Day 2!

Waking up to the crow of roosters, we ate a delicious breakfast of porridge, beans, and bananas. Afterwards, we started off the tours with a quick look at the elementary school affiliated with the mission. Kids ran around us as we learned about the different teaching methods used in the school, both in the upper and lower level curricula. Moving on to the mission’s women’s center, we watched a traditional weaving demonstration and learned about the different programs offered to turn local women into independent members of their culture. These programs helped better the women and their economic stability within the community. We continued to the hospital, where we toured the operation room, learned about the equipment utilized in the hospital’s procedures, all while discussing how far American contributions have gone to better the hospital and the community it is a part of. A wide majority of the space, machines, and medical personnel were generously donated from across America, all contributing to the prosperity of the community. The last place we toured was the coffee production facility where we learned about the different strategies used to harvest and prepare the coffee beans for selling. The mission works to pay the community well for this locally grown crop, working to circulate more money into the community.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to speak with a native named Andres about his experience of social injustice in Guatemala. He was a former Mayan slave, who found refuge with work in the mission. He taught us a lot about Guatemala’s history while passing on his own life’s experiences. We then went back to the mission to watch a documentary on its founder, Father Greg.
To satisfy our sweet teeth, after dinner we roasted marshmallows over our hotel’s campfire to end the day. We reflected on the opportunity for growth that this trip presents, and how we should grasp that opportunity while we can.