When I sat down to write the last post about "taking one step at a time" and "doing the next right thing" - I had no idea of what was coming just a few days later. I had no idea, that looking ahead one step at a time was exactly what was coming. Not just for me, but for many families in Guatemala...
Each time we are in Guatemala, the volcanoes are always part of the beauty and magic of the land. They circle Lake Atitlan like they are dancing around her beauty and they hover in the background of our photos like they are photo-bombing us. Heck, we even climbed one to roast marshmallows on the hot lava and our dog in now named Pacaya! The volcanoes enthrall us...and they are a part of everyday life for Guatemalans. Every. day. life.
On Sunday, June 3rd - El Fuego (FIRE) Volcano erupted like it has not ever before. This volcano that hovered in the background was now exploding with little warning and with a fierceness that had never been seen. Hundreds are dead or missing, and thousands have lost everything. A pyroclastic flow of hot lava and gases engulfed the villages surrounding this giant volcano - photos coming out of the area are reminiscent of scenes similar to Pompeii.
The need on a normal day in Guatemala is overwhelming. The needs after this eruption are enormous. And we still don't even know the extent of the damage and loss of life. We are reaching out in all the ways we can to try to help, alleviate the suffering of one family, or one person at a time.