I was talking with fellow traveler Rachael this evening about our recent trip to Guatemala, sharing ideas about return trips and future involvement.  We both want to go back as soon as possible, and we’re thinking about how to be focused in our efforts to reach these kids.  We also want to go where the [...]

I cannot explain to you how this happened, what it means, or how close I was to falling out of my cubbyhole due to snorts of laughter.  This is the memory-building stuff that happens quite by accident, and it’s the stuff you don’t forget.

Today is our last day in Guatemala City, and we were able to spend some time visiting some of the Buckner-run orphanages, which means that there is more staff for the kids, the homes are cleaner, and there is a focus on their futures. This is Crystal, and I fell in love with her 2 [...]

Today we headed for Antigua for the day to see the sights, visit the market, and spend some time the girls at Manchen, the government run orphanage for girls in Antigua.   We enjoyed touring around the city of Antigua, visiting an old Catholic church, walking around the fountain, peeking in at an old hotel.  We [...]

Today was the day I was looking forward to the most: the trip back to San Gabriel to see my boys.  Some of the boys from San Gabriel had also been moved to another orphanage called Eliza Martinez, and we were able to visit this orphanage which opened in May.  I was so excited [...]

 
Praise the Lord for earplugs and a good night’s sleep!  Today was a wonderful day for sleeping in…and then I noticed there was a parade outside my window.  Really.  There is the week long festival celebrating the history and independence of Nebaj, and part of the celebration included a parade this morning that we [...]

I’m traveling this week with 5 of my friends from eXchange: Nate, Rachael, Scot, Stephanie, & Mariah.  We’ve had amazing and deep conversations about so many things that are important to each of us, and we’ve also been ridiculous together.  I’m thankful for the community that we share and are building into this week.  This [...]

It’s Sunday, and I can’t think of anything better than waking up in Guatemala City with my friends and fresh coffee.  When I went to the lobby of the hotel, I was thrilled to see Berta, our leader from the last trip.  It does feel like coming home to old friends, and I wonder at [...]

Hey everybody, Shawn here.
Got a call from Jody earlier today indicating that their Internet is flaky at best so we might not see any updates from them until Wednesday. They are blogging the entire time, however, and will simply mass post everything they’ve written so far when/if Internet is restored later this week. Here’s what [...]

I’m leaving on Saturday for my 4th trip to Guatemala.  It’s a quick trip to visit all the Buckner orphanages to explore future investment opportunities of our time and resources, as well as a trip to the village of Nebaj to participate in the dedication of a New Testament translated into the Ixil language for [...]