Life Lately June 2022

 June was a fun-filled month!  Here is a look at some of our activities-

 

We began the month going biking through a local coffee farm.  The boys both invited a friend to join us.   This is currently one of our favorite family activities.

 

 

 

 

Azotea coffee farm

 

waiting on lunch

 

It was Ben's last activity with his friend Ethan before his family left for an extended trip to the States.  We are missing them greatly!!

 

 

The next evening we met the Jarvis family for supper in Antigua.  We tried a new restaurant called Tacorazon. They serve tacos and burritos. It was a fun outing with friends.

 

They also serve fried avocado which we all tried.  It was delicious!!

 

On Friday, June 3, we welcomed our two Summer Sojourner students.  It was an exciting day for our family!

 

The Waldraffs joined us at the airport and for a welcome lunch at TGI Friday's in Guatemala City. 

 

That evening we had pizza and this Guatemala flag cake for dessert.

 

We spent time those first few weeks of June showing them around Antigua and helping them learn how to navigate the city.

 

Antigua Central Park

 

We continued our weekly Saturday afternoon Bible studies in Parramos.

 

The girls enjoyed playing with the kids each week after the study time was over.

 

They all headed out for summer camp at Camp Guamiski.  The girls served as counselors and the boys were campers. The camp name comes from Guatemala missionary kids.  (Gua= Guatemala, mis= missionary, and ki= kids).  It has been around for many years.  I am glad our boys are old enough to start attending.

 

They had an awesome week and cannot wait to return next summer!

 

While everyone was at camp, David and I enjoyed a getaway to Guatemala City.  It was our first time to travel alone in Guatemala since the boys were born. What a treat it was!!   We are looking forward to next year's summer camp also.

 

lunch at McDonald's in Antigua.

 

Making S'mores on a rainy evening.

 

The girls checked in to a host home and began some Spanish language study.

 

 

We enjoyed a visit from the Stones and the Bradleys.  They are our IMB colleagues.

 

 

The girls started a weekly preteen Bible study in our home for MK's.  It was a highlight of their time here.   They led worship, Bible study, and games.  They did a fantastic job!!

 

David hosted Dr. Steve Chastain for a few days and took him to Chiquimula.  They made home visits and Dr. Steve did check-ups at each stop.  We are thankful for his heart of compassion and willingness to come love on our people.

 

 

The boys and I attended a free jazz concert put on by the Antigua town hall.  The city has been offering several of these free concerts lately in different locations around town.  They have all been wonderful.

 

 

 

 

We celebrated Father's Day with a pancake breakfast and a wonderful morning of worship.

 

We had lunch at Ta'Cool (a family favorite).

 

 

We enjoyed fresh air and exercise at a local park playing basketball.

 

 

The boys enjoyed an outing with friends to play basketball and putt putt golf.

 

 

This is a photo of the girls on their first tuk tuk ride.  I love their expressions.  They had to catch one each morning and get themselves to a school outside of town where they volunteered.  

 

 

Ready to serve the students and teachers.

 

We celebrated Emily's birthday.

 

 

At the end of the month we made a trip to Chiquimula to show the girls around.  While there we made several home visits in the mountains and attended a worship service.  I was glad for them to see a different side of Guatemala than just Antigua.  

 

Visiting the church in Nearar.

 

Hiking the trails to make home visits.

 

We had a wonderful visit with the Lubecks while there.

 

We love these girls!

 

Our family in Chiquimula.

 

It was great to see Miguel and Pastor Fito also.

 

 

We all returned home from that trip and one by one passed around a stomach virus.  It was a miserable way to end the month!   We were all so sick!!

 

For the first three weeks the girls were here it rained almost daily.  It was not normal rainy season rains but hard downpours that caused flooding and landslides all over the country.  Many bridges and roads were washed out and destroyed.  We were very glad to see sunny days again by the end of the month.