This morning the entire group decided to parttake in the morning hike to see the beautiful sunrise. We left the hotel at 4:30 a.m. and powered through the struggles of being out of shape. Coming together as a group, we somehow managed to make it to the top and saw the beauty of creation. Thankfully the way down was much easier than the way up!
After the hike, we immediately went to set up the dishes and start breakfast as we prepared for our service. We then shared a delicious and healthy breakfast, and group bonded while washing all of the dishes. Hailey spent her morning with some of the students from group one working at the school. The remainder of the group took a lengthy drive in the back in the truck to help move bricks at the site of a new house. The warm sunshine, gentle breeze, and beautiful mountain views made for a perfect day of service.
We then returned to the mission to fuel up on some lunch. Not long after that, we all headed to the Juan Ana cafe to learn more about the coffee making process in Guatemala. Father Greg started this coffee business in his parents namesake as a way to bring some economic stability to the Guatemalan people. They purchase coffee beans from Guatemalan families for a fair price, dry and roast them, and then package them to sell. One of the workers provided an interesting demonstration of how to roast the beans and prepare this rich coffee in two different ways. The best part was the taste test! We then got our hands dirty and spent some time separated the best coffee beans for use.
By this point in the day, a lot of us were sun burned and sleepy. We luckily got a well needed couple of hours of downtime to rest. After this, we all headed over to the church for an Ash Wednesday mass done by our very own Father Michael! It was a culturally enriching experience filled with music, the chatter of children, and the tangible emotion of the Guatemalan people.
After this, we all headed to the top floor of our hotel for a cozy bonfire and some delicious pizza. Simply enjoying each others company and reflecting on the beauty of our day in front of the burning embers was the perfect end to a wonderful day!
Please enjoy some pictures from our beautiful sunrise hike!
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