The Road Less Traveled (Group 1)

Today our morning started off with a delicious homemade breakfast of oatmeal and beans. After that, we all headed off to our work sites. We were split up in different groups, each assigned a different work site. Some of us worked on leveling dirt to build the foundation for block houses. This site was an incredibly scenic half hour drive on the back of cattle trucks. Once at the site, we used a pickaxe to break up the dirt and then we shoveled it into buckets until we had created a level surface. Other groups worked on building wooden houses at a different site, which included digging holes for the posts and beginning the construction of walls made of wooden panels. Another group worked on building sustainable stoves at a different location. The purpose of these stoves is so the locals can cook without producing as much smoke as a traditional stove. The smoke has caused lung problems among the population. The stoves built are an incredibly important part of the work that is done here.

After we had finished our work for the day, we enjoyed another delicious lunch and then headed off on a tour of San Lucas. We stopped at four places: the women’s center, the hospital, the coffee factory, and the school. The women’s center is a place where the local women can learn how to sew, weave, and cook, as well as some other things. We learned about the very intricate weaving process and the different styles of patterns. For women who regularly weave these table runners, it takes around 15 days to complete. After this, we headed off to the hospital. The hospital was started by the founder of the mission, Fr. Greg Shaffer. In 1990, Fr. Greg was holding a sick child in his arms when the child died. He wanted to create a community where the children no longer were dying. We were all blown away by how much good the hospital does for the community. On average, they see 73 patients a day! In 2018, the hospital saw 26,000 patients. They provide a multitude of medical services for the local community, such as emergency care, optical care, dental care, as well as having a labor and delivery wing. Multiple times a year, the community welcomes doctors from other counties who perform much needed general surgeries on those in need of them. These surgeries are done for free, but many who undergo them donate 200 Quetzales to the hospital, which is roughly 26.30 in U.S. Dollars. Several weeks ago, one group of American surgeons came and preformed 120 surgeries in under 5 days.

After the hospital, we stopped at the coffee factory. Here we learned the process of how the coffee is harvested and roasted. We also learned the positive impact the coffee business has on local families, who supply the raw coffee beans from their own farms. From harvest to packing, the coffee process takes 15 days. After this, we traveled to the school. The school provides an invaluable education for the local children. However, the school teachers are greatly underpaid. 

After we were done with the tour, we enjoyed another delicious dinner, and then explored the town a bit more. Our group reflected further on being present to the needs of the community and how we can best encounter them. It was an incredible day that we learned so much from. It is truly an honor for us to be able to work alongside the Guatemalan people.