It’s not what you think

Everyday produces bright blue sky, blazing sunshine and cool in the evening. One could almost believe Guatemala to be the best place on Earth. I took an Uber (my first ever) a few kilometres out of town up a steep hill to a restaurant called Cerro de San Cristobal. They have lush vegetable gardens and incredible views across the valley.

Met a missionary from Michigan. He came down for a week on a missionary tour complete with pens, paper and other supplies for a school for poor families. Of course they’re also teaching them Bible stories and how to be saved. He was very enthusiastic and sincere. They’re also going to the massive garbage dump where many families live for generations. It’s  a pity people don’t do these things without the religious fantasy, but they don’t do they? I feel that Guatemala people already have a beautiful dream with all their cathedrals and saints and festivals. To me the blessed virgin and Hermano Pedro look like they’re doing very well in providing a supportive story and missionaries would do better to buy into the existing local dream instead of undermining it with a new one which creates divisions.

It’s my feeling that Guatemala needs all the help it can get. Antigua, the living museum with all its mute reminders of ancient glory thrown down in a single day by the convulsions of the planet, cannot maintain the luxury of ignoring the transitory realities of living. We all live on the edge of a precipice, but in beautiful Antigua you can see it every day.  Volcan de Fuego puffs smoke regularly and its impossible to forget how the land rests on a sea of molten lava.