I can't believe it is already July 15th!  I haven't posted a blog for three weeks...a lot has happened over the past three weeks! 
Arryn and I went to the hotel where their wedding reception is going to take place.  It was fun to see the place and look at how they will prepare the tables/rooms and what kind of decorations we will need.  Her colours are navy blue, white, and a crimson red.  The hotel didn't have navy blue table cloths or chair bows, so we went to the fabric store and bought a bold of navy blue fabric and Hector's uncle is sewing up the table cloths and bows for the chairs.  I am really enjoying helping Arryn with the wedding arrangements. 

Alex, too, is planning her wedding for May 2013.  She is awesome at keeping me connected by sending me photos and allowing me input; I am so thankful for being able to share this with her, even if it is via long distance. 
A couple of weeks ago, Rocky and I, along with our teachers, Jaime and Wendoly, went on a field trip to Carcha to see the fair.  We went in the morning when they were just setting up, but we were able to experience all of the different foods and games that there are at a fair without having to deal with the negative parts of the fair.  It was fun to get out of the classroom for a change and have a guided tour of Carcha and the surrounding area.  Of course all of our conversation was in Spanish - class did continue! - but the different setting was a nice break. 

We have now completed 9 weeks of Spanish school.  This is quite an accomplishment for us.  Some days we feel as though we have really learned a lot already, and others it feels more like we are learning very slowly.  More and more, however, as we continue to interact with Spanish speakers, we can see the importance of being able to share our thoughts well in Spanish.  So, we are going to continue pressing on in our studies. 

We have also had lots of opportunities to connect with Arryn and Hector.  The other weekend, Arryn and I made a big pot of borscht - nothing like food to make a connection.  Rocky and Hector played cards and together we spent the day just hanging out.  We know our culture is very different than Hector's and although we have been exposed to the way things are here, he has had little opportunity to see our culture, so by spending time together, playing games, cooking, eating and visiting, he is able to see a little better into our lives. 

This past week we needed to get our visas renewed.  We decided to take a week off from classes (our brains needed a break) and we were thinking about making a trip out of Guatemala, perhaps to El Salvador, to get a new stamp in our passports, but we received an invitation to visit a ministry in Jalapa, Guatemala, so we changed our plans a little.  We took our passports to the Immigration office in Guatemala City to renew our visas and made a trip to Jalapa.  It was really interesting to drive into this town.  It is not on the main highway and you only see Jalapa if Jalapa is your destination.  It is really not on the way to anything.  The landscape, although, was very similar to the Kamloops area.  It felt as though we were driving in the hills between Kamloops and Merritt.  Lots of hills, open spaces, cattle, sage brush, pine trees, etc.  It even smelled like the hills in Kamloops in the summer. 
The ministry we visited was Hands of Mercy, founded by David and Julie Sutton, from Houston, Texas.  They were amazing hosts and we had the opportunity to see what they were doing in Jalapa and how the Lord is building His Kingdom in this place.  Hands of Mercy has a Christian television station and a safe house for women and children who have suffered abuse.  They are also involved in hosting teams and work with organizations like LAMP (Latin American Medical Providers), hosting up to 90 medical staff who come to Jalapa once a year and take over the hospital for a couple of weeks.  They have a huge vision for the future and are in the process of purchasing land so they can build an orphanage and eventually a Christian School. 
After our time with David and Julie, we went to Hawaii...well, not the Hawaii you're thinking of...Hawaii, Guatemala!  Who would have thought there would be a town called Hawaii here in Guatemala? 

We enjoyed two days of R&R at the beach.  The Pacific Ocean here has a very strong surf; in fact it is known as a good place to go surfing.  Unfortunately it isn't that great for swimming, but we enjoyed the hotel's 2 pools and spent a lot of time simply walking up and down the beach.  The sand is black volcanic sand and in the sun it is very hot!  We were thankful for the airconditioning in the little cabana we stayed in. 

We arrived home on Friday evening and yesterday we bought a fridge!  After 3 months of continual use, the power cord for the electric cooler mom and dad gave us finally burned out.  We have been so thankful for the cooler, but I have to say, getting a fridge was a huge highlight.  Now I can shop for a few days worth of food rather than only one.  I can also have cold water to drink and ice!  Incredible!   

We are so thankful for the way the Lord has provided for us.  When we left for Guatemala 3 months ago, we thought we knew where we going and what we would be doing.  The Lord had other plans, although, and we know that His plans for us are always the best plans.  He has given us His peace in the midst of the unknown and has provided for us at every turn.  Thank you for the support you have given us, both financially and with words of encouragement; we are humbled by your generosity and pray that the Lord will repay you as only He can.
Dios le bendiga,
Karren