Good Friday Carpets in Antigua, Guatemala

A highlight of the Lent season here in Guatemala is the beautiful alfombras (carpets) that are made.  I look forward to walking the streets of our town each season and admiring them.  They are always so beautiful and detailed. The carpets are made with dyed sawdust, flowers, pine needles, and even fruits and vegetables.  This year there were several that included baked bread and even eggs. 

On Good Friday, your best chance to see the carpets fully intact is early in the morning, right before the processions begin. By midday, the andas (floats) begin to pass, and with them, the carpets are slowly trampled—intentionally, as part of the ritual. 

David and I got up at 5:15 a.m. this year and walked into town to see them.  Here are some of the photos I took.

 

an early morning view of Agua volcano on our walk into town

  

 

 

 

 

As we were roaming around, I saw this lady walking our way from a distance. I immediately got excited because I could tell she was Kekchi from her dress. They were the first people group we worked with. As she got closer I greeted her in Kekchi and it started the sweetest conversation. I used all the Kekchi words I could remember and it made her so happy. She insisted we take a picture before we left. It was the highlight of my whole morning! The Kekchi people will always be my favorite of all!!!

 

This one was made with only vegetables.  After the procession passes, the people rush in to grab what is left.

 

 

We stopped for breakfast at Cafe Condesa on the Central Park.  I love sitting out in the garden area to eat. 

We walked around town a little more before walking back home.  It was a beautiful cool, crisp morning and a perfect time to be out walking.

 

That evening I returned to town with some friends.  We were out another five hours walking around, eating, looking at carpets, and watching a few processionals.  I had around 25,000 steps in all that day.  It was a lot of fun!

Life Lately March 2024

Here is a look at our family life over the past month. 

 

The boys began the month at a youth group outing to Irtra, which is a theme park in Guatemala City. They had an extremely fun day.

 

Cruz with his friend Canon at Irtra.

 

We had several game nights in March.  This particular time we were playing Aggravation.

 

Our local mall hosted a weekend of inflatables.  Ben enjoyed getting to play on a recent Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

Cruz playing video games and talking to his friend at the same time.

 

Ben helped me in the kitchen a lot last month.  Here he is making chocolate chip cookies.

 

Ben making a chicken pot pie.

 

baking chocolate chip banana bread

 

 

Cruz washing dishes as part of his weekly chores.

 

We made a trip into Guatemala City to renew Cruz's passport.  He looks so grown up in this new photo!

 

You have to provide progression photos from the last time he got a new passport.  I always use birthday pictures.  It's fun to look back at how he has changed over the years.   This was the last passport we will renew in Guatemala.  When this one expires in five years, he'll be a freshman in college. 

 

I love this ceiling view from a local restaurant in Antigua.   It is very cheery and colorful!

 

I attended a brunch outing to celebrate my sweet friend Melanie's birthday. We had a fun time of fellowship around the table.

 

 

Homeschool is going great.  We took a week off for Spring Break/ Semana Santa.  After this current week, we only have six more weeks left before summer break!! We are all ready!  

 

As part of our Bible class we listen to an audio book missionary biography.  In March we learned about Francis Asbury and Samuel Zwemer.  During one of our classes the boys got out our old playdoh set and passed the time listening and building.  It was fun to watch them!

 

Ben and his friend Josue on a supper outing to Wendy's. 

 

the boys at Wendy's in Antigua

 

Cruz and I on an afternoon coffee date in Antigua.

 

David had a work trip to Mexico.  He spent part of the trip showing our boss around some of the Indigenous work areas there.  They had a wonderful time visiting with several of our IMB missionary families.

 

 

I was sad to miss out on these fun fellowship meal times!

 

He ended his trip helping lead a training for our Spanish language school students.

 

We were excited to pick him up at the airport when he returned home to Guatemala!  Here we are stopping for a meal on our drive back to Antigua.

 

I spent an evening out with friends looking at the sawdust carpets that were made in our neighborhood. Surprisingly, it was the only time I walked around and took pictures of carpets the whole season.

 

On Good Friday we took the boys to a go-cart park in Guatemala City.

 

On Easter Eve David attended the 33rd anniversary service for the Baptist church in San Andres Itzapa.

 

Lastly, we ended the month celebrating Easter.