Antigua

Today we spent most of the day traveling (5 hour bus ride) to Antigua for some tourist activities. Once we arrived, it took a while to get everyone settled in. For supper, we all ate at "Pollo Comperos" pronouced: Poy-Yo Com-per-os. We had the choice between several fried chicken dinners and the icecream we ate afterwards was delicious. After a good meal, Less Peters took us on a night walk around town to show us some tourist attractions and explained some of the Spanish history behind Antigua. He took us to the main Cathedral in Antigua as well as the convent. The city was designed typical to other Spanish settlements and is only 11 blocks in width and length. It reminded many of Banff in Alberta the way everything was very tourist-friendly. It was a very big change from being in TacTic, where poverty is everywhere. Towards the end of our night tour, Less took us to a typical tourist shop where Mayan masks, statues and pottery were sold. He explained that most tourists buy the masks and statues because they
represent the culture of the Guatemalan people, however, all of them represent a Mayan god or idol, some evil and some good. He encouraged us not to purchase any of these idols because of their deeper meaning. At the back of the store, there was a Mayan altar and place of worship
to a wooden statue named after the Apostle Paul, which represented him before he was saved by Christ. People go to this altar daily and practise various forms of witchcraft, worship and idolatry
there because they believe that the idol has true power over their lives. Having an altar inside
a tourist shop opened our eyes as to how strong the religious connection is with the statues and masks sold in that store.

At the end of the tour, everyone was very tired, but we de-briefed before heading off to bed as usual. Less Peters and some of the other leaders warned us about transitioning back to the Canadian lifestyle. They said it was crucial for us to slowly transition back into our old lifestyle to cement the changes that have taken place in our lives in Guatemala. If we do not transition well, it was explained that all the changes that have taken place will be for nothing. All of us expressed the need to keep our personal changes permanent. This missions trip has been a life-altering experience for each one of us and it is crucial that we continue to grow in Christ and not fall back into the same ruts we were in before this missions trip. Even being in Antigua and getting used to being "rich" again gave some of us reverse culture shock. As we spend our last day in Guatemala tomorrow, we will all be focusing on how we can use the changes that have taken place here to turn our lives around.
Karlynn