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Guatemala 2009: March 7-16th
 The members of the 2009 Guatemala Mission Trip are as follows:
Walter Broadhurst
Sarah Crawford
Star Daye
Geoff Fashjian
Joey Haynes
Jon King
Kristin King
Erin Mann
Whitney Palmer
Kate Phifer
Stephanie Phipps
Brittany Sele
Chelsea Vestal
Jenny Yagel
Natalie Weiner
Megan Wheeland
Trip Leaders:
Diane Mowrey (Chaplain)
Alice OToole (Director of Outreach and Fellowship)
Itinerary for Queens University
Saturday March 7th
Arrive
Lunch at Vesubio Pizza
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| The group in Pachaj on our last day in the community. |
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Check in at Casa San Jose
Dinner at Casa San Jose
Sunday March 8th
Breakfast as Casa San Jose
Worship Service at San Juan Apostol Church
Lunch at Nice
Guatemala City Tour
Dinner at Casa San Jose
Monday March 9th
Breakfast at Casa San Jose
Visit Francisco Coll School
Lunch at CEDEPCA
Guatemala in Context with Dennis Smith
Meet families at Corazon de Mujer
Homestays with Corazon de Mujer
Tuesday March 10th
Breakfast with families
Visit with Corazon de Mujer
Lunch with the women
Bus to Xela
Dinner at Hotel Modelo
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| Erin and two new friends in Pachaj. |
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Wednesday March 11th
Breakfast at Hotel Modelo
Work at CEIPA
Tour of CEIPA
Dinner at Hotel Modelo
Thursday March 12th
Breakfast at Hotel Modelo
Visit la Frater office
Lunch in Pachaj with Grupo Progresso
Work in the community
Homestays in Pachaj
Friday March 13th
Breakfast with families
Work in Pachaj
Lunch with the community
Visit to Copavic
Dinner at Pension Bonifaz
Saturday March 14th
Breakfast at Hotel Modelo
Drive to Panajachel
Free time in Panajachel
Dinner at Tocoyal Restaurant
Sunday March 15th
Breakfast at Hotel Utz Jay
Visit Iximiche
Lunch at Katox
Drive to Guatemala City
Dinner at Fridas
Monday March 16th
Breakfast at Casa San Jose
Leave for airport
For more information about the group and their whereabouts, go to http://queensguatemala.blogspot.com/
Thank you for all your support!
Responses from the Guatemala Team
“After being back about almost three weeks I say that it has gotten easier as time progresses. The first 2-3 days were by far the most disconnected and out of place I have ever felt on this campus. In addition for the entire first week I missed the company of the group. While I still think about Guatemala at least once a day those thoughts are no longer about missing the place and wanting to go back; on the contrary I relate my experiences there to my everyday life. In my opinion, the worst thing would be to stop thinking about Guatemala daily and not be able to use the trip as a benchmark to the rest of my life. I hope the group stays at least somewhat close as time move on, I will never forget my adventure with them and we’ll all now have a special bond; something in common.” –Jon King
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“Ultimately, on this trip I learned about the resilience of the human spirit. This was etched on the faces of the women who told us about their personal tragedies during the genocide. It was seen in the woman who had just lost her home and all of her possessions in an electrical fire the night before in the slums. It was seen in the family that opened their home to us to show us how they live, and how their children cannot attend the school because of medical conditions, conditions easily treatable with Western medicine but which they cannot afford to treat. It was seen in the woman who foraged for food for her family in the dump leading to the discovery of poisoned meat, which led to the hospitalization and near death of her three sons. I saw another way of life. I saw that regardless of the hand which you are dealt at birth, life goes on. I realized that even through language and cultural barriers we all still have the same basic needs and wants. We may not have all spoke the same language but we all loved to laugh and play. We all enjoyed food and company. We all cherish the children who will be our future. And we are all hoping to provide as best we can for that future. We all have a life to live and it is our duty to appreciate what we do have and give a helping hand to those who were not dealt the same lucky hand.” –Stephanie Phipps
“One of my very favorite memories was when we were talking to Maria before we were split up for our home stays. It was so incredible learning about her life, thanks to Alice and Joey our wonderful interpreters! First though, there were only a couple of us sitting around her listening while everyone else was busy kicking the soccer ball, playing music, helping prepare the meal and the like. Before long, I looked around and it was like story time had begun because half the group was sitting around listening to Maria talk about her life and her experiences, her opinions about the world around her and the needs of her community for the progress and education of a fair and honest government. That half hour or so was one of the most enlightening moments of the trip for me and I am glad to have been sitting by her side while she shared her heart with us.” –Jenny Yagel
“I don’t really know how to put in words the experience I had in Guatemala. It is almost like words can’t do the experience enough justice. From the time we landed in Guatemala City until now I have seen and felt the presence of God and have grown deeper in my relationship with Him. I am still amazed at the deep love of the people for us and each other, to have them call you their sister is probably the sweetest and most endearing thing you can ever hear. The thing is they don’t just call you sister to say it but they are sincere and truly mean that you are a part of their family. It is astounding to me how resilient the people are. Despite the great suffering they have gone through, they still praise God with so much hope and joy. The trip for me really put things into perspective and made me realize that no matter what I go through there is always someone who will be there beside me to pick me up. It is funny that it took me going and listening to the stories of the people to realize that. The experience gave me what no book can ever portray with validity. I have spoke, eaten, walked and lived among the people. It is these actions that given me true understanding and that understanding is what the best part of the trip was for me. These people live what many people consider a worthless life, yet the life they live is more meaningful than many of our own. To see the smiles and laughter through the pain the people have endured is one of the many things this “gringa” will never forget. I have left Guatemala and with leaving it, I have left a part of my heart, but the smiles, the hope, the joy and the people will never leave me and are constantly with me in my everyday thoughts.” –Kate Phifer
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“Words can not express what my life has been like since Guatemala. I've truly been touched by the hand of God. He showed himself through the smiles and hugs of every child I encountered. I feel more grateful for what I have yes, but more importantly my heart feels humbled and willing to learn. The people of Guatemala impacted me more than I even think I know. I'll always remember Krista who touched my heart with just saying Hola or Marta who gave me and my friend her bed out of the kindness of her heart. I'm changed mind, body, and soul by Guatemala and I pray it never goes away.” –Star Daye
“Guatemala was an extraordinary experience. It was amazing to visit all of the organizations that work to help fix the social injustice in Guatemala. I took so much from those organizations. The people truly believe in making change, and by working together they are all slowly bringing change to their communities and their country. There are still many problems in Guatemala, but with everyone doing their part, they know they can change the problems. Also visiting Corazon de la Mujer and La Fraternidad, I learned a lot from those women. It was one of the most amazing experiences to be able to spend time with them in their communities and see how they live. Listening to their stories, I felt motivated by them. To hear about the problems they have gone through and to get a better understanding of their past, encourages me because they are happy and motivated now. I feel it is extremely important for everyone to step out of their comfort zones and experience life of another culture, because there is life and happiness outside of the United States. To really understand this, I feel it is best to experience it first hand. I am very thankful that I was given the opportunity to experience life in Guatemala, because it has really changed my perceptions on many things back here in the US. I feel I have grown spiritually and as a global citizen.” –Joey Haynes
“Why is the Queens Guatemala trip so different from other trips (maybe JBIP) yet so easy for everyone to seemingly relate to? Many friends and family of mine love asking me about Guatemala, and in turn I love to talk about it, and will probably show them lots of photos if I can. When speaking about Guatemala to whomever it might be at times the other person may mention where they have also traveled. They reply, I know, it’s crazy how poor some people are! They recall the details of a shantytown they drove by or describe someone they saw on the street as they traveled abroad. I do not want to criticize anyone, but on this trip, we didn’t drive by and look. We stopped, we listened, we ate, we asked questions, and we learned. We entered the houses of strangers who welcomed us with wide arms. By the next day, we left feeling as welcome as family. I stayed with Maria and Tomasa who were just as eager to learn about me as I was them. Despite anyone in the house being fluent in more than one language, we spent the night smiling, joking, and laughing. We heard the hard history of Guatemala straight from like Bernada who lived through it. I met Jose whose entire family works four looms his father built in their house. I remember his eagerness to teach us how to weave despite it being late, and him having to wake up early for his other job at the textile mill in town. I loved the Guatemala trip because I loved the people that I met there and the group I went with.” –Geoffrey Fashjian
“Guatemala was truly a life changing experience for me. The people I met and the group we went with impacted my life in ways I still can’t fully understand. The amount of poverty I saw really inspired me to take more action I my life. This trip has fully shown me my passions and has laid the groundwork for what I plan on doing with the skills I have and the skills I am acquiring. I became more in touch with my faith and my spiritual life has grown more than it has my whole life. I know after leaving, I have impacted someone’s life and they have impacted mine.” –Walter Broadhurst
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“Whenever I think of Guatemala, I think of love. One of my first major experiences in Guatemala was with the families of la Corazon de Mujer (The Heart of the Women). I was granted the privilege to stay with la familia de Maria Luisa. She had eight wonderful children, and neither Kristin nor I knew what she was saying half of the time. She did tell us though that she had never let anyone stay with her before because she worried they had nothing to give to them. Her husband worked construction two hours away and she took in laundry to make some extra money. In one night though, she gave us more than I could have ever expected. Dinner was one of the best meals I remember having in Guatemala, and the few hours we were able to spend with the children were pure enjoyment. More than that though, she showed us the love that she showed everyone else under her roof. We were not guests, or even gringos. Rather we were her ninth and tenth children. She showed us the love that all strangers could show to each other, and she shared with us some of the real hardships too. I will always remember the night that I spent with them and the things the experience taught me about generosity, faith and love.”—Sarah Crawford
“My experience in Guatemala is not able to be described in words. I arrived in the beautiful country thinking that I would learn a lot and meet many nice people; but I left the country yearning to learn even more and found myself heartbroken when having to part with the men and women who accepted me as their own. Every day was filled with a sense of peace and simplicity even though we were very active. The unconditional love displayed by the Guatemalan people is something I will cherish forever and will continue to work toward in my own life. There are so many things I want to say about Guatemala, but the most important thing is, in the midst of all the poverty and dark history of the country, the people have never wavered in their strength and have not let genocide and civil war dampen their spirit. Their bright smiles and loving embraces made me feel as if I belonged there; as if there was no evil in the world; as if we could all have true joy if we only released our fears and trusted in God's greatness and the love of our fellow brothers and sisters.” –Erin Mann
“Whenever I am asked why I love to travel I think about all of the communities we visit in Guatemala: about how we are met with timid stares and shy smiles from all the kids but slowly over the course of mere hours those same kids are in our laps or trying on our sunglasses. They are asking us about our families and our favorite games. We are no longer Gringos; we are brothers and sisters. Being a part of that level of change and love is what I live for, and I was so glad to have the opportunity to experience that again this year in Guatemala.” –Natalie Weiner
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“It is easy to say Guatemala was a “life changing experience” or I felt “God’s call.” What exactly do those phrases mean and how does it really apply to my experience in Guatemala? I have been fortunate enough to be a member of the Guatemalan Mission Team twice, once in 2007 and again in 2009. Each time I am angered at the poverty and injustice I see in the country. I listen to stories of women like Alta Gracia, who worked in the Guatemalan city dump for over ten years and was unable to provide for her family. I hear about how three of her sons were hospitalized for months because she tried to feed them a little bit of meat. I hear the stories of Heart of the Women, whose families were forced to flee their home to avoid being massacred by the Guatemalan army. I hear about their horrific experiences hiding in the woods, and the heart wrenching stories about how their family members died or were kidnapped, never to be heard from again. I hear these stories and am overwhelmed with anger and can only ask, “Where is God?” Where is God in the midst of all this injustice and suffering? While I am unable to sufficiently answer that question, I have seen God in the faith, love, and strength of the Guatemalan people. The Guatemalans embrace us with hospitality I have never experienced and unconditional love. I see God’s love and compassion working through the Guatemalans and I know that they live as God would have us all live. Guatemala has touched my life in every way possible, and my experiences have directed my passions and hopes for the future.” –Whitney Palmer
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“One of the most touching things to experience during my time in Guatemala was the openness with which we were accepted into the families that we spent time with. Every single family that I met, or stayed with, or talked with, I easily felt like I was a part of their circle. When we were visiting the Mayan ruins in Iximche, Natalie and I walked up to a family and introduced ourselves because we saw that they had a volleyball, and by the time we left them only half an hour later, we knew their family's story and all of the names of the family members. We easily hugged them and gave them kisses on their cheeks, which were returned, when it was time to say goodbye. I have never felt more welcomed by strangers in my entire life, and I was extremely inspired to be more generous and hospitable by the people I met in Guatemala.” –Kristin King
“In so many different ways, Guatemala was such an amazing experience. I have never been constantly surrounded by so much love and joyfulness. Going into the trip the main thing I was nervous for was our home stays. But by the end of my first stay with the Atz Family I had quickly realized that this was my favorite part of the trip, and could not wait for my second one! One of the main things I learned from the people in Guatemala is perseverance, through hearing their stories and learning about how many obstacles they have overcome, it showed me that perseverance will always prevail, and that no matter what obstacles we face in life, nothing will ever be an excuse to give up. Although perseverance was one the biggest things I learned about, I feel like I could write a dictionary worth of words that describe how amazing the people of Guatemala are. I know that I will never forget them, or the things I learned from them.” –Megan Wheeland
“ The most important part for me on this Mission Trip was the families I acquired. Home-stays were the thing I was most nervous about this trip, because my Spanish is not very good and I am somewhat shy. I was worried I wouldn’t know how to act. The experiences I had during home-stays were the most meaningful and memorable part of my trip. I really did acquire two Guatemalan families. These people welcomed us with open minds and hearts, let us into their homes and let us into their lives. I pray and think about my host families everyday and I can imagine I will everyday for the rest of my life. I had never experienced such a strong connection with someone, in such a short amount of time, until Guatemala and meeting my host-families. I truly love them and will never forget them. They were the most important part for me on this Mission Trip.” –Brittany Sele
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