Beautiful, Belize, Banana, Bikes

hi all!! Feels like weeks since I last updated but things have been super busy here and we haven't had any internet access.. so I will try to update you a little bit on what has been going on, but I don't know if I'll remember it all. And sorry if this has typos, the computer keyboards are a bit different here!!

So for the rest of our time in Tactic, we visited some remote mountain villages (crazy drive up there), a coffee plantation, and made corn tortilla things for dinner with a local family. ONe day we went to some limestone swimming pools.. there's a river that runs underground but above on the limestone there are pools of water you can swim in. The drive there was stunning because it's all wilderness and when you're in the pools, you're surrounded by jungle. Another day we went into this crazy sinkhole that goes straight down into the ground and witches and stuff make sacrifices there. The missionary who was hosting us has been taking people down there for years to pray and worship and claim it for the Lord and it has been interesting to hear him talk about how the power of the witches sacrifices has been diminished over time.

Then we headed to Belize which was great. It has been eight years since I was there last and as we drove along the main highway, it was so weird to see places I had been last time.. brought back a flood of memories which was great and also reminded me a lot of my brother which was good, because they are memories I had put out of my mind.

We stayed one place inland for night which was absolutely beautiful. So great to be surrounded by nature and so forth. The next day we went swimming in National Blue Hole Park which was beautiful. I thought it was a place I remembered from last time, but there turns out to be two blue holes after all!! It was still a great place to go swimming! The next day we went to the coast which was great to walk around and talk to the local people. The next day (Sunday), we rented bikes and biked down to a place where we rented a golf cart (only three of us). We took the golf cart for a long ride along a river village which was great.. it was pretty funny when Nick went flying off the golf cart and onto the gravel road.. of course i made sure he was okay before i laughed at him... Then Katie, Emily and I biked for 12 km and went to a place along the river for lunch. That night we went to church which was fun! It was a Garifuna church which are the local people group who originally came from Africa-my favorite part was singing with all of them.

Then we headed to what has been one of my favorite parts of the trip.. We went back to Guatemala and went to Tikal which is the largest Mayan ruins in Central America. We stayed at a lodge in the middle of the park and went for a hike to the highest temple to watch the sunset over the jungle. Wow.. breathtaking. Then we walked back in the jungle in the middle of the dark which was kind of crazy because it was pitch black and you hear all the animals around you and watch all the glowing bugs flying around-it was kind of magical. At 9pm they turn the power off and the stars are amazing.. you're in the middle of the jungle with no lights around for miles and miles and miles. I could have stayed there for endless hours looking at the stars. This morning we woke at 4:30am to go watch the sunrise and it was amazing to be there in complete silence. Then we wandered around all the ruins for about three hours.. NO words to explain how incredible it was.

Now we are in Flores for night and tomorrow we are off to Coban. So far it has been an amazing trip and I am loving it. The heat is a bit much as I am constantly dripping sweat and am soaking wet.. fun times all around! One day it was 37 degrees. crazy.. i only got a bit of a burn on my arms but it seems to have turned into a tan already so that's good.

Our group is a lot of fun and we've formed a lot of inside jokes and stuff. I have been learning a lot culturally and have been thinking a lot about my worldview and culture in comparison. So all in all it's been great getting to know people better and to hang out with everyone and see some amazing sites!! sSuch a good experience. We've been able to talk to a lot of people from different people groups as well which has been very enlightening.

So this is me signing off for now.. we'll see when I get to update next! Hope all is well at home!! Miss you all!!