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Every year on September 15th, Guatemala celebrates Independence Day. The Light & Life band won 3rd place in the band competition, and it's the only elementary school band. Their director started studying music and theology on weekends at a seminary in Guatemala City last January 2007. The teachers made all the banners for the parade—such talent and creativity!
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Every situation is a growing experience. Xhun has decided that they need to start band practice in January. Originally, they had planned to have special costumes made for the parade. That gave us the opportunity to discuss the values of the the school again, this time particularly the one about upholding Ixil culture. Even though they had discussed this with the parents before I got in on it, they went back to the parents and talked about it again—the new decision to have the girls wear their Ixil outfits and the boys wear dark pants, white shirts, with red hand-woven sashes and straw hats. I was told later that most of the parents were actually pleased with the 2nd decision. It's hard for any of us to go back and say, "I've thought better of the previous decision." I'm just all around proud of the teachers and students.
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