Guats Up

We havn't had WIFI for a while so this post will be jam packed. For the past few days we have been staying at a youth hostel. It is solar powered and the only way to get there is by boat. The most fun thing we did was swing off a rope into the water and another hostel called Finca Titan. We also spent a lot of time playing cards. All the guests liked to play cards in the evening. While playing we came up with many new terms such as "Guats up, Guetever, Guatios" and some others. Several of our friends had traveled from Belize so they liked to say "you better belize it". We also spent a lot of time kayaking.  The first kayaking trip was very long. It was four hours of kayaking. It was hard but very fun. We were supposed to find a waterfall at the end of the river... but we didn't. Although we didn't find it we had fun swimming in a smaller one.

The second kayaking activity was fun but.. scary. We tried getting four people in one kayak across the river, but it did not work. The Rio Dulce (candy river) is about as wide as lake Macatawa and we flipped the Kayak in the middle. First we had started filling with water and then I jumped out, then Adam, and then my mom. My dad went down with the ship. Only  a foot of it was out of the water and we are treading in the middle of a lake. Adam was freaking out and all out stuff got wet. After like two minutes a boat came by and helped us. They dropped us off and we paddled back to a cave from where they dropped us off. When we got to the cave the opening was huge! We had to walk through a bit of water and mud. When we got to the end there was a place that you can jump through the dark into the water but we couldn't jump in without a ladder to get out. Apparently you need to phone ahead to get the guide with the ladder. I'm not even sure i would have done it with a guide. On the way back we took a boat... with a motor.            EK

After finding the scorpion in our room within the first few minutes of arrival...it took us a bit to get over the hibbiejibbies. Our flash lights were stuck to our hands like glue for a bit. However it only took a day to adapt, then the kids were swimming, catching crabs, and other crawling things. We even enjoyed family Yoga on the dock with Sarah who was running the hostel for a few months. I have never done yoga and am inspired. No, not by my husband's lack of flexibility, but by the relaxation I felt after. I think it helped us embrace the beauty of our surroundings. The backpackers staying there were also great about playing with the kids and engaging them in conversation.

We are now in Tela Honduras where we will meet the mission group on Saturday. We are going to avoid traveling and enjoy the beach for a few days before we begin working. Pray that we are a blessing to the people we meet.                                    JK

Just inside the cave of the Tiger

Bats

In the past few days we had many hard times but they were fun.  I am only going to tell you about one. Yesterday we went to the Lanquin caves. We first went during the day. These caves run for over ten kilometers back into the mountain. We only walked in them for maybe half of a kilometer. It was really scary because of how dark it was. We ended up turning off our lights and it was so dark! You couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.
After that we came back to our hostel. In the back of the hostel there is a fast flowing river. We were a bit unsure but we went swimming. There is a rope stretching across the river that you grab onto when you pass it. There are two ropes, the second one is for if you miss the first. But if you miss both you go off a water-fall and die. After swimming for a bit (well not swimming more like clinging to a rope and trying to keep the current from ripping your pants off) we decided to climb upstream and drift down to the rope. I was a bit scared at first so I caught the rope with my face. Apparently I tore my upper frenulum. I could need stitches but I don't think I will get them.
Once it got a bit darker we went back to the caves to see all the bats fly out. They were everywhere! We held a big spider. It was just a baby but and adult of that kind of spider can have a body as big as my fist and legs probably as long as mine!
Although we have faced some hardships, it is good here, but because of my Frenulum thing it hurts to smile... oh well, adios from Lanquin.                               EK

At the pools we swam,found caves,slides,rocks to jump off. We hiked a mountain. If you put your feet in the water the fish wold nibble your toes.                      AK

AC/DC

We took our 10 hour journey today to Semuc Champey. Not a highway, terrible winding roads. We all got sick except the golden child. After some relief from Boyd’s pharmacy we continued on our way. I thought listening to Evan’s iPod music would distract me...but after hearing his music choice from AC/DC about another familiar highway...I couldn’t decide if I was more distressed by his music or my potential journey to what felt like the end of that highway. I quickly switched to some Jimmy Buffet music to visualize myself in the islands. 

We appear to be staying at a popular hippie hostel, but it is too dark to see anything else yet. At this point we think it is called “the middle of no where”.                                      JK

Tikal

We have made our way from one jungle to another. Not one starbuck's on the way. Not sure what to do  between we want an iced lemon pound cake and I need a grande skim mocha with light whip. Grande we can get but is is usually followed by chicken and rice. Oh well, learning to live with what you have.

Grande does refer to the ruins at Tikal as well. They are amazing. At its largest the city was approx. one million people. It ruled most of Guatemala,  the yucatan peninsula, and south to Costa Rica. The boys have enjoyed climbing the pyramids and temples. When our guide mentioned that the Millenium Falcon flew past one of the temples in "Star Wars", interest peaked a little more. The area is deep in the jungle. Still quite worried about our eight legged friend. I do not believe he has followed us here. There are new and interesting animals and many brightly colored birds around. Power is only by generator wich turns off at 10pm. I guess if we can't see the spiders they aren't there.

Amazing that the height of the Mayan empire coincides with that of the Roman empire. The Mayans were at their peak at the time of Christ with no knowledge of His existence. They developed the only written language in the western hemisphere. Their fate, unfortunately, was similar to the Romans. Their territories became too vast, the amount of people they were required to support became too much and the civilizations eventually collapsed.                                     BK

things that go bump in the night

Instead of staying in the town of Flores, we chose to stay at the Natural Park Ixpanpajaul. It is a park where people from Flores would visit for a day to hike, canopy tour, or ride horses. The best part about the park was that they let the horses run free throughout the park. They would graze next to our room or lay near the paths we would walk. Beautiful. We also enjoyed riding them through the park. There were also 4 resident donkeys that the boyz enjoyed playing with. Dan, Steve, Randy  and the noisy one Joe. I am not sure where they come up with the names, but it helps keep them entertained.

The Howler monkeys were also a highlight of the park. The first time the boyz heard them they freaked out. The monkeys are amazingly loud for their size and produce a lion-like sound. Adam did not want to walk in the dark after that.

It wasn’t the monkeys that made me fear the dark….                           JK

Sounds of the Jungle

Two days ago we stayed in a hotel in Guatemala City. It was really cool because while we were walking  to dinner we saw this party bus which was really a huge traveling bus with a disco ball and no seats. We looked through the windows when it passed and there were a bunch of people in it dancing. Yesterday we had to get up at four-thirty so we could make our flight to where we are staying now. We are at a national park in Flores. When we got here yesterday we first took a hike called the sky walk. On the way we heard a bunch of holler monkeys. It was really scary. When we got back to our "house" we went on a horse back ride. After that Adam and I followed some ant trails into the jungle.                                                                 EK

Birds of the sky

Tomorrow we leave the comfort of our condo for travels to the north of Guatemala. Although Boyd and I have been to this region before, traveling can sometimes lead to frustration and the unexpected. Fortunately, our devotional this morning was about "worry" and has reminded us that God even watches over every bird of the sky. We particularly hope he is watching over Taca Airline.

This afternoon when we went to the park for the boys to play soccer and baseball, we saw at least 12 young men playing wheelchair basketball. It was an amazing sight. Most of them had spinal cord injuries but were equipped with "sports" type wheelchairs. The concentration of men with this injury seemed disproportionate to the size of the city, especially because we were only seeing the ones who play w/c basketball on this particular day. We speculated that motorcycle or falling injuries as well as the lack of quality medical care has contributed to thier plight. What a blessing that they were having so much fun.

"Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7