Angels of Guatemala

I learned to appreciate even more the law enforcement professional of the USA yesterday. In Franklin, Tennessee the guys that took the camera would have been in jail by 9pm that same night. As it is, they are probably in Costa Rica or Honduras by now. There is a reason why crimes are left unresolved in some countries. The process itself is not worth the effort. I have my first “Guatemalan police report” in my hands.

I want to tell a different story. I met friends for breakfast at Santa Clara after worship on Sunday. It’s an awesome place..panaderia and resturant. Typical food and cheap! In my joy of the moment, I forgot my Guatemalan phone on the table when I left and it was several hours later when I realized I didn’t have it. I walked back to the place but they were closed. Ugh….

A few hours later I was talking to some local people and asked them about Santa Clara. As it turns out, they eat breakfast there every day and they felt certain my phone would still be there the next morning. Later that night I had an email from Lucia, a local friend, and she had received a call from Santa Clara with the news that they were holding my phone.

So I returned Monday morning early and they were waiting for me. I enjoyed another awesome breakfast at half the cost of most restaurants. And I was thankful! Thankful for being shown so clearly that just as there are people ready to steal, there are many more ready to help.

I have three stories of amazing moments in Guatemala when someone went out of their way to help me in a time of need. I’ve written about all of them, like I am writing today about Santa Clara. One was the staff at Hotel Bambu when I lost my blackberry. Another was a service truck from the phone company, Claro, when I was broken down in a vehicle on the road to Champarico, and now…when I left my phone at Santa Clara.

What can we say? The joy and the hospitality of this country far outweighs the challenges I face here. I can only be thankful! And so…I am just that.