Faces of Guatemala

One of the highlights of my trip has been getting to know the people of Guatemala.  I’ve been living with a local family, hanging out with Guatemaltecos I’ve met in the city, and becoming friends for the first time with people who do not speak English.

While I do not personally know everyone in the portraits below, these faces represent a people I have come to love and a people that bear the image of God.

I met Juan in Parque Central in Xela, Guatemala.  He was the first person I struck up a random conversation with in Spanish.

I had the opportunity to visit this woman’s house where she and her family made blankets and other goods that were usually sold to students in language school.

I came across this man in Momostenango and he asked for his picture to be taken.  Later, I printed out the photo and sent it to him with one of his friends I knew.

A man in Salcaja, Guatemala told us about the history of making fabrics in the city and how this art has been passed down generation to generation.  Each town in the area has a unique weaving pattern.

Alma was one of my teacher’s at Sakribal.  We always had a great time speaking Spanish, laughing, learning about our cultures, and becoming friends.

These friends in San Andres Xecul, Guatemala were very eager to have their picture taken together in the midst of their games in the street.

One day we traveled with our teachers to a city park called El Baul in Xela and enjoyed going down the concrete slides on plastic Coke bottles.

I happened to have my camera out when the boy on top was celebrating a victory in  his wrestling match with a friend in the street.