HS Guatemala Trip Day 1 & 2

Saturday June 25th

Hello friends and family! We have safely arrived in Guatemala. We all got to know each other a lot better today as we traveled, and we even learned that Sarah Hickey was a cheerleader in her youth! During our three hour layover in Houston, we learned that certain team members are prone to some unfortunate incidents involving food, beverages, packing, and even walking (I'll let you parents decide which students you think those are). Overall, we are really excited to be here and can't wait to see what God has in store for for us this week!

- Maycee

Sunday June 26th

This morning for breakfast we had eggs, pancakes, watermelon, and pineapple. After breakfast we packed the bus with supplies and traveled to the community center. We met the teachers who teach there and learned all of what the community center does for the children. They teach classes for 7th grader and older and tutor for the younger kids. It was amazing to hear about the history of the center and how it started with them renting out a small place and having only two teachers and only being able to once a week to having their own building, kitchen, and a field with ten teachers and teaching every day of the week. We helped them paint the classrooms and spent all day painting four classrooms and the community room. 

- Erica

I was painting next to one of the teachers who had one of the rollers on a long pole and was trying her best to reach the top of the wall. I had one of the shorter rollers and painting the bottom of the wall next to her. We glanced at each other and she laughed, and without a word I understood she was having trouble reaching the top of the wall. I laughed as she handed me the longer roller and we switched spots. This is more of a funny story but I learned a couple of things. Despite our cultural differences, we could work together, without a word said. I am not sure if our height differences are cultural, but if they are, we could use those to our advantage to accomplish the painting. The taller American painting the top of the wall and the maybe shorter Guatemalan lady painting the bottom. This just shows God can use all of us , no matter the differences, to accomplish his plan. 

- Tyler

These bus rides are so entertaining. The way the cities are laid out is so interesting with their skinny winding roads that should fit one and a half cars to fit but two busses do. The cars are like a foot away from each other and we are all in the back here yelling and screaming because it's fun. Josh yells out every Spanish word on all the signs he sees, Logan is singing Party in the USA, Quinn is laughing and iI'm just writing this. The bus is a stick shift and our driver holds the clutch in for 5 seconds and we think he's gonna stall the bus every time he shifts.

 - Nathan

There's a muebles store at least every block, if not two. It might be a money laundering scheme... The roads are so twisty that this bus has to make a four point turn in the middle of the road. The bus rides are about an hour to the place we are going but it feels like 10 minutes while screaming the songs playing in the bus. 

- Josh

At the learning center we got to see where the soccer field we have been fundraising for is going to go. The leader of the learning center said that building the soccer field has been on her to-do list since she started the project 15 years ago. Realizing that our fundraising was going to such an anticipated project is encouraging.

- Levi 

At night there is a weird triangle shadow on the wall that scared Josh. There are dogs everywhere and the just run into the street whenever they want to. 

- Logan

The speed bumps are the best. 

- Quinn

- Alyssa Lehman