Jerry's Post

I can't believe I am on the flight back to the United States. This trip has helped me not only understand myself but also people I serve. This trip has taught me that just saying yes impacts more people than I could ever imagine. My life has been full of moments where yes was important for me but I could have never imagined that saying yes to serve Gods people on Guatemala would be so impactful. The example of Fathers  Greg and  Michael helps me to know how to serve Gods people. God willing when I am ordained a priest I hope I can have the same sense for the poor in need and in spirit. 

Looking back on the past week I can say without a doubt I could not have done anything without the other nine members of our group. This group is amazing I truly believe that this group can change the world. I hope that some of us can return to San Lucas and help the people as professionals. 

The day that had the most impact on me and my vocation was Ash Wednesday. The pastor of the parish of St. Luke asked Father  Michael to go to a smaller parish St. Andrews and have the Ash Wednesday mass. I  felt it would be a good idea to tag along . I never thought that I would distribute ashes and Holy Communion  to the Guatemalan people. This trip was truly amazing. The fun did not end there because Father Michael had the late mass at St. Luke's . I had the same opportunity however, this was a like different because there was more people attending this mass. As an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion  I went from the front of the church all the way  back to the front stairs of the church building. Looking out there was so many people wanting to receive Christ. I was the one person that could give them just that. I was truly humbling to think that no matter what these people were going through I could give them Christ to help them through that burden. This action of giving Christ to others sets my heart on fire to continue to serve God's people.  

The other members  in the group have different ways of giving Christ to these people. Patrice and Heather have a motherly love for the children we encountered. Char,Raven, and Rachel have a sense that as medical professionals they could help in the clinic. Beth has a passion for education that I know will be put to good use whether in the US or in a foreign country. Becky has a passion for not only educating students about history, but also educating students about other cultures so that we can truly be global citizens. Katelyn  has a passion for Spanish culture that will serve her well in the future. Her knowledge of the Spanish language will continue to grow and I know she will help others in Chile or wherever the Lord is calling her to serve the people as a physicians assistant. Last but certainly not least Father Michael has a deep love for all of God's people. His priestly service not only helped Fr. Benjamin at the parish but it showed the seminarian at the parish and myself what it truly means to be a priest of Christ. His willingness to hear confessions,preach and say mass was truly inspiring. I hope Fr. Michael continue to go to the mission to share his priestly love with he Guatemalan people.

 My prayer is that this group will always keep this fire in their hearts. I pray that they share this fire with others wherever they go in life so that others may be set on fire with the love of Christ. God bless!

Jerry

 

    

 

Sent from my iPod

Be Love

As I reflect on the week the one word that is ever present is love. Love for a simpler way of life. Love for tradition. Love for strangers. Love for family. Love for service. Love for asking the tough questions. Love for Christ. 

I was blessed to experience Christ this week in more ways than one, and since Christ is Love my heart couldn't be filled with more joy. When we visited Fr. Rother's parish in Santiago I was able to stop in the perpetual adoration chapel for a prayer of thanksgiving. The feeling that often comes over me when in adoration at home was present in Guatemala, which was a beautiful revelation that Christ's presence is a constant unchanging force. The people of Guatemala beautifully portray what it means to be His disciple. Their prayer is genuine and humble and was an inspiration to witness. Some whispered their prayers out loud while others cried openly in His presence. One gesture that moved me was when they leave adoration their back is never turned towards the Eucharist; their eyes are always on Him. Another reminder of reverence for God is the pathway that was created from the tabernacle to the alter where the monstrance was placed. The pathway was made out of pine needles which I believe is also symbolic of palms on Jesus' path when He entered Jerusalem. 

I could go on forever about how and where I felt God's presence, but I will contain myself. As I type a final blog on the last stretch of our journey I look around and I am still surrounded by Love. I am blessed to be a part of this beautiful group of people who came together with a common goal. As we learned together we all, in a very unique way, fell in Love this week. Some with a culture, some with a joy for service, some with a passion for justice, and some with a zest to spread awareness. As we all begin to head our separate ways (even now some are sleeping, some are studying, some are grading papers, and some are reconnecting with loved ones) the Love we found in San Lucas Guatemala will never leave our hearts. It will be forever embedded in our memory as a truly life changing week. Thank you for sharing in this experience with us and for your continued support, and prayers as we all strive to live out what we learned; Love. 

- Patrice 

                                       

Passion and Service

“Vocation is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.” – Frederick Buechner 

This week we have been responding to a call to serve, a call to engage the world. Each of us has come to Guatemala with different strengths and passions, but we have come together in confronting the experiences and challenges we have faced over the past week. 

On Tuesday night, we watched a documentary about Father Greg Schaffer, the man who gave life to San Lucas Toliman through his spirit, compassion, and loving work. Prior to leaving Minnesota, he was happily serving as a religion teacher and priest, ready to live out his life in this role. However, he was called to do more. In 1962, Father Greg accepted a position in a mission church in San Lucas. Over the course of fifty years, Father Greg gave his life to the San Lucas Mission. Alongside the Guatemalan people and other North American missionaries, he helped transform San Lucas from a town without electricity, running water, adequate homes, healthcare, and education into a dignified community. When Father Greg died on May 24, 2012, he left behind a legacy that brought San Lucas and surrounding communities dignified work, homes, healthcare, education, hope for a better future, and much more.

Seeing how much one humble and loving man impacted a community, and an entire country, was absolutely heartrending. Father Greg’s story helped me to remember that we all have the power to change the world. Father Greg never imagined the impact he would have on San Lucas, or the impact the Guatemalan people would have on him. He simply came to San Lucas and responded to what the Guatemalan people needed. In the process, the Guatemalan people won his heart, and he in turn gave all of himself to the people. We are all called to serve others, and accepting that call, that vocation, is critical. Serving others can take many forms, and no single form of service is the “right” way. However, any time you can share joy and love with others, you are sharing a part of yourself. 

It has been an absolute pleasure to accompany this incredible group of students along with Father Kesicki. It has filled my heart with joy to serve in and be transformed by Guatemala again, and to watch as a fresh group of students has confronted the difficulties of service, social justice, and solidarity. I have seen everyone share pieces of themselves as they have opened their hearts and minds to the San Lucas Mission and to the Guatemalan people. This week has certainly transformed our entire group in the bonds we have made with each other and with the Guatemalan people, in the memories we have shared, and in the commitment we feel to continuing to remember and to serve San Lucas and Guatemala as we return to our “normal” lives, changed forever.

Becky 

4500 Foot Mountain vs Gannon Group

Gannon: 1

Moutnain: 0

As a group we hiked (scaled) a 4500 foot mountain!! It took a lot of cheering and support but we all did it!

Guatemala in Warp Speed

It has finally hit me that we are at the end of Thursday - our 6th, and one of our last, day in Guatemala. In this amount of time I have managed to see 3 cities, ride a boat, learn about the culture, build a stove, quality check coffee, tour, play in dirt, learn how to have fun again, reforest, throw some cement water at others, shop with Chona, take a live in class, climb up a mountain, and name a spider Marco. Yes, to all of you at home, I know you can't believe the last one...but what I can't believe is that we did it! We came thousands of miles to service others, but I personally know that they have serviced me. 

As I said it before, every one of the people I have met has managed to be influential in suc a short period of time. However, I want to tell you all a little bit more about Chona - as I am personally inspired by her perserverence. Chona was extremely young when the civil war broke out. In such a short amount of time she managed to lose her husband and has yet to know what happened to him; although it is assumed he was killed. She was left alone to raise 3 children and had to move on a nightly basis. I can honestly say that I do not know how I would react had it been myself in her shoes. But she chose to react with bravery. She chose to pick up 11 children from a neighboring village knowing the police would stop her. She chose to help raise notice for the mission alongside Father Greg. And she chose to adopt another child knowing she had 3 of her own. She chose to live a life under God. But not only this, she chose to tell us her story. It is because of her story that I realize we do not have to crumble in times of difficulty. Our choices make us everything that we are; for the better or for the worse. If we can consciously remember how much our personal choices matter, we may be able to see the way in which we can impact others. 

So, thank you, Chona. Thank you for being here to make sure we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thank you for being so open and for trying to touch every heart that you meet. I truly appreciate and am humbled by you. I will wear my skirt with pride and think of you.

Like so many of the people I have met throughout this week, the people I have bonded with in my group...I will miss you Guatemala!

Raven

"We live in a beautiful world" -Coldplay

Most everyone who knows me is aware of the profound impact that living in Chile last summer has had on my life. I fell in love with the culture, the language, and the people. This passion, curiosity, and admiration that I have for Chilean culture is what inspired me to apply to co-lead this service trip to Guatemala. Although I researched Guatemalan culture before I arrived, I truly did not know the culture until I was able to experience it. Subconsciously, I think I was expecting it to be similar to Chilean culture because when I think about Latin America, I cannot help but recall my experience in Chile. But in truth, I could not have been more mistaken. I quickly learned that even though both are Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, the cultures and people are extremely different. Neither is superior to the other; both are profoundly beautiful and complex in their own ways, and I believe the same idea applies to all cultures.

The most obvious difference between life in Valparaiso, Chile and San Lucas, Guatemala is the modernization versus the extreme poverty. When I was in Chile, it almost felt like the United States at times because of the technology (metro, computers, smart phones, etc). It was definitely a simpler lifestyle than in the U.S. but there was still access to those luxuries. In Guatemala, many of the people live in extreme poverty. Our group had the pleasure of building a stove in a family's home, and it was literally an open shelter with a dirt floor. I have seen poverty in Chile, but I have never been immersed in such extreme poverty like we experienced this week. It was honestly shocking to witness this reality firsthand. Truly, it is almost impossible to understand unless you experience it. 

The Guatemalans are the strongest and most humble population of people I have ever known, in both mind and body. The women wake up at 4 AM every day to start making tortillas and to prepare other food. They do laundry for hours, balance and walk with very heavy buckets of water on their heads, weave clothing, and take care of the children while the men carry 150 lbs of wood on their backs and work for hours and hours every day for very little ($3/day). In the U.S., people complain about having to get up at 7 AM for work or school and making minimum wage. Truly, we are blessed.

Even though Guatemalans have experienced such hardship through the Guatemalan Civil War, oppression, witnessing the disappearance and murder of loved ones, and living in poverty every day, they are very much content with their lifestyle and are intimately connected with each other through their incredible faith in God. It is very evident that it is this faith and community with one another that gives them such an unshakable inner peace. It was such a blessing to be able to share in their lifestyle, learn about their culture and, in particular, to be able to use my Spanish to communicate with them. I feel that I was able to gain a better understanding of the culture and the people because I put so much dedication and persistence into my Spanish skills. Most of the Guatemalans I talked to were really impressed/touched that I have such a fervor and inclination for their language. It makes me really excited to keep learning and improving it for the future so that I may continue to connect with Hispanohablantes.

I have had so many meaningful and moving interactions with the Guatemalan people but I would like to share one in particular. We were at Ash Wednesday mass at 7 PM after a hard day of service, and I was sitting next to a woman and her ten year old daughter. They both smiled very warmly at me, and I initiated a conversation with them during the few minutes before mass started. Their words and mannerisms permeated with a gentle curiosity and tenderness. The little girl sat very close to me as if I were a family member she had known all her life. I was amazed by how quickly and easily she decided she could trust me. When mass ended, the little girl gave me a long hug, referred to me as "amiga," and sadly expressed that she was going to miss me. For me, this moment was really powerful because I could really feel God's presence, and it demonstrated the intimate connectedness that all humans are meant to share regardless of differences in culture, language, lifestyle, or beliefs.

This week in Guatemala was more beautiful and more fruitful than I ever expected or imagined. When I was in Chile, I discovered that my vocation is to work with Hispanic populations as a medical healthcare provider in the U.S. and/or abroad. The service I have done and the interactions I have had with the people here have reaffirmed my love for people, cultures, service, and the Spanish language, and I truly believe that I am headed in the right direction. Although I feel a sense of sadness upon leaving Guatemala, I feel empowered to finish school, graduate, and use my passions and gifts to make the world just a little bit better. As Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche, one said, "We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with great love." Now those are words to live by. Gracias por todo, Guatemala. Hasta la proxima vez. 

Paz y amor, 

Katelyn

“Rend your hearts, not your garments” (Joel 2:13)

“Rend your hearts, not your garments” (Joel 2:13)

 

These words from the prophet Joel of the Old Testament are part of the first reading from the Mass for Ash Wednesday.  The words of the prophet introduce us all to the Lenten journey of conversion by challenging us to accept the invitation to a real conversion of the heart.  We can only be changed from within, when our attitude shifts from self-focus to focus on God and our neighbor.  Our group participated in the parish Mass yesterday evening in a packed church.  Some of the young women of our group had gone to the store sponsored by the women’s cooperative of the San Lucas Mission to buy traditional Guatemalan clothing and were excited to wear them that night for Mass.  This excitement did not come from a need to stand out with style, but, rather, from a sense of being a part of the local family who has welcomed us with such joy and hospitality.  This simple action on the part of our students is a concrete expression of the Lenten conversion that has been taking place in all of us this week.  As we reflect each night on our experiences, it is so beautiful to see the true transformation of hearts that has been taking place over the last 5 days. Our eyes, our ears and, most of all, our hearts have been opened to a genuine experience of Solidarity—we have been treated by our Guatemalan hosts as brothers and sisters, as neighbors and friends.

 

Our group will be working on the re-forestation project this morning and, later in the day, will have the experience of buying food in the market for a local family.  Yesterday and the day before, we assisted in the construction of stoves.  The builders were very patient and encouraging, giving us a share in the tasks such as laying bricks, mixing cement and laying cement. 

 

I have been “put to work” as well by the local pastor celebrating Mass in the parish church and in one of the mission churches.  Our seminarian, Jerry Stumpff, came with me to the mission church of San Andres yesterday afternoon to assist with Mass.  I am sure he will have several stories to tell of the very rich experience of faith that we encountered there.

 

Patrice and Katelyn continue to show their capacity to lead as they have done all year in preparing for this trip.  Raven, Beth and Rachel have proven themselves quite adept at laying cement with competence and precision.  Char and Heather have been giving us their wisdom every evening with great insights laced with terrific humor.  Becky, my faculty colleague, has been the anchor of the group and is glad to be back in San Lucas after 5 years.

 

Still more work to do today.  Lent has now begun.  Pongàmonos en camino!

Fr. Michael Kesicki

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Love In Work

These last two days we have been blessed with the opportunity to not only build stoves for two families, but to also interact with, and get to know the families on a more personal basis. The people here were found to have bad respiratory problems and they discovered that it was being caused by the smoke inhalation that the people experienced because they were cooking over an open fire inside their homes. They also suffer from some severe burns when trying to cook with the flames of the fire touching their hands. 

The mission here hosts a stove project that is working to build stoves in all of the houses in this area. The families apply for the stoves and the workers come in every day to build these stove for them. Besides us their were three natives who did the basis of the work, and it was disovered that they make approximately $3 a day for a full days heavy labor. They have such a joy about them even though they do the same thing every day for years upon years. They were patient in teaching us how to do things and always told us what a good job we did even though they would have to go back and fix our mistakes after we finished.

At first the families were hesitant around us, especially the kids. By the end of the first day the kids were coming to find us to play games with them, and the women were bringing us tools that could help make our work easier. We left the first day thinking that we wouldn't be able to see our finsihed project or be able to speak with the families again, but we were blessed with the opportunity to return a second day to finsih our stoves and also to reconnect with the families. Today they were even more open to us. The mother was bringing us bananas that she had chopped down so that we could eat, even though she was cooking and doing plenty of other house work, all the while carrying a sleeping baby on her back. 

I personally connected with a little girl named Sonya. At the end of the first day she came up to hug me goodbye and looked at me and said "adios amiga." At first I just thought that she was saying goodbye to me but then I realized that she was saying that I was her friend. This brought tears to my eyes and I was overjoyed that I got to see her a second day. Today she came and found me and we talked a little in my broken spanish and she was always looking for opportunities to pull me aside and just sit together. At one point she asked if we could take a picture together and I was so excited that she wanted a picture with me. She was so curious about pictures and within minutes she could work the camera on my iphone like a pro. She took it around and took pictures of all of us for fun and would get so excited to pull them back up and look at them, and she was actually really fantastic with the camera. At the end of this day I bent down to hug her and at the same time we both said "adios amiga," I can honestly say that she is my friend.

This was such an amazing and humbling experience for all of us in such different ways. Some of us walked away appreciating the things that we have back at home and some of us walked away feeling blessed to have had our lives touched by the wonderful people. I wish I could stay here for so much longer and continue to develop relationships with the people that are around me. I'm not sure what it's going to be like returning to the states, but I do hope that I can hold onto the joy that these peoplehave  shared with me and hopefully share with the people that are in my life as well.

Peace and love to everyone back home,

-Rachael

this is one of the stoves that we finished today

Charlene's synopsis of acquired knowledge this week thus far.

To those of you that know me and are reading this should not be suprised by these first two statements:

1. I am sick.  Now, I don't have some crazy fever or intestinal "issues" but I do have the common cold, which is both annoying and inconvenient. I should have known that my immune system can't handle airports, so next time BRING AIRBORNE. 

2. I am in another country and I still cannot fully accept a compliment. 

Let me elaborate on that last one. Months leading up to this trip, and even since being here, I have heard numerous times about how I am such a great person for giving up my spring break to help people (sounds familiar right?) From reading my fellow group-mates blogs we all seem to hear the same thing. But like them, I feel like I have recieved so much more than I have given these last couple of days. The most important being a new perspective, so here's a small list of some things I have learned since saturday:

1. The Guatemalan people are beautiful- from their hand-made skirts and blouses to radiant smiles all I can think about is how naturally beautiful they are and how welcoming they have been the entire trip. I couldn't even count how many times I've heard, "good morning, good evening, etc" while walking by someone. That's something that really doesn't happen back at home. Half of the time even at Gannon I can walk to class and attempt to wave to someone I know who ignores me. A simple smile truly does go a long way. Just one of the many comparisons I have made while being here. 

2. Maybe I don't dislike children as much as I had thought. Really the only reason why I don't necessarily care for kids is because the majority that I have been exposed to are ten years old and own an iphone, xbox, ipods, ipads, flat screen tv's in their rooms, among other things I literally don't even know the name of AND THEY WANT MORE. Now, I'm not saying all children in the US are like this, just the majority that I have spent time with. The children here though are much different. I can't even verbally communicate with them and my time playing ball and giving high fives has meant so much to me. I literally played catch with a little boy for 45 minutes the other day. No words were exchanged, but a ton of laughs were. The children are so friendly, all they want are hugs and to play, whether it's on a pile of dirt or with a stick, they don't care. plus they are literally ADORABLE. 

3. The Guatemalan people are such hard workers and it's definitely something to be admired. Today we went to the women's center and had the oppurtunity to try some of the things the women and men here do daily. Among them was trying to lift up a 40 pound bundle of fire wood on your back. I struggled, to say the least, and 40 pounds is not the typical weight of what these men carry- but 150 pounds is....and a lot of the times IT'S UPHILL. Just two days ago, before starting the stove building project, we had to gather dirt from the families' back yard to the inside of the house. Between using a hoe to break up the land and carrying huge bags full of the dirt we collected I have never been so exhausted. The entire time we walked up and down the hill we kept passing a women hand washing her families' clothing (about 2 hours). The entire time we collected and carried the bags of dirt I was thinking about my parents reading this and being mad that I don't help them mulch, so I got you this year Dad. 

4. Education is a privilege, so maybe I should stop and think about that instead of being constantly stressed and angry at the world about tests, homework and everything else I complain about. From the time that Father Greg came to San Lucas, he always had a vision of forming a school and providing the Guatemalan people with education. Since the school was formed, literacy rates have jumped from 3% to 85% which is nothing short of amazing and the education has given the people the power to improve their lives and provide for their families. Coming from the US, particularly from a small town living in the suburbs, I guess I've always taken education for granted and kind of assumed everyone was offered an education, but that is not the case. I want to stop and appreciate the education I have had the privilege of receiving, something that's easily taken for granted.

I still do not believe that I am a good person because of the service I have rendered (and will continue to) this week, because honestly, we weren't really needed for any of the projects we have helped with. Felipe could have built the stove just as great and probably faster without us, but the service Isn't really what makes me a good person. The willingness to take myself from the comfort and security of what I know to a new country (where I don't even know the language) to attempt to UNDERSTAND the lives of another culture does make me a good person. I can think of a list of people I have encountered in my lifetime that don't think of other's struggles and hardships, nor do they care. I still have a long way to go in order to be deemed a, "good person" (to my own standards) but I think returning to my life with more appreciation and willingness to strive for solidarity I am on my way. 

-Char(lene) Lichota 

Las Picturas de Martes Gordo y El Trabajo por Todo El Dia

Pictures From Fat Tuesday and the Work of the Day

Here are some pics from our day yesterday!  The confetti you see is a traditional carnaval celebration that the children participate in.  They drain an egg and fill it with confetti and then paper mache the eggs.  To have an egg smashed over your head is good luck! The group split up into two teams and each team started building stoves.  We are heading back today to finish our work!

Monday, March 3, 2014 @ 11:12 PM

I got accepted to go on this alternative break service trip to Guatemala for many reasons and I applied to go for many more. Regardless of what those reasons are, I can't seem to shake the reactions I got from both family and friends alike when I told them what I was doing for my spring break. I heard from multiple loved ones, "Do you not realize you can serve the community that you live in? Why would you spend money to go to a foreign country when you can do service right here?" What my fellow citizens fail to understand is just how impoverished places like San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala are. There aren't wealthy native people that can help the less fortunate natives like we see in the United States. They truly need outside help from groups like ours to help empower them to eventually be self-sustained. 

After having one day of work under my *metaphorical* belt (because I forgot to pack my real one), it became more clear what my purpose is here: To learn as much as possible from the nationals, doing what they do, living as they live, and trying to see things from their perspective. My purpose doesn't end Saturday when I fly home though. I need to spread awareness of everything that I encounter during my time here. And despite the fact that I still can't communicate in Spanish, the awareness spreading back home is the trickiest part of it all.

Of course everyone in the United States realizes there is poverty in the world. We see infomercials daily about the malnourished children of Africa, Asia, and South America. But what we don't see is just how extreme the poverty and malnourishment are. I thought I knew, but I now know that I DEFINITELY did not. Sharing my experience via pictures and stories won't do it justice for the vast majority of people. Especially if I was one of those people that had to see it to believe it. Because that honestly is when it really hit me.

I'm still trying to come up with how I can so powerfully relay just how necessary it is for everyone to walk in solidarity as I currently am and will continue to do. It is only Monday and I already want to greatly encourage everyone I know to go on a service based trip instead of a tourism based trip. I acknowledge the fact that it isn't exactly realistic for working parents with children to just fly out to a third world country to learn about and then spread awareness of, but it is possible for all of you reading this blog to donate something.

Missions like the one here in San Lucas don't hand out free food or free clothing to the natives. They show the men how to build strong houses and safe ovens. They teach the women to make clothing and cook. Everyone can learn to work on the coffee plantation to make a living for themselves. The mission started a school for children to get the education they need to be mature, intelligent, and hopefully one day thriving individuals. So I encourage you all to go to the San Lucas website and buy a pound of coffee. It's fair tade and nothing short of incredible. Find an empowering mission like the one I'm staying at and find out what you can do to help at home if you cannot travel there to build self-sustainability. 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, spread the word about our blog! A little difference is still a difference.

-Heather Monroe :)

A Difficult Look into the Past, but Hope for the Future

Before I left, friends kept asking me why I was giving up my spring break to go on a service trip.  Some couldn't understand why I wasn't going to spend my week off from classes drunk on the beach.  The absolute last thing I have done coming to Guatemala is giving anything up.  We are only on Tuesday of our week, I have received more than I will ever be able to go.  

I have been in constant relfection since the first night we arrived at the mission.  During our first group reflection, we were asked to imagine our own funeral.  Who would speak at it? What would they say? Who all would come?  This got me looking into my past expereinces, both positive and negative.  For some reason, all I focused on were the years of my life where I fell short of being the individual I wanted and want to be.  I overlooked all the good I have done and all the positive influences I have made.  Instead, I focused on my first two years of college.  

During those two years, I became the type of girl I promised myself on move-in day that I wouldn't become.  I did what it took to make friends.  I changed everything I liked about myself to be liked by others.  I continued on a downward spiral until the near end of sophomore year.  I looked in the mirror one day and no longer recognized the girl looking back at me.  All the feelings I felt at this very moment came rushing back to me during reflection.

Being here though has made me realize that you can't focus on the negative; you can't focus on your shortcomings.  Everyone is human and every has made mistakes.  The people of Guatemala are so happy with having so little and this happiness and pure joy is contagious.  Being here is helping me forget my past and look into my future.

I am able to look into my future with hope and smile at all the potential I see.  I know that my past has made me the peson I am today and I am finally at peace with it.  Seeing all the volunteers and hearing about Father Greg and Father Stan has had a huge impact on the outlook of my future.  The people here make me want to do more with my life.  

Most people look at life and think of this order: school, job, marriage, kids.  However, I am young and have my whole life ahead of me to be a teacher and to teach children.  I want to be extraordinary.  I want to have an everlasting impact.  I want people to speak at my funeral and not have enough time to talk about all the good of done. I want to make an impact on this planet.  I have no idea what my future holds, but for once, I am not worried about it.  I know that God has a plan for me and that I am no longer the person I was once.  

Finally at peace,

Beth 

A Letter to the Heart

Today, and every day, I wake up with a smile on my face; not knowing what the day will bring. Yet, today brought so much more for me than I thought it would. Finally touring the different projects of the missions was nothing short of beautiful, enlightening, heart-breaking, and inspiring. I say this because I know how far these people have come, but how far they have yet to go. The first thing that spoke to me today was obviously their form of health care. I am, first and foremost, a person of the medicines. But what saddened me was the idea that...so much of what they endure, and the procedures that they need, could possibly be rendered unnecessary simply through preventative care; therapy even. I am one day in and I know that I WILL return in the hopes of educating these strong people in ways of taking care of themselves so that they don't need life altering procedures. My second eye-opener of the day came after dinner. We all watched a documentary on the life of Father Greg and the things he did for Guatemala. He made the best of a situation he didn't want to be in, and that in itself is something I feel most people struggle with. But what he did was fall in love with these people, and in return, chose to lead by example. No amount of words can do justice to the kind smiles I receive every day down the streets, no story can explain how it feels to hear a thank you from someone who has given you more than you will ever return to them, and no amount of time would ever be enough to explain what can happen when you just put down your phone and look around you. So to my loving and supportive family and friends - please know that it is hard for me when you say you are proud because I feel as though I'm only doing what I was put here to do. If we could all just learn that drinking the shower water, petting random dogs, or eating candy is not something everyone gets to experience...I feel like, in due time, we could also learn to appreciate them just a little bit more. In the words of Father Greg, "What are YOU going to do, because everyone has the power within them to do something." I hope this speaks to you as much as it speaks to me. I challenge you, as the reader (family, friend, or otherwise), to simply start by putting down your phone. Enjoy the trees and the Earth and the animals because we all have a right to be here.

With love and appreciation,

Raven

Patrice's Post

I have been talking about traveling out of the country to do mission work for at least the past five years, and I couldn't be more blessed to finally have this opportunity. 

                

Saturday night we had the privelage of learning about Fr. Rother, a modern day martyr. He was a symbol of peace and hope to the people of Guatemala. Fr. Rother was murdered in his rectory because of the work he did. When we visted SanTiago on Sunday my most prominent memory will always be visitng the church where Padre preached and worked and where he was eventually killed. The room where he was shot has been turned into a chapel, and you can actaully see the bullet hole in the ground and the blood stains around it.

The volunteer coordinator here at the mission is an inspriring woman and I am greatful for every chance I get to chat with her. She started coming to San Lucas when she was 15 with her dad and helped with eye surgeries. She became a registered nurse and entered a religious order (I can't remember which one though, sorry!). She was in the order for 7 years and loved her time there. She left this past May and started as the Volunteer Coordinator in January. She talked about how she doesn't know what she's supposed to do, but she knows that her heart belongs to God. She knows that she is consecrated to Him and that He is calling her to do great things, which is terrifying but also wonderful. As we all stive to uderstand our own vocations, my prayer for our group, and all those on this journey with us, is that we may all one day find where we are being called to and that our work become so empowering and life changing that it becomes worth dying for. 

"Vocation is where our greatest passion meets the world's greatest need."        

Thank you all for your prayers!! And Happy Belated 16th Birthday to my not so little brother James!! :)   

         

A Personal Reflection from Heather

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT SARCASTIC HEATHER. THIS IS COMPLETELY SERIOUS. (No, that wasn't sarcasm).

I've been in Guatemala for less than two days and the list of things I take for granted in the United States is growing exponentially by the minute. TAP WATER THAT IS SAFE TO DRINK, warm showers, flushing toilet paper down the toilet, street lights, refuse collection, and understanding what people are trying to say to me: being the utmost. My twitter, instagram, Netflix account, and iPad have yet to pop into my mind once (until now that is). I don't want to forget the way I'm feeling right now. Humbled, blessed, and privileged don't even come close to it.

And that's exactly the problem. The first two days of this service trip have made me reflect to the nth degree upon what I've learned about myself. I don't want that. I don't want to count my blessings solely because I've been slightly exposed to poverty. I read an article tonight entitled "The Cost of Short-Term Missions" by JoAnn Van Engen, a missionary in Honduras. Her point of view is what I want to change mine to for not only the rest of my time in Guatemala, but also for the rest of my life.

Van Engen said, "What is the purpose of the trip? Are we going through the motions of helping the poor so we can congratulate oursevles afterwards? Or are we seeking to understand the lives of third world people to recognize and support their strengths and to try to understand the problems they face and our role in them? Are we ethnocentrically treating the people of the third world as tragic objects to be rescued- or as equals to walk with and learn from?"

As aforementioned in an early post, I wish so badly that I knew Spanish fluently. I don't regret taking eight years of a dead language because Latin definitely helped me with my SATs and human anatomy & physiology classes, but I just get so frustrated because I want to talk to the nationals and fully understand their culture and their stuggles. (Shoutout to Kaitlyn for being an awesome translater though!) I don't want to learn about myself and see how fortunate I am. I want to learn about them and their needs and what I can do to help. Van Engen said, "Learning from the people of the country you visit will give you understanding of the country that a foreigner cannot give."

Thankfully, I have NEVER been someone to let a personal struggle get in the way of what I am determined to do. I will not be conquered by a language barrier. 17 years of education taught me better than that (Thank you, Mom!) There are other ways to learn than through conversing. I can observe, I can play games with children, and I can indeed communicate without words. It is alright to get frustrated, but nothing good ever comes out of dwelling on the negatives in life.

I hope everyone reading this had a great day. Spread the word about our blog; You, too, can help us fight injustice and poverty!

-Heather Monroe :)

The Four Pillars of an ABST

When one agrees to go on an ABST, Alternative Break Service Trip, one agress to live by the four pillars that are at the foundation of the trip: simplicity, community, service, and reflection.  Before embarking on this amazing experience, each group creates a contract outlining how the members will live by these four pillars during their time abroad.  We wanted to share an over view of the contract we created and signed to give you a look at the type of life we hope to live out during our time in Guatemala.

SIMPLICITY:

During our time in Guatemala, we are striving to live a simple live style and really immerse ourselves into the culture.  To do this, we agreed to limited technology use.  Besides for cameras and the iPad for blogging purposes, we agreed to leave cell phones and iPods for travel use and really focus on the Guatemalan people along with fellow group memebers.  We also encourage others to try new food and appreciate the food that is prepared for us.  Girls agreed to wear limited makeup during our time here and we plan to spend our free time together as a group getting to know each other more deeply.  Finally for this pillar, each membered packed one carry-on suitcase for the week.  As a group, we checked one bag that held our liquids and other necessary items.

COMMUNITY:

We have one assigned photographer for the group while we are here, Heather.  She has graciously brought her awesome camera and has been capturing our Kodak moments.  At the end of the trip, all pictures will be posted to a website so that all group members have access.  We also have two group members who are overseeing this blog, Beth and Char.  They are encouraging all group members to contribute to the blog at least once and are ensuring that at least one post gets out a day.  We are also immerging ourselves into the Guatemalan community.  While the language barrier is challenging for many of our members, we are aware and trying our best to communicate with the locals.  We are here this week to serve them and are doing our best to put them first.

SERVICE:

We have a heart of service for this week and this started on day one.  For meals, groups take turns prepping for the meal and cleanup afterwards.  We had breakfast yesterday, breakfast today and then lunch on Thursday.  This is a great bonding experience as a group and is a small way that we can help the mission that is so graciously hosting us.  We also vowed to keep an open heart and mind during this aspect of our week.  We still aren't quite sure how exactly we will be serving this week but get to find out more about that today!

REFLECTION:

At the end of each day, we reflect as a group.  These reflections are lead by Patice and have been amazing so far! We have also been encouraged to reflect individually as well.  These reflections are key to being able to digest what we are experiencing.  We have an amazing group and have bonded quickly. It is great to be sharing this experience with like minded individuals.  The support we have from each other is already strong and will continue to grow as the week progresses.  

Around Lake Atilan

Today we got to take a boat tour around the nearing cities in Guatemala!

The first city we stopped in was San Antonio, Guatemala.  During our time on this island, we visited a women's cooperative where we had the oppurtunity to purchase textiles and woven goods.  After this, we visted a ceramic shop.  The ceramics were beautiful and unique. Handmade creations filled the shelves!  This was a small, quiet town filled with friendly locals. 

San Antonio, Guatemala

Our next stop was Santiago, Guatemala.  This city was completely different from San Antonio.  This was a bigger city and shops lined the streets.  We got to visit the church where Father Stan began the mission of San Lucas.  We had the oppurtunity to meditate and got to see the room where Father Stan was martyred.  We enjoyed lunch at a local restuarant before we returned to the boat to head back to San Lucas Mission.

The group on the church's steps in Santiago, Guatemala.

We had a short break and then attended the local mass at the mission.  Father Michael co-celebrated the mass and did a fabulous job! He claims his spanish is rusty, but we aren't too sure we believe it!  We eat our meals at the mission with the four other volunteer groups staying at the mission.  We are all take turns prepping for the meals and washing the dishes after.  

Our first whole day in Guatemala has been more than amazing! We are beyond excited for this week and cannot wait to find out more about the service we will be participating in! 

"I'm seriously going to have a hard time coming back to the bland colors of the states! The rich, lively color here is absolutely beautiful. The land has been touched with a lot of different emotion and I absolutely adore the perserverence of these people. Love to everyone in the cold. - Raven"

"My favorite part of the day was the boat ride and seeing the view of the mountains. It was seriously incredible and definately something you can't see everyday." - Charlene

"Seeing other group members conversing fluently in Spanish with the natives here had me searching through every awful Pitbul song for phrases that I might be able to use." - Heather

"Today has been such an amazing experience. Taking a boat ride around to the different cities helped me to rediscover the free spirit that has been buried under the hustle and bustle of life.... and the cold." -Rachael

"I really enjoyed talking with the Guatemalan people and finding out their stories. Also, I have a lot of experience with Chilean culture and I was not sure what I was expecting from Guatemala, but it is completely different from Chilean culture. I cannot wait to keep delving into the complexity and beauty of the Guatemalan culture and people." -Katelyn

 

We are here!

We made it to Guatemala safely yesterday! It was a very long day of travel: 2 hour bus ride to Cleveland, 2 hour flight to Atlanta, 3 hour flight to Guatemala City and a final three hour van ride to San Lucas Mission! This view though makes it all worth it! We are on the second floor of our hotel and get to take in this beauty every day we walk outside our doors.

We get to take a boat ride today to take a tour of the lake and stop in two other Guatemalan cities to take in th sites, culture and do a little shopping! Check back tonight to read more! 

ON OUR WAY!

Our group at th Cleveland airport getting ready to board!!