Hola from San Lucas (Team Katie & Delaney)

Today we left Guatemala City and arrived at our destination, San Lucas Toliman just before lunch time! The locals greeted us with welcome arms, and the hospitality we received from the hotel we are staying at was amazing. All of the locals greeted us with genuine smiles that made me think maybe a life of simplicity truly is the key to happiness. We were able to immerse ourselves in the culture as we walked throughout the community, greeted the children which were happily entertaining themselves, passed the unique street vendors, and took in the geography that’s defined through the hills and lake. Before dinner we were able to watch a video that showed how Father Greg Schaffer worked throughout his life to help the mission grow in order to transform the community for the better. It left us with the question of, “what will you do next?” After dinner we were able to attend mass and were fortunate enough to witness both a baptism, confirmation and a wedding! The sermon Father Kisiki gave reiterated the phrase, “perder para ganar” which translates to “you have to lose in order to win.” This is a phrase I feel is important for everyone to accept in order to grow from their experiences. Overall, we had a day full of realization and learning. A day in which we all will take different lessons from as we transform throughout the rest of the week.
- Gabriela