to begin to tell the story of the last journey to guatemala. it's taken weeks (literally) to come to a place where I feel like I am ready to digest everything that has occurred in the year since my last trip to Guatemala. A lot has happened... a lot. And for me, this recent experience was about much more than 12 days in Antigua; it was a culmination of a number of personal commitments and events coming to a close. This last segment of those experiences was capped off while I was in Guatemala, but what was going on inside my head, and ultimately what I've been working to unravel since returning home is about hundreds of hours spent staring straight ahead into the unknown while training for a marathon, about closing the book on a graduate school experience that has completely changed my life, it is about completing a full marathon when only 2 years ago I couldn't run a single mile, it is about knowing that I don't have a return flight scheduled to guatemala, about coming to terms with the fact that I may never have the opportunity to co-teach a group of students for a semester and then bring them on the ride of their lives, it is about knowing that three entire families will no longer be sleeping on the ground or wondering where they will find their next rent check because through the generous support and grace of others, we were able to purchase a quaint piece of land for them to call "their own." For me, as we departed from the states, I knew that my time in Guatemala would be the beginning of an end. And since my return, it's become ever-so-apparent that I was correct.
Bear with me as I stumble through the ups and downs of my time in Guatemala that pulled together so much of what my life has consisted of for the last 3 years. It's been about advocacy, grace, life, education, passion, determination, persistence, creativity, exploration, and of course.... activism. Prior to enrolling in graduate school, I was just another student that got decent grades and believed I'd work a public relations stint and do everything in my power to make money. Now, nearly 3 1/2 years later, what my purpose in life is couldn't be further from that idea. I've evolved and transformed; what keeps me moving forward every day is knowing that I have the ability to exchange grace, compassion, empathy and love with others in this world and while it's overwhelming and often seems impossible, I remind myself that change still occurs even if it is one individual person at a time. I've talked about this before, but I know that my sponsor child, Leidy, counts on me just as much as I rely on her... and through that exchange, we've both learned about possibilities that the world has to offer when one makes themself vulnerable. It's not easy, but I can't tell you how grateful I am for the experiences I've had that have shown my that it's not about what I can give to others... while that's a part of it, it's about accumulating life experiences that teach me about who I am so that I am able to do the best job possible at connecting with people and exchanging perspectives on the world.
I'm itching to tell a story, and it actually has everything to do with Leidy, my sponsor child. When our group first arrived at the Dreamer Center, it felt like I'd come back to visit a long-lost friend. I know that everyone says it, but there is something about that place that draws you in and makes your senses explode... returning there is overwhelming and can only be described by putting a smile on your face that spans from ear to ear. While I was taking in, and recognizing the increases in the foliage around me, my pal Victor darted by me (Victor never stands still or in one place for more than a minute... I'm not exaggerating when I say that this man is constantly on the move....) he's been integral in keeping me afloat on what's going on in Leidy's life and has even given me the opportunity to skype with her a few times. He knew I was itching to see her and offered up the information that she was having her breakfast in the dining hall. I grabbed my Guatemalan roomate, Lauren (who is fluent) and headed to find Leidy. I was unsure if she would remember me, as it had been a year since I'd seen her last.... but, much to my surprise, Lauren pointed out that there was a little girl waving her arms crazily on the other side of the room. The second I made eye contact with Leidy she ran full speed across the room with a giant smile on her face to greet me. I couldn't have been more happy to see her little face and we stood there as she hugged me for at least a few minutes. I had been proven wrong.. incredibly wrong... she most definitely remembered who I was and what I looked like... and I was so excited to know that.
Later the next day we had a bit of down time and I was sitting out by the all-purpose complex/stage watching some students perform a spanish version of "itsy bitsy spider." I was reading some student journals and taking in all that was around me when out of the blue Leidy came whipping around the corner with something in her hand. She had brought the holiday card that my husband and I sent her in December. She showed me how happy she was that she had it with her... and I must add that she was wearing the Bano pass at the time, which means that she was supposed to be using the bathroom, but instead was sitting with me and giving me hugs and smiles. It was adorable and something I will treasure for many years to come.
Bear with me as I stumble through the ups and downs of my time in Guatemala that pulled together so much of what my life has consisted of for the last 3 years. It's been about advocacy, grace, life, education, passion, determination, persistence, creativity, exploration, and of course.... activism. Prior to enrolling in graduate school, I was just another student that got decent grades and believed I'd work a public relations stint and do everything in my power to make money. Now, nearly 3 1/2 years later, what my purpose in life is couldn't be further from that idea. I've evolved and transformed; what keeps me moving forward every day is knowing that I have the ability to exchange grace, compassion, empathy and love with others in this world and while it's overwhelming and often seems impossible, I remind myself that change still occurs even if it is one individual person at a time. I've talked about this before, but I know that my sponsor child, Leidy, counts on me just as much as I rely on her... and through that exchange, we've both learned about possibilities that the world has to offer when one makes themself vulnerable. It's not easy, but I can't tell you how grateful I am for the experiences I've had that have shown my that it's not about what I can give to others... while that's a part of it, it's about accumulating life experiences that teach me about who I am so that I am able to do the best job possible at connecting with people and exchanging perspectives on the world.
I'm itching to tell a story, and it actually has everything to do with Leidy, my sponsor child. When our group first arrived at the Dreamer Center, it felt like I'd come back to visit a long-lost friend. I know that everyone says it, but there is something about that place that draws you in and makes your senses explode... returning there is overwhelming and can only be described by putting a smile on your face that spans from ear to ear. While I was taking in, and recognizing the increases in the foliage around me, my pal Victor darted by me (Victor never stands still or in one place for more than a minute... I'm not exaggerating when I say that this man is constantly on the move....) he's been integral in keeping me afloat on what's going on in Leidy's life and has even given me the opportunity to skype with her a few times. He knew I was itching to see her and offered up the information that she was having her breakfast in the dining hall. I grabbed my Guatemalan roomate, Lauren (who is fluent) and headed to find Leidy. I was unsure if she would remember me, as it had been a year since I'd seen her last.... but, much to my surprise, Lauren pointed out that there was a little girl waving her arms crazily on the other side of the room. The second I made eye contact with Leidy she ran full speed across the room with a giant smile on her face to greet me. I couldn't have been more happy to see her little face and we stood there as she hugged me for at least a few minutes. I had been proven wrong.. incredibly wrong... she most definitely remembered who I was and what I looked like... and I was so excited to know that.
Later the next day we had a bit of down time and I was sitting out by the all-purpose complex/stage watching some students perform a spanish version of "itsy bitsy spider." I was reading some student journals and taking in all that was around me when out of the blue Leidy came whipping around the corner with something in her hand. She had brought the holiday card that my husband and I sent her in December. She showed me how happy she was that she had it with her... and I must add that she was wearing the Bano pass at the time, which means that she was supposed to be using the bathroom, but instead was sitting with me and giving me hugs and smiles. It was adorable and something I will treasure for many years to come.
But, the story that I wanted to tell occurred later in our stay. One day we had time scheduled on our itinerary to spend the morning at the Dreamer Center with the children. It's rare that time is actually scheduled to be there, it often occurs on a whim when some kind of plan falls through or there happens to be spare time... it's not something that is typically planned out, so I was curious as to why this was happening... but Victor knows how much I love spending time with the kids so I thought perhaps he had just given in and provided some time to spend with the kids. When the day arrived, our group got split into pairs (and one group of 3) and we headed into the classrooms to work with kids on crafts projects. We quickly learned that they were preparing for a program that they had scheduled later for that afternoon. Being that I was in the classroom with sixth graders, they weren't too overly excited and didn't provide many additional details... which in retrospect made the following events that much more surprising.
Once we were completed with our crafts, we were told that we should head down to the dining area because the kids were going to perform their skits. We were SUPER excited that we were going to get to see all of their hard work put into action and I can't even express how eager I was to see all their little faces as they sang, danced and presented their piece of the program. We sat in enjoyment and awe as the kids started the show.
As the children continued with the program, I decided that I needed to move to the back of the room so that I could take in the full experience and be by myself for a bit. I went to the back of the room and sat on the brick wall. I was correct in my new seating location. I could see everything and really enjoyed all of the smiles that were being exchanged between the students from NDSU and the kids in the project. As I was sitting there, Victor darted around the corner and asked me, "Do you know why they're doing all this yet?" I looked back at him and said, " No, I have no idea, what's going on?" His cell phone started to ring, but he managed to get out, "This is all for you; they're doing this for you." And as soon as he'd appeared, he was gone. I was stunned. I had no idea that this ENTIRE program was in appreciation for the funds and awareness that had been raised through the marathon project. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't think that each individual child knew exactly what was going on in this situation, but I did know that someone in the project had to organize all of this for it to happen. I later found out that Patrick, the founder of the entire project, had requested that this program take place. As I sat on the brick wall and began to process what Victor had just told me, I was overwhelmed. I still can't quite believe that it took place, and I know that words can't do justice to convey the impact that it had on me. The mere utterance of "thank you" simply doesn't seem like enough.
As the children finished their last performance, I was called to the front of the room and presented with thank you cards from each classroom of children. It was incredible and amazing and overwhelming.
As the children finished their last performance, I was called to the front of the room and presented with thank you cards from each classroom of children. It was incredible and amazing and overwhelming.
as I think back to the moment, I remember seeing the look in Leidy's eyes. She was proud. She was proud that I was her madrina and that she belonged to me and vice versa. Those eyes and that look will never be forgotten.
After the photos, we headed outside to finish the celebration with 3 pinatas. The children loved it and I couldn't have imagined a better way to close an amazing afternoon. To everyone in Antigua, THANK YOU... your kindness has not gone unnoticed, to Patrick... words can't express how much I appreciate this and to each and every one of you who contributed to this marathon project... these cards, hugs, and smiles are just as much for you as they are for me.... THANK YOU... you're changing lives.
