We met with our CHOICE group for the first time at a hotel in Guatemala City. We were quite a varied group – two families, a mom/daughter, a wife/husband, a few single guys, and a few single girls. But, we all meshed in our own way and began down an amazing adventure together.
Our CHOICE Group
After a comfortable hotel rest, we spent the entire day (10 hours!) traveling to the Polochic region of Guatemala. We started on a luxury bus with a toilet, but as the roads got more remote, we switched to two smaller buses. We were quite grateful for these as some of the roads had been partially blocked or washed out by rock slides. Even in our little buses, there were times that we were a bit scared.
We knew we were getting close to our destined village as villagers lined the streets, waving to us. As we got even closer, the children began running alongside the buses. As soon as we disembarked, we were all swept away by escorts to attend a traditional Mayan welcome ceremony.
Receiving Gifts from Villagers
We were truly overwhelmed with the reception, not understanding even half of what was going on. But we received small gifts and were even given a hot chocolate/cinnamon drink. We were treated with dancing, marimba music, speeches, and cheers. What few things were said in Spanish (and not in their Q’eqchi’ dialect), our group Spanish speakers translated to the rest of us.
Two Villages Attending the Ceremony
Afterward, we were ushered to an old hacienda where our group would be camping out. We were really lucky to have such a great place to stay in as we were half expecting true camping with outdoor showers. But, we actually had a roof over our heads, generated power, and two bathrooms (although no water pressure and leaking toilets). We also had a small team of CHOICE employees who prepared all our meals.
Stephenson Hacienda “Wing”
First Morning in the Village
It was a bit surreal waking up our first morning to see all the smoke from the morning cook fires form a type of cloud or haze over the village.
Village Huts
But, these cook fires are not outside! Rather, they are inside their huts, with no direct ventilation, other than the doors / windows, cracks between the wooden slats or gaps between the roof and walls.
Imagine what the inside of their tin roofs look like – completely blackened from smoke!
Inside Huts
The women, who cook three meals a day in these huts, are affected the most. Not to mention the sweet children by their side, inhaling as well.
Our Goal: Help the villagers start building ventilated stoves with supplies they had already saved up for and purchased.
Being Instructed by Santiago
Indoor Cook Fire
Ventilated Stove Already Completed
These ventilated stoves have shown that they help extend the life expectancy of women by 20 years!
Emma & Caleb Waiting for Assignments
Cami Ready to Work
Our group split into two groups: one staying in Setzimaaj and another venturing 2 1/2 km farther to a more remote, mountainous village.
Truck Transport to Remote Village
Our first responsibility was to help the villagers take all the supplies and distribute them to those families who were receiving them.
Hard Working Men
Stove Supplies
That really was easier said than done – there were no cars, carts, wagons, or any other way of taking these to the various huts. It was simply done by walking and carrying.
Caleb Transporting Bricks
Some huts in the remote village required quite a climb.
Men Transporting with Bags & Straps
We did notice that the villagers were quite surprised when our group consisted of men and women, as well as children. They still have pretty clear cut lines of gender roles, but after our group showed the strength of our women and children, a few of their women and children began helping to carry the heavy loads.
Girls Carrying Bricks
Later in the afternoon we were back to help fill sand and dirt bags that needed to be taken to each hut as well, in order to be mixed with cement.
Filling Bags with Dirt / Sand
Woman with Sleeping Baby Strapped to Back
Children Watching Workers
Carrying Bags of Dirt
200 Pounds of Cement Strapped to Villager
Our first day was really our hardest day, transporting all the supplies. We were all a bit tired and sore, but already feeling accomplished.
Apprentice Mason Teaching Villagers
The villages had two masons – one being an apprentice. So, they divided between the two villages, training us along the way. There wasn’t much practice time before we were all digging and building the cinderblock bases for the stoves.
Emma Being Trained by Mario
Mario’s Seal of Approval
Caleb & Emma Working
Thankfully, Melissa (from our group) works in construction at home so she was a great help in guiding us along, building solid foundations for the stoves. We had hoped to get 10 bases built in our 3 building days. We came pretty close!
Bricks Put on Foundation
I was able to go the the remote village on the last day and help finish off the brickwork in order to lay the stovetop. It was fun to see an almost-completed project.
Stovetop Placed
Even though we worked hard, there was always time to get to know the villagers, even with the language barrier –
Through Love
Emma with Baby
Prized Teddy Bear
Games
Caleb’s 2-Frisbee Trick
“Pato, Pato, Gonzo” Game
Just Watching
Growing “Pato, Pato, Gonzo” Game
Cami Waiting to Be Tagged
Watching from the Side
Learning Their Names
Taking the Challenge (but really just loving how they said ‘Rebecca’)
Getting on Their Level
Coloring Activities
Boys Watching Girl
Hanging Out
Doing Chores
Painting Nails
Hannah Painting Nails
Boys Like Painted Nails Too
My Own Manicure
Peeking into Our World
Showing Videos from Home
Taking Pictures . . . and Showing the Kids
They Loved Seeing Themselves in Photos
Learning About Their Life
Walking to the ‘Maize’ Grinder
One of the days we were able to get some hands-on cultural experience. The girls walked down to the village’s grinding house as meal preparations began to get underway.
Retrieving the Ground Corn
Homemade tortillas from freshly ground corn are a staple. The children use these for their main meals – 2 tortillas, 3 times a day. Once a week that is supplemented with an egg. Once a month they will have some sort of meat (i.e. chicken or pig that they kill).
Hannah Learning How to Form Tortillas
Cooking Tortillas Over Fire
A few evenings after dark, the men would start up the marimba and a ‘dance party’ would break out. It was fun to see the villagers come together and really live as a community.
Evening Dance Party
One evening we had the village leaders come speak with us. We had a lot of questions for them . . . and they had a lot for us.
Evening with Village Leaders
The biggest surprise we had was the lack of desire they have to leave the villages for an education. That in turn would mean leaving their families . . . and that is their ‘everything.’ Extended families have lost this importance in our 1st world cultures.
Some other interesting facts from that meeting:
- Guatemala is the 4th most malnourished country in the world.
- Families are up for the day by 4-5 a.m. and asleep by 7-8 p.m.
- Many men walk at least an hour to their jobs outside the village.
- Women are married by the time they reach 17.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve was a fun day – similar to our Christmas Eve in Pana. We worked until noon and then had fun village activities. One such activity involved piñatas. We had helped stuff 4 piñatas in total – one for the boys and one for the girls in both villages.
Girl Piñata
Piñata Dog Pile
Boy Piñata
Boy (and Girl) Dog-Pile
Later that day, as some of us were headed back from the remote village’s festivities, it started to sprinkle. Then it started to rain. Then it started to pour. We were soaked! It pretty much rained non-stop the entire night and into the next day, as we left.
Unlike the states, rain did not cancel the Guatemala vs. America soccer game the villagers had planned. They showed up in uniforms, shin guards, and cleats while our team had CHOICE t-shirts. The villagers were really good and won by a long-shot, but our team had the mud to show for their hard work.
Soccer Game
That evening we were out again for fireworks and traditional Mayan dancing. With all the rain, many of us came in and went to bed before midnight, but there were a few who stayed out dancing and partying along with the villagers to ring in the New Year.
Lessons Learned
It was a bit fortuitous that one of the villagers was wearing this shirt as we started working on the stoves. All those trips up the mountains to deliver bricks, sand, or cement . . . we were definitely sweating and feeling the sacrifice.
“Sweat + Sacrifice = Success”
But, we were in it together and made sure we did the best we could . . . sometimes learning right beside the villagers . . . to help make their lives a little better.
Tyler, Oscar, Melissa
Seeing the gratitude on the villagers’ faces made it all worth it.
They lead such hard, yet simple lives. They own so little, yet are so happy. They have their families and the support of a village community to help them in times of trouble. They are a special people.
What a blessing it was to experience a taste of their humble lives. It was a great reminder of what really is important in life – food, shelter, clothing, . . . and family.
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