The closing service at the Chajul church was very special. We sang Amazing Grace with the youth from Guatemala City in English and Spanish. One of the youth gathered everyone's special moments and words of thanks, integrated them, and stood up in front of the congregation and delivered them. We presented the church with an enlarged, framed version of the covenant between the Central Church, WPC, and the Chajul church which they really appreciated. Special thanks go to Rich and Sudie Watkins for providing the covenants and the frames.
The Chajul youth performed several dances for us to contemporary music which we really enjoyed. The youth gave each of us a gift from the congregation and Terri accepted a gift for the Presbyterian Women thanking them for their substantial financial support. There were many smiles and hugs at the end of the service as we said goodbye to our brothers and sisters in Chajul.
We packed up and headed out at about 9:00am on Friday. Everything was going according to plan until the van starting making some not so good noises about two hours into the trip. We pulled over to pop the hood and see what might be the problem and then could not get the van restarted. We were very fortunate that members of the Central church had driven up the night before and were following us in a Land Rover. They were able to travel to the nearest large town and bring a mechanic back who immediately said the engine had seized-up. While we were waiting a transportation service drove buy and said they could take us to Guatemala City in their van. So we piled in and made it to Philip's house at 9:00pm; a very long day!
We had a great dinner at Philip's thanks to his wife Basilia and women from the church. We presented a framed covenant to elders from the Central Church. The WPC youth gave gifts to the Guatemala City youth and Terri presented gifts to Pastor Jenner, Pastor Alvaro, Philip and Basilia. We said goodbye, again with much smiling and hugging, and made it to the hotel around 11:30pm.
We stopped in San Juan Cotzal on our way back from the waterfall. This is the Catholic Church in the center of town.
Each cross bears the name of a Catholic church
member who was murdered or disappeared during the civil war in the 1980's and 90's
Central town square in San Juan Cotzal
Sarah delivering our special memories and thanks to the Chajul church at the closing service
Terri thanking the church women for all their hospitality and providing many great lunches and dinners
Jane and Steve reading the covenant before presenting it to the church
Terri's best impression of Vanna White
Jane reading the covenant in Spanish
Presentation to Miguel, the Chajul church lay pastor
Youth performing at the closing service
Terri accepting a gift for the Presbyterian Women
The church was packed for the closing service
Philip and our dead van
Waiting patiently for a ride to Guatemala City
Terri presenting gifts to Philip and Basilia
One last picture of the youth at Philip's home
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