"No hay directo"

In response to the poverty, injustice, oppression, and brokenness – as well as grace – that I’ve been a part of over the last week (which I will soon tell you about at greater length), and in faith and prayer that it might be multiplied, I gave away almost all the money I had left in the last town, leaving just enough (so I thought) to make it back to San Pedro and possible expenses over the last few days here and to make it back to Guatemala City to catch my flight home. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to factor in that I hadn’t yet paid for my $5/night room for the 4 nights I stayed in Comitancillo... and also the $15 of photos that I had gotten developed as a parting gift for a couple families in that town.

OOOPS. I mean well, but my memory sometimes fails me. :P But all the better for my faith. What is faith without risk? :)

I decided to take the earliest 5:30am bus out of the town, the only one in the day that skips one stop, direct to the next town I needed to get to, to catch 2 more buses. I figured I could probably save 5 Quetzales (~65 cents) that way. 

My intended 3-bus route didn’t quite pan out as planned. I also had been giving away the few bills I had left on the bus, as people with obvious physical deformities would come on at each stop (along with people selling snacks) asking for change. Unfortunately – though maybe quite fortunately for my faith – my quest to find the last bus which I thought would get met to San Pedro was met with “no hay directo” [there's no direct (bus to where I need to go)]. As was the next bus I got on after that one. As well as the next pick-up-truck I hopped into the back of. Each one would cost me another 5 to 15  quetzales. Yeeks. One last tuk-tuk ride finally got me home... with all of 14 quetzales (about $1.80) to my name.  

Thank you Jesus! 

It’s easy to be generous with much. A test of faith with little. Little or much, I have prayed that faith & generosity might be multiplied. And I trust that it will. 

Despite a couple calls to Royal Bank and multiple tries in various towns, my credit card is STILL failing to work in either bank machines or at the bank... but very much thankfully, I am home with my “family” here in San Pedro – a roof over my head and more than sufficient for every meal. Just no extra treats or internet cafes (luckily also, I’ve found that can sort of steal.. or um... make use of... a neighbouring hostel’s wifi from Flory’s rooftop).

Anyhow, I’m home! :) (in San Pedro) to spend a last couple days here in my paradise. And will soon write up a couple posts soon about the rest of the projects, and maybe about the last couple days I spent in the last town of Comitancillo.  I had actually written up a post titled “Tortillas, Eggs, and Birthday Cake” – the time I spent with a few struggling families there [thereby having nothing much more than tortillas and eggs for a few days], then an invitation to a lavish birthday party for one of their Spanish landlord’s granddaughter. A personal experience and take of the have’s and the have not’s. But I decided I don’t want to post it. Better, I think, to be moved by the beauty that is and that could be. 

So that is on its way. 

Til then. The destination’s only half the fun and faith as the journey. :)

Much love,

Arco Iris

Chicken bus rides (self portrait in the rear view mirror) :)

I rely on the goodwill of locals here to get me where I need to go – when buses leave, which one to take, when to get off, how to find the next one I need. Thankfully I’ve found a great deal of goodness in humanity in that respect. :)

"Chicken buses" - so named for getting so full it's like chickens in a cage - 6 to a row, and up to 10 or so if there are kids on parent's laps.

Snack service on the bus at every stop. (Having gotten food poisoning once before in Guatemala though, I don't take my chances en route)

I just really liked his shirt. :)

Waiting on a corner for the next bus that would come. A nice señor kept watch for me and flagged down running the bus I needed and got me on board.

 "Los Encuentros" - the last little bus change stop where I *thought* I would be catching the last bus I needed to get to San Pedro

Another bus later, the pick-up truck part of my journey home

Absolutely no complaints -- there may well be no better way to come round the road to Lake Atitlan :)

Volcan San Pedro in view

The tuk-tuk that finally got me home :) A story about these ladies I shared the tuk tuk with later.