Our group’s service trip to Guatemala was a once in a lifetime, eye-opening experience for all of us. The trip was a cultural immersion experience, service opportunity, and a chance to meet new people all at the same time. I learned so much more in Guatemala than I ever expected to. My expectations for the trip were radically different than what I received when I arrived in San Lucas for the very first time. I expected the town to be completely run down with people begging and living off the parish for sustenance. Instead, I found a town full of wonderful, Christian people who were generous, extremely happy, and very helpful. The people of San Lucas and the parish formed a wonderful community where everyone worked together to achieve a better life.
When I first heard that the school was planning a service trip to Guatemala, I was very excited. I went to Fr. Kirk’s office as soon as I could to let him know that I was interested in going on the trip. Soon, I was enrolled in the intersession class and I could not wait to get started on learning about Guatemala and its people. During the first week in intersession, we studied the complicated and violent history of civil war in Guatemala. We also learned about the Mayan culture and how it has survived so much abuse. By the end of that first week, I was even more excited to learn about the Mayan culture, to work alongside the people of San Lucas, and if possible, help the people in some way, shape, or form.
Saturday evening we were all in the chapel preparing to embark on our pilgrimage to Guatemala. Although I was sad to be leaving my parents, I was very excited to arrive in Guatemala and I had great expectations for the trip. We arrived the following morning and were eager to learn about the Parish’s role in the community and how we would be helping in the community during our time in San Lucas.
Our group got into the work schedule very quickly, during the morning we would do about 3 hours of work and in the afternoon around 2 hours. All of our work however, was completed with help from the locals. When we sanded the soccer field, a supervisor from the parish helped us figure out how much sand we needed and where to put it. When we were picking coffee, we always had a guide from the parish. Even when we were clearing rocks, the locals were helping us.
I was amazed how friendly and hard-working the people of San Lucas were. Every day, we ate with them, worked with them, and talked with them. It was incredible that these people with what little they have, their church, their homes, and their families, that they could still possess so much kindness while many Americans have so many more physical possessions but are still reluctant to perform any act of kindness. It makes me feel bad that we have so much compared to these people, but still struggle to find true happiness. This trip has made me realize that we don’t need our physical possessions to find happiness; it is in our family, friends, and relationship with God where we find our true happiness.
-Robby Baughman
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
2 Weeks in Guatemala - A Life-Changing Experience!
As mentioned in previous blogs, what we did in Guatemala was work-service learning, wherein we worked with the people and other volunteers and experienced their culture and lifestyle. Our Saints' class worked daily for almost 2 weeks, from 9 AM - 12 noon and from 2-4 PM, mainly doing manual labor such as harvesting coffee beans, sifting coffee beans at a coffee processing plant, adding fertilizer to coffee saplings at a nursery, sifting sand to eventually make a wall on this same plant, moving rocks to clear the way for an eventual basketball court at the Women's Center of San Lucas Toliman, adding sand to maintain the parish school's soccer field and so on. Some of our students even did house visits, visiting patients and translating for a physical therapist from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota to assess their health care needs and provide instructions for bodily exercises.
We also experienced the hospitality and kindness of the Mayan people at San Lucas Toliman. They are friendly, accommodating, helpful and hardworking. Everywhere we go, we were greeted with smiles from children to the elderly, and greeted with either "Buenos dias," or "Buenas tardes/Buenas noches" depending on the time of day. One time Jose Fernandez, Mark Wolford and I went to a local laundry center to handwash our clothes and one woman offered to do this wash for us. When Fr. Kirk and I celebrated a Sunday Vigil Mass at San Jose Church in Pampojila, a barrio of San Lucas Toliman, every single parishioner, even the choir members, came to greet us after Mass, wish us well and shake our hands as they were leaving church.
The 12 Saintsmen who are part of this class - Juniors Bobby Jertberg, Joe Zehentbauer, Eli Ashenafi, Miguel Rodriguez, Rico Dominguez, Jose Fernandez, Koichi Ishino, Robert Baughman, Mark Wolford and Sophomores Fernando Galan, Philip Park and William Smith were all amazing. They cared for each other, associated with different people, looked out for each other, were eager to help and learn and were involved in the daily work schedule. They participated in all the Sunday Masses (we went to 3 altogether) and some of them even attended the daily 8 AM Mass presided by Fr. Alvin at the parish - Parroquia San Lucas Evangelista. Our Saintsmen were wonderful to be with and work with overall.
In addition, our boys bonded and worked with a number of college students from different universities here in the U.S., also serving as volunteers for 2-3 weeks at the Mission San Lucas Toliman as part of their January intercession courses in their respective colleges. We met students and professors from St. Thomas University of St. Paul, Minnesota; University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Notre Dame College of Baltimore, Maryland (an women's college); the Engineers without Borders chapter of Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the University of Wisconsin Steven's Point, the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and Gustavus Adolphus College in southern Minnesota. We also met parishioners from upstate New York, Minnesota and Kansas. It was incredible meeting all these fellow American short-term volunteers, numbering almost 100 at one point.
Finally, the short-term work-service volunteer program operated by the parish mission itself is very organized, which was very good for us first-time volunteers in this part of Guatemala. The parish has 4 long-term American volunteers coordinating the entire volunteer effort in 4 different projects - parish school - Colegio San Lucas Toliman; the Women's Center; the hospital - Hospital San Lucas and the coffee processing plant - La Granja Juan y Ana and other projects, such as the reforestation project. Such an organized program made it easy for us from Saints' to work, live and visit at San Lucas Toliman and surrounding areas. Mission San Lucas Toliman is a mission parish of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. More infomation can be obtained through their website: www.sanlucasmission.org. Thank you so much, Fr. Kirk, Saintsmen, St. Augustine High School, Province of St. Augustine in California and dear God for such an incredible, life-changing experience.
-Fr. Alvin Paligutan, OSA
We also experienced the hospitality and kindness of the Mayan people at San Lucas Toliman. They are friendly, accommodating, helpful and hardworking. Everywhere we go, we were greeted with smiles from children to the elderly, and greeted with either "Buenos dias," or "Buenas tardes/Buenas noches" depending on the time of day. One time Jose Fernandez, Mark Wolford and I went to a local laundry center to handwash our clothes and one woman offered to do this wash for us. When Fr. Kirk and I celebrated a Sunday Vigil Mass at San Jose Church in Pampojila, a barrio of San Lucas Toliman, every single parishioner, even the choir members, came to greet us after Mass, wish us well and shake our hands as they were leaving church.
The 12 Saintsmen who are part of this class - Juniors Bobby Jertberg, Joe Zehentbauer, Eli Ashenafi, Miguel Rodriguez, Rico Dominguez, Jose Fernandez, Koichi Ishino, Robert Baughman, Mark Wolford and Sophomores Fernando Galan, Philip Park and William Smith were all amazing. They cared for each other, associated with different people, looked out for each other, were eager to help and learn and were involved in the daily work schedule. They participated in all the Sunday Masses (we went to 3 altogether) and some of them even attended the daily 8 AM Mass presided by Fr. Alvin at the parish - Parroquia San Lucas Evangelista. Our Saintsmen were wonderful to be with and work with overall.
In addition, our boys bonded and worked with a number of college students from different universities here in the U.S., also serving as volunteers for 2-3 weeks at the Mission San Lucas Toliman as part of their January intercession courses in their respective colleges. We met students and professors from St. Thomas University of St. Paul, Minnesota; University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Notre Dame College of Baltimore, Maryland (an women's college); the Engineers without Borders chapter of Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the University of Wisconsin Steven's Point, the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and Gustavus Adolphus College in southern Minnesota. We also met parishioners from upstate New York, Minnesota and Kansas. It was incredible meeting all these fellow American short-term volunteers, numbering almost 100 at one point.
Finally, the short-term work-service volunteer program operated by the parish mission itself is very organized, which was very good for us first-time volunteers in this part of Guatemala. The parish has 4 long-term American volunteers coordinating the entire volunteer effort in 4 different projects - parish school - Colegio San Lucas Toliman; the Women's Center; the hospital - Hospital San Lucas and the coffee processing plant - La Granja Juan y Ana and other projects, such as the reforestation project. Such an organized program made it easy for us from Saints' to work, live and visit at San Lucas Toliman and surrounding areas. Mission San Lucas Toliman is a mission parish of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. More infomation can be obtained through their website: www.sanlucasmission.org. Thank you so much, Fr. Kirk, Saintsmen, St. Augustine High School, Province of St. Augustine in California and dear God for such an incredible, life-changing experience.
-Fr. Alvin Paligutan, OSA
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Last Days in Guatemala
After departing from San Lucas, saying farewell to our St. Thomas friends and arriving in Antigua, our trip is finally coming to an end. As the awesome St. Thomas group was heading to the coast and we inland towards the capital, our days of service had ended and our days of tourism had started. We were just in time for lunch and some last minute shopping in the market, but the highlight of Antigua was the adventurous hike up the volcano. Pacaya, an active volcano whose last eruption was just two years ago, was a completely new experience for us. The hike was 7km, rising 500m, plus an extra hike to an area of the volcano through which there was enough heat from the lava to burn wood. Halfway coming back down we enjoyed some sandwiches that Fr Kirk and Fr Alvin O.S.A. had meticulously arranged for us.
We came back to the town around 3, rested and headed to the Piedad Cathedral at 5:30 for our last Guatemalan Saturday vergil mass in Spanish. Following that, was a luxurious dinner reservation set again by Fr Alvin O.S.A. and Fr Kirk. We have the rest of the night to ourselves, but we must make sure that we still have enough energy for our long trip back home, arriving a little before 5 in Tijuana.
We hope to see our families soon and thank Fr Kirk and Fr Alvin O.S.A. for making this great experience of immersion and service in GUATEMALA. Hope to come back soon.
Despues de partir de San Lucas, diciendole adios a nuestros amigos de St. Thomas University y llegando a Antigua, nuestro viaje finalmente llegaba a su fin. Mientras el grupo de St. Thomas se dirigia a la costa y nosotros a la capital, terminaron nuestros dias de servicio y llegaron los de turismo. Arrivamos justa a tiempo para el almuerzo y para unas comprad de ultimo momento, pero lo mejor de nuestra estancia en Antigua fue nuestro paseo hiacia el volcan. Pacaya, un volcan activo cuya ultima erupcion fue en el 2012, fue una completamente nueva experiencia para nosotros. Esta caminata fue de 7km, subiendo 500m, mas una paseada extra a una area del volcan en donde se puede quemar papel y madera por el calor de la lava que se encontraba a 3 metros de profundidad a donde estabamos. A medio camino de decenso del volcan, nos comimos unos sandwiches que el Padre Kirk y el Padre Alvin O.S.A. meticulosamente arreglaron para nosotros.
Regresamos a la ciudad al rededor de las 3, descansamos y nos dirigimops hacia la Catedral de la Piedad a las 5:30 para nuestra ultima misa guatemalteca. Al terminar, fuimos a cenar como reyes gracias a una reservacion de parte del Padre Alvin O.S.A. y del Padre Kirk. Lo queb quedo de la tarde la tuvimos para nosotros mismos, pero tuvimos que asegurarnos que tuvieramos suficiente energia para nuesttro largo viaje regreso a casa, llegando a Tijuana poco antes de las 5.
Esperamos pronto ver a nuestras familias y les damos gracias al Padre Kirk y al Padre Alvin O.S.A. por darnos esta oportunidad de servir en y aprender de GUATEMALA. Esperemos un dia regresar aqui.
-Jose Armando
We came back to the town around 3, rested and headed to the Piedad Cathedral at 5:30 for our last Guatemalan Saturday vergil mass in Spanish. Following that, was a luxurious dinner reservation set again by Fr Alvin O.S.A. and Fr Kirk. We have the rest of the night to ourselves, but we must make sure that we still have enough energy for our long trip back home, arriving a little before 5 in Tijuana.
We hope to see our families soon and thank Fr Kirk and Fr Alvin O.S.A. for making this great experience of immersion and service in GUATEMALA. Hope to come back soon.
Despues de partir de San Lucas, diciendole adios a nuestros amigos de St. Thomas University y llegando a Antigua, nuestro viaje finalmente llegaba a su fin. Mientras el grupo de St. Thomas se dirigia a la costa y nosotros a la capital, terminaron nuestros dias de servicio y llegaron los de turismo. Arrivamos justa a tiempo para el almuerzo y para unas comprad de ultimo momento, pero lo mejor de nuestra estancia en Antigua fue nuestro paseo hiacia el volcan. Pacaya, un volcan activo cuya ultima erupcion fue en el 2012, fue una completamente nueva experiencia para nosotros. Esta caminata fue de 7km, subiendo 500m, mas una paseada extra a una area del volcan en donde se puede quemar papel y madera por el calor de la lava que se encontraba a 3 metros de profundidad a donde estabamos. A medio camino de decenso del volcan, nos comimos unos sandwiches que el Padre Kirk y el Padre Alvin O.S.A. meticulosamente arreglaron para nosotros.
Regresamos a la ciudad al rededor de las 3, descansamos y nos dirigimops hacia la Catedral de la Piedad a las 5:30 para nuestra ultima misa guatemalteca. Al terminar, fuimos a cenar como reyes gracias a una reservacion de parte del Padre Alvin O.S.A. y del Padre Kirk. Lo queb quedo de la tarde la tuvimos para nosotros mismos, pero tuvimos que asegurarnos que tuvieramos suficiente energia para nuesttro largo viaje regreso a casa, llegando a Tijuana poco antes de las 5.
Esperamos pronto ver a nuestras familias y les damos gracias al Padre Kirk y al Padre Alvin O.S.A. por darnos esta oportunidad de servir en y aprender de GUATEMALA. Esperemos un dia regresar aqui.
-Jose Armando
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Saintsmen Help on Medical Mission!
This week, we were able to partake on a medical mission with a physical therapist volunteering his time here in San Lucas. Koichi Ishino, Fernando Galan, and I, Juan Miguel Rodriguez, travelled around the neighboring communities from Monday to Wednesday translating in order to facilitate communication between the patients and the physical therapist. Among the variety of patients were people with physical and neurological disabilities. The majority of the time, we were aiding them with new exercises to speed the recovery process.
The three of us felt that this special form of service was perhaps the most beneficial for the people of San Lucas. Everyone arrived at the end of the day impacted by the incredible experience. The opportunity also gave us a taste of the medical world, which was a great chance for us (Miguel Rodriguez and Fernando Galan) because we are particularly interested in the medical field. There was one specific case that impacted us substantially. This little boy named Gerbert suffered from epilepsy and would at times fall and injure his head on the concrete, especially when descending the stairs. We all collaborated with the therapist and the mission staff to create an auxiliary railing for him to walk down the stairs with greater ease and prevent him from falling. We could not have asked for a more rewarding experience.
Esta semana, pudimos tomar parte de una mision medica con un terapista al ser voluntarios aqui en San Lucas. Koichi Ishino, Fernando Galan, y yo, Juan Miguel Rodriguez, fuimos al rededor de las comunidades desde el lunes hasta el miercoles traduciendo para poder falicitar la comunicaion entre los pacientes y el terapista. Entre la variedad de pacientes habia gente con discapaciades fisicas y neurologicas. La mayoria del tiempo, los ayudamos con nuevos ejercisios para que recuperen su movilidad con mas rapidez.
Nosotros tres sentimos que esta forma especial de servicio fue probablemente la mas benefica para la gente de San Lucas. Todos llegamos impactados por nuestra increible experiencia el final del dia. Esta oportunidad tambien nos dio un vistaso al mundo medico porque fue una buena suerte para nosotors(Miguel Rodriguez and Fernando Galan) que estamos particularmente interesados en las carreras medicas. Hubo un caso en particular que nos sorprendio extensamente. Un joven nino llamado Gerbert sufria de epilepcia y a cada rato se caeria y se lastimaria su cabeza con el asfalto, especialmente al bajar por escaleras. Todos colaboramos con el terapeutico y la parroquia para crear un barantal auxiliar para que el pueda bajar y subir las escaleras con mas facilidad y para imperdir que se caiga. Jamas pudieramos haber pedido una experiencia mas recompensante.
- Juan Miguel Rodriguez, Francisco Koichi Ishino y Jose Armando
The three of us felt that this special form of service was perhaps the most beneficial for the people of San Lucas. Everyone arrived at the end of the day impacted by the incredible experience. The opportunity also gave us a taste of the medical world, which was a great chance for us (Miguel Rodriguez and Fernando Galan) because we are particularly interested in the medical field. There was one specific case that impacted us substantially. This little boy named Gerbert suffered from epilepsy and would at times fall and injure his head on the concrete, especially when descending the stairs. We all collaborated with the therapist and the mission staff to create an auxiliary railing for him to walk down the stairs with greater ease and prevent him from falling. We could not have asked for a more rewarding experience.
Esta semana, pudimos tomar parte de una mision medica con un terapista al ser voluntarios aqui en San Lucas. Koichi Ishino, Fernando Galan, y yo, Juan Miguel Rodriguez, fuimos al rededor de las comunidades desde el lunes hasta el miercoles traduciendo para poder falicitar la comunicaion entre los pacientes y el terapista. Entre la variedad de pacientes habia gente con discapaciades fisicas y neurologicas. La mayoria del tiempo, los ayudamos con nuevos ejercisios para que recuperen su movilidad con mas rapidez.
Nosotros tres sentimos que esta forma especial de servicio fue probablemente la mas benefica para la gente de San Lucas. Todos llegamos impactados por nuestra increible experiencia el final del dia. Esta oportunidad tambien nos dio un vistaso al mundo medico porque fue una buena suerte para nosotors(Miguel Rodriguez and Fernando Galan) que estamos particularmente interesados en las carreras medicas. Hubo un caso en particular que nos sorprendio extensamente. Un joven nino llamado Gerbert sufria de epilepcia y a cada rato se caeria y se lastimaria su cabeza con el asfalto, especialmente al bajar por escaleras. Todos colaboramos con el terapeutico y la parroquia para crear un barantal auxiliar para que el pueda bajar y subir las escaleras con mas facilidad y para imperdir que se caiga. Jamas pudieramos haber pedido una experiencia mas recompensante.
- Juan Miguel Rodriguez, Francisco Koichi Ishino y Jose Armando
Monday, January 16, 2012
Trip on Lake Atitlan
This Sunday the group took an all-day trip across Lake Atitlan, the lake on which San Lucas sits. We visited three nearby cities on the lake: San Antonio Palopo, Santo Catarina Polopo, and Panajachel. In each city, we visited the church at the center of the city. We also shopped for various clothes, bags, ceramics, and various trinkets. We ate a lunch of grilled chicken and fish in Panajachel over the beautiful Lake Atitlan. During our trip to the various cities surrounding the lake, there were fiestas for the new mayors of each town who were inaugurated. We ended our day with a reflection and lots of cannon fire coming from the mayor´s fiesta.
The other towns around Lake Atitlan are considerably more tourism based than San Lucas. Most buildings were shops and the street vendors were more aggressive, one called Fr. Kirk Santa Claus while trying to sell him bracelets. Reflecting on the day we noticed what tourism can do to a culture. While the town needs tourism for support, the Mayan culture becomes just another thing to sell. The group had fun on the trip but we have decided we like San Lucas best of all, at least until we know what Antigua is like.
-Rico Dominguez, Robby Baughman, Phil Park, Will Smith, y Fernando Galan
The other towns around Lake Atitlan are considerably more tourism based than San Lucas. Most buildings were shops and the street vendors were more aggressive, one called Fr. Kirk Santa Claus while trying to sell him bracelets. Reflecting on the day we noticed what tourism can do to a culture. While the town needs tourism for support, the Mayan culture becomes just another thing to sell. The group had fun on the trip but we have decided we like San Lucas best of all, at least until we know what Antigua is like.
-Rico Dominguez, Robby Baughman, Phil Park, Will Smith, y Fernando Galan
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Feliz Cumpleanos Joe Z!
One member of our group, Joe Zehentbauer celebrated his 17th birthday yesterday...beginning with a happy birthday chorus during breakfast...followed by a massive chocolate cake prepared by mission kitchen staff at supper...with the final touch being not one, but THREE cakes back at the hotel where we were joined by other volunteers in completing the celebration. We think Joe was reasonably satisfied but he did miss waking up to his mom's traditional cinnamon rolls.
Between cakes and songs we had a successful day moving rocks in the morning again at the Women's Center and working at the mision's local farm in the afternoon on various projects including sorting sun dried coffee beans, sifting soil for concrete, weeding, moving bags of sand uphill, and, moving more rocks!
Earlier this week we had the good fortune of attending a presentation by Dona Chona, the head cook for the mission. She shared with the group not only the history of her involvement with the mission, which dates back some forty years, but also her own personal story as a survivor of Guatemala's brutal civil war. Her story was compelling, tragic, and filled with hope all at the same time. At the end of the presentation there was no time for Q & A, so a followup session was scheduled for this morning. Our students had the opportunity to ask questions about the war, about the situation of the Maya people today, about the recent presidential elections, etc. The session was personal and it drove home in a very real way some of the topics the group studied in the week before our departure.
Both Fr. Alvin and I have commented to each other on numerous occasions how very proud we are of our students who are each taking this opportunity very seriously and entering into their interactions with the local people with openness, curiosity and respect. This afternoon our group will travel to a Colonia just outside town where Fr. Alvin and I will concelebrate Mass with the local community. Tomorrow we'll spend the day visiting various communities on Lake Atitlan via boat.
Ayer un miembro de nuestro grupo, Joe Zehentbauer, celebró su cumpleaños numero 17...comenzando con las mañanitas en el desayuno...seguido por un enorme pastel de chocolate en la cena hecho por las cocineras de la misión...y como toce final no sólo uno, pero TRES pasteles de regreso en el hotel donde nos acompañaron los voluntarios de la parroquia para terminar la celebración. Pensamos que Joe estuvo bastante satisfecho aunque aun estrañó despertar con los traditionales rollos de canela de su mamá.
Entre los pasteles y las canciones tuvimos un buen día de nuevo moviendo rocas por la mañana en el Centro de Mujeres y trabajando en la granja local de la misión por la tarde en varios proyectos incluyendo separando los granos de café secados por el sol, separando la tierra de la piedras para hacer cemento, sacando las malas hierdas, moviendo costales por un cerro, ¡y moviendo más rocas!
En el principio de la semana tuvimos la buena fortuna de ir a una presentación por Doña Chona, la cocinera en líder de la misión. Compartió con el grupo no sólo la historia de sus acciones en la misión, que ya tiene más de 40 años, pero tambien su historia personal como una sobreviviente de la brutal guerra civil de Guatemala. Ésta historia fue muy interesante, tragica, y llena de esperanza al mismo timepo. Al final de la presentación no hubo tiempo para una sesión de preguntas y respuestas (Q & A), así que fue programada para el mañana de hoy. Nuestros estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de hacer preguntas sobre la guerra, la situación de la gente maya hoy en día, las elecciones recientes del nuevo presidente y alcalde, eccetara. Esta sesión fue personal y trajo de una forma muy profuna los temas que el grupo había estudiado la semana antes de partir.
El Padre Alvin y yo comentamos en varia ocaciones que tan orgullosos estabamos de nuestros estudiantes que estan tomando esta oportunidad seriamente y estan interactuando con la gente local con mentes abiertas, curiosidad y respeto. Esta tarde el grupo irá a una Colonia justamente afuera de la comunidad donde el Parde Alvin y yo celebraremos misa. Mañana pasaremos el día visitando diferentes comunidades al rededor del Lago Atitlan con una lancha.
-Father Kirk Davis y José Armndo
Between cakes and songs we had a successful day moving rocks in the morning again at the Women's Center and working at the mision's local farm in the afternoon on various projects including sorting sun dried coffee beans, sifting soil for concrete, weeding, moving bags of sand uphill, and, moving more rocks!
Earlier this week we had the good fortune of attending a presentation by Dona Chona, the head cook for the mission. She shared with the group not only the history of her involvement with the mission, which dates back some forty years, but also her own personal story as a survivor of Guatemala's brutal civil war. Her story was compelling, tragic, and filled with hope all at the same time. At the end of the presentation there was no time for Q & A, so a followup session was scheduled for this morning. Our students had the opportunity to ask questions about the war, about the situation of the Maya people today, about the recent presidential elections, etc. The session was personal and it drove home in a very real way some of the topics the group studied in the week before our departure.
Both Fr. Alvin and I have commented to each other on numerous occasions how very proud we are of our students who are each taking this opportunity very seriously and entering into their interactions with the local people with openness, curiosity and respect. This afternoon our group will travel to a Colonia just outside town where Fr. Alvin and I will concelebrate Mass with the local community. Tomorrow we'll spend the day visiting various communities on Lake Atitlan via boat.
Ayer un miembro de nuestro grupo, Joe Zehentbauer, celebró su cumpleaños numero 17...comenzando con las mañanitas en el desayuno...seguido por un enorme pastel de chocolate en la cena hecho por las cocineras de la misión...y como toce final no sólo uno, pero TRES pasteles de regreso en el hotel donde nos acompañaron los voluntarios de la parroquia para terminar la celebración. Pensamos que Joe estuvo bastante satisfecho aunque aun estrañó despertar con los traditionales rollos de canela de su mamá.
Entre los pasteles y las canciones tuvimos un buen día de nuevo moviendo rocas por la mañana en el Centro de Mujeres y trabajando en la granja local de la misión por la tarde en varios proyectos incluyendo separando los granos de café secados por el sol, separando la tierra de la piedras para hacer cemento, sacando las malas hierdas, moviendo costales por un cerro, ¡y moviendo más rocas!
En el principio de la semana tuvimos la buena fortuna de ir a una presentación por Doña Chona, la cocinera en líder de la misión. Compartió con el grupo no sólo la historia de sus acciones en la misión, que ya tiene más de 40 años, pero tambien su historia personal como una sobreviviente de la brutal guerra civil de Guatemala. Ésta historia fue muy interesante, tragica, y llena de esperanza al mismo timepo. Al final de la presentación no hubo tiempo para una sesión de preguntas y respuestas (Q & A), así que fue programada para el mañana de hoy. Nuestros estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de hacer preguntas sobre la guerra, la situación de la gente maya hoy en día, las elecciones recientes del nuevo presidente y alcalde, eccetara. Esta sesión fue personal y trajo de una forma muy profuna los temas que el grupo había estudiado la semana antes de partir.
El Padre Alvin y yo comentamos en varia ocaciones que tan orgullosos estabamos de nuestros estudiantes que estan tomando esta oportunidad seriamente y estan interactuando con la gente local con mentes abiertas, curiosidad y respeto. Esta tarde el grupo irá a una Colonia justamente afuera de la comunidad donde el Parde Alvin y yo celebraremos misa. Mañana pasaremos el día visitando diferentes comunidades al rededor del Lago Atitlan con una lancha.
-Father Kirk Davis y José Armndo
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Service with a Smile
After our first few days of orientation, the real work began. Lately, we have been doing work at the women´s center moving rocks and working towards building a basketball court for the locals. We also began separating good coffee beans from bad ones. Today, we travelled to the coffee plantation and began to pick coffee beans and fill baskets. At the end of the day, we had collected around three baskets of beans. The group has been spending a lot of time with the other volunteers in San Lucas. The St. Augustine students even won a heated soccer match against the volunteers from St. Thomas University.
In the recent days, we have transistioned from an orientation to a lifestyle of service. With the change to two work shifts a day, we have acquired a sense of making a difference in the lives of these people. Everyone in the group mutually feels a higher degree of humility in their hearts, not taking for granted the daily lives we have back at our homes. Aside from the service, we have also been making new friends. There are on average 100 volunteers at one time at the mission, and it has been our pleasure to serve with them, especially St. Thomas University. We are looking foward to broadening our experiences here by our continued service with the Guatemalan people.
Después de nuestro primeros días de la orientación, empezó el verdadero trabajo.Últimamente, hemos estado haciendo un trabajo en el centro de las mujeres moviendo rocas y el trabajo es hacia la construcción de una cancha de baloncesto para los locales. También comenzamos a separar granos de café buenos de los malos. Hoy, viajamos a la plantación de café y comenzó el recojo de los granos de café y llenamos muchas canastas. Al final del día, se había reunido tres canastas de frijoles de café. El grupo ha estado pasando mucho tiempo con los otros voluntarios en San Lucas. Los estudiantes de San Agustín llegó a ganar un partido de fútbol excitante contra los voluntarios de la Universidad San Tomas.
En los últimos días, hemos cambiado de una orientación a un estilo de vida del servicio. Con el cambio a dos turnos de trabajo al día, hemos adquirido un sentido de que hacemos una diferencia en las vidas de estas personas. Todos en el grupo sienten un mayor grado de humildad en sus corazones, no dando por sentado la vida cotidiana que tenemos en nuestros hogares. Aparte de los servicios, también hemos estado haciendo nuevos amigos. Hay como 100 voluntarios cada momento en la misión, y ha sido un placer servir con ellos, especialmente la Universidad San Tomas. Estamos anticipando nuestras experiencias aquí por nuestro servicio continuado con el pueblo guatemalteco.
In the recent days, we have transistioned from an orientation to a lifestyle of service. With the change to two work shifts a day, we have acquired a sense of making a difference in the lives of these people. Everyone in the group mutually feels a higher degree of humility in their hearts, not taking for granted the daily lives we have back at our homes. Aside from the service, we have also been making new friends. There are on average 100 volunteers at one time at the mission, and it has been our pleasure to serve with them, especially St. Thomas University. We are looking foward to broadening our experiences here by our continued service with the Guatemalan people.
Después de nuestro primeros días de la orientación, empezó el verdadero trabajo.Últimamente, hemos estado haciendo un trabajo en el centro de las mujeres moviendo rocas y el trabajo es hacia la construcción de una cancha de baloncesto para los locales. También comenzamos a separar granos de café buenos de los malos. Hoy, viajamos a la plantación de café y comenzó el recojo de los granos de café y llenamos muchas canastas. Al final del día, se había reunido tres canastas de frijoles de café. El grupo ha estado pasando mucho tiempo con los otros voluntarios en San Lucas. Los estudiantes de San Agustín llegó a ganar un partido de fútbol excitante contra los voluntarios de la Universidad San Tomas.
En los últimos días, hemos cambiado de una orientación a un estilo de vida del servicio. Con el cambio a dos turnos de trabajo al día, hemos adquirido un sentido de que hacemos una diferencia en las vidas de estas personas. Todos en el grupo sienten un mayor grado de humildad en sus corazones, no dando por sentado la vida cotidiana que tenemos en nuestros hogares. Aparte de los servicios, también hemos estado haciendo nuevos amigos. Hay como 100 voluntarios cada momento en la misión, y ha sido un placer servir con ellos, especialmente la Universidad San Tomas. Estamos anticipando nuestras experiencias aquí por nuestro servicio continuado con el pueblo guatemalteco.
-Juan Miguel Rodriguez, Eli Ashenafi, y Roberto Baughman
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
First Taste of San Lucas
After a very long first day in transit, we arrived at San Lucas Toliman around 2:00 p.m. on January 8th. The group took a much needed nap and toured the area surrounding the hotel and the mission, then experienced our first Spanish mass in Guatemala. Our second day in Guatemala was time well spent. We first took a brief tour of San Lucas and the many projects that the mission supports. These projects include a medical clinic, a coffee plantation and harvesting system, and a women center, where the woman of the town learn to weave, cook, and work with machines. After lunch we performed work with the people sifting sand from rocks to make cement, and separating good coffee beans from bad.
Our trip has been a very eye opening experience for all of us. The people of San Lucas live such a drastically different lifestyle than us. Many of the luxuries that we take for granted are unavailable to the majority of Guatemalans. Despite this, the people of San Lucas live a very happy lifestyle and were very welcoming to our group. Our group is looking forward to spending more time with the people and experiencing new things every day. Until next time, adios!
Después de un día de tránsito muy largo, llegamos a San Lucas ceras de las 2pm del día 8 de enero. Tommos una siesta que ya nos hacia falta y despues tomamos un vistaso al area al rededor del hotel y la misión, seguido por nuestra primera misa en español en Guatemala. Buestro segundo día estuvo bien tambien. Primero tomoamos un pequeño tour del pueblo y los varios proyectos de la misión. Éstos incluian un clinica, un centro de café y una finca, tambien un centro de mujeres donde ella aprendan a tejer, cocinar, y usar maquinas. Despued de almoarzar hicimos trabajo manual separendo arena de las rocas para hacer cemento y separando los buenos granos de caé de los malos.
Nuestro viaje ha sido muy sorprendente para todos. La gente de San Lucas viven muy diferente a nosotros. muchos de nuestros lijos que tomamos por hecho no estan disponibles a la mayoría de los Gutemaltecos. A pesar de eso, la gente vive muy felicesy nos hicieron sentirnos bienvenidos. El grupo está esperando poder pasar más tiempo con la gente de aquí y provar más nuevas cosas cada día. ¡Hasta la próxima!
-José Armando y Roberto Baughman
Our trip has been a very eye opening experience for all of us. The people of San Lucas live such a drastically different lifestyle than us. Many of the luxuries that we take for granted are unavailable to the majority of Guatemalans. Despite this, the people of San Lucas live a very happy lifestyle and were very welcoming to our group. Our group is looking forward to spending more time with the people and experiencing new things every day. Until next time, adios!
Después de un día de tránsito muy largo, llegamos a San Lucas ceras de las 2pm del día 8 de enero. Tommos una siesta que ya nos hacia falta y despues tomamos un vistaso al area al rededor del hotel y la misión, seguido por nuestra primera misa en español en Guatemala. Buestro segundo día estuvo bien tambien. Primero tomoamos un pequeño tour del pueblo y los varios proyectos de la misión. Éstos incluian un clinica, un centro de café y una finca, tambien un centro de mujeres donde ella aprendan a tejer, cocinar, y usar maquinas. Despued de almoarzar hicimos trabajo manual separendo arena de las rocas para hacer cemento y separando los buenos granos de caé de los malos.
Nuestro viaje ha sido muy sorprendente para todos. La gente de San Lucas viven muy diferente a nosotros. muchos de nuestros lijos que tomamos por hecho no estan disponibles a la mayoría de los Gutemaltecos. A pesar de eso, la gente vive muy felicesy nos hicieron sentirnos bienvenidos. El grupo está esperando poder pasar más tiempo con la gente de aquí y provar más nuevas cosas cada día. ¡Hasta la próxima!
-José Armando y Roberto Baughman
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