Highlights from our Guatemala Trip

We returned less than a week ago from an absolutely fabulous trip to Guatemala, with an amazing group of smart, talented, and creative people.  It was a delight sharing our experiences!

Some of the trip highlights:

• – Meeting again with MayaWork’s Santiago group of crocheters who are  designing their own kippot!  Several were selected to go into production this year, including a new 7 Species one!
• – Visiting a new group of Mayan Hands’ felters who had a sample of a new hamsah and dove hanging mobile ready for us to review
• – Hearing from Brenda Rosenbaum how she founded Mayan Hands, and watching her joyful reunion with her pine basket makers after five years

– Spending Shabbat morning with Adat Israel, the Reform community in Guatemala.  One of my favorite communities with whom to davven!

– Being overwhelmed by the colors in the Chichicastenango Market

– Spending time on beautiful Lake Atitlan

– Watching volcanoes blow!

– Eating all the homemade tortillas, papaya, pineapple, and black beans that we wanted to eat!

– and, always, being inspired by the artisans who make such beautify from such challenging lives.  They work hard so their children can have better lives.

For a more comprehensive daily review, Dina Tanners, one of our great trip participants, has done an amazing job of capturing both the experience and learning from our recently concluded FTJ Guatemala Trip!  Dina is a retired ESL teacher, living in Seattle, and enjoying her world wide travels.  She is the volunteer librarian at Congregation Beth Shalom, an egalitarian Conservative synagogue .

Here is her post on visiting a local school supported by MayaWorks, Aqua Caliente weavers and Lila Carmen who makes MayaWorks’ tallitot.

And, visiting basket makers and San Antonio Agua Caliente outside of Antigua.

Keep checking back on her website for more updates.