San Juan de Laguna and Willi

Today we traveled by boat across Lake Atitlan to San Juan de Laguna, a small town of 3,000 that are almost all indigenous Mayan people. The town has changed so much since I worked here on  a Habitat project of something like 14 houses. Back then, we probably were about the only outsiders in town, but today I found it had been discovered and maybe 100 tourists were wandering around. We visited a women's cooperative that makes thread, dyes it in natural dyes including avocado, onion, basil; and then hand weave it into various  items. Let's just say, I am covered for Christmas! 

Later in the day, I talked everyone into going to visit the Habitat project I worked on back then. I had met a family that I really got attached to and especially a boy named Willi who was about 12 at the time. We found the Colonia after hunting around for a bit and it was great to see the neighborhood thriving after so many years.  After asking around, I found out that Willi is now 19 and working for the National Police. Someone called his mother who was working and she came back to the neighborhood for a visit. Very touching for me to connect with the community again and all the memories I have of that experience. Thank you Peter and Betty. 

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