Antigua artist

Though we're now home, I still think about Guatemala all the time...

Volcano disappointment aside, last Tuesday ended up being a relaxing day. Antigua is one of my favorite cities. In the morning we wandered the ruins of the San Jose Cathedral, which has seen its days of falling apart. Walking through the currently existing church, we found ourselves in the back, where the ruins remain, and workers pound, roll wheelbarrows, and clean up, for the tourists, as one worker told me. The cathedral ruins were incredible, massive, opening to the sky, blocks and pieces of old church in corners, behind doors, etc. If these walls, corners, broken arches and steps could talk…. I’d love to hear what they have to say. How many people went there searching for answers, for a sign from God, for an encouragement, to offer a prayer...

After exploring and photographing the ruins, and a less-than-satisfactory lunch, we sat in the Parque Central, to sit and watch. Jim talked with a traveler from New Zealand. A little girl in a school uniform—maybe 8 or 9—came and started talking to Jo Ann. I joined the conversation, and we found out her name is Juana. She had been to school, and seemed to be done for the day, but it sounded as though she had nobody waiting for her at home, and she enjoyed hanging out in the park. We talked with her, I took a picture of her and Jo Ann, and then showed it to her.

Then Juana’s interest in photography began…
‘Take a picture of the trees…. Now the fountain… now the two of us…. Now that tourist… now that girl eating ice-cream.” The beauty of digital cameras is the review button—I showed Juana the pictures I had taken, including the ones she asked me to take, and it inspired her to look for more possible photographs. I have heard of an organization—I think in India?—that puts cameras in the hands of children who otherwise have little opportunity, and I immediately wished there was a program like that in Guatemala for Juana. I’m not sure what she has in life… but her interest in photography was touching. The photo of the “hands” in the post below is Juana’s idea. A little Antigua artist, Juana was.

Meanwhile, two other kids joined us at the bench—Walter and Jenny… Jenny initially asked us to buy jewelry, and we said no, so used to saying no to vendors. But before we left the three kids, I did buy a bracelet, a little remembrance of that day, of that touching hour or so laughing and talking with Guatemalan kids on a park bench in Antigua. My only regret about that time is that I didn’t go over and show Walter and Jenny’s moms the photos, as they watched the entire thing unfold. I waved to them often, they smiled at us, and Jo Ann thanked them, but I wish I had shown them the photos of their beautiful kids.

We left the kids, grateful for the turn in the day’s events, and returned to Lazos Fuertes, our hotel, to get ready for our shuttle taking us to Guatemala City (called “Guate” by the Guatemalans.) That shuttle showed up! After settling into Dos Lunas, our hotel in Guate, we were picked up by Jo Ann’s friends, Libby and Dan, Covenanters living in Guatemala. We went to a nice restaurant where we each had typical Guatemalan food, mmmm…good stuff. Good way to end a good day.