We raced to Guat City today for Dan's cremation. What should be a 4 hour trip took our driver 3 hours and we knew Dan was saying Yee Haw!! the entire way. The rest of us had white knuckles. We arrived at one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have ever seen. There was a special building set aside for cremation that has been recently built. Ale and Renee joined us for thoughts, songs and prayers. Bill and Rosy Fogarty and their son Sebastian were also able to make it for the ceremony. Nancy, once again led us in song. Ale preformed a beautiful circle of light ceremony where we all joined in a circle and focused our energy 'light' to lift Dan's spirit up and once again I swear I heard a Yee Haw!!
The body was lowered through the floor using a fancy hydraulic system that Dan would have been proud of. Nancy greeted Dan before placing his body in the furnace and placed a freshly picked flower from Ale onto his chest. Daniel brought sage from home to also accompany Dan's spirit on his way. It takes 5 hours for the body to turn to dust.
We continued into the city with Bill and Rosy and we will lose ourself in the country until Monday when the beuracricy will continue and we can hopefully get the boat back in Nancy's name. The Gov't still has not released her home back to her. She still does not have her own clothes to live in. And we still have to deal with cleaning the boat.
However, the tourist arm of Guatemala's Gov't 'Asistur' has been so wonderful in helping us negotiate 'the process.' They will be with us until we either leave the country or say goodbye.
Nancy was able to look at the website today and was blown away. Thank you to all that have been involved in making this site, especially to Jason Overby for putting it all together. It has been so wonderful for us to connect with all of you and reading your support has been so helpful for us down here. You are amazing.
The letters to the gmail account are also touching off a tear on us all. The support is immense and you could not believe how much it has helped get us through these events.
Thank you all and we love you so much,
B
