Back in the USA

I arrived back from my mission awareness trip to Guatemala late Satruday, yet I still have a couple of loose ends I wanted to tie up with the blog.

Guatemala really is a dichotomy. Eighteen families control industry in the country, so spreading the wealth is difficult. And it's even tougher to make a decent living when all the resources are controlled by so few.

Yet the Guatemalan people I encountered were extremely friendly and welcoming. They have a spirit of hope despite enduring a lasting civil war that ended two decades ago and facing the prospect of living in the Third World. There is also violence and gang activity in the country, especially in cities. While the country has a long way to go, it is making steps, education being the first one. From a photography standpoint, the people are very photogenic.

They handle transportation differently in Guatemala as well. Gas is expensive, as are cars in the country, so most people travel by bus. These old school busses are decked out with chrome and decorations, and it appears they are named after women.

When in towns and cities, you can get around by these small taxis that are sometimes driven by youngsters who are 12 or 13 years old. The ride is cheap, but it's a risk.

You could also hop a ride from town to town on a pickup truck that will be loaded with other people. Once again, cheap but a risk.


If space and time permits, I may be able to get a sidebar in the next issue of The Colorado Catholic Herald highlightin quirky points of Guatemalan life.

Guatemala is also a country with very old churches that cry out to be photographed.


People doing missionary work in Guatemala are trying to life the people out of poverty to a better life through education, job training and help acquiring land to produce their own food and goods. Bob Hentzen, president of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (www.cfcausa.org, first came to Latin America in the late 1950s and has been performing Christian work ever since. CFCA began in 1981 and has now spread to 25 countries. In 1996, Hentzen walked from CFCA's headquarters in Kansas City, Kan., to Guatemala, where he has made his home since.


In short, Guatemala is a very picturesque country that will steal your heart.


But I couldn't wait to get home to the United States to get one of these.


Look for our article on CFCA in the Feb. 23 issue.