Sunday

After trips to Rome, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon this year, I now find myself in Antigua, Guatemala. This has been a crazy year.

We departed on this missionary trip from Bismarck, ND. After flights to Minneapolis and Houston, followed by a twisty bus ride through the mountains from the Guatemala City Airport (pictured at left) to Antigua, we are now settling into the homes of our host families.

The plane and bus rides were uneventful, but very long. The group of kids I've come down with is excited. I think we are all going to have a wonderful time and a meaningful pilgrimage.

As we were flying over Mexico toward Central America, I read about Guatemala's troubled past. Coups, civil wars, and oppression of the indigenous people have been the norm for centuries. "The Dream Maker" by Monica Hannan chronicles Patrick Atkinson's struggle to help the Guatemalan children during this turmoil. That book, along with my "Lonely Planet Guatemala" travel guide both describe horrible massacres and oppression.

As we boarded the bus for Antigua in Guatemala City, some adorable children asked us for candy. And while on the plane, there were some people that appeared to be of Mayan descent. Seeing them put a face to these recently oppressed people I've been reading about. It drove home how real the difficulties can be in the world. Often, I feel isolated and very safe living at home in the center of the wealthy U.S.A.

As we sped through Guatemala City, we were surprised (as I often am when I travel to a foreign city) at so many familiar landmarks. Even in this fourth world country McDonalds, Burger King, Texaco, Shell, and many other familiar establishments line the streets. From the huge "playland" in the glass-walled McDonalds to the gleaming, clean convenience stores things looked like home.

Soon I noticed the barbed wire topping the walls, the crumbling concrete, and some rather poor looking structures. Beyond the shiny commercial establishments, the city looks rough.

I looked down at my travel guide. This city is massive - home to between 11 and 12 million people. That's 18% of the entire country's population. Gang conflicts and crime are a serious problem in this city, and it is not generally recommended as a place for tourists to visit. Antigua, where we are staying, is a smaller and much safer city.

I do not know what to expect of this trip. I will dust off my decade-old Spanish lessons and God-willing do some good works. Or at least I will learn something myself.