Choice Expedition, Guatemala, Dec. 2010
The expedition to Guatemala with CHOICE Humanitarian was one of the crowning events of our lives. We had always wanted to participate as a family in an international humanitarian project , and CHOICE had the perfect program for us. We left Ohio at 5pm on Christmas Day, 2010, and arrived in Guatemala City at midnight. The fun began when we met with our expedition leaders and the other 29 dedicated volunteers the following morning. Immediately, we developed friendships with the other families. We were very excited to finally arrive at the village of La Laguna, in the lush jungle mountains of Guatemala. As we exited the buses, the village children came from all directions to welcome us; and in a matter of minutes, everyone was greeting each other, playing tag, or kicking a soccer ball. I was amazed at how fast my children were beginning to immerse themselves in this new culture.
Our goal was to build two additional classrooms for the school, and to dig trenches for running water to the villagers' homes. The work was very well organized with the help of our in-country directors and expedition leaders. It was amazing to see how quickly we began to work together unloading trucks, staking cement blocks, and digging the foundation with picks and shovels. We worked diligently shoulder to shoulder with the men of the village; and although we could not speak their language, we were unified in our desire to build a better future for their children.
During the busy work days there was plenty of fresh water to drink and excellent food to eat. By the second day in La Laguna, we were very comfortable in our new surroundings. As the work continued, I recalled something our expedition leaders had said during our orientation. They said that the expedition was more about the people than about the work projects. With this in mind, I began to focus on the people of the village. I noticed how happy the children were. The boys loved to play soccer, and the girls loved to have their nails painted. The parents were also happy that we were expanding the school so that more children could be educated. They were also very proud of their community and wanted to share it with us. We came to serve them, but they also wanted to serve us. One of the village men, Pedro, invited my family to his home to meet his wife and children. They offered us bananas and oranges right off the trees. We met his son who was attending school in El Estor for advanced training to become a teacher. I could see in Pedro's eye how proud he was of his son. Family love is strong in La Laguna.
Our week came and went too soon. The spectacular New Year's Eve celebration on our last evening was complete with delicious tamales, a colorful piñata, fireworks, and dancing. My family and I will always remember this special Christmas vacation we spent together in Guatemala. We will remember the friendships we made with the other CHOICE volunteers and people of La Laguna. In fact, we left a piece of our hearts there.
Mike S., Dayton, Ohio
