Closing the Latch on the Guatemalan Door

Part 4

Inspiration fails me.

I wish I had something cool and poetic to say about the last and final 'Good-bye' to Guatemala.

But, alas, we'll let the photo diary tell the story.

 Yeah, I had to take a picture of our "Growth Chart" on the wall in what was the School Room for most of our time in Sayaxché.

 Won't bore you with the close-ups of all the kids.
Just noting here that Asher has passed Mom, but is finally slowing down a bit.

 The little girl who will get hours and hours of play time with Ariana's kitchen set.

Arlen, Ariana, and me with the new owner, Doña Eva, her daughters and granddaughter.

Miss Barbara will continue living in the apartment above our garage as well.

 Last Sunday lunch at "La Jungla".

Shhhh... don't scare the toucan away!

 The last day of March 2013 - in Sayaxché, Petén.

Yes, some water fun would be rather refreshing!

In the process of cleaning out the closets,
we found some leftover fire-fun that we had to burn the last night we were at home.

The sunrise view from my pillow - April 1, 2013 - moving day, no fooling.

Arlen spent 4 1/2 hours at the lawyer's office signing the paperwork for the sale of the house.

Then, he spent 2 1/2 hours in the bank,
transferring funds back to our bank account in the U.S.

 Bags were packed.  In the end, we had 10 check-ins (all between 46 and 49.8 lbs.),
5 carry-on suitcases loaded with books, and four backpacks/computer bags.

You'd think we were moving or something.
That's right, we were!

 

A few things didn't make it this trip.

Like the antique globe.

I bought it new when I was in high school so Asher insists it's ancient.

Still has the U.S.S.R and everything.

It's rather amazing how different a current globe looks, really.

Cordell said it had to come with us -- sooner or later.

 Bye-Bye, Suzuki Grand Vitara, we already miss you!

 Please serve your new owners well.

Good-bye, front door.

That I designed personally on-line.

And when it was delivered,

we noted that it was amazingly similar to my MIL's front entry door!

I guess that's what I thought the front door of 'home' should look like!

Loading the luggage - and the kids - onto the truck.

The Kawasaki went with us to San Lucas, from whence it came.

At 4 PM, we embarked on our 8-hour drive to Guatemala City.

And, yes, the kids rode in the back the whole way.

 The front view of our house from the road...

 ... as we drove away, not knowing when we might return... 

... and knowing that when we do, this house is not our home anymore.

Driving thru El Rosario Reserve - south toward Coban.

Thru miles and miles of palm plantations.

McD's in Guatemala offers fresh fruit with their combo meals.

Why, thank-you, yes, I'll have mango instead of fries today!

Every day, in fact.

  Pretty flowers...

...at the Missionary Ventures mission house...

...in San Lucas, Sacatepequez...

...where we lived for three years...

 ...before we moved out of the mountains, and north to the jungle lowlands of Petén.

 

This was a squatty little pony palm when it was given to me 

by Michele Emery back in, oh, 1998?

It was in a clay pot,

and I kept it in my home for 5 years or so

before transplanting it to this spot at the mission house.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love palm trees?

I think I was born to live in the tropics.

I'm happy that Florida has palm trees.

Blanca and Aura

Faithful servants of God, and Missionary Ventures, at the mission house.

When we first met them, Aura was only 14 or 15 and would go along on team trips
to chase after our kids.
She and her younger brother would come stay at our house to babysit too,
and wash the cars and such.

Blanca, Aura's mother, cleaned my home for 6 years;
while we lived in San Jacinto, and then San Lucas,
when she started working in the mission house as well.

They have been with Missionary Ventures ever since.

 One last 'travel' lunch at Sarita's.

One last plate of Seafood Spaghetti, and coke in a big smoothie glass.

 The day we fly is always a 'waiting' day.

 Guatemalan volcanoes thru the airplane window.

Last view of Guatemala... on the wings of American Airlines.

 Welcome to Dallas!  

And the cool 'sky train' that transports you from one concourse to the next in the airport.

 All bundled up in Baltimore.

Somehow, we had not anticipated the cold that greeted us when we de-planed.
There I was, with all those bags.
Wait, one of them didn't make it.
So Arlen was still inside filing the 'lost baggage' claim.
Did we want it delivered tonight?
Like, at midnight?
Nah, wait til tomorrow, thank-you.
And, me?
I was sitting on the curb outside the airport,
the ultimate of all bag ladies,
with my four children,
shivering in the cold.
Homeless. (not really... but sorta)

A kind soul came by and gave us a ride in a warm van...

... and took us out for a nice meal at Cracker Barrel,

where we warmed ourselves by a glowing fire.

Then delivered us to our waiting extended family in Lancaster, PA.

Thus, the sun set on our departure from our life in Guatemala.

We are ready.

Yes, it's hard to leave one's friends and ministry partners.
A country to which we'd dedicated 16 years of our lives.

Yes, it's hard to leave the place we've called home for the last 8 years,

the home we dreamed up,

and by the sweat of our brows, we built to our own liking.

But, the sun has set on that life for us, for now.

And we're good with that.

We cling to two very well-known scriptures:

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.

"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

"Be strong and very courageous,

do not be afraid, do not be discouraged,

for the Lord your God is with you

wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9