A Week in Guatemala

This last week (June 18 - June 25) I was in Guatemala working with Cosechando Felicidad. I am the web developer, and I had not seen their work first hand. The week was a wonderful opportunity for me to see what is happening as well as the effect it is having in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala.

Previous Trip

I have been to Guatemala twice before on mission trips with a group from the States. The difference between this week and those weeks is drastic. During my previous trips we stayed in a hotel in Antigua, a larger more “touristy” city 30 minutes from where we were working. We traveled to Santa Maria for a few hours each day, installing stoves and then went back to our hotel with running water and TV. This unintentionally created an “us and them” type of dynamic with the local population. There was just not enough time to forge meaningful relationships with the people we were trying to help, which created some distance between us and what people in the town were thinking and feeling. Coming to Cosechando for a week was a whole new world.

This week I stayed in the building that the feeding program operates out of in Santa Maria. I ate what we were serving. I showered out of a bucket of hot water, using a cup to pour it. But through the smaller sacrifices I was able to build real friendships with many of the local volunteers that help run the program. Every night we would talk for hours. Although I wasn’t able to understand all of what was said, the sense of community was overwhelming. It is a tight bond between people that want to improve lives in Santa Maria.

Meeting People

From my first day in Guatemala I always felt welcomed by the community at Cosechando. I was able to make friends and have conversations with many of the volunteers despite my extremely limited Spanish and their limited English. They even went so far as take me to the next town over to see a carnival that was going on.

I was also able to see into the daily lives of people in Santa Maria, and some of the struggles they face. Many people are in some form of medical debt, and with interest rates as high as 20% it becomes nearly impossible to pay it off. Running water is a luxury and those that have it only see it run for an hour every other day.

Many people find it difficult to find skilled work, even when they have the education to do it. This is because of the lack of industry in the area. Many people will get certified in accounting for example and end up working in the fields or factories because those are the only available jobs. These types of problems are difficult to solve and can take a lot of political action. So right now Cosechando is focused on helping provide for people’s immediate needs.

Activities

During this week we accomplished several things. We helped to install 5 concrete floors, a process that involves shoveling a lot of dirt and rocks, then mixing them with concrete powder and water. We helped plant a garden and put new roofing material on an elderly man{s house.

We served up 3 meals a day (as has been happening since the beginning). We also delivered fresh meals to those that were not well enough to walk to the house where food is served.

Inbetween those things we delivered medications that were bought for people that did not have the means to afford them, and accompanied people to doctor’s visits. Overall there wasn’t a dull moment while I was there.

Conclusion

During my week here in Guatemala I was able to help meet the needs of people who were truly hurting, while gaining a deeper appreciation for the local culture and making new friends along the way. I also worked with Cosechando to meet the basic needs of the people in Santa Maria who have no way to provide for themselves. It was an amazing experience to be able to join my friends and make a difference in Santa Maria for a week.