Another week has passed! Next Wednesday will mark the half way point of our trip. Its so hard to believe that we are half done. I am sooooo glad we have another whole month. Our spanish progressing very well but we still have a long way to go.

This week we got to go to the homeless shelter ("albergue") for the first time. It was a very small building separated down the middle. It was smaller than most american homes. It was complete with shower facilities, and a place to do laundry. One side was designated for men with addictions and the other side was for families, men, women and children. It was a really incredible experience and probably our favorite project so far. It was interesting that homeless people in Guatemala are EXACTLY the same as homeless people in the states. They all have a story, they all have hurts. Many of them are accustom to living this lifestyle and are not interested in change, while others are working hard to get back on their feet.  We got to serve beans and Atol. Atol is a very common drink here in Guatemala that most everyone drinks. It a warm, milk like drink, sort of like a protein shake but thinner. It is served warmed and considered very healthy. Kids drink it in school every day. They people were very thankful to have a place to sleep. Although the rain has stopped, the temperatures have been very cool in the evenings. It has gotten as low as 50 degrees at night. We are looking forward to volunteering there more in the coming weeks. It was a really cool experience to be face to face with the hurting people of Guatemala. 

Because we are the cheapest people on the earth, even in Guatemala, we learned how to wash our clothes by hand and hang them out on the line, just like our family. Here is a picture of my skivvies hanging up in the back yard.

Its possible to take our laundry to the local laundromat, but you can only have they washed, there is no self service. To wash our clothes for the week costs $10. So, after observing our family wash their clothes and hang them, we thought this was the best way for us too. Our host mom gave us a little lesson in hand washing the clothes and she had a real good laugh watching us. They have a good set up here for hand washing clothes. Its basically two basins, one shallow and the other deep. The shallow side has ridges for scrubbing and the deep side holds water. You wash in the shallow side and then use a bowl to scope clean water onto the clothes to rinse them. There is a little drain on the shallow side. Works really well. So, now we are experts at handwashing clothes. I also learned how to make chucho's this week. Its a typical GT dish. Basically you use mesa, make a tortillia and fill it with a bit of pork chop and salsa. You then wrap it in a corn husk and cook it in a fire. This was another great opportunity for the family to laugh! My chucho skills can use some refining, but its a good start.
This weekend we are going to Guatemala City to spend the weekend with our missionary friends David and Debbie Amsler. We are really excited to help out in their ministry. We will give you an update when we get back.