Dear reader, it has been quite a trip!  I know you have only been able to hear about part of it so far, but I assure you that I will continue to write updates once we are back home (and I have a reliable internet connection again).  You still have six more days to read about!

We will be leaving for the airport in Guatemala City at 9am.  We have a four-hour layover in Georgia, and then we should land in the Twin Cities by 11:30pm.  We are looking forward to seeing our loved ones tomorrow night!

There is so much more to this trip than I will ever be able to convey in words.  I commented during our reflection time together last night that when we read about Guatemala (or Chiapas, or El Salvador, etc.), it’s as though we are being given a fish—it feeds us for a while, but then we are at some point empty again.  Going on these trips changes something deep within; no longer quite the person we were before, we transform into a fisherman—we become able to feed other people from the experiences we have gained.  And perhaps, someday, we will have opportunities ourselves to transform others into fishermen, too.

If you are one of the lucky ones welcoming your traveler home tomorrow, I offer you some food for thought: It takes a lot out of a person, being transformed into a fisherman.  It is a new identity that many in our group are still trying on for size, figuring out how this fits in with the life they were leading ten days ago.  It will take some time to process things from the trip; some things will be easy to talk about, and some will be more difficult.  So be patient with your new fisherman, and love them as only you know how to do.

Thank you, dear reader, for accompanying us on this journey.  I will continue to update this blog on Thursday, June 2nd after I’ve had a chance to sleep!

Hasta luego!

-lm