The Sky Cried Tears of Black Sand

In the midst of rainy season here in Guatemala, we found nothing unusual about hearing the sound of rain hitting our roof and windows here at the Lemonade House. However, Donnie received a phone call from a friend telling us that we were not actually hearing rain outside our windows last night. We ran outside to see that it was actually raining black sand. Yes… BLACK SAND!! We played in it like it was snow… running up and down the street (Rebecca), taking pictures from under the umbrella (Rebecca and I), trying to collect it in styrofoam cups (Donnie). Cars drove up and down the street slowly, as if they might slide on what could easily be mistaken as black ice.

This morning, it reminded me of living in North Carolina after it snows an inch or two. Cars are still driving abnormally cautiously up and down our street. The schools in La Limonada are closed today. The airport in Guatemala City is closed until further notice. I have yet to hear the guy up the street announcing that the bus heading to “centro” has arrived. Two of our friends showed up at the house this morning by taxi, claiming that some of the busses are still running, but not many. I can’t hear the traffic on the main road that I usually listen for when I drink my coffee in the mornings.

There’s a smell in the air this morning… it’s a cross between the coals on a grill getting warm and the smell right before it rains. The city seems to have slowed down. There’s an uncomfortable peace this morning. The house is abnormally quiet for 11 am. Outside you can hear the scraping of shovels, removing the sand from sidewalks and rooftops. I hear crunching under people’s feet as they walk down the road. It’s just started raining. It’s a beautiful day in Guatemala.

The neighbor’s plants, covered in black sand

One of the flowers on the bushes outside

Men on the roof across the street, shoveling sand away

Sand shoveled to the end of the sidewalks

The plant outside of our front door, covered in black sand

Outside the Lemonade House

On the driveway

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