From Sat. 15

Today was another great day in Guatemala. This was our first whole day in Panajachel which is a big city on the edge of lake Atitlan. To start the day we went down to the wharf and boarded a ferry that took us across the lake to a smaller town called San Lucas(I think). Well, when we got to San Lucas, we all cramed into the back of a pickup truck and bumped down the old dirt roads. The truck took us to visit three different community projects that the parish church in San Lucas set up to help its community. These projects were a community center for women to learn, hang out, and get work done that they needed, a reforestation center, and a community owned coffee plantation. The youth group spent some time at each of these project areas and learned about their importance.
We then rode back to the church and had a yummy lunch. After lunch the pastor of the church spoke to us about his work and why he felt called to do it. It was a very touching story and it was a good experience for everyone.
As we got back on the ferry to go back to Panajachel, it began to pour and we all got wet, but the boat ride back across the lake was exciting because the wind started to pick up and we got some small swells. The rest of the day was free time for us to walk around and explore Panajachel. Its a flashy and vibrant city with lots of streetside venders and cars, motorcycles, and rickshaws buzzing through the streets. At night we had dinner at a restaurant that overlooked the lake.
So today was another good day and tomorrow we will head back to Guatemala city.
Peace out, Will Hart