Guatemala 3/18/11

A few days ago we met a guy named Father Richard. He comes to Guatemala at least three times a year and helps out in a few different communities. For this trip he staid at the same Perish we did so we were able to see him and discuss very interesting topics. He is familiar with Guatemala so he was able to answer any question we asked him.

Today Father Richard invited us to a community where he was going to bless a building. The drive there was awesome, we were able to get a great view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. When we got to the community, Oho De Agua, the people immediately welcomed us in. We sat down in the building that was freshly made by another group staying at the Perish and waited as Father Richard got ready. He began the ceremony with introducing us and thanking everyone for the invitation.

The Blessing Ceremony was really interesting. It was like a miniature mass. There was a small band which played a few Spanish songs, Father Richard said a couple good jokes, and the people thanked the workers by giving them some traditional clothing that they made them. I'm glad I went but it was pretty awkward because im not religious at all.

After the ceremony, we went outside to leave. The people begged us to stay (which I thought was pretty cool) and eat lunch with them. While waiting for the food to be ready, Mr. Courtney and I played hacky sack. At first it was just us, but soon all of the kids from the community came to play. There were way too many people for hackysack so we got a soccer ball and played soccer with everyone. It was us against a million little kids. The lunch was also a traditional dish which Father Richard said was an honor to have.

We left after we had lunch to go back to the Perish. Once we got there, Father Richard invited us to another blessing later on in the day. At first we weren't sure if we should go but discussed it and all decided on going. It was a lot like the first blessing but Father Richard also blessed the communities water tank which was amazing. The people were so thankful about having clean water it made me realize how much we take our purified water for granted.

Overall this trip has been amazing. I am really glad my parents let me go. The thing I have realized the most is how much we take everything for granted. Father Richard told us a story about a friend he has here in Guatemala. The guy prays and thanks God for nearly everything he has. Right when he wakes up, "Thank you lord for another day", before he eats "Thank you lord for this meal", etc. Before this trip I didn't even think of how lucky we really are. I don't remember ever thanking anyone. I always thought things like water are normal, but really it's a luxury in most places. There are a lot of other things I have learned through this experience but I don't have enough time to write out every single thing. It sucks this trip is over, but I guess everything we learned will stick with us forever.