Guatemala
is clearly one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but
even more glaring is its poverty. After years of brutal civil war and lack
of a stable government, Guatemala reels from the effects of corruption, violence, and
poverty. No aid group advertisement, documentary, or
newspaper could have prepared us for seeing this third-world atmosphere for
ourselves. Eileen Weisslinger organized a very unique humanitarian-aid
organization to combat the suffering in this, and other, third world
countries. While the Peace Corps and other relief groups ask for volunteers
of experience and age, Eileen's International High School Mission (IHSM)
brings high school students without necessary work experience to help these
impoverished peoples. She targets this impressionable age group to give
them memories that will last a lifetime and hopefully affect the way they
look at the world and their future. As a member of her first official student group to
Guatemala, I can speak for every one of us on the trip when I say that this
experience touched our lives in a way that we will never forget nor repay.
Group Arrives in Guatemala City Airport
Our group of 18 arrived in the hot, sticky airport at Guatemala City on April 14th. We had prepared for the weather, but we hadn't prepared for the cultural shock. At the airport, we felt a little uneasy by timid onlookers, reluctant to meet our gaze. The children took our bags, but would not greet us. We were informed that as white people, we represent a long history of oppression, first by the Spanish colonizers, then civil wars, and more recently, by white people who, although not always aware or with intent, have illegally adopted stolen children. The years of suffering that the Guatemalan people have experienced is seldom talked about in the U.S. media, so to see the effects of what they have experienced, firsthand, was an eye-opening experience. We were brought directly to our hotel to stay overnight, before setting out for our final destination, the remote village of Tamahú.
We boarded the bus taking us to Tamahú in the early afternoon on April 15th. Already aboard were villagers who had come to the city that morning and we were quickly relieved by their warm smiles and welcoming countenances. In our broken Spanish we made small talk with the men and women wondering if everyone in Tamahú could possibly be this friendly. Exiting the city, we were amazed to see the poverty along the busy streets in the daylight. Houses were poorly built and if one word describes the urban atmosphere, it would be "dirty."
The bus ride was unexpectedly long and, at times, we weren't quite sure if we'd make it up the next hill. However, the awe we felt in the city was dwarfed by the majestic mountains and valleys of the countryside. There is no sight quite like the mountains of Guatemala and no picture that can really encompass their size and beauty.
We arrived in Tamahú under the dark, firefly lit sky, and cooling rainfall.
Waiting for us were smiling children and our friends and hosts, Father
Belisario and Sisters Rita and Marisala. With our bags unloaded, we stood in the
courtyard of Tamahu's large and beautiful church built by villagers and
missionaries years ago, before the war began. Our group was elated to find
out that we would not be split up to stay with separate host families but, rather,
we would stay as a group. Following a generous dinner at the food kitchen we would
eat at for the rest of our stay, we were shown to our separate houses (girls in one,
boys in another).
The Village of Tamahú Mountains
The next morning brought absolute shock to the group. We had not realized in the dark rain just how incredibly beautiful Tamahú is. There are no words to describe the mountainous rainforests surrounding the village. They seem only as far as your fingertips when you gaze at them, but at the same time, their awesomeness is as intangible as the sky. Even more touching was the immediate acceptance of us by the villagers. The children clamored to have their pictures taken and the mothers smiled shyly from behind their babies. Along the narrow streets of Tamahú a greeting is requisite to nearly every passerby. Within the first 24 hours of our stay, Tamahú had already connected with everyone in a way none of us could forget.
