It was so neat to work along side these men and share our duties. Abuelo :) my sweet fireman grandpa. :) haha. I felt like I could poke him and he'd fall over! But he was so happy and eager to help.
They had me sit in the ambulance and we talked and laughed forever.
Then we had our dance! SO fun! SOOOOOO different from the states! haha. They played a few similar songs, including 'you're the one that I want' from Greece. YES! ha. They all thought I was crazy, maybe I was. :) But if you exchange every church dance 'slow song' for a Guate tango then you had our dance. haha. Needless to say I was lost. Even with a good teacher, pretty sure my hips weren't made in Guatemala and can't hold a rhythm haha. :) But we had a blast as counselors finding poor innocent kids to dance with us and then making them dance with one another. :) It was great.
Near the end of the dance, Los bomberos came over and said they had something for me. We went over to the ambulance where they had tiky torches lit, and proceeded to dub me one of their Guatemalan Scouts! I have never been more honored in my life! haha. Even if it was a made up ceremony. ;) I love my tios.
I could tell Luisro and Ronal wondered what I was thinking and how I was comparing it to the states. There was not one thought running through my head of snobbery. But rather awe for the few people like these who are trying to help with the poor healthcare. Who despite lack of pay and benefits choose to be helping in an area so poor with so much sadness. Humility was overwhelming.
In the US everything is almost excessively organized and charted. Down there, it was just done. We pulled into a cramped ambulance bay full of mix-matched ambulances, some merely pick-up trucks. What I assume was eager friends and family waited outside in the night air looking into an open adobe wall leading inside the Emergency Room. The waiting room held those waiting to receive care, leading to the triage room filled with more patients. I glanced and saw briefly a mother calming a crying two year old with burns, a teenager holding her bleeding abdomen, and one I will never forget; A still and lifeless girl with areas of her skull open to the air.
At any of my US hospital clinicals these patients would have been surrounded with instant surgery, pain medication, and soothing nurses. But this is Chimaltenango, and they are doing the best they can.
I will never forget Luisro's response in wanting to change it. To better his country. To leave people better than he found them. I am honored to know him and hope to help him in that endeavor someday.
Going back to game night that night, the air of humility still surrounded me. I looked at all the kids laughing and smiling at one another as they completed various relay races.
I wondered what each of their stories were, what trials they've faced that I will never understand. I have never known hunger, humility, injury, or servitude as I suspect many of them have. And to see them smiling, laughing, singing along to the encouraging lyrics I can't help but be proud of them.
I feel honored to call them friends.
Haha. A funny event happened that night on my way back to the clinic. Everyone was rounding up into their tents for bed. I had been changing and brushing my teeth, then had to make the hike back to the clinic. I distinctly remember wondering what felt so different, and then thinking it was the first time I had ever been completely by myself in Guatemala when a black dog (stray) darted across the wooded moonlit pathway a few yards ahead of me. I jumped and it started barking. So I barked back with 'Chucho Negro' and bolted the last few yards into the clinic with it behind me. I bolted the door and looked at Michelle. We ended up rolling around laughing haha. No me gustan el chucho negro!
Thursday November 26th Thanksgiving day. At home it would be spent relaxing, reading a book, helping cook and eat the traditional well rounded meal and enjoying family and friends. But today I think I learned what gratitude truly is.
Thursday is the personal spiritually oriented day of EFY and so we wore Sunday dress all day. After an amazing devotional by Sister Morales on Faith I had a lot of time to ponder. I thought of my family and how much each one of them means to me. My blessing to be born in the covenant, to have sufficient finances to cover my needs, to have an education and ability to learn. My healthy body. I thought of the many people I love and of their love for me in return. My great friends. I truly am among those with the most blessings. Even my trials, have all left me stronger and a better person. I have so much to be grateful for.
We counselors spent the talent show along the walls of the gym singing and dancing along. Applauding with the rows of great youth. So many fun kids :) It was neat to see them all become close friends. Afterward, when we all sat down for dinner, a black bag was revealed for us 'gringas' to have our Turkey (Pollo compero) Dinner on the grass of Las Colinas. :) There were Guacamole chips for potatoes/green beans, sweet bread for pie, and fried chicken for turkey but it's the best Thanksgiving dinner I've ever had. I think of the many people that made it possible, our great friends. :) And I am honored. Thank you so much. I will never forget that day.
Testimony meeting was a night to remember. I have never felt the spirit as strong as I did at that music program. Singing the EFY medley in spanish surrounded by my brothers and sisters. So many strong youth stood up at once a long line was formed of those eager to share and encourage one another. There are so many words I didn't understand literally but the spirit was so strong. Following such an amazing event I am still in awe at the adversity that followed. One of the counselors brother's was killed in an accident and the mood grew solemn. The temperatures dropped almost instantly sending our clinic into a frenzy with hypothermia, treatment and prevention. Many of the youth grew scared as devotional was canceled and they were ordered to go to their tents and dress warm. We went around giving extra blankets and doing what we could to help. I started to feel sick, adding myself to the patient list. I remember being in a daze and yet feeling calm as the campsites changed with booming voices singing church hymns. The spirit of the air changed and peace spread.
Adversity always comes. But we overcame it.
Friday November 27th began our final full day at Las Colinas. Michelle and I were up most of the night between our patients, our sick selves, and chucho negro adventures. So, we woke up, cleaned up and out, and went back down for a nap. :) I love mi compa. That poor girl was doing so much! So many tasks and so much service when she felt so sick. And yet she was always asking how to help ME. She will forever be a great example and friend. When we woke up, we realized our uniforms were missing (taken prematurely to be washed) so we decided to dress up a little early. We enjoyed showers and put on our Sunday best. I spent the day soaking in the memories with these people I will never forget. Snapping as many pictures as possible. I remember looking at this group of great friends wondering what it would be like to spend everyday with them, studying, working, laughing and enjoying life. I am honored just to have had a week! I can't imagine how amazing that would be. But I needed just two more weeks of school to finish my bachelors degree, and knew for whatever reason Logan was where I needed to be for the time being.
I want them to know how much I love them and cherish their friendship. Miles and time will never erase it.
That night was a dream. Walking into the banquet I was amazed at how they had transformed the gym. Everything was so nice! And all the kids were so beautiful! It felt like Cinderella's ball. :) Haha. I got to sit at a table with my dearest friends soaking in our last night. Looking at the youth around us and how much they've changed in the past week. Seven short days and none of us will ever be the same.
We went back out into the night air to take pictures while they changed the banquet to a ballroom and we danced the night away. So many faces I'll never forget. We all smiled and told each other how much we'd miss one another, wishing it wouldn't end. Mi hermanos y hermanitas de Guatemala.
Rene my big brother always looking out for me.
Michelle always laughing by my side, my companion. :)
Alberto, all the hard work we'd done through the week to make sure everyone stayed safe and healthy.
Casey the beautiful girl I want to laugh and giggle at sleepovers forever with!
Allyson and Robin. Such sweet girls :)
Mahonrry smiling and giving a big bear hug.
Ana Lorena mi girla and forever friend.
Edie :) My Barbie Sista
Mi tia and our tears and hugs.
Nery the best friend I could ever ask for.
Luisro and his dedication to the medical work few but us understand.
Jose mi hermano chapin!
My Hermanitas :)
Juan and his encouragement to make me use my spanish. :) Brenda and Vicki and their smiles and encouragement. All the amazing leaders that made this possible. The youth who I never knew that smiled and hugged me. So many people I couldn't name. All these incredible people that have forever been etched into my heart.
Saturday November 28th Morning came, though I wished in a way it wouldn't have. We all packed up and our home at Las Colinas disappeared back into the open grass fields it was before we came. Nery, and Mi hermanos Marves sat at the water tank overlooking las colinas soaking in our last morning. Final goodbyes were choked out if we could. We all joined in for one final dance in the open field. Everyone moving in unison laughing and smiling. :) Hugs I'll never stop cherishing, faces I'll never stop seeing, and this burning in my heart I'll never stop feeling. Yo soy Chapina!!!
We packed up in Rene's car and my brothers and I left to make it to the airport on time. The second we left the dusty lane of Las Colinas to the paved streets of Chimalt my eyes filled with tears that wouldn't stop. Rene Alberto and I laughed about it but I couldn't help soaking it all in, cherishing every moment, every street sign, child laughing of my beautiful Guatemala. This land is forever etched in my heart and soul.
Hermano Youtuv :)
Mamita y Hermano Alberto
Mi compa Mish
Mamita, Michelle and mi hermanos hugged me at the airport and I won't forget their smiles,tears and waves as I turned towards the terminal.
That week changed my life. I will never fully understand why I was given such an incredible opportunity but I will be forever grateful I was able to be a part of it. A lone gringa from the states. The only one able to participate. These people will forever be mi hermanos y hermanas. That friendship will last forever and the legacy someday passed to my kids. I WILL see mi amigos again. :) And I will spend the rest of my life cherishing that memory and living worthy of it and more.
