Mayan Ruins-Iximche Tecpan

Last week we were able to go with some teammates from Sepal to one of the many ancient Mayan ruins here in Guatemala. 

 These ruins are just outside the capital in a city called Tecpan and were built by the Iximiche (seemchay) people.  

Tecpan was the pre-colonial capital of Guatemala before the Spanish conquest led by Pedro de Alvarado in 1523.  We learned that many Guatemalans are returning to the beliefs and gods of their ancestors and are inspired by their President, Alvaro Colom, who is a self proclaimed Mayan Priest.  Jesus, according to Colom, is a God of the white people.  Each follower of the Mayan religion is in a quest to find their ultimate destiny and relies on the guidance of the priest whose three principal resources are the stars, a sacred object - which can be any inanimate object specific to every living person - and sacred fire.  Mayan religion is a syncretistic belief system borrowing signs, symbols, and other gods from other religions.  The Spanish conquest came with the sword in one hand and the cross and Mary in the other, so many indigenous people of Latin America in an attempt to avoid death by the sword, bowed 

down to the cross but inwardly held onto their own beliefs.  That is why the symbol of the cross can be seen worn by Mayan priests who have appropriated it's use for ritualistic practices while  It is inside of this religious context that the Evangelical church in Guatemala today meets one of it's largest challenges: Discipling  

Pictures above: Max and Kaden exploring the ruins 

Below: Mayan ancestors in todays culture still praying, offering sacrifices through fire and decorating the alters with flowers. Please pray that these dear people would recognize the danger of their idol worship and find the giver of true life, the only one worthy of true worship, our savior Jesus Christ. 

Also, in the middle picture: our little Karis on top of one of the central alters were sacrifices were offered. She was jumping off of it into my arms and I was thinking what a neat picture that is of our need to continually reach out to the Lord and jump into His arms so that we will be lead to the truth and flee from any idols we may have in our own lives.