Hola Everyone =) !!
We have been here in Guatemala for 6 days now that’s so crazy! This week, where should I start?……
I think what I want to do is take you through one of my days here so far. Then stay tuned for pictures at the end!
5am – 5:30am I wake up and get ready for our day of ministry. Then I eat a quick breakfast and I drink a cup of Guatemala coffee some of the best coffee on the planet. We make our lunches (PB&J), banana, and some kind of tortilla chips. After that we run down to the road to catch the next chicken bus to Antigua, so that we can catch the next bus in Antigua, to San Isidro, where the school we’ve been serving at is located. When we arrive at the school we split up into the different classes, preschool – 4th grade and help the teacher with class. I’m helping in preschool with my teammate Carole. Classes start at 8am. The teachers don’t speak much English, so the language barrier has been a challenge. But yet It’s beautiful to still be able to communicate without knowing each others languages. We’ve actually taught a little english in the preschool class, that is so much fun! We then help clean up the classroom after class. After school is out they are having us work on a soccer field for the school. This has consisted of digging a 4ft by 1ft trench for irrigation. And moving the piles of dirt. I had a feeling I’d be digging a trench on this journey but I didn’t know 2 days in! I’ve got fresh blisters that will soon be callouses which will help with future manual labor! Yay callouses!! After we finish with the field at around 1pm they close the school and we catch a chicken bus into Antigua, explore a little, and then head back home. I clean up and head to the kitchen to help our host prepare dinner, I always enjoy talking with her in the kitchen! We sit down with our hosts at the table and eat dinner like a big family. After dinner we head into the kitchen for dish clean up time. Then we have some team time before bed! I forgot to mention I get a little Barley time in there too when we get back from ministry. Barley is our hosts golden retriever.
Now time for some info about life I’m experiencing here in Guatemala. I would first like to start with the beauty of Guatemala then tell the culture shocks and then I’ll end with some sadness that I would like to invite you to pray about.
Beauty – I’ve seen so many beautiful things since being here. There are volcanos all around us. A couple are active. Right outside our window is the view of Fuego, it is active. Occasionally you’ll hear what sounds like a clap of thunder, it’s actually the volcano going off. There are so many bright colors and flowers. The market is like a beautiful painting. So many different fruits here that are so beautiful and delicious! I’ve been looking at people and smiling and getting the biggest smiles back, they are so kind with beautiful hearts. Even when we are all crammed on a chicken bus (glorified school bus) with over 70 people squished all together, they still smile back! One of the most beautiful things is walking into the school we’re serving at and getting warm greeting hugs from the kids in the preschool class, I just love them!
Culture shock – Traffic rules, or the lack there of. Extreme closeness, Being squished in a chicken bus with about 70 people, and having to push your way through all the people to get off the bus at your stop.
Sadness – I’ve seen so many sad faces that look to have no hopes or dreams. Starving children, people, and animals. People on the streets asking for money , who have no legs and they’re in wheelchairs and they have to roll the wheelchairs themselves on cobblestone roads. These people are usually older or with disabilities. On our adventure day we hiked volcano Pacaya, and they had horses you could rent. All the horses were severely underweight and a lot of the dogs you see are skin and bones. When we came down the volcano there were kids by our shuttles and they were saying “you have cookie for me?”� That tore my heart in two. I kept thinking how can I help these people??… God how can I help them?? I started realizing how many things I take for granted every day, my source of water, food, transportation, living conditions, everything I have at my fingertips for my comfort and enjoyment every day that is not a reality to some.
But these people without the comforts I’m used to are smiling the most genuine smiles and their hearts are not cluttered with unnecessary things. Guatemalans are wonderful people and I’m so happy I get to serve them this month!
Here are some pictures from our hike up Pacaya. We also roasted marshmallows from the volcano!
Love, Naomi
