El Faro

Our family enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing vacation from April 22 - 26. We stayed at a Christian retreat center called El Faro (The Lighthouse) located on the Gulf coast.


The grounds were lovely, very lush and tropical. The weather was hot and humid, very different from the mountainous region where we live. We stayed in an "apartment", which was a large room with bunk beds, a table, fridge, and stove. We were thankful to be able to do our own cooking, as the nearest town was an hour's drive away by dirt road.

El Faro had its own private beach. The water was very warm, and the girls spent a lot of time swimming. They also had fun catching crabs, snails, and clams. Tony didn't like the water and was content to play in the sand.

One day we hired one of El Faro's boats and a driver to take us on a trip up the Rio Dulce (Sweet River). It was fun to be on the water. Charlie was really wishing for a pair of waterskis!


On our Rio Dulce trip we visited the Castillo de San Felipe, a restored Spanish castle on the mouth of Lake Izabel. The castle was filled with small rooms, narrow winding passageways, and steep staircases. The children had fun explorings. We even found an underground room with bats.

Fundaninos Photos

We visit the Fundaninos orphanage at least once a week. This orphanage was Tony's home for the first year of his life.


Reading books to Melanie.

Tony pushing Emna, who has Down's Syndrome.

Emily holding Heidi.

Alisha cuddling the youngest baby, Andres Pablo.

Nick and Ben washing the ORI bus at the warehouse one afternoon.

Easter Fun

The children did some Easter activities on Good Friday.


The children colored eggs in the Freed's carport using some kits that Denny bought in the States. People don't color Easter eggs in Guatemala. And we saw no Easter candy for sale in the stores. It is a completely religious holiday.

Tony had fun putting little stickers on the eggs. The next day, at our ORI Easter dinner, the children had an egg hunt at the playground.

The kids made their own alfombra. Nick drew the ORI symbol on a piece of cardboard, and the girls glued on sawdust we bought at the market.

From L to R: Abby, Maredith, Emily, Risa, and Alisha.

Their completed alfombra. We did NOT walk on it!

Alfombras

On April 10, which was Good Friday, we drove to the nearby town of San Jose to see the alfombras - pictures made from colored sawdust that people create on the road.


This very long alfombra stretched for half a mile down the main street of the town.

There was a holiday atmosphere in the town. These two girls offered us fruit drinks and tortillas.

The people work for hours creating these alfombras, which only last a short while. Later that evening a Catholic procession walked on all of them. Before we left, we walked to the Catholic church and saw people gathering for the procession which was to last from 6:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The men were dressed in black robes and the ladies in black dresses with black mantillas (lace veils); black because it was Good Friday.

We say many alfombras on street after street. Most were made from colored sawdust, but we saw a few made from pine needles, fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

This alfombra had the most vibrant colors. I'm not sure what the turkey is supposed to symbolize.

Easter Procession

On Sunday, March 29, we went to the town of Antigua to observe an Easter Procession. Guatemala is predominately Roman Catholic, and Easter is a major holiday.


This man is making an 'alfombra', a carpet of colored sawdust, on the pavement.

This alfombra was made of pine needles and fresh flowers. These beautiful carpets only last a short time, until the people in the procession walk over them.

Some of the men in the procession wore red peaked hats and carried signs with religious scenes. Men in purple robes carried burning incense.

Approximately 100 men in purple robes carried this huge float depicting Jesus carrying his cross.

Maria and Tony enjoyed playing with the little puppets I bought from a street vendor.