Hola, Buenes Dias, Good morning!!

This past week has been a great time of reflection, learning, experience and hiking! Alot of our recent activity has been high in the sky on mountains with a great view overlooking Guatamala. From San Marcos we took a bus and a sketchy truck ride to La Vega Del Volcan and Nuevas Maravillas. We met with an MCC worker, Nate who showed us how people live and work. We also hiked a couple hours between towns and to work projects.
The first day up on the mountain we learned about different co-ops they had in the community. Some of the key ones were producing fish ponds, growing mushrooms and planting trees. In these communities they don´t have alot of materials so because of this the projects are completed based on learning from their mistakes and experiences.
The group also had a chance to get involved in a soccer game and talent show. Soccer was great fun, for a few days we were travelling with a man named Osmar who has been working in the communities but also wants to go soccer pro. The talent show was an evening of singing and sharing. Our group sang two songs, Amazing Grace and See a Humba. I think the community enjoyed it alot! One of the men really involved in the projects we learned about shared at the talent show. One thing that really stuck out to me in his talk was 'No matter what religon or race we are from God excepts all of them!'
We did some more climbing on foot and by truck. The town we visited next was affected by Hurricane Stan. That day we hiked 3 hours to the town and then 2 hours to our project were we moved a thousand bricks and sifted thru dirt to build a farming centre. It was a big day of physical work for the group minus me because I was sick. Me, Nate and Keenan stayed at the poorest house in the community. Nate explained this was because they had been hit by the hurricane the hardest. Taking livestock and their house. On top of that the father of the home has a desiese in which he cannot work very much because he´s not fully healthy.
Finally the last day in the community we hiked another three hours out of the communities took a bus back to San Marcos. We stayed overnight in a motel and then made our way to Santiago. A long hot drive we finally made it to a gorgeous, big hotel. We have had a great time so far in Santiago and are heading in to the communities tomorrow!

I feel as though many people miss their family although i´m not going to specifically say who. But all the families should feel loved.

Adios,

Brendon Charlos Martin