Back in 2012, I spent several months in Guatemala. I left full of good intentions, and suddenly, it’s 5 years later and I’m returning for the first time. The country was still as beautiful as I’d remembered.

We stayed with Jonathan and Vivian Hartzler and they went the second and third mile to show us their world.

The girls gave us a tour of their school there in El Chal (aren’t their uniforms cute?) One of the teachers did the painting on the wall.

We rode along in the back of the school bus as Jonathan delivered the children home from school.

Cousin Kelly gave us a tour of the “Good Samaritan Clinic” where she’s a nurse.

Deborah made friends with yet another black lab. (This hill is a Mayan ruin. I guess time and nature fill in the stone structures, leaving an abrupt hill occasionally dotting the countryside.)

We spent part of a day exploring Mayan Ruins that had been uncovered in Tikal.

The restoration process is ongoing- I got a big kick out of this transport system.

One of our tour guides from our day. This is called a Pizote or Coatimundi. We had one as a pet while I was in Santa Rosita in ’12- inquisitive little creatures.

Making 90 lbs of Guatemalan cheese.

Jonathan refereeing a backyard turkey fight.

😉

We went over the river and through the jungle to the Jungle Breezes Ranch. This is a new program that is developing, but it’s a 400+ acre ranch where families live and work and take in boys who need a bit of guidance.

The Ranch has an airstrip, and one of the men that lived there said that they hear airplanes coming in from time to time, and they run outside with their eyes to the sky…only to discover that it’s a cockroach. They do grow them big out there.

We ran up the river for just a few minutes and hit another country! Mexico 🙂 We had to wade to shore, so I guess you might say we kinda wet backed it in.

It was so much fun to see so many familiar faces and to be able to catch up briefly. Blessings to you, Jonathan, Vivian, and family, as you continue to discover and embrace your new world! Thanks for showing us a wonderful time!

Kendra

Bonus Pics:

3 Step Photo Description of the best way to fly using the resident hammock, by Julia. It worked wonderful for her- I didn’t try it-lol