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Guatemala Trip - Michelle's Journal
September 8 – 16, 2007
Sept. 8 | Sept. 9 | Sept. 10 | Sept. 11 | Sept. 12
Sept. 13 | Sept. 14 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 16
September 8
Traveling to Guatemala City
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world; Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Meade.
I'm Michelle and I will serve as the journal coordinator for the team. Our team is composed of a group of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans employees and financial representatives. We are on our way to Guatemala—Panajachel, to be specific—for eight days to build homes as a part of a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip. The 33 other volunteers on the trip are from all over the U.S.: from New Jersey to Washington and from Florida to Michigan.
I am looking forward to quite a few things on this trip, including learning some Spanish and experiencing Guatemalan culture. The rest of the team has been sharing lots of stories with me about their interest in Thrivent Builds Worldwide trips and I will continue to share those throughout the week. Since there are 34 of us, I don't know if I will get to share a quote or story from each volunteer. But, here are a few interesting tidbits that I've discovered so far: we have four volunteers in our group that have some form of the name Russ (Russell, Rusty, etc.). We have two team members who speak fluent Spanish and one of them is my roommate (Kathy), which has been very helpful. We have one volunteer whose wife will join him later on the trip and they will meet the baby they are adopting in Guatemala. We have Ken (appointed the team mascot) who traveled on a previous Guatemala trip. Another team member, Ian, can make just about anything out of balloons; this should come in handy when kids visit the build site.
The trip began as we all met at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. We found each other fairly easily as we were the only ones in red Thrivent Builds T-shirts. Since most of us hadn't met before, we spent time getting to know each other before and during the flight.
The flight from Dallas to Guatemala went smoothly. We arrived at the hotel and were greeted by the local Habitat for Humanity coordinators. These coordinators had everything prepared for us. After checking in, we had dinner and reviewed the agenda for the next few days.
Our bold team leaders are Greg and Paul. They have done a fantastic job of trip planning, and I think their mantra is: "be flexible." Most of us on the trip have done local Thrivent Builds in the states but have not traveled abroad to participate in the Worldwide trips.
I didn't know a lot about Guatemala and Habitat for Humanity's involvement in the country until this trip, so here are a few bits of information:
- Guatemala is an absolutely beautiful country
- The weather here is wonderful
- The first year Habitat for Humanity was in Guatemala was 1979
- Habitat for Humanity builds 3,000 homes a year in Guatemala
September 9
Making our way to Panajachel
We had a meeting after breakfast educating us on the city and the culture. We then prepared to leave and began our bus journey to Panajachel. As we traveled, we noticed all of the signs posted for an election that the Guatemalans were voting in today; they have 24 candidates running. There were long lines of people waiting to vote. I looked out the window as we drove and I noticed the beautiful styles and brilliant colors of the ladies' clothes. I also saw chickens, cows, horses and lots of cornfields along side the road. I saw several different tents with the Guatemalans selling different kinds of foods, crafts, clothes, and jewelry. Our bus ride had some tight extremely curvy mountainous highway, a major route. We arrived at our hotel; the courtyard is amazing. The flowers, trees, amazing mountains and lake are around us. We only had a little bit of time to get our stuff to our rooms, eat lunch and then we got to go meet the families we will be helping during out trip.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say that meeting the families we'll build with had a tremendous affect on us. Each family introduced themselves and shared their gratefulness for our volunteering and being willing to leave our homes and families. Each thanked God, and believed they were blessed to have us. I sat next to one couple and their children, helping the little boy beside me with his piece of cake that was made for all of us to share. He smiled really big with icing on his face. His beautiful smile made me realize why I am here. He was a blessing to me as much as his family believed I was to him. Love and thoughtfulness for others breaks through any language barriers. After meeting our families I can't wait to get started tomorrow.
September 10
First Build Day
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.
We were divided into teams last night and today at breakfast we learned about our worksites. We are building with a family of five today—the father Jorge, mother, daughter, son, and brother. Tomorrow I will share more about the other teams and the volunteers in their groups, but until then, I'll just give the names of those I'll be working closely with. My team consists of five volunteers: Greg, Russell, Jack, John and Willis. One thing I have noticed about each of us coming from all different areas in the U.S.—even though we're from the same country, we have different cultures. Those have been interesting to observe.
Today we got right to work after Sarah gave us a brief introduction and outline for the day; she showed us how to do each job, and there were plenty of tasks to keep everyone busy as we transitioned the nearly bare ground to the beginning of a foundation.
We started out with a basic foundation. Our team dug in immediately, learning to do the rebar tying, concrete block piling, and sifting black sand for concrete making. Everything is done manually and is very labor intensive. We took a few short breaks but readily took initiative to accomplish another task. We definitely experienced Ecclesiastes, 4:9-10 today—"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; if one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."
The Guatemalan people are incredibly content with what we would consider so little. They are eager to work and participate in the building of the homes. As John Jenneke and I tied the rebar, we were greeted repeatedly throughout the day by local children and ladies with a very polite smile and hello. We noticed that the children find joy and happiness in the smallest of things. Over dinner, other teams of volunteers shared about all of the fun interactions they had today with the kids at their worksites. They also discussed how the kids wanted to learn how to do the work the volunteers were doing. Nancy Albertson, another team member, shared how she brought an etch-a–sketch and the kids gathered around her to see and try this new toy. They were delighted to get to play with it, even if it was only for a few minutes. No language barriers were present when it came to playing with the children. It was the same language—children laughing and having fun. Even an empty wheel barrel became an instant fun ride, despite the fact that it was dirty. Another volunteer, Thrivent Financial Chief Investment Officer Russ Swanson, shared how he would take sand up the hill in the wheel barrel and on the way back down, the children took rides.
As we closed the day and headed back to our hotel, I began to recall my day and the many different aspects of it – the people who are so content, the beauty all around us, and what a blessing it is to share and help others. As Acts 20:35 states, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" I believe this describes our mission this week.
September 11
2nd Build Day
"I came here to bless others but I, in turn, have been far more blessed. I feel that my cup is overflowing because of it. My prayer for you is when you leave, your cup will be overflowing, too." Team member Cathy Bramlett
Every morning after breakfast, we start our day with a devotion and prayer. So far this week, Roger Steiner led our Monday devotion and organized devotion leaders for the week. Our devotion on Tuesday was led by Fred Kalis, Cathy Bramlett led on Wednesday, and Bret Wims led on Thursday. It was wonderful to start our day with God's Word and prayer. Each of these volunteers who led did a fantastic job of sharing and preparing their message.
I mentioned in an earlier entry that I would introduce the other teams and the volunteers who came to participate this week in Guatemala. Team 1 includes the following volunteers: Greg Faulke – team leader, Ian Yehling, Dale Arnold, Lynn Grabow, Bret Wims, Donna Yorkston (always smiling and very funny), Travis Cowan and Roger Steiner. Team 2 includes Bob Fisher, Dennis Julch, Cathy Bramlett, Rod Eissens, Josh Langholz and Kevin Alford. Team 3 consists of Russell Dicks, Fred Kalis, Russ Clevenger, Craig Holocher, Nancy Albertson, Brian VanHevel and Paul White. There is also a team that rotates to all four worksites that includes Russ Swansen (Chief Investment Officer), Nikki Sorum (a Senior Vice President at Thrivent Financial), Shawn Erickson, and Tim Schmidt (a Managing Partner in the Twin Cities).
Today, my team started with shoveling and sifting sand (which is actually volcanic ash); the sand is used to make cement. Team members John Jenneke and Russ Swanson were tying rebar, which gives the structure reinforcement in case of an earthquake. Martin, our mason, is very patient and helped us lay concrete blocks and connect them with the cement. Our team leader, Jack, along with Greg Bushman and Willis Wulf, had a great system to lay the concrete blocks. Many of the volunteers have talked about the conveniences we have at home with machinery and technology and how we often take those for granted.
We do not have a lot of children at our worksite, but we do get to say hello as they walk to school or work. However, volunteers in other teams have shared their stories of fun interactions with several children at their worksites. At dinner they discussed how the children of the partner families are very friendly and eager to play and learn. Paul White shared how he made animal sounds for the children and they were delighted, giggling and telling their friends to come and listen. Another volunteer, Fred Kalis, shared how the children call him Santa Claus, because of his white hair, long white beard and red t-shirt. He even gave the kids a, "HOHOHO!" They were thrilled and said Feliz Navidad. Daily, the volunteers take their cameras to the worksites and snap photos of the children, who can't wait to see their picture in the view finder. They smile and laugh in amazement of this technology!
The partner families are hard working, and by the time we get to the worksite every day, they have already started working. They don't end their day until we do. One of the families currently occupies a small three-room house; it has a kitchen area and a shared bedroom for the whole family. Their bathroom is across the yard - no running water. In Guatemala, they treasure families and have only the most basic needs. It makes me stop and think about all of the luxuries we take for granted in the United States. For example – we have large, comfortable houses that give us clean, drinkable running water, reliable electricity, a roof that doesn't leak and plenty of space for the whole family to enjoy. I am so glad that we can be here in Guatemala, sharing the bountiful blessings that we have. As my roommate, Cathy Bramlett, said in her morning devotion; "I hope you experience what I have; I came here to bless others but I, in turn, have been far more blessed. I feel that my cup is overflowing because of it. My prayer for you is when you leave, your cup will be overflowing, too."
Tonight after dinner, we had a surprise for our cultural night. The Habitat for Humanity coordinators hired a Guatemalan group to perform music and dance while in traditional costumes. They did a courtship ritual, wedding ritual and a special rain dance at the end, which involved multiple costumes; the costumes resembled deer, monkeys, cats and old men. They were unbelievably detailed with many beautiful colors. At the end of the dance, the performers invited several members of our group to come up and dance with them. All of the ladies in our group participated in the dance since there were only four of us. We did a great job on the traditional Guatemalan dancing, even if some of us were a little hesitant at first.
September 12
3rd Build Day
Philippians 4:11: For I have learned in whatever situation, I am to be content.
Today seemed long with the sun shining down on us for majority of the day. Obviously, we are not used to daily manual labor and we are definitely sore. However, we each look forward to going back to the worksite and helping the family accomplish as much as we can before it's time for us to leave. I am very thankful for my other team members who never hesitate to help each other with any task; we cheer each other on and genuinely show concern for each other. It is amazing how all of the volunteers don't care about their sore muscles as long as they get to help these families. As it states in Philippians 4:11, "For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."
Our construction continues to progress. We are so excited that we have completed five rows of concrete blocks inside and out. All of the teams got to experience a tortilla-making lesson and lots of laughs shared because the gringos (that's what the Guatemalans call us) definitely didn't know how to make tortillas from cornmeal. We were amazed at the perfect circular shape that our hosts could make; when we attempted to make them, we ended up with tortillas that were oddly shaped and sticking to our fingers. We couldn't compare to the experts. We also took a journey up the hillside to see the fields of corn and beans they had planted and got to witness the technique used to get the beans out of the plant. They consume some of the food and they sell the rest to support their families. The average family income in Guatemala is about $140 a month.
Later this evening we took vans (some ventured out and took taxis, which are called tuc tucs) to the Habitat for Humanity office in Panajachel and bought beautiful handmade items: wooden utensils, woven placemats, table runners and shawls. Some of these items can take up to two weeks to make. Then our Habitat coordinators took us to local restaurants. It was great to go out with the Habitat coordinators and have a fun, relaxing evening.
We look forward to tomorrow.
September 13
Final Build Day and Saying Goodbye
Today was our last day helping the family build their home. We didn't have as much time to work today because of a dedication ceremony later in the afternoon with all of the families. Even though our work at the sites is done, the houses still have a week or so until completion.
At the dedication ceremony, the Guatemalan ladies eagerly shared their native attire for the occasion. They dressed Cathy, Donna, Nancy, Nikki and I in beautiful skirt wraps, tunics (hand-woven with amazingly intricate detail) and sandals to complete the outfit. They even had ribbon for our hair, which they also braided. They amazed me—even though they do not have a lot, they still come up with resources to decorate for the festivities. They used sheets to create an awning over us and pieces of board over concrete blocks to create benches to sit on; pine needles covered the sandy ground. The ladies from each family worked all morning to clean and prepare the worksite for today's event. They wanted to repay us in some way for the work we had done. The design of the women's colorfully embroidered tunics, capes and skirts goes back for many centuries. Certain details of the garment and design identify the wearer's group and village, and can also have multiple religious or magical meanings.
Something we noticed at the celebration and throughout the week is that much of the Guatemalan lifestyle revolves around families. Guatemalans say that parents are espejos (mirrors): through them, you learn who you are and what you can become. Children depend on their parents for advice and guidance throughout their lives. Family members tend to live near one another, and Guatemalans rarely live or spend much time alone. An invitation to a party or social function, for example, would include all family members, even children and grandparents.
At the ceremony, each team leader presented each Guatemalan family with a Bible and a framed picture of the family and the team they worked with all week. The team leaders expressed how each family touched our hearts; we would never forget this week and the tremendous impact it had on all of us. Words can not express the life long connection that occurred in one week with the families and our team members. Each family wrote a letter that they read to us. They shared their gratefulness for our kindness and willingness to leave our lives and families to come help them. They thanked God and said they wished they could repay us, but knew that even though they couldn't, God would. We shared chicken soup with the families; many team members played with the children and we all took several more pictures.
At the end of the ceremony, we said our good byes. It was not easy, but as Jorge said, we would all keep a piece of each other in our hearts. He also told us that we are always welcome to come back and that we had a place to stay. As I hugged Jorge's wife goodbye, she hugged me so tightly and sincerely. She had a look in her eyes that spoke so clearly, even though we did not speak the same language, I knew what she was saying. We both were saying I love you and I am so grateful to have met you.
September 14
Day of Rest & Relaxation
Today we started with breakfast and devotions, and then about half of the group went on a boat ride across Lake Atitlán for shopping and sightseeing. The other half of us ventured off on a zip line adventure across beautiful mountains.
The boat riders commented on the clear and beautiful water and the breathtaking scenery. When they returned, they had several bags of souvenirs, including weavings, carved woodwork, paintings, and jewelry. Fortunately, all of our bags had more room in them since we were able to donate our work clothes and shoes to the Habitat affiliate. They can be used on the worksites around Sololá.
The other half of us, courageous or possibly loco, journeyed up a stunning mountain with gorgeous landscape all around. As we arrived at the top, I saw one of the zip lines that would take us across. I began to have second thoughts about how good an idea this was. As usual, my faithful and encouraging compadres assured me that I could do this and would be fine. Each of us had different views of the venture. Some were overcoming their fear of heights while others, such as Travis Cowan, saw this as an adrenaline rush. Ian Yehling did a great job videotaping each of us as we went across the zip line. It was an exciting and fun day.
After lunch, we loaded up the bus to head to Antigua, the former capital of Guatemala. As we were traveling, we faced an unexpected delay. The next day was Independence Day in Guatemala. Due to all of the celebrations, extra traffic crowded the streets. At first it seemed frustrating and looked like we would never get through to our hotel. However, God knew exactly what the delay was about, and it had a silver lining. During this bus ride we heard sounds of laughter, lots of chatting and even people singing hymns we all knew.
Since we were stuck in one spot for quite a while, Sarah (a Habitat coordinator) suggested that we share some stories about our experience in Guatemala. As each volunteer shared, the tears were streaming down my face. The affect this experience had on each of us was pretty evident. Most agreed they were honored to be chosen and felt blessed by the experience. Many talked about the cherished things learned on this journey, even though they were uncertain of what to expect at first. Each expressed how wonderful it was to bond so closely with the people in the group. Our goal was to go home and live as happily as we saw the Guatemalan families living—although by American standards they have very little, they are rich in love, family and kindness, which are the most important treasures. I know that a piece of our hearts will be left in Guatemala and a piece of our Guatemalan families will return home with us.
September 15
Independence Day
September 15 is the national holiday to commemorate Guatemala's independence from Spain in 1821. On September 15, 1821, Guatemala gained its independence from Spain. Independence Day is a national holiday and the celebrations are extensive. In the days preceding Independence Day, schools and buses are decorated with patriotic motifs in celebration. They sing the national anthem in student assemblies. On Independence Day in Antigua, school bands, consisting of drums and xylophones, march around the Central Park. It was wonderful to witness so much pride and joy at their Independence Day celebrations.
Antigua has several colonial-era buildings that have been restored and it has quite the "old world charm" about it. The hotel where we stayed, Casa Santa Domingo, was a former monastery and had an amazing ambience.
Many of us spent the day in Antigua at the local markets to finish shopping for souvenirs for our families back home. The weekly market goes to the heart of the indigenous economy; it's as important for social interaction as for trading. These markets remain a central feature in highland Guatemala. As we visited a couple of Guatemala's most typical markets and immersed ourselves in the sights, sounds, smells and rhythm of this tradition, we were awed by the beauty, the parades and the people. Some of us enjoyed massages, while others ventured around the city.
As I was shopping and sightseeing, I was reminded of Greg. I previously mentioned Greg Bushman in my journal—he's coming to Guatemala to meet his son. Today he and his wife are getting to meet the child they will adopt. They initiated the process in March 2006 and they learned they had a son named Daniel in November 2006. Greg said it was the best Thanksgiving ever as they shared the wonderful news with family and friends. Until today, they had never met their son. They had only seen pictures. They will not get to take him home yet, but will cherish the two days they have with him. They are praying that all of the paperwork will be finished soon and they will get to bring their son home.
We later enjoyed dinner at a local hotel restaurant, and of course the food was fabulous again. We presented our Habitat coordinators, Shannon, Sarah and Johanna, with a gift certificate for a local spa, Petit Spa. We figured they needed some rest and relaxation, too. We unfortunately needed to turn in early due to an unbelievably early flight that required us to be ready to go in the hotel lobby by 5:00 the next morning. It was another eventful day. We are looking forward to going home and seeing our families, but we also know we will miss our new families.
September 16
Homeward Bound
Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor. Benjamin Franklin
Today started quite early—too early for some of us. Our day was occupied by bus rides to the airport, customs forms, making airplane flights and connecting flights, and finally getting home to see our families. On our flight home we had plenty of time to reflect, and as you read our journal, some of you might ask why we agreed to do this. As another Thrivent Financial employee, Keturah, questioned in her journal: Why would 34 Thrivent employees, including financial advisors and home office employees, give up time from their families, friends, and work to travel to another country to help build houses? Wouldn't it make more sense to just send money and let the experienced Guatemalan masons do the job, which would be more efficient? A group of inexperienced "gringos" could just get in the way. Some of these thoughts ran through our heads, too.
Like Keturah and her team, we quickly realized that trips like this are important for several reasons—not only for what we give, but for how we are changed. Thrivent Builds and its volunteers help raise awareness of the need for simple, decent, affordable housing both in the United States and in other countries like Guatemala. The stories about our trip that we will share with family, friends and churches brings the greatest awareness, especially because they are about our personal experiences. Another reason the trip was so beneficial is that we were reminded how very blessed we are in our country, and how we tend to take the most basic needs and our luxuries for granted. It was good for us to see firsthand the challenges that others in the world face, but more importantly, the grace and contented attitudes they have while facing these situations. Benjamin Franklin stated that, "Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."
This experience is a reminder of all my blessings, and it's a reminder that I could use regularly. I've been blessed by so many things: the people's faces and the way they're so happy, content and willing to help you in any way they can. They're very polite and the kids get joy in the smallest things – playing with a balloon entertained them for a long time. Seeing that joy and happiness and the peacefulness these families seem to have is unforgettable. Everyone should come and experience this at least once. It's an experience of a lifetime and is something I'll never forget. Many days I've reflected and realized how much we have to be thankful for – even the smallest things we've taken for granted. "When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package," said John Ruskin. I like the suggestion that Tim Schmidt shared with us. He suggested that we each prominently place either the photo that was given to us by our Habitat families or a souvenir from Guatemala to remind us of our journey.
Many of us discussed going on more of these trips and possibly leading trips like this. Maybe you have read this journal and are wondering how you can contribute or volunteer for a trip like this. If you are interested in going on a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip, read more details on this Web site. Believe me when I say, "If I can do this, anyone can." I have no handyman skills, can't speak Spanish, and had never traveled abroad to participate in an event like this.Thrivent Financial supports the Thrivent Builds Worldwide program as part of our alliance with Habitat for Humanity.
As you read our journal remember this: Abraham was too old, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young and Zaccheus was too small. God can use you to your full potential no matter what your circumstances. (By the way – the age range in our group was 26 to 62.) Pray and think about this opportunity and consider your options. Our hope and prayer is that at least some of you reading this journal will choose to venture out of your comfort zone and begin your own building adventure. You will get to be part of an amazing and life-changing experience should you choose to take the challenge.
To read about another Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip to Guatemala, check out Keturah's journal.