Our Vacation - Part 2 - Panajachel

We arrived at the Posada de los Volcanes , unloaded our bags, and asked the front desk for a recommendation on a good restaurant. He told us to try this restaurant 4 blocks up the street. It has good meat. We found it, sat down, and ordered. Now, this restaurant is open to the street. There is no wall or door. It's like a stage...and we're the main attraction. As soon as we sat down, the street vendors, especially children, swarm around our table.

"You like?"

"How much you pay?"

"How about this?"

"I make you good price."

We bought some little trinkets and the kids ran off. But we noticed a lady that seemed to be waiting for us just outside the restaurant.....



After we ate and were satisfied (The food was very good.), we stepped out into the street. Sure enough, she WAS waiting for us. If you've ever been to Panajachel, I'm sure you met her too. She stood about 4 foot tall, slender, looked to be about 30-35. Her name was M___. Now M___ is the MOST AGGRESSIVE salesperson I have EVER met. In Antigua, if you say, "No, gracious." three times, the street vendors will move on to someone else. Not M___. Oh, no. She hung on to us like a young dog playing tug-of-war with an old sock. It took us forever to walk the 4 blocks back to the hotel. We found out that M___ has five children, the youngest was a newborn. He was being carried on the back of A___, the 11 year old. Now we had already bought something from both M___ and A___, but A___ is still trying to make another sale while my husband is in the bank. Finally, I get down on his level, look directly at him and sternly, but gently say, "No mas", "No more". "Dios bendiga","God bless".

He turns to me, and practically spitting the words at me, says, "Dios bendiga? Dios bendiga! You go to @#$%. You blankety-blank American. &#%&^$ you! You son of a #$%#!"

I look at my brother and he looks at me. Did he just cuss me out in English? Yes, he did. The worst stuff Hollywood can dish out. He called me those things!

I just said, "No, no" in a gentle, hurt way.

So, he stormed off and we went back to the hotel.

.....But I couldn't sleep that night. Besides the roosters crowing and the fireworks blasting, I was thinking about a little boy who cussed me out.


What was I thinking?......


Bless those who curse you.

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?


And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."


'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

While I was concerned with how I could share Jesus with these people , I realized that I was staring at Him in the face. He was hungry. He was tired. And I had given Him a "Go, and I wish you well."


But God gave me a second chance....