Nate Fisher

    Getting deep into our first week in Guatemala, we are becoming very accustomed to the schedule. Breakfast is every day at 8, lunch at 12:30, and dinner at 6:30(which might I add are all fantastic.) Our first shift of work starts at 9 and goes until 12. This work is usually physically demanding as it may entail moving rocks and dirt, using sledge hammers and pick-axes, or picking coffee. These jobs are usually rigorous as it is hot and very dirty. The later work, from 2-4, is more laid back as we usually sort the coffee beans or garden. It is now commonplace to see at least 60 stray dogs a day. We have grown used to rejecting the pleas to buy something from the local merchants and understand the worth of the money perfectly now.

     Erin, Jonathon, and Lily (three great long terms who work at the mission) came to the hotel to play a round of Apples to Apples last night. After the game we had our first formal reflection. We sat around lit purple candles in the darkness of night, and when we were not interrupted by the constant boom of fireworks going off in the streets, we went around talking about the positives and negatives of our trip so far. I wont go into much detail, but the positives include ideas such as putting ourselves in an uncomfortable situation and allowing ourselves to see how fortunate we are back at home. The negatives included not being welcomed by some locals and homesickness.

     Today our plans were altered as we had originally planned a trip to Central America's largest market in Chichicastenango, a bumpy, three hour drive away. Unfortunately we decided that there were too many sick kids to make the journey. Apparently at seminary Father Alvin and Father Kirk learned a little more than just religion as they became the group's doctors. They took shifts out of the day skipping work to stay with the sick ones.

     Candidly, it was a good day to skip as it was one of the most exhausting yet. We shoveled dirt into buckets which we had to transport to the back of a truck which would later go to the 'women's center.'       

     After shoveling and carrying heavy buckets for 90 minutes straight in the sun, we got to work with sledgehammers destroying what used to be a stove in the kitchen to make space for the construction of a new house. It was a fun experience and it was also funny to see how effortlessly the Guatemalan construction workers destroyed this tile and cement stove. After our first shift, we had a chili along with some great guacamole which everyone in the mission raved about. We then got ice-cream at a local ice-cream parlor and were back at work. 

      During the later shift we separated the good coffee beans from the bad ones. It was a good bonding experience as we talked with a group from St. Thomas University in Minnesota for the two hours. 

      Noteworthy was the appearance of a scorpion. It was found in Ernesto's bed and was killed on sight.

     Yesterday it struck me when we were walking through a poor neighborhood that I should add a little about their houses. One house that fits probably around six people is barely larger than my room. The walls are poorly constructed out of sheet metal and the floor are either planks of wood or dirt. If they were lucky, there may have been a running water source for the entire block which would be used to wash their clothes. There were so many houses crammed in a small area it was amazing how anyone could live in these conditions. It makes me feel truly blessed with what I have back home.