It has been a few days since I came back from my Semana Santa trip to Guatemala. I knew it was not the best time to go because the Mayan Families offices would be closed for the holidays but I had no choice. Graciously, Sharon, Dwight and some Mayan Families’ employees worked on their free days to take me to some towns to visit needy families. I wanted to accomplish a lot of things but I had told myself that as long as I could help at least one family, this short trip would be worth it.
Like always, I had a lot of mixed emotions while being there. On one hand I saw all the great accomplishments Mayan Families has achieved since I first started volunteering with them in early 2007. I saw children playing and learning at the preschools, I saw elderly women eating a warm lunch, I saw families living in better homes, I saw people with jobs that did not exist before, I saw a community center with a preschool, middle school and soon to be a library, where there used to be just an empty piece of land.
On the other hand, I would get overwhelmed at how much was still needed to do. Natural disasters have brought a lot of problems to some of the towns Mayan Families helps. I visited beautiful San Antonio Palopo and I was dismayed to see that some of the families that had lost their homes in the mudslides of 2010, were still living in temporary housing that they had built with any materials they had managed to salvage. I saw many people sleeping on floors or on top of wooden boards, women cooking in small rooms full of smoke coming from the open fires in the corner, women washing on tops of rocks because they did not have a pila, women carrying water from the center of town because they could not afford to have water connected to their homes, people suffering from pain and ailments who have not been able to afford to go to a doctor, kitchens with no food at all, and many other things that are not common in the area where I am lucky to call home.
I did find one family that really needed my help. I had met Leunice and her children in my previous trips. In 2010 my husband had bought them food and took pictures of the family. Last year, we saw them again and we gave them clothes from the donations we had brought we us. Each time Leunice had asked me to help her, to visit her house so I could see the way her children were living. Each time I had told her I would try but I did not have time. This time I saw her again at the offices and she asked me once again to visit her house. I told her I was not able to go since it was my last day and I was not going to visit houses. I promised I would try next time I would come but somehow, that afternoon I ended up in San Jorge at the time her oldest son was crossing the square and I had the opportunity to visit her house. She did need my help and I am so happy I was able to help her. It was meant to be. She desperately needed an Onil stove and now she has one. Her children needed a mattress and now, thanks to some friends, they will have one. Two other generous friends sent them food. There is still a lot to do for Leunice and I promise I try my best to help her.
A few months ago, I was telling a friend about my trips to Guatemala and she asked me if it was not time to just help from home and leave the trips and adventures to younger people with less family and work obligations and more free time. At the moment, I thought that maybe she was right but then I started thinking of all the things I have learned, seen and experienced that most people in the little towns I visit have not had the opportunity to do. I might not be as young as before, I might not have much free time anymore or as much money as I would want to, but I believe I have something to share, teach and learn from every person I meet in my trips and I am more determined than ever to travel there and to help in any way I can. I also met a lot of wonderful people in Panajachel, had great meals with friends and was able to see some of the Semana Santa carpets and processions. This was just another perfect trip.
Leunice and her seven children
