2025 in Review
It’s been a busy year, so we thought we would try gathering our thoughts here in a digital format. If nothing else this will give the photos a little breathing room.
Home visit near Chichicastenango / photo by Jose Fares
Matthew is now 11, and started 6th grade in August. He run cross-country, and plays trumpet in the school band and piano in the jazz band. He is currently growing at a rate which is visible to the human eye. He has mental and physical fortitude beyond his years, and is shaping up to be an out-of-the-box thinker. He skis with Team Monarch, mountain bikes Salida Youth Cycling, and is generally the youngest member of his group.
We covered some ground in 2025:
In August we gave our feet a rest and switched to mountain biking for a while.
One of many good powder days in 2025
In late October we visited our staff and projects in Guatemala , our favorite time to be there. Matthew was old enough to appreciate Dia de los Muertos as celebrated in Chichicastenango: with lots of gunpowder. We also met with staff and student families, and dedicated a new home.
The year in photos: (click to expand)
We traveled to Virginia over spring break and Thanksgiving to visit the family.
Mark and Lesly are focused full time on Pura Vida’s work in rural Guatemala. We are especially glad to see the progress our scholarship students are making. We still love the work we’re doing and the impact we’re beginning to see. It’s hard to imagine doing anything else.
We’ve found some ways to give back to the local community. Lesly continues to take part-time hours as a CNA at the local hospital. Mark continues to volunteer with the Colorado Trail Foundation as a trail adopter and now as Chairman of the Board. Matthew also helps with trail work, and has done some informal modeling for CTF.
What we read in 2025:
Matthew is working on The Hobbit, along with anything by Stuart Gibbs.
The new biography of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow rocks.
Lesly is into WW2 historical fiction.
Re-read the Declaration of Independence when you get a minute. It “hits different,” as kids say these days.
Movie highlights:
Perfect Days, by Wim Wenders
Flow
Anything by Studio Ghibli
Ford v Ferrari never gets old.
2001: A Space Odyssey holds up well.
Hundreds of Beavers will change your life.
We hope to see you in 2026!
