Day 5 in Guatemala: Shared Stories, Sports, and Flavors

By Ellie Hyvonen

Every day has been so different for our Guatemala team, and today was no exception. This morning, we visited Robinson High School, which partners with Christ for the City to offer English classes and basketball. Our students had the opportunity to share their testimonies in English with two different high school classes—and their students did the same. Their level of English was absolutely outstanding, and we were amazed at how much we could relate to their stories!

We finished the morning enjoying some typical Guatemalan foods, purchased for us from the younger grades' entrepreneurs’ food fair.

The afternoon was spent at the Victorious soccer after-school club, where the head missionary, Giovanni, shared a short devotional before leading an exercise class and a soccer game. It was a sweet time in the sun!

Today, we experienced much of the local culture through traditional foods. For breakfast, we had tortilla-like pupusas served with scrambled eggs, mashed beans, fresh cheese, and ham sausages. Dinner was a highlight—tostadas (large homemade tortillas) topped with red beans, beef, and spices, full of incredible flavor.

Other culinary highlights included Pepián, Guatemala’s national dish—a thick stew with slow-cooked meats, vegetables, seeds, and nuts—and Chuchitos, corn dough filled with meat, often wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. The cooks here have been more than kind.

On the way back from the soccer game, we finally got our wish—ice cream!