalan man in the mall, then the man proceeded to ask him a question, and then its wierd because you just kinda just say nothing back and sort of walk away awkwardly. But thats how its starts, embracing the culture. The coffee is great, and everyone is healthy for the most part and the bowels are doing pretty good amongst the team. No major problems. We just have to get used to putting the toilet paper in the garbage instead of the toilet. Virginia hasn't got mugged yet as our holder of the fundage, so thats good and Stace is feeling a lot better and healthier, it was quite the scare just a couple days before departure, she was bed-written, but now shes drugged up and ready to go. We had a meeting last night with the 4 churches that have come together to welcome us and set a vauge plan for the week as the focus was to unite some of the churches in the area to minister to the kids. There is so much more I could write, but I will leave you with that, and its a sunny monday morning, and we are off to lunch before the VBS start at 2 where we will be helping out with some crafts and games, and after supper a youth event with youth from the churches. Thanks for all the prayer and support, and until next time.. Adios familia y amigos!