A Day of Gifting

Michelle writes:

     We knew it would be a busy day, so we arose early to have some quiet time in the cool morning hours. This mission house is a sacred space for meditation, prayer, reflection, and fellowship.
At 7:30, the first neighbor child arrived with tortillas wrapped in a towel. 

Ten minutes later,  another day's supply of tortillas arrived. 

Ten minutes passed, and another neighbor came bearing the gift of tortillas. They are very happy to have Kathy back.

Kathy  was in Antigua visiting a friend when she received word of her aunt’s passing in the United States. She contacted Javier in Santiago Ixcan, and he was able to find her passport in her home and send it with a student who was returning to Guatemala City for classes. Kathy left the country for two months even though it was only supposed to be a 10-day absence.

     Maria told us of her dream that Kathy had left for good and the women were crying. Later her dreams told her that Kathy would return. Several of the women had dreamt of Kathy and knew she would return. Patrona had dreamt that Kathy returned with another woman, so my arrival was no surprise.

     We left the house to visit Francisca, one of the weavers, and to purchase a few groceries. We set out on the road, which is being widened and improved for easier access to the community farm land, playa. Not all the land owners own land that is productive for growing maize and beans, the basis of their diet, so the playa provides the opportunity for all residents to produce their own food. This improved road will enhance accessibility to that land.

     Javier and Rosa were in their yard observing the road work taking place in front of their house. A tree was being removed from the yard. We scurried along as the Caterpillar operator waited for us to cross.

     We came to a tienda, a 7-11 type store,  and were each given half of a sweet, juicy mango. We bought more mangoes, along with some laundry soap for washing clothes in the river, bleach for the final rinse when washing dishes, and toilet paper for both the outhouse and the indoor bathroom, where the paper is always placed in a separate trash bin for burning.  Then, we took a slice of watermelon for the road, and off we went.

     Because we had only returned to Santiago Ixcan two days before, we were greeted by many well wishers who were happy to see Kathy again.  
     Rosa, a weaver, was shopping as well, and we stopped to visit. She is a Ixil Mayan, and her dress told us of her people. Her shiny, black hair was held in place with a long woven band that wrapped her long tresses before being wound around her head. Two, 2-1/2 inch diameter multicolored pom-poms embellished both ends of the band, adding a colorful and festive look. The two holes in each earlobe had a length of green yarn looped through with a small shiny bead holding the ends of the yarn together. The striking beauty of Rosa’s dark skin and the bright colors of her adornments, once again reflected the exquisiteness of Guatemala. She gifted us with tortillas and a plastic container of three hardboiled eggs in a tomato sauce.

     We walked along the dirt road as the heat of the day became oppressive; it was still before 9 a.m.      

We stopped to visit another weaver, Natividad, who was hard at work using her backstrap loom. The weavers are making scarves for the next shipment to the US. The scarves have been selling well, and they add to the variety of hand-wovens made in this village. Natividad had a scarf she felt was too long and couldn’t be exported for sale. I asked to look at it. The rich heather of the burgundy and black was stunning. I told Natividad her scarf was beautiful, and that I would buy it. She gave it to me as a gift for coming here and taking their weavings to the US to sell. I said I would pay for the yarn, knowing this was a special yarn, more expensive than what they usually work with, creating a softer draping scarf. Tears filled my eyes when she repeated it was a gift.