Mixed Signals

Guatemala continues moving forward through the COVID-19 challenges that began here in mid-March.

Restrictions with nightly curfews (9 p.m. – 4 a.m.) are in place and every municipality has it’s own color-coded level of restrictions. This pathwork of differences across Guatemala make things not always clear whether things are getting better or worse when it comes to COVID-19 in Guatemala.

Recently our local community had it’s first confirmed cases and sadly a related death. 

We continue staying close to home, wearing masks, and reaching out to help others, teaching online classes, virtual meetings and elbow bumps instead of handshakes and hugs.

In August restrictions eased slightly, but we’re awaiting updates to clarify when we can open up to have activities in person again.

For Guatemalans across the nation, schools that only had less than three months of school with students in classrooms before things were shut down are not planning on opening for the rest of the school year which normally ends in October.

That means students are doing homework lessons and turning in their studies, but many are likely to have to retake their classes next year. Many students are limited in access to internet connections for doing homework. In many homes parents had little education themselves so help for students at home is limited. For upper level classes that require practical experience, students are in limbo waiting to find out how they can finish their studies.

Please pray for the people of Guatemala to put their trust in the Lord and not live in the fear that the uncertainty of these times brings.