drinking from a fire hose.
We made it to Guatemala City late last night. A bit red-eyed and wary, we were oriented to our safe house, and some of the Lemonade International staff. After a delicious welcome meal of papas fritas , chicken, and chili sauce, we adjourned for the evening.
Over Fruit Loops, this morning’s chatter consisted of listing fears for the day, and lesson planning. How do you make a tissue paper flower? What games can you play with a three-year old? The list goes on. We all got dressed, got our water bottles, and out the door we went.
Once on the road, the group’s excitement was palpable- a very ‘calm before the storm’ moment for everyone. The van maneuvered perfectly through the narrow city without hesitation. Smells of diesel fuel and wet vegetation consumed us as we hummed down the streets. Wide-eyed, everyone took in the new surroundings.
A u-turn, a right, and a veer left and we were now descending down a steep ravine. We had just entered La Limonada- one of the largest slums in Central America. Silence enveloped the vehicle the further into the slum we drove. Hillsides caked in cinderblock houses with corrugated metal roofs filled our vision.
The further we drove, the more heads pivoted to take in as much of the scenery as possible. Feral dogs jostled through the one-lane streets. We peered to the people on the sidewalks, hoping to share a ‘Buenos Dias’. It happened quite often as folks here seem to be exceedingly friendly.
The bus shifted into second, then first, and eventually came to a stop. The road just simply quit and lead straight into an alley between homes. We jumped out, and headed down a path towards a near-by bridge. Looking down over the river generated a bit of conversation. Mounds of soda bottles and plastic bags clogged the narrows downstream. A bit of a contrast to water our group is accustomed to.
A few more blocks and we had reached the door to Limon- la escuela we’d be helping at for the day. Immediately we were greeted with “Hola”s and giggles. You could see everyone’s shoulders drop as they realized this day was going to be full of fun and many hugs from the children. Deep breath!
The morning consisted of teaching the children parts of a flower, and then turning that knowledge into art by making tissue paper flowers, or flors. It was a hit. The kids enjoyed learning and playing, and our group loved the sweet ninos and ninas.
Shortly after our morning classes, we mowed down our PB&Js, split into three groups, and headed out to experience our first home visits.
Walking through the small alleyways, nerves began to bubble up again. No one knew what to expect when entering one of the homes in La Limonada. The cement, rebar, and iron-clad windows are not always the most inviting. The first knock on the door threw a blanket of silence over each group.
Smiles promptly greeted us. "Hola. Bienvenidos!" We made our way into the houses and found our seats on couches, mattresses, and stools. Drinks were offered to some groups, and gratefully accepted. Stories were shared with us. We learned about the great difficulties each family faces, and saw a brief glimpse into the struggles they deal with on a daily basis. None of this, however, overshadowed the happiness that seemed to bound out of many of the people we were lucky enough to meet.
Students asked their hosts if there was anything we could pray for for them. They would respond mostly asking for health, protection, and happiness, and either student, teacher, or guide would lead the entire group in prayer. Even those of us with no religious affiliation felt the need to bow our heads and send buenas vibras to the family. It was a life altering moment for many. We certainly are some of the lucky ones.
The afternoon consisted of more classes, and time with children. We were able to watch a thunderstorm pass over. The river roared, and the streets were pooling. Within an hour everything was back to normal.
The van ride home was full of conversation. Open windows and lack of technology was the perfect combination for surveying our surroundings. With no distractions we were able to breathe in everything Guatemala had to offer.
After a beautiful, home-cooked, Guatemalan meal of chicken soup and rice, the group settled in to watch Reparando, a movie about La Limonada and the history behind it. I believe a lot of eyes were opened both literally and figuratively.
Exhausted, the group hunkered down for the night around 10pm. It was a full day with many ups and downs, but all in all, it was an amazing start to our adventure.
Write soon...