Mario Orso

Our last day of work at San Lucas has arrived, January 23. We started our day like any other, breakfast. This time we were given the choice to work a the plantations, picking coffee, or construction at the women's center. Every one choose the sweaty construction job over the calm coffee picking. Father Alvin chose to go work with another group coffee picking. We made our last work day memorable; hard work and dedication was in everyone's mind as we shoveled dirt as if our life depended on it. We carried rocks, filled bags with dirt, mixed cement, and planted beautiful flowers for three hours. By the time the truck came we all celebrated for the hard work we had put in. It is truly an amazing feeling to see everything your hard work achieved. On our way back to the mission, we made a short stop to look at the small homes in construction. The little houses were constructed by the government to help those whose shacks were flooded during rain season or just didn't have a home at all. The government constructed these homes to help around 400 people. Although the government built these 16x10 meter homes to benefit the ones without a home, they still have to pay for a part of the house and help to construct it. The houses are small, especially if twelve people are going to live in it. There is neither ventilation nor a kitchen. These people have to cook their food outside their home using their own methods. They use aluminum foil over a campfire to cook their food. The government is putting a great effort into giving these people affordable homes. Although these homes lack basic facilities such as kitchens and more space, they are doing a very honorable thing giving these people a place to call home. This has truly opened my eyes to the conditions some people live in here in Guatemala but also to the incredible effort some people pay to help their fellow man. It is incredible how these people are so happy with so little. It shows that happiness truly does not depend on material wealth, but spiritual wealth and love. After lunch we visited a woman named Silvia. Yesterday we prepared a small basket of regular market goods to gift to her. The gift included cooking oil, coffee, rice, beans, detergent, among many other basic goods. Silvia was very grateful. She shared a little bit about herself with us: she has 5 children whose father is not with them anymore. Things became very emotional when she started to explain to us how she owes a large quantity of money to the bank. Silvia was in a very tough position, and she almost had to give her children away to one of her family members because she could not afford to give them a decent life. Luckily she did not have to do that; someone lent her the money and she was able to pay a part of the debt. Silvia blessed us all and we were back on our way to the Parish. We attended Mass at 4:30 PM. The Mass was held at the small village of San Andres. The road there was extremely bumpy. We felt like India Jones as we hummed its theme song. As we rushed to get to the church, because we were late, people and children were warmly welcoming us. Father Alvin and Father Kirk said mass. We got back and are preparing for tomorrows trip to Chichicastenelga.