ASORGUA excursion weekend! Saturday morning, over 40 Deaf Association members and their families boarded a prociegos painted bus and headed to the arid, eastern part of the country. We arrived mid-day at a public pool and hotel complex in Chiquimulas, and were bombarded by the heat. I stayed with H and M, their kids, and P in a basic bungalo. We went for a quick swim, downed sandwiches and grape soda for lunch, then reboarded the bus for an afternoon trip to Esquipulas.
Esquipulas is famous throughout Central America for its magnificent Basilica containing a black sculpture of Jesus Christ on the cross. We entered the cathedral and were permitted to come very close to the black Christ. The presence of dozens of Central Americans humbled in the presence of the statue in silence was very powerful. Retreating from the cathedral, it is customary to walk backwards as not to turn one´s back to the Christ. In the gardens surrounding the Catherdral, I chatted with ASORGUA members and built up my Guatemalan Sign vocabulary a little more.
As the sun set, we headed back to Chiquimulas, where we went for a night swim, cooked a huge chicken and bean dinner, then fell asleep, full and happy. Sunday, we again went swimming (the heat really did warrant 3 swims), lunched, and boarded the bus back to the city. We stopped along the way for the best coconut ice cream I have ever tasted. I had such a wonderful time with some of the greatest, warmest folks I have had the privilege to meet.
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2 comments:
You must have stopped at the Sarita restaurant for that ice cream--I'm envious, but even more so of your trips to Chiquimula and Esquipulas, which I've only seen in pictures. Need to change that!
Your statement about the ASORGUA people rings true for me too, I think they are a great and caring group of people--always willing to help us learn too. I know you have appreciated your intern experience, but also I'm very certain that they have appreciated your warm, open, inquiring nature.
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