Corpus Christi
Friends and family,
We have settled into a rhythm here in Antigua. Each day, we get up, eat breakfast with our families, walk to school, return to our homes for lunch, go back to school in the afternoon, spend time together as a team after classes, eat dinner with our families, then do homework and play games until we stumble, exhausted, into bed.
Knowing this rhythm, let me give you the highlight reel:
Yesterday was a very special day in Guatemala - the feast of Corpus Christi! Corpus Christi is a Catholic tradition celebrating the joy of the Eucharist (what Protestants call communion). And our students got to witness it on a field trip with their teachers.
Allie and her teacher on a field trip.
It all started in the Central Plaza outside the large Catholic church. After reading a liturgy, priests carrying the wine and bread processed out of the church and through the streets of the city.
The church all decked out for the celebration.
Keely "awwww"ing at an angelito!
Yummy
Yummy.
Buen provecho!
Another highlight is that, for our team time yesterday, we went to McDonalds. Now, this isn't any ordinary McDonalds. This is by far the most architecturally impressive, tastefully decorated, and high-class McDonalds you will ever see. So nice, in fact, that we call it "McShanahan's" - because it looks far more like Shanahan's Steakhouse in Denver than any McDonalds in the US.
Gabbi & Lauren enjoying their "cajitas felices" (happy little boxes).
Let me paint a picture for you. You enter this McDonalds under a magnificent stone arch. To the left, the main part of the restaurant has vaulted ceilings, all in gorgeous red brick, with huge pieces of art hung on the wall. To the right, you'll find a separate McCafe with cozy seating, low lighting, expert baristas and fancy hand-made desserts - an elegant coffee shop serving espresso drinks and frappuccinos, all from locally-sourced and perfectly-roasted coffee beans. Straight ahead, the restaurant opens up to an immense courtyard with outdoor seating. The focal point is a beautiful fountain spouting water. All around are perfectly manicured gardens where hummingbirds and butterflies frolic. Amidst all this beauty and elegance, the fact that a tacky statue of Ronald McDonald sits on a bench overlooking the fountain is a hilarious irony.
All this to say - it's a pretty adequate place to hang out ;) We spent the late afternoon enjoying burgers, fries, and each other's company as we debriefed, shared testimonies, and prayed for each other and for the trip.
So we're doing pretty well over here. Thanks for thinking about us! Your kids are growing spiritually, academically, and personally, and having the time of their lives, but they certainly feel your absence and realize with gratitude how much their people in the US mean to them.
We have settled into a rhythm here in Antigua. Each day, we get up, eat breakfast with our families, walk to school, return to our homes for lunch, go back to school in the afternoon, spend time together as a team after classes, eat dinner with our families, then do homework and play games until we stumble, exhausted, into bed.
Knowing this rhythm, let me give you the highlight reel:
Yesterday was a very special day in Guatemala - the feast of Corpus Christi! Corpus Christi is a Catholic tradition celebrating the joy of the Eucharist (what Protestants call communion). And our students got to witness it on a field trip with their teachers.
Allie and her teacher on a field trip.
It all started in the Central Plaza outside the large Catholic church. After reading a liturgy, priests carrying the wine and bread processed out of the church and through the streets of the city.
The church all decked out for the celebration.
Keely "awwww"ing at an angelito!
Yummy
Yummy.Buen provecho!
Another highlight is that, for our team time yesterday, we went to McDonalds. Now, this isn't any ordinary McDonalds. This is by far the most architecturally impressive, tastefully decorated, and high-class McDonalds you will ever see. So nice, in fact, that we call it "McShanahan's" - because it looks far more like Shanahan's Steakhouse in Denver than any McDonalds in the US.
Gabbi & Lauren enjoying their "cajitas felices" (happy little boxes).
Let me paint a picture for you. You enter this McDonalds under a magnificent stone arch. To the left, the main part of the restaurant has vaulted ceilings, all in gorgeous red brick, with huge pieces of art hung on the wall. To the right, you'll find a separate McCafe with cozy seating, low lighting, expert baristas and fancy hand-made desserts - an elegant coffee shop serving espresso drinks and frappuccinos, all from locally-sourced and perfectly-roasted coffee beans. Straight ahead, the restaurant opens up to an immense courtyard with outdoor seating. The focal point is a beautiful fountain spouting water. All around are perfectly manicured gardens where hummingbirds and butterflies frolic. Amidst all this beauty and elegance, the fact that a tacky statue of Ronald McDonald sits on a bench overlooking the fountain is a hilarious irony.
All this to say - it's a pretty adequate place to hang out ;) We spent the late afternoon enjoying burgers, fries, and each other's company as we debriefed, shared testimonies, and prayed for each other and for the trip.
So we're doing pretty well over here. Thanks for thinking about us! Your kids are growing spiritually, academically, and personally, and having the time of their lives, but they certainly feel your absence and realize with gratitude how much their people in the US mean to them.
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