"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief." This quote from the Jewish holy book known as the Talmud was applicable to our fourth day of our Guatemalan Adventure in more ways than one. From beginning to end, we learned about the grief, sadness and corruption that has plagued Gautemala for centuries. Through our many adventures, I saw today in four distinct layers.
The first layer was when we got a reviting lecture from a professor at CEDEPCA, teaching us about the Guatemalan problems and joys since 1492. This was the base layer of the day, so we knew the history of this gorgeous country. We then travelled to the CEDEPCA office for the day to learn about their different ministries, creating the second layer of the day. The first was the women's ministry that helps women advance in patriarchal society. Through education and fellowship, these women learn and pray together and better their lives each day. We then learned about the disaster relief ministries who help those prepare for, fight through, and learn from natural disasters. Finally, previous Virginia Tech and Cooper House graduate who works at CEDEPCA told us about the Young Adult Volunteer program.
Our third layer came after a delicious lunch with the CEDEPCA staff when we did a tour of the city. Our first stop was a cemetery. After driving through and seeing the graves, we got out of our van, walked through the rest of the cemetery and found down below in a valley, a heaping, smelly, vomit-inducing pile of garbage. Around the pile of trash, you could see ant-sized figures rumaging through the garbage. These ant-sized figures were local Guatemalans. In order to make money to buy food, these Guatemalans sifted through these piles of trash, trying to find recyclable materials. They then take these finds to a local office to hopefully make at most 50 Quetzals (the equivalent of about 7 American Dollars). To say this image was disturbing, heart-wrenching, and down right sad would be an understatement. We then drove more through the city. We saw an entire mountain side of tiny, aluminum-sided shacks were five, six, seven, up to ten people live in one room. This third layer was very eye opening and intense, to say the least. To see this large scale of poverty and corruption was something I was not anticipating.
The fourth and final layer was added back at CEDEPCA when we got a talk about the human rights action in Guatemala by a guy named Rob. This final layer hit us like a bag of bricks. The sad, heart-wrenching stories he shared with us were ones of government corruption, genocide, environment destruction and conflict, on top of conflict, on top of conflict. It is almost something I cannot put into words. The small glimmer of hope was added at the end when he told us about everything he is doing to help these issues. Rob is a small glimmer of light in this otherwise dark abyss. After this talk, we all got on the bus, mentally, spiritually and emotionally drained.
This is where the previously mentioned quote comes into context. Through all of the sadness, through all of the pain, and through all of the conflict, we must not be daunted. For me (and I think for many of us on this trip) God is the reason to not be daunted. In everything we have seen and in everything we have experienced this week, God has been with us. Through the laughs, through the tears, through the joy and through the pain, God has been there. If there is anything that this trip has taught me, it is that God is here, all around us regardless of where we are. It is through God that we must see and be the sliver of hope, the flower on top of the trash, the smile in the crowd of frowns. We have all experienced God SO much this week that, even in times of pure, unadulterated sadness and grief, we must not be daunted.
Reflection by Sarah Pierce
Many times in my life I have had troubles when it comes to God and religion. I had so many questions. Being here, in Guatemala, I have found that it doesn't matter what certain religion, but that we are with God. I feel closer to God.
I keep thinking back to the beatitudes and how people are handed everything that they are going through being weak, hungry, etc. and they are the most blessed people. The people that I have heard the stories of have gone through sometimes many horrid situations, and have had rough times, but they are still moving forward with their lives and they are still fighting for what they believe so strongly. Everything that I have learned today regarding Guatemala's history and current issues helped me to realize my fears for what everyone goes through and how I want to help them in someway shape or form. It also brings about so many emotions seen, felt, and expressed, etc. Anger. Sadness. Surprise. Guilt. Happiness. Joy. All at once. Sometimes that makes it so hard to wrap my head around reality. Especially when I think about how many things that I grew up thinking, before this week, may not always be right.
I don't think that I will ever be able to forget the feelings I had after walking through the cemetery and coming out at the top of the drop off and looking down trying to make out what is at the bottom and then realizing that the bottom is covered with trash and people. I found out that they were looking through the trash for recyclable materials to sell and make money, and even for food, all day then they walk home and walk back early the next day.
With all I have felt today, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, I felt that I have learned so much and also have so much more that I want to learn.
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