frozen in time

Greetings from Panajachel...Looks like the lost world from the 60's. Many gringos came and never left. We had a wonderful visit with Armando and Anna and the family. For those who remember being with the family, alot has changed for them. They have reworked their house and rebuilt it to accomodate the family needs. The elders are fine and were very excited to see us. The toys and clothes went over big. Armando is much more open about the stress of daily life here in Guatemala and his personal burdens. They remain an oasis of comfort in a strange world and remind me that the needs of his family are no different than ours.
As we made our way here today from Antigua, 3 hour ride, we noticed a visible increase in army activity and alot of movement in the mountain side. More large fires burning than usual. We aren't sure why but will ask. Politics is a dicey topic here as well. Armando expressed his concern about the situation in our country and I found myself personally apologizing for the reelection of Bush!!!
We are finding out more and more from these people on a deeply personal level and that is expanding our potential areas of service. We are making connections with the compesinos so we may have new directions for service this summer. It changes moment to moment. You just gotta role with it. More later....