Day 2: Church, Game, Antigua, Orphanage

This morning we had breakfast and a quick team devotional at the home and then we headed out for a church service at Jamie's church. It was fun to be able to go to Jamie's church in it's "finished" form because on the trip a few years ago we were able to help do some work projects on the church shortly after they had acquired the property. We left the church service and headed for the National Gym in the heart of Guatemala City. We were scheduled to play a high school team but as we have learned in Guatemala, things don't always happen according to plan. We ended up playing one of the best local college teams from Guatemala city and that proved to be a pretty strong test for our first game.

After the game Coach Horner and Kyle Thigpen were able to share with the team.  This was a fun team to share with because we had played against several of those players over the past few years.  

From the National Gym we headed for some afternoon shopping in Antigua.  The guys all learned some serious bargaining skills in the market.  And don't worry, they got lots of "great deals"

From Antigua we headed back towards Guatemala City but made a stop at an orphanage to play with the kids and serve them dinner.  We were able to order them a dinner of fried chicken, broccoli, and zucchini.  We had a blast playing with the kids and I'm sure the nuns at the orphanage were all super excited that we got the kids all wound up before bed time!

Tomorrow we have another busy day hosting several different basketball clinics and playing a few games in the afternoon and evening.

Arrival in Guatemala City

We made it safe and a d sound into Guatemala City late last evening. We made it through customs and got some currency exchanged and thenJamie and Crazy Eddie picked us up from the airport. We are staying with a lady who is a member of Jamie's church and it is a nice house and everyone is settled in and comfortable. The Internet is a bit iffy right now because of the weather, but I will post more when I have a better connection. 

The plan for the rest of the day is to go to church, play a game in the Guatemala National Gym, spend part of the afternoon shopping in Antigua, and then this evening we will be preparing and serving a meal at an orphanage. 

More pictures and details will follow

Arrival in Guatemala City

Have tried to post this a few times. We are here safe, internet is iffy. Will post more later today.

Day 1: Here We Go

Hi Everyone,

We are sitting in the airport in Jackson waiting to catch our flight to Atlanta and then on to Guatemala City tonight. 

You will be able to follow our adventures this week on the blog. We will do our best to update the blog as often as our Internet access allows us to. I will try to post on @JPSports twitter account as well. 

Will update tonight when we get to Guatemala City. 

Day 7 - Panajachel, Prepa 2.0, Quick naps, Departure

Our last full day in Guatemala began like many others, earlier than we our bodies wanted it to. Breakfast was a big meal of pancakes and fresh fruit, Guatemalan coffee, and orange juice. We quickly made our way to the vans to load up our bags and head down to Panajachel for a morning of zip-lining. However, we were met with an obstacle when we got to the vans. One of our vans had a dead battery and would not crank no matter our efforts. We were given a loaner by Pedro so we could start our day without a much longer delay and we quickly made our way down the mountain to Panajachel.

Once we arrived at the zip-lining course, they rushed us through the registration, outfitted us, and gave us an orientation on the gear. Before we could catch our breath, we were on the first zip-line flying through the air over the large distance between two sides of the mountain at about 45fps. The guys had a great time walking up the mountain around waterfalls and across wood bridges but had even more fun coming down the mountain in a quick flight down a suspended cable.





After we finished the zip-line course, we quickly rode back up the mountain to change out vans and say a quick goodbye to Pedro and the people at Eagle's Nest. After some quick pictures, it was back in the van for the drive back down the mountain but this time we were headed a little closer to Guatemala City to the city of Antigua. Antigua is known for two things: short term Spanish classes and outdoor market shopping. We didn't have enough time for the language classes (or that much interest) so we quickly made our way into the markets for some negotiating and possibly, purchasing. We all had a great time trying to get coffee, jerseys, trinkets, bracelets and various souvenirs for the best price possible. Shopping and lunch had to be done quickly though, because a final game in Guatemala and a rematch with Prepa was schedule for the early evening.




We left Antigua after a little over 2.5 hours and headed for the Prepa campus for our big game. The guys knew what to expect out of Prepa at this game: new players that weren't there Monday, a larger crowd that would cheer loudly, and a group of referees that were extremely patriotic. The Prepa team did not disappoint. They entered to large cheers and even performed several chants while warming up. They began the game with the same spirit that they had shown in pre-game. However, we quickly began to build a lead and take control of the game. The guys showed, for the first time in Guatemala and possibly all summer, that they can play at a higher level as a team. The game started as a back and forth contest with our guys building a small lead. However, by halftime the lead grew to nearly 20 points. The second half began like the first half ended. We continued to build our lead and before Prepa could respond, we had built a near 40 point lead and put the game away. Everyone played hard and contributed in some way as we capped off the basketball portion of our trip with a 84-41 victory over basically, a version of the Guatemalan Junior National Team.






After the game, the guys were excited about their final meal and preparing for the return trip. Jaime had promised a special final meal and he delivered in a big way. Jaime set up reservations at a restaurant that overlooked all of Guatemala City and specialized in steaks and burgers. The guys ordered platter sized burgers and perfectly cooked steaks while enjoying the scenery and recapping the trip. It was a great experience to end the trip with and assured us of having full stomachs while finishing our packing and preparing for our early flight to Houston.

As we arrived at the Hotel Pan American, we quickly made our way to the rooms, packed our shopping bounty, and readied for a quick nap (since the wakeup call was set for 3:15am). The Hotel Pan American was built early in the 20th century and took its current name in 1942. So it was a very historical place and according to our guys, looked like something out of The Shining (historical motif in Guatemala comes across as creepy after midnight to Americans). A brief nap, lukewarm shower and Beverly Hillbilly style packing job later: we were on our way to the Guatemalan airport.

Flights were without incident, customs were uneventful (though a little more friendly than I'd like on the pat down), and before we were out of our haze of sleepiness, we arrived back in Jackson safely and sleepily. Thank you for all the prayer and support. Our team and basketball program are better for this entire experience and the constant support from our community only strengthens the relationship between our school and the people in Guatemala. God has proven Himself faithful throughout this process and hopefully we will be faithful with blessings and opportunities going forward.
Until next year,



Adios

Day 6 - Eagle's Nest, Solala

Friday began with an early wake-up call to leave Xela and head down to Lake Atitlan. The drive, as usual, was full of great scenery and many twists and turns. Once we arrived at the Eagle's Nest children's home, we met up with Pedro and Larry, the managers of the home, and collected a tentative schedule and various assignments for us to work on throughout the day. When we first pulled up to the main office there was a very large pile of sandy gravel placed next to the parking lot. After speaking with Larry, he mentioned that the entire pile needed to be moved into place so that they could begin a new phase of construction on the children's home. Also, he pointed out that the entire pile had to be moved by hand by the worker's at the facility. After a quick evaluation of the schedule and our manpower, I told Larry that our guys would be happy to help lend a hand to get this pile moved more efficiently from point A to point B. Our guys worked for the better part of the next two hours shoveling, dumping and piling up gravel in the hopes of getting the mound moved for the Eagle's Nest crew. Though the entire lump of gravel was not completely moved, the guys worked diligently together and made great progress in aiding our hosts' efforts.





After a quick lunch and recovery time, we headed over to start working with the kids at multiple venues throughout the complex. One group ran a short basketball clinic and game time at the outdoor courts. The kids had a great time running relays, shooting layups, dancing, and interacting with our guys. Towards the end of the clinic, Josh and Coach Horner gave a short encouragement to the kids about keeping the positive fun-loving attitude that they consistently exhibit and the God is pleased when His children take joy in the gifts and talents He has given them. Another group played on the playground with a group of younger kids for the better part of an hour and half. The guys later recalled how this was not only an immensely enjoyable time but also gave them a great opportunity to practice their Spanish and actually see how their presence at a place could be an encouragement to a child in need.




After all the afternoon activities began to wind down, we began preparing for the night game in Solala. Though this is a small mountain city, Solala is the home to the only team that was able to beat us last year on our Guatemala trip. Our guys played hard, even though they had a long day, and were able to come away with a debatable 12 point victory (not sure it wasn't 20 points). The game proved to be a springboard for the rest of the evening. A great meal of steak and vegetables awaited us at the Eagle's Nest when we returned and team was able to relax and reminisce about the day they had just experienced.

After dinner and showers, the team met up one last time for a group meeting to discuss the trip up to this point and perhaps, more importantly, what has this trip taught us about our team going forward? We had a long talk about our goals, vision for the upcoming season, and the best ways to make sure we are in a position to achieve the goals we have set. A simpler day logistically than most up to this point but perhaps the most profitable when experiences are discussed by the group.

Eagle's Nest is a beautiful place and the staff here are doing an amazing work for people in need in and around this community. They are consistently a light to those who need it most and place of refuge for children in need. Pray that God continues to grow their ministry and strengthens their vision for the future of the children's home and other ministries that may develop.

Adios

Day 5 - Quetzaltenango/Xela

Yesterday, we packed up our bags and left the friendly confines of Telma's house for the more adventurous surroundings of the mountains. Specifically, we drove 4 hours to our destination in Quetzaltenango, or as it is locally referred to, Xela. The drive to Xela is one of the more beautiful drives one can make in Guatemala and our guys were often awed by the mountain scenery and the vast landscapes that awaited us around nearly every corner.

We arrived in Xela around mid-afternoon and checked into our hotel, Hotel Cuesta Real. After a short time or rest and unpacking, we regrouped and made our way to a local sports complex for a kids clinic. Our local contact, Marlon, met up with us at the gym and helped us get the kids organized for the clinic. We spent about an hour and half playing basketball, doing drills and having conversations of encouragement with the 30 kids from Marlon's ministry that attended the clinic. Our guys had a great time watching the kids play and interacting with them through sports. Hollis was able to share a short testimony of how God is good in all circumstances and that hard work is beneficial to you as a person but also brings glory to God.


After leaving the sports complex, we drove across town to another smaller gym to play some quick pick-up games with a few of the leaders in Marlon's ministry. Most of the hour was spent playing basketball and shooting around in the small local gym but the last half hour a few of the guys got to encourage the leaders by talking to them about how sports can be an effective ministry tool. Tim and Josep did a great job talking to the guys about how athletics has impacted their lives and how they see it as an invaluable tool in their lives to reach others for Christ.

There is always one competitive game to gear up for and this day was no different. After leaving Marlon's group, we headed to a local league facility to play against the local club team and some of their junior team. Our guys did a great job playing hard and the old guys (Horner, Schutt, Josep and Tim) were even able to play for part of the game. Horner shared after the game about how considering Christ is something all people should do and that He has a plan for their lives.




The night ended with some out of character festivities. The Guatemalan soccer league championship was being held in Xela last night. John A. and I were able to sneak off and catch the firs half from the first row at midfield. We made sure to identify who the home team was and cheer for them throughout our visit. The supporters were going crazy the entire match and we were told later that the match was akin to what the NBA Finals are like in America. Very.Cool.Experience. Later, after dinner, a few other of the guys were able to walk over to the stadium and catch the final few minutes as Xela made a comeback to claim their second straight title.



An eventful day ended with the short drive back to the hotel and everyone quietly retiring to their room. The wake-up call was earlier than usual this morning with the drive to Solala starting around 7:45 but energy was high because the guys knew that a trip to the Eagle's Nest children's home and Lake Atitlan were next on the schedule.

We have had amazing traveling experiences and have been well received at every stop. Continue praying for openness, sensitivity, and opportunities. We all agree that the trip has flown by and we can't believe it is already Friday afternoon. Beautiful views, light shopping and a few more basketball games are all that stand between us and the end of the trip. Pray we make the most of it!

Adios from Lake Atitlan