Fun in Antigua!

Today was an exciting day because we got to adventure outside the orphanage into Antigua to spend a day shopping in the mercado [market] and learning more about the Guatemalan culture.
We left the orphanage at about 8am and took the scenic route through the mountains and Guatemala City so it took us about 2 hours to get there. Once we found a place to park and manuvered through all the crazy traffic and people in the tiny little streets, the group split up and some of us went to a HUGE buffet brunch at Casa Santo Domingo which is a five-star hotel built on some ruins in Antigua. It was really cool to wander around the ruins a bit and see some of their culture while eating a MAGNIFICENT breakfast!
After we all ate, Tom took us on a tour of the mercado where the natives all sell their vegetables, fruit, meats, etc.. It was really neat to see how they live and what it takes for them to survive and make some money. This is where we saw one of the big culture differences. In the meat market there are no rules of regulations by the FDA saying that everything has to be refridgerated, everything just hangs there with bugs and warmth all around...the smell was not too pleasant to say the least.
After the tour of the market we were able to shop around for about two hours or so and buy for people back home. It was so neat to see how proud people are of their work and what they have made by hand.
After a day well-spent shopping and talking with some of the native people, we loaded back up in the vehicles and went on our way. We stopped at the transition house just outside of Antigua where some of the house parents here at Casa Bernabe are setting up a ministry for those girls who are too old to be here at the orphange but are still not ready to be on their own in the real world. It was a beautiful house with lots of space and in a safe neighborhood. We were able to pray over Hilma and Jugo's family and lay hands of them. What a wonderful time of prayer and worship...we are excited to see how God will use that place to better His kingdom.
We thank you all for your prayers once again and ask that you would be praying for good health for our team. There are some of us who are exhausted and some that are just not feeling well; please pray for an extra boost of energy, strength, and immunity and that we can all stay healthy. Also, please be praying for us as we come home and that the transition would be smooth and we would be able to process the trip in an adequate way. God knows all our thoughts and prayers and we ask that you come alongside us with these requests. Thank you and have a blessed day!