Service in Zone 3
The first day of actual service to the impoverished communities of Guatemala City came as a shocking eye-opener for all of the boys. For many of them, it was the first time they had truly witnessed real suffering and real social injustice. It was a stark contrast from the attractive tourist destination of Antigua; this was the part of Guatemala people are encouraged to ignore. The day began with a visit to the struggling elementary and middle school near the center of the garbage dump community. Greeted with smiles, many of the boys thought they had seen the worst of the mess known as Zone 3. However, a subsequent visit to the garbage dump immediately enlightened them of the miserable hardships that the people have to face everyday in order to merely survive in the filth. From there, they visited some of the homes that the people were living in, and they were almost moved to tears when they discovered that many of the houses (about the size of the boys’ bedrooms) housed 10 or more individuals. In addition, the construction was very shoddy with dirt floors and broken roofs that allowed a substantial amount of rainwater to pour into their living spaces.
The theme of the day became the boys’ exposure to the filth that the people live in, but all was not so somber. After the houses, the boys visited a nursery that took care of many babies that were born in this community. This place was very clean and safe, and it had the ability to give the young children a different attitude towards their future. From there, they went back to the school and played a ball game with the kids, and the language barrier did not stop them from making some new friends. For example, Rahul was able to entertain and play games with a little boy who did not know a word of English. The kids were amazed by Brian’s height, and they even went so far as to try and hang from his arms. Additionally, they found it very amusing when Brian tricked Mrs. Cabrera and Ms. W into believing that the spilled red paint on his arm was actually blood from a large cut he had just received. The interaction between the boys and the kids represented a moment of true joy, and it is certain that the boys and the young children will never forget this day.
After the fun at the school, the group walked over to the step by step building to learn about the scholarship program that attempts to pull kids out of the trash dumps and into the classrooms. There they met many kids only a few years their junior who were trying to study their way into a better life. They learned about the many harsh circumstances that these kids face daily on their journey to success, and they were awed by the resilience that the kids held with all the odds stacked against them. Today’s experience gave the boys a trial-by-fire like introduction to this week’s activities, and they are all looking forward to working with the kids and working on the various projects for the school.
By: Rahul Thusay and Logan Brockway
The theme of the day became the boys’ exposure to the filth that the people live in, but all was not so somber. After the houses, the boys visited a nursery that took care of many babies that were born in this community. This place was very clean and safe, and it had the ability to give the young children a different attitude towards their future. From there, they went back to the school and played a ball game with the kids, and the language barrier did not stop them from making some new friends. For example, Rahul was able to entertain and play games with a little boy who did not know a word of English. The kids were amazed by Brian’s height, and they even went so far as to try and hang from his arms. Additionally, they found it very amusing when Brian tricked Mrs. Cabrera and Ms. W into believing that the spilled red paint on his arm was actually blood from a large cut he had just received. The interaction between the boys and the kids represented a moment of true joy, and it is certain that the boys and the young children will never forget this day.
After the fun at the school, the group walked over to the step by step building to learn about the scholarship program that attempts to pull kids out of the trash dumps and into the classrooms. There they met many kids only a few years their junior who were trying to study their way into a better life. They learned about the many harsh circumstances that these kids face daily on their journey to success, and they were awed by the resilience that the kids held with all the odds stacked against them. Today’s experience gave the boys a trial-by-fire like introduction to this week’s activities, and they are all looking forward to working with the kids and working on the various projects for the school.
By: Rahul Thusay and Logan Brockway
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