Days 17-19 - Lake Atitlan

Today we left Antigua and drove a few hours to beautiful Lake Atitlan for a weekend of rest and relaxation. After many hours of driving on roads filled with pot-holes and/or made of cobblestone, we could hardly wait for the dinner at the hotel Posada in Santiago. The beauty of the lake is nearly indescribable and the pictures taken can hardly do it justice. We probably spent hours trying to capture the beauty of the flowers, volcanoes, or the lake... it was breathtaking to say the least.
Saturday morning we visited the Stukenburg family who lived near Santiago. This family is originally from Green Bay, but their ministry eventually brought them to Guatemala to work in foster care for children taken from their families by the courts. Many of these children came from parents who were drug addicts, abusive or had simply abandoned them. Some of their stories were horrifying - one young girl was pushed into a fire by her father and was severely burned. With the help of the Stukenburg family, she is now able to walk and laugh as a normal child although she is permanently disabled and may never be able to talk. Currently the family is caring for 14 foster care children, but many more may be on the way. We loved playing with the children for a while and loved that they spoke English! It was refreshing to be able to understand everything being said for the first time since we arrived to Guatemala. We cannot imagine what it is going to be like to return home and be able to understand the language once again. I can only expect it will be a culture shock once again.
We also drove through the community ruined by the massive mudslide in 2004. The devastation the mud caused was still quite evident. Many homes were abandoned and a majority of the buildings still had mud lines on them. It was estimated that approximately 3,000 people died from this disaster. I was reminded once again of how precious life is and how truly blessed we are.
Sunday morning we took a 3 hour boat ride around the lake. It was an amazing to experience nature, sitting in a little boat in the midst of a vast lake and surrounded by the volcanoes and beauty that is Guatemala. I know that I have said it many times before, but the beauty here is just incredible. It is truly a surreal experience and it is hard not to feel that there is something greater at work around and within us.