We finished the community centre in San Filipe (pictured above) and attended a surprise reception this afternoon, and what a surprise it was! As we were getting ready for the opening we heard amazing music fill the community. We followed our ears and discovered the community centre completely decorated with palm leaves, streamers and balloons – the whole community was there. The best part of the reception was when the children that we got to know over the past two weeks presented us with bracelets. We then danced well into the evening with people from the community until we went off and said our goodbyes. It was a magical evening and I am so glad we all got to be a part of providing this community with a place to gather, connect and play. What an honour. It was the perfect way to end our time in Quixayá.
Tomorrow we go back to Guatemala City and then we go home. I am sure I speak for everyone on this delegation when I say this whole experience was bittersweet. We visited a foreign land, but we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel like we were a part of their communities. We saw much stark poverty, yet the people were the most generous, accommodating and kind. The value derived from their investment in family, community and real-life connections is truly priceless. The most beautiful part was that despite everything––the violence, hunger, poverty and exploitation––everyone was genuinely happy at the core. We didn’t see bitterness, just passion and hope for positive change and a better tomorrow.
I am going to change gears here for a moment because it’s really important to share. This poignant article sums up life in Guatemala. That article acts as the perfect segue for me to discuss the presentation by the CCDA on their political action work on our second last night in Quixayá. Up until that point we had learned about the different sustainability projects the organisation is working on to help Guatemalans feed themselves using very little land and resources through rural development. We learned more about how the CCDA helps with land claims, agrarian reform and recuperation of land through political action. The case they have been working on most recently is Cobán where forced evictions occurred days before we arrived in Guatemala. Intimidation, extortion, violence and forced evictions are a reality for people here every single day. Unimaginable, isn’t it?
Upon reflection, I realized we don’t change things by going down and building a community centre, or meeting people and hearing their stories. And we don’t need to change things, because we can’t, nor is it our place to. The people on the front lines change things. We can help, though. We can help by supporting those people and organisations that believe in the very same things we do; the things we have fought for and won, like fair wages and benefits to provide for our most fundamental human needs. The only difference between us is that we don’t have to put our lives on the line for those basic rights.
You can help, too. Whether it’s by supporting international non-profits, signing petitions, buying fair trade or going on a delegation; I promise you it will be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. Don’t stop because you think you’re not making a change. Small contributions DO make a huge impact.
Thank you for taking the time to come along this journey with me. This experience has been so amazing and my hope is that I was able to inspire you to want to help in some way. None of this would have been possible for me without PSAC Social Justice Fund and the PSAC Prairie Region – thank you for supporting such important causes.
Want English updates on the happenings in Guatemala? Check out Breaking the Silence and ‘Like’ them on Facebook.
If you have any questions about my experience, please feel free to email me.
Forever changed and grateful,
Jen Botincan
Some of the Handymen and Handywomen
