11/22/2025
Living in Guatemala for a year, you’d see me like this- traveling to the flower market by bus and on foot, haggling flower prices in Spanish, and carrying great big bundles of my finds on my back and sometimes my head 😂 to create arrangements for our church events!
The US imports most of their flowers from Central America - and while I love keeping things super local, growing as many flowers as I can- I also believe in the beautiful relationships we can build with other nations, calling for fair and healthy treatment of workers and land, doing business with those who reflect our values.
These days when I see “Grown in Guatemala” on bunches I smile- for me I think of Marta, the woman who worked in the flower market, giving me the locals price with a big warm hug. She would speak slowly for me and help me choose the best bundles of flowers.
For me flowers 💐 are deeply embedded in my heart as a symbol of connection, cross cultural acceptance and care. Perhaps that’s part of why I continue to be drawn to this work through the years. Thank you for your orders which are a part of this grand arch of connection and love.
PS in Guatemala we weren’t traditional missionaries, we were self funded while working remotely for US based clients. We did volunteer projects- working with children with special needs and launching a homeless shelter. What an enriching time of life learning so much about God’s love for people. The flowers grow well there from the volcanic activity.