Day 1. 31 V 24. Ciudad de Guatemala.

It was an early morning as I left the house at 2:30 on the way to Philly’s airport for the flight to Guatemala City.  A 3-hour layover in Atlanta and arrived in the afternoon. We were met by Bishop David Alvarado the Primate of Central America, who has served as Bishop of El Salvador since 2015 (one year before my consecration). I have always enjoyed being with him, as he is kind and faithful. We received a quick tour of the Cathedral of St. James. 

After the tour, I asked for a favor: Please take me to a food cart or a small restaurant serving authentic Guatemalan food. The food was extraordinary.  Upon the recommendation of our new siblings, I ordered Kak’ik.  It is one of the most popular Mayan dishes in Guatemala and is also recognized as one of the country’s dishes of intangible cultural heritage. It’s a turkey soup cooked in a lightly spiced red broth. The name was derived from a Mayan Q’echi tradition during pre-colonial times. The Guatemalan turkey soup is traditionally prepared by using native turkeys (turkeys are indigenous to the Americas), tomatoes, cilantro, chilies, and achiote, which gives the soup its vibrant color.

After lunch, we walked through the streets of Guatemala, and I was moved by the people's kindness and internal and external beauty.  At each place, we were greeted with smiles and a warm embrace.  Their features speak of their proud, strong, and intelligent Mayan blood and genetics.  I had to sit and gaze upon these proud people and offer a prayer of gratitude for the ability to walk with them, listen to them, and share this journey at this time and place.  I feel that each day, I will be pulled back to my origins and roots and, at each stop, find a place of belonging and a home.

If we can only look upon everyone we encounter and see only the beauty of Christ present within.  Just as God created us.