Guatemala is in transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Farmers are busy planting their fields. Work crews are still trying to repair damage to highways and bridges caused by storms during last year’s rainy season. Disaster readiness training is being offered in schools and communities across the country.
The annual Synod meeting of the Guatemalan Presbyterian Church (IENPG) takes place next week. I’ve been asked to be this year’s speaker, giving three presentations about the mission of the Church. I’ve also been invited to preach at the service of celebration for the 50th anniversary of the IENPG’s full autonomy from the PC(USA), which occurred in 1962.
The months of June and July will be crowded with mission groups from the United States visiting different presbyteries. Philip will be accompanying teams from: Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Kenosha, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Middle Tennessee, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
We especially look forward to the August wedding of my son Daniel to his fiancé Holli Turner. The wedding will be in Denver, Colorado. Currently Daniel is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Our whole family will be at the ceremony.
Matthew, Manny and Stefi are in transition, as the end of the school year approaches. We took another four-day trip to Chiapas, Mexico this past week. The purpose was to renew our vsas, but it was also a great get-away before the hectic months to come. Chiapas shares Guatemala’s natural and cultural beauty, and is less chaotic and cluttered than Guatemala. For a short time in the early 1800’s, Chiapas was part of the Central American Federation. This time we stayed in Comitán, a picturesque town with colonial architecture, a children’s museum, and lots of fun places to visit nearby. Here are a few photos from our time there: climbing pyramids at the Tenam Puente ruins; Matthew zip-lining at the Velo de Novia (Bride’s Veil) waterfall; swimming and raft-riding at Lagunas de Montebello National Park, marimbas at Comitán’s Zocalo (central park). 
