Day 9: A Fitting End To An Amazing Experience

Waking up today, we could sense that there was a different aura among the group as we entered into our last day of service. It was a day that was filled with emotion, with each person coming to the realization that this really was the end of our trip. Over the course of the past week, the group has continued to create bonds with each person that we have been blessed to meet. Some spent the mornings at the nursery, while others worked with and taught children at the Francisco Coll School and the Korea All-Girls School. Regardless of where each person worked, everybody was able to make real connections with the children with whom they worked, and it was for that reason that we woke up today with such a bittersweet feeling in our hearts.

We started the day as we normally do, with a quick reflection and a delicious breakfast prepared by the Retreat House Staff. We then took off to the dump area to begin our service for the day. Given that the Francisco Coll School students had a day off for National Teacher's Day, all 14 of us headed to the nursery to help out on our final day. We were separated into pairs, and each pair was assigned to a different room to help the teachers with whatever they required. For me and Cameron, we were assigned to help out with the babies, from 3-9 months old. Initially, it was very hard for us to interact with the babies, as they seemed to be really scared of these new people they had never seen before. As the morning progressed, however, we were to able to really began to grow close especially with two of the babies in particular, Zoe and Hilari.

The teacher let us take them out in a twin stroller around the nursery, and we really were able to practice our dad skills as we took them outside, sitting down occasionally to play and interact with them. After our little recreation time, we brought them inside and washed them up in preparation for lunch. The workers even allowed us to feed them ourselves, which was an amazing experience. Zoe was willing to eat almost anything, while Hilari vehemently refused to eat anything but the biscuits and napkins. Our short attempt at feeding the babies allowed us to really appreciate how hard it is to be a parent, and it felt great to make a connection with the babies and help out the workers at the same time.

When our time at the nursery came to an end, a lot of the raw emotions of the group really began to come out. Many members of our group who had formed deep connections with the children found it extremely difficult to say goodbye, and tears were even shed by several of them. As we went to eat lunch, there was a dead silence among the group, as we came upon the realization that were probably never to see these children ever again. After lunch, we went to work with Don Lolo and Don Julio, and this served as a way for many of us to keep our minds off of the emotions we felt earlier. Most of the group worked with Don Lolo to finish up laying down concrete for the sidewalk, while the rest of us went with Don Julio to finish plastering one of the new houses in the dump community. As we worked with the plaster, we were able to interact with the family of 12 that lived there, especially the youngest boy, Jonathon. Interacting with the people that we were serving directly was amazing, but it also was saddening to see the conditions that they had to live in.

After we were done, Milano decided to use some of the money he had remaining to buy food and drinks for all the children that were living in that area. He spent 100 Quetzales to buy 32 bottles of soda and some chips, and we passed them out to all the people in the area, even the young men that Andres suspected to be gang members. It was a really nice way to give something small to such a poverty-ridden area, and it was inspiring to see how a bottle of coke and a piece of gum made the children jump up and down as if they had just won the lottery. When we are all finished with our work, the time came to say goodbye to Don Lolo and Don Julio. As a way to honor how dedicated they are and express our gratitude to them, we presented them with bags of gifts from our donations, and Charlie and Dan even wrote a letter to Don Lolo with a significant donation for his son's college books. Lolo had told Mrs. Cabrera that he was trying to find a way to pay for his son's books, and Charlie and Dan took the initiative to try to make that dream a reality. Don Lolo and Don Julio were very emotional and thankful, and solemn goodbyes were exchanged.

Having finished our service, we hopped on the bus and went  back to the Retreat House to relax for an hour before dinner. Dinner was delicious and included grilled chicken and fries alongside a variety of vegetables and potato patties. After dinner, the chaperones gave us 30 minutes to pack our bags early to make it easier tomorrow morning. As a tribute to the group's hard work and good behavior throughout the trip, the chaperones decided to provide us with a treat, as they took us to the theater to watch a movie together as a group.

In a fierce battle between the Finding Dory Fan Club led by Alex White and the Conjuring 2 Supporters spearheaded by Mr. Cabrera, we finally came to the decision to watch the Conjuring 2. The chaperones conveniently bought two rows of tickets, so that they could sit in the back and watch us get scared witless. Almost everyone enjoyed the movie, while some were too scared to even watch, covering their eyes and holding on to the people next to them (Bo and Franklin). The movie was a great way to cap off a great trip and everyone was laughing and joking on the way there and back. After the movie, we headed back to the retreat house to try and catch some sleep before our 4 o'clock wake up (while me and Cameron decided to start working on this blog).

Overall, we had a packed day full of deep sadness and genuine joy, and it turned to be the best way that we possibly could have ended this amazing journey. As we end this blog series, we find ourselves as different people than the ones that hopped on the plane last Thursday, and we can truly say that we have grown and bonded as true Brothers (and Sister). We all miss our families back home, and we can't wait to see you all tomorrow.

Written by Aghiad and Cameron

Day 8: The Bittersweet Reality of Our Service

Today we awoke to our last day at the elementary schools. For those serving there, it was a bittersweet day of simultaneously partaking in their summer celebration while having to say goodbye for the last time before heading stateside.

Starting with our morning reflection and a breakfast of fried plantains, we headed off to the Francisco Coll school in Zone 3 for the annual soccer game at the end of our service. Mr. Cabrera offered a speech not seen since Vince Lombardi, and from there the only direction to go was up. It was a tightly contested game, but in the end the Titans prevailed with a score of 3-1. The opportunity for the match was met with a sense of graciousness on both sides and, after a quick photoshoot, we headed back to the school. Just as luck would have it, recess occurred at the moment we entered back into the school. A barrage of never ending piggy-back rides and finger-gun shots erupted with a playful intensity that was characterized by smiles and laughs. The bell rang, and we began to prepare for the children’s presentations.

The kids had obviously prepared for this event, and they put themselves into their performances. First there was teacher appreciation, which culminated in Mr. Dane putting his hips to work behind loud latin beats (Note from Mr. Dane: I was compelled against my will to dance in front of the ENTIRE school.  But what can I say: I embraced the moment, and my hips don’t lie). Then two of our own, Milano and Daniel, joined a dance competition. Unfortunately, they were promptly booted. A sound came and a pack of clowns rushed out and performed their own comedy skit, which was met with laughs by all the children in the school. Finally, there was a dance performance complete with the pageantry of traditional dresses being donned by the 6^th graders. Afterwards, it was our turn to reciprocate. First, a speech that we wrote was read aloud to the children while they prepared a special surprise for us. A group of fourteen children came up to each one of us and presented us with a bracelet made by them. Soon after, Robert showed his saxophone skills performing a solo piece. This was followed by an acapella rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and finally a confusing version of the Cuban Shuffle that left everyone a bit dazed. But through it all, there was a constant stream of smiles and laughs that lit the day brighter than the hot Guatemalan sun ever could.

After the performances, we distributed pizzas and soda to the kids, which was a special treat that comes around once a year for the children. We also had it for lunch: it was Domino’s, and it was surprisingly delicious. After resting up, we said our goodbyes to the children before they left the school for the summer. The last syllables of Adios that were heard was difficult, but left us with a sense of pride for what we had done and the relationships we had so fruitfully cultivated. Then it was time to put our energy to work. We continued our construction projects under the ever watchful and cheery eyes of Don Lolo and Don Julio. We made a large amount of progress on a new sidewalk which linked the annex classrooms to the rest of the square. Again we thought the culminating clouds meant it would storm, but it ended up holding off which allowed us to put in as much work as possible. There was an unexpected guest who showed up, Don Lolo’s son, who we played soccer with for a good chunk of time. With our tools cleaned, we headed back to the retreat house, opting to skip soccer in order to relax before dinner.

Dinner was delicious, and at the end we celebrated Adam Newell’s birthday with an otherworldly Tiramisu cake. After the cake was demolished, we were present at a very emotional reflection session as our time comes to an end. Before we went to bed, we separated items from our donation bags to give to the community before we leave. We hope to take our mission back home, and will not be satisfied with merely talking about ideas without taking real actions. Collectively, we have come to a single conclusion: that the kids have served us far more than we could ever hope to serve them in such a short period of time. We refuse to let such an experience grow stale in our minds so that we can help any way we can when we arrive back stateside.

As we prepare to leave, we hope this experience has been nourishing to our hearts, minds, and souls. With how our discussions have unfolded, it is most definitely true that this is the case. As we go to sleep for one of the last times, our hopeful optimism refuses to be diminished and only seeks to keep growing with the seeds of compassion, love, and mindfulness.

-Written by John and Franklin

Day 7: Another Day of Hard Work in Guatemala City

We kicked off the day with reflection and ate breakfast at 7:30 in preparation for our third day of service. After the daily hour long traffic jam on the way, half of us arrived at the Coll school, and the other half went to the nursery. The seven students who went to the nursery interacted with 3 to 5 year olds. Their job was to play with the children and function as a role model for them. Many of the kids became very attached to us. The principal of the nursery is retiring soon, so those that served there had the opportunity to meet the mayor of Guatemala City and his wife in a ceremony to celebrate the principal’s dedication to the nursery.  It was actually a pretty important, grand affair.  Mr. Cabrera was particularly excited to meet the “First Lady” of Guatemala City.

Those that went to the Coll school were split into groups and taught first, third, fourth, and fifth graders English.  They were able to directly interact with students from the community and were given large responsibilities as the teachers gave them complete autonomy over the classes. The students were ecstatic at our presence, but they were still able to learn even though there were often forty students in a classroom. The teachers at the school did not speak English, so they were entirely reliant on us to teach their students. We taught them several relatively basic but important English words, such as parts of the body and objects in a classroom. For some, it was difficult to communicate because there was a prominent language barrier. Still, they were able to connect with the kids through hand motions, drawings, and facial expressions. Those that were able to speak Spanish were able to play games (such as Simon Says) and read with the students. Many were eager to learn about English culture: the translation for their names, or daily life in the United States.

Once the bell rang, kids rushed out into the courtyard. Both groups were able to play with the kids during recess. They enjoyed putting together puzzles, playing tag, climbing on the monkey bars, playing instruments, and best of all, riding on the backs of “Caballos,” which drew the comparison between us and horses.  

After that, we all regrouped for lunch at the Coll School where we were treated to sandwiches and snacks and talked about the day up to that point. We then moved on to manual labor where we once again divided into two groups. One group helped Don Lolo, the intimidating yet friendly chief ground’s man. They shoveled, mixed, and carried cement until they finished the difficult three-day project: a sidewalk around the school. We celebrated our hard work by carving our names into the concrete and taking a picture with the legendary Don Lolo.

The other students worked more directly with the people, heading into the community around the dump. They helped plaster a house for a disparaged family. They had the help of Don Julio, another hardworking, committed ground’s man. He was very adept and efficient at laying down dry wall, but sacrificed his time by allowing us to get the firsthand experience of plastering the walls ourselves. We plastered a newly built second story, balancing on a floorless balcony with just a plank of wood as well as three cinder blocks stacked on top of each other. The family was extremely grateful for our help and we left both jobs feeling exhausted but satisfied. In the dump, we saved a stray cat and took it back to the retreat house where Mrs. Cabrera washed and fed it, and named him Kronos.   Our guide, Andres, who has been looking for a cat for his family, will take it home and give it to his father.

Once we arrived back at the retreat house, we played our third daily soccer tournament where Team Dane emerged victorious over Team Cabrera. We then enjoyed a nice dinner, celebrating the Cabrera’s third anniversary with a Tres Leches cake. After dinner, we engaged in our fourth reflection session, where we had a lengthy discussion about what we have gained from this trip and what happiness means to us. Then, we began practicing for our grand farewell performance for the Coll School.

 Today marked a climactic moment for the trip as we began to think about what life will be like when we return. With only two days of service remaining, we are hoping to leave a significant impact on the Guatemalan community as well as on ourselves.

Written By Alex and Humza

Day 6: The Second Day in the Dump Community

After waking up, we went down to the chapel for our morning reflection. We were given questions to think about as we continued our service throughout the day. From there we went to breakfast, where we all enjoyed pancakes, eggs, fruit, and some more of that delicious Sunny D. After breakfast, we all hopped on the bus and prepared to separate into our different groups to do service. Some people went to the nursery, others to an all-girl grade school, and the rest to a co-ed grade school. I (Adam) went to the nursery.

Upon arriving at the school, we were taken to different classrooms and one of us was assigned to each room. I was in a room with 1^st graders, and was surprised at how glad they were to see me. I am sure when I was that young, if I saw someone new to me that did not even speak my language, I would be scared of them. None of these kids were scared; instead, they all welcomed me with hugs and a symphony of “Holas.” One of the girls even said “Hello” to me. I was surprised at her English, but then she even counted to ten in English.

Since there was no one else who spoke English in the room, I was concerned that there was going to be a language barrier between not only me and the kids, but me and the teacher as well. I do know a small amount of Spanish, but I was worried I would not be able to have a conversation with the kids and talk with them, or do what the teacher asked of me. This was not a problem, however, as their first activity was a song accompanied with a dance. I did not know any of the words, so I just danced along with the kids as they laughed at my “skills.” After we danced, they practiced the numbers one through seventy in Spanish. I was able to help with finding the number and putting it where it belongs. Afterwards, I was even able to teach the class the numbers one through twenty in English. The teacher found it somewhat funny, and I, along with the kids, found it enjoyable. After that, the kids practiced their cursive writing, and then proceeded to run around outside when they were finished with their work.

I was pulled into a game that I can only guess was tag, and had fun running around with the kids and smiling and laughing for what seemed like hours. Suddenly, there was a bell, and all of the kids ran outside and to the front of the building with the rest of the kids in the school. There, they presented the same song and dance that they had performed earlier, but it was all of the students of the school and they all seemed to really enjoy it. I know I did. After that they went to lunch, where I kept on eye on them, but sadly the time came for me to leave. I did not want to go! I had enjoyed those few hours with them so much. I cannot wait to go back again tomorrow to see their bright, smiling faces.

I (Bo) went to the all-girls school and had an interesting experience at the school. We first walked through the gate and met the principal.  She explained what classrooms we would be in and what we would be doing to help the students. Charlie and I went into a 1^st grade class; I was very nervous because I cannot speak Spanish very well. As soon as we walked into the classroom, all of the little girls were giggling and saying “Hola!” At first, Charlie and I didn’t know what we were doing so we sat at a table and talked to the little girls. The girls were very shy, but they soon started to feel more comfortable with us when we started to make silly faces and do goofy things.

After about 15 minutes, the teacher asked us if we could help the girls with their English with body parts, their family, and numbers. Even though Charlie and I weren’t the best teachers, the girls were having a blast! Out of nowhere a bell rang and all of the girls screamed and ran outside with their lunches. Charlie, Franklin, Alex, Mrs. Cabrera, and I walked outside and found some girls. We asked if she wanted to play a game, and they decided that they wanted to play Duck Duck Goose. All of the little girls were enjoying this so much, and they thought it was great that they were besting all of us older kids.

Then the little girls took our hands and wanted to show us a dance. After about five minutes, we chose to dance with them. I had no idea we would attract so many people, but it seemed like all the of girls watched us dance. Recess was about an hour long and it was hilarious to see all of the little girls yell and race to their classrooms. Charlie and I moved into the same classroom as Franklin and Alex. 

These girls were in 2^nd grade and were extremely hyper. We helped them make gifts for their fathers for Father’s Day and the girls giggled when I tried to speak Spanish. The girls also said my name was too hard, so I told the girls to call me “Pepe.” After about 15 minutes, the teacher let the girls play with us, so they started to tap my or Charlie’s back and we would run around trying to find out who it was. The girls had to leave in the next half hour which was very sad. All of them ran up to us and gave us hugs and waved goodbye.

After our service, we went back to the Coll school and made lunch. We relaxed for a bit, and shared some stories from service, then headed out to do some of our service involving physical work. They had planned to make another sidewalk, so we needed to make much more concrete. Most of the guys stayed and helped with the sidewalks and the concrete, but five of us went to go plaster some walls in a house that SJJ had been going to and working on for the past two years. They had a second story added on, and needed their drywall covered, so we finished the stairway landing area and some of the outside on the balcony.

Once back at the retreat house, we quickly got changed and prepared ourselves for another round of soccer. We moved the goals, and made the field longer and wider, and played three 5-on-5 teams. Thankfully, the weather was great all day and there was no threat of rain during service and our soccer playing.

After the soccer tournament, we sat down for another great dinner, this time with ribs, rice and corn, and fried yucca (a starchy food similar to french fries). Following dinner, we engaged in a deep group reflection during which we answered the questions presented to us earlier in the day. Today was a great day, and everyone is looking forward to tomorrow.

Written by Bo and Adam

Day 5: Our First Day of Service

Our first day of service started with a delicious breakfast consisting of a native dish made up of potatoes, cheese, and eggs, served in casserole form. We piled into the van, excited yet apprehensive of what the day would hold. We stopped on the ride to Zona Tres to pick up a police officer named Darvin, who would ensure we were safe throughout the day. Then, arriving in the dump community for the second time during our stay in Guatemala, reality set in. For the first time this week, I realized the magnitude of what we were doing. I became acutely aware that for the next week, I, along with my companions, would be giving up ourselves entirely for the benefit of others. While this is an admirable action, it is one that I am unfamiliar with. I would have to give more of myself than I ever had before and get out of my comfort zone.

                Despite my initial apprehension towards the daunting task of offering myself up for the greater good of others, the day turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. We started off our day’s service with a presentation on the garbage dump’s elementary school’s beginnings and what its function is, and were able to ask the principle questions and learn more about the school’s impact on the community. After several questions, we went back to the bus to visit the local nursery.

                My very first impression of the nursery happened before we even walked in. It was right next to the entrance to the actual garbage dump, and to me it seemed a bit unsanitary and potentially dangerous. However, once we got past the guarded gates and were welcomed by a sea of eager toddlers, waving at us and screaming their greetings with overflowing excitement, my entire perspective changed. The warm, happy, and excited community was in stark contrast to the suffering and hardship that was occurring merely meters from the nursery’s walls, and the pure innocence and joy that these young kids had was, to me, amazing considering the crippling poverty they experienced at home. It was immensely powerful to see that even facing so much hardship at such a young age, these kids were just as happy and energetic as any I have ever seen. We sang the Guatemalan national anthem along with the kids to begin the day, and soon after went on a tour of the school with the principal. The school was extremely clean and nice, and it looked as good or better than any American pre-school that I have seen. The administration took great pride in their ability to teach their students valuable lessons and to give them as many tools as possible to succeed later in life. We ended the tour with a farewell from some of the students and headed back to the bus.

                After a brief lunch at the elementary school, the students at this school left for the day, giving us high fives on their way out. We then started our real work for the day. We began lifting huge bags of plant soil and moving it to an area in which the local workers would start a garden. Later, we shoveled sand into wheel barrows and moved it into the middle of the courtyard where we would be doing the week’s construction work. Then, we mixed the pile repeatedly with cement powder, and when this was done enough times, we poured water and pebbles into the pile and began to mix it, forming wet cement. For the remainder of the workday, we shoveled the wet cement into the wheel barrows and started spreading it in a space dug out for a sidewalk to be formed. We smoothed out the sidewalk, getting about two-thirds of the sidewalk finished, and went back to an after school program where local high school age students studied. After conversing with them in Spanish, which was a bit difficult, we went back to the retreat house for the day.

            The rest of the night was pure fun. The two of us played in a soccer tournament consisting of four teams of four, and we ended up winning the championship game. After a delicious dinner of grilled chicken and papas fritas, or the Guatemalan version of French fries, we sat down and had a powerful reflection. I finished the day feeling much different than when I started. Instead of apprehension for the tasks set before us, I felt excitement to help because the locals who were so welcoming.

Written by Daniel Bandelaria and Charlie Baca

Day 4: The Majesty of Atitlan

Our hectic fourth day in Guatemala began with an early breakfast time of 6:30 am because we had to set out early on our daunting, three hour drive deep into the mountains surrounding Lake Atitlan, one of the largest bodies of water in the entire country. The quick breakfast had a new spin, mostly because it included fried plantains, and it signaled the beginning of a new adventure.

I felt I was only capable of two emotions throughout the day; I was awestruck by the escalating volcanoes enclosing the little town in which we visited first; and I had a persisting fatigue that was especially helpful in diverting the time of the drives into productive rest. After this 3-hour drive over winding switchbacks and rough terrain, we finally arrived at a small resort on the edge of Lake Atitlan. With expansive gardens and neatly groomed flora, the cherry on top of this already brilliant sundae was provided by the mountain ranges and volcanoes encapsulating this fancy hotel. We boarded a small boat which took us across this deceivingly wide lake into a small town with numerous markets.

After our arrival on the dock on the other side of the lake, and a quick photo-op with the volcanoes, we headed into the heart of the city by climbing higher and higher into the atmosphere. The first stop before shopping was one of the oldest churches in Central America, built and established by Spanish Conquistadors in 1517. Not surprisingly, Andres, our guide, enlightened us that this church was built on top of an ancient Mayan altar. This cathedral was packed to the brim with people celebrating mass, so we did not have the chance to go in. By this time, lunch was imminent, so “El Pescador” (The Fisherman), was our next stop. There we were graced with a unique style of cooking; the entire fish was presented to us instead of simply the filets that we eat at home.  It was quite the culinary experience.

A common theme in the first few “tourism” days was again repeated with the barter style marketplace, which was set on the hill we had conquered only hours before. This time however, paintings were now included in the selection of elegant goods, along with the frequent murmurs of “Adelante” (come in), “Que busca?” (what are you looking for), and the ever present “Just for you, amigo!” (vendors try and bait us in by telling us that the price they were offering was specific only to us and not to any other customers wandering through their shops).

One unique aspect of these past days that I have thoroughly enjoyed was the inclusion of three students from International Samaritan’s, “Paso a Paso Program” (Step by Step), which is a scholarship program organized by International Samaritan in order to help transitioning young adults from the garbage dump. These kids with us from the Paso a Paso program received this field trip offer by being good students and good people overall, a steep task given the responsibility and circumstances of their upbringing. All the SJJ guys chipped in to buy them gifts at the markets because they had no money to spend on anything. 

With the long drive back to the Claret retreat house looming, we decided that an hour at our final marketplace while on the trip was enough, and packed up for the boat ride across Lake Atitlan, again featuring the breath-taking views. The clouds seemed to be blending into the volcanos, boasting a magisterial presence about the entire mountain range, and providing probably one of the best panorama pictures I’ve ever had the opportunity to capture. A thunderous farewell from this beautiful place was provided by an impending storm, a consistent gentle breeze, and the raucous chop of the waves trailing our boat.

Overall, the common theme of the day for me was beauty; the day was filled with beautiful people, beautiful food, beautiful scenery, and a relaxed, care-free mood that foreshadowed a week filled with commitment to the team, to justice, and to the people of Guatemala, marked by the unity of 14 dedicated members of the SJJ community, ready to make a difference however they can.

                Written by: Drew Wagner

Day 3: A Day of Culture in Ancient Antigua

Today we rose to the chirping of strange birds and the steady, lazy rumble of Saturday traffic.  The storms from last night left everything humid and wet, but the crispy temperature made me think of a weekend morning during an Ohio fall.  

After a quick breakfast of eggs and tortillas, the group piled into the van and our trusty driver, Mauricio, turned us south towards Antigua.  I am always excited for this day; Antigua is a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the oldest symbols of western civilization in the western hemisphere.  We are able to learn about the archaeological history of the Mayans and engage some of the charming Guatemalan culture that makes this country so lovely to visit. 

Our first stop was a city park high on a cliff overlooking the city.  It provides a generous view of the city’s three looming volcanoes and the colonial style buildings populating the city grid below.  The students wandered through the park and took pictures of the landscape while Andres, our indomitable guide, peppered them with facts about the city’s history, culture, and secrets (Andres is a native of Antigua, so he knows all about the juicy details).

After the park, the group meandered down the mountain and stepped into the Jade Maya museum and factory.  We were greeted by our guide’s father who gave us a thorough, informational talk about Mayan history and the significance of jade in Guatemalan culture.  Admiring copies of jade statues from famous archaeological sites in Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize, we toured the museum and heard stories of Mayan mythology, and we learned about various aspects of their culture.  The end of our romp through Mayan culture delivered us to the impressive Maya Jade factory’s store, a building bursting with exotic jewelry, carved statuary, and delicious Guatemalan coffee.  The students (and adults!) carefully picked out gifts and souvenirs for a few minutes before departing.  Before enjoying a traditional lunch at a local Antiguan restaurant, we visited a chocolate factory (more gifts, although several didn’t make it too far down the block…) and exchanged our money at the bank. 

The Antiguan experience continued with a very unique opportunity for the students: a chance to barter with the local vendors in the sprawling city marketplace.  Resting beneath the shadow of one of the volcanoes, the marketplace was a bustling bazaar of tourists, hawkers, vendors, and our excited SJJ Titans.  The guys traveled from vendor to vendor, picking out souvenirs, jerseys, bags, blankets, and machetes while practicing their negotiation skills.  Some were far more willing to engage in the bartering process than others, but I’m pretty sure we can expect some very savvy and ruthless businessmen in the future from this group of guys.   By the end of the experience, the students were carrying several bags each, most of which were filled with gifts for family and friends at home.  Even Mr. Cabrera, Mrs. Cabrera, and I joined in the fun. 

Our jaunt ended with a relaxing trip to the largest coffee plantation in Antigua.  We sipped some coffee on the veranda of a restaurant and watched the sun makes its lazy course towards the western sky above the volcanoes.  It was a very pleasant end to a surprisingly tiring day. 

We returned to the retreat house and enjoyed Pepian, a traditional Guatemalan meal, cooked up by our very talented chefs.  Although we were weary from our day of travel, we couldn’t resist a few very competitive games of Mafia before heading to bed. 

Although the day was a wonderful cultural experience for all the guys, our minds are already wandering towards the beginning of the week when we can begin our service work.  With fingers crossed, I can report that no one has yet fallen even remotely ill, and we are all in very high spirits.

 

We miss all of you at home, and we hope it isn’t too hot in Toledo (it is in the high 60s here!).  Please keep us in your prayers.  Hasta luego!

Written by Mr. Dane

Day 2: Our First View of Zone 3

The time was 7:25 A.M. in room 19 of the retreat house. My alarm went off indicating that this was the time I had to wake up the other participants. The previous night, I was nominated to execute this job which, to be completely honest, was pretty fun. As all of us arose from our beds, tired and anxious for the day ahead, we began to get ready. We were welcomed by Andres, the teachers, and a more than desired breakfast, which served as a perfect start to a day filled with a melting pot of emotions (Get it? Melting Pot? Ahhhhhh words are fun).

Once we finished with breakfast and were energized through the day, we packed into a bus that’ll take us on an adventure that we will not soon forget.

We meandered through the city in our trusty bus, and as we proceeded towards the Coll school we soaked in the capital city of Guatemala.  Eventually, we arrived at Zona Tres and were taken to a few houses close to the borders of the main dump of Guatemala City. These homes were essentially just small, one room buildings that held, in one case, more than 14 people. Even with such little space, and so many people, the families welcomed us into their homes with open arms. Every family had a different story, and while listening to each and every one of them, we grew more intrigued by their difficult lifestyles. After a series of questions from us and a warm “Muchas Gracias,” we went on our way and continued our way through Zona Tres.

Our next destination was the school, and making our way towards it was certainly a significant journey within itself. We made our way through the congested streets of the borough, stepping over any trash that had been laying there probably for what seemed like forever. Yet, one thing grabbed our attention more than anything: the children. For living in the condition they were in, the kids were so happy to see us and play around. Two little boys had yoyo toys that they showed us as they were, literally, jumping with joy at our presence.  After that, two little girls jumped out of an alley only to attack us with hugs, grabbing me by the arm and squeezing with joy. They more or less dragged the group the rest of the way to the school.

At the Coll school, we learned the background of how their schooling system works from the school’s program director. Thankfully, we learned that this system which we will soon help is greatly endeavoring to help those who need it the most. At places like the Coll school, the teachers and administrators are striving to assist those who live in the worst of conditions, those who need the education and the support the most.  It is an incredibly selfless and difficult mission, but they talked about their efforts with passion and intensity.  Their stories inspired the whole group to anticipate this service to a level beyond our imagination.

Once we experienced the school, we moved on to stop two: a cemetery overlooking the Guatemala City garbage dump. Instead of going into the dump itself, we stood atop a cliff overlooking the dump because entering the dump would be too unsafe. Just a month before this trip there was a massive landslide, leaving around 30 dead or missing. Just watching this made us realize how harsh the conditions others are living in. Men and women from Zone 3 trudge into the dump every day, working long hours (upwards of 12 hours!) sifting through the trash of the city.  This, probably more than anything else, affected us the most up to this point. It was an extremely tragic sight. We gloomily stacked back into the bus and made our way to lunch at the retreat house with these ideas and concepts on our minds.

When we were finished eating and relaxing for an hour or so, we once again climbed into our bus and made our way to the central park.  There we learned about the history of the Guatemalan civil war and discussed many architectural structures. After visiting the city center and touring through a market, we walked through the large city cathedral and learned a little about its construction and history.  After a long, emotional day touring the city, we made our way home, ate dinner, and settled into a night of discussion and Mafia. 

The time is now 10:48 p.m. The power has gone out once already because of the thunderstorm earlier in the day, and I would guess it’s going to happen again pretty soon. Now is the time for sleep to prepare for a new day tomorrow.

Written by Milano Markho

Day 1: The Joys of Delta Airlines

The group sits and waits for the plane to arrive at the airport. It is 10:56 am on a beautiful Sunday morning in Detroit. In 30 minutes we are set to embark on the first of two flights on our way to Guatemala City. We are predicted to have a 3 hour 40 minute layover in Atlanta while we wait for the second flight to Guatemala City. As we wait for the plane, groups split off and some play KEMPS while others play Euchre. Once we finally board the plane we are told that there is a small wire issue with the plane and it should take about 20 minutes to fix.

This 20 minutes comes and goes and the flight attendant comes back on the announcement system and tells us that there is definitely an issue and they do not have the tools o fix it. The only way they can fix this issue is for a  part to be flown in from Atlanta. This delays the expected departure to 5 pm. Our connecting flight leaves at 5;59 pm, so the odds of us making it on this plane are very low. They tell us that there is another plane coming that will replace this one.

The 17 of us go to the other side of the airport and wait to board the next plane. We board the new plane at 3:45 pm and everyone thinks we will miss our next flight. If this is the case, we would have to spend the night in a hotel in Atlanta, This also means that we would have to split up and travel via two different planes. One would leave at 10 am and the other at 6 pm. Luckily, we make our connecting flight. We run as fast as we can from one side of the airport to the other and make it with two minutes to spare. They actually had to wait a couple minutes for us.

This new plane has television screens and a wide selection of movies, songs, games, and TV shows. The flight attendants also provide us with turkey sandwiches, drinks, and plane snacks.

We collect our bags and load them into the vans as we meet Andres, our guide. We make our way through the city to find some place to eat. They drive so fast here, it is amazing they do not crash. We decide to eat dinner at Pollo Campero and we all learn how to order in Spanish.

The food there is amazing. The meals were fairly cheap, as my meal of three pieces of chicken and two sides was about $6.

We head out for our retreat house and everyone is glad to finally get some rest.

Written by Robert Cornwell