by Amanda Perkins –
An expedition with Singular Humanitarian is truly remarkable. Life changing doesn’t seem to quite express the magnitude of the emotions and experiences that are felt during the trip. I had been on one other expedition, so I felt a little more prepared for my round two trip to a country I had fallen madly in love with. I was extremely elated to begin this journey again, and was ready for another journey into the jungles of Guatemala. It really is an opportunity like no other to take a little over a week out of my life filled with work, school, friends and various activities and spend it with people who are filled with joy and the desire to serve.
I was placed on the construction team and our task for the week was to construct a path from the road to the training center. A little background. Education in rural Guatemala is difficult to obtain. With any impoverished area the lack of money and resources nearly traps an individual in the circumstances they are born in. This has to be stopped. Enter Sikaab’e. The translation means “find your path” which is a beautiful message since this is a vocational training center constructed to teach students skills on carpentry, horticulture, culinary skills and so much more. This training center is a marvelous two story open building equipped with multiple bedrooms filled with bunk beds, a women’s and men’s bathroom with multiple sinks, toilets and showers. Not to mention an office, kitchen and dining hall on the main floor. This may not sound like much to my first world living friends, but THIS IS FANTASTIC! This gives so many members of the community the opportunity to learn and progress, an opportunity that they would not have. The key to change and development in these countries is helping the locals help themselves. Education is difficult in these areas. Roughly 110 students finished a secondary education in the last twenty-five years in this section of Guatemala. Think about that. Where I live in the states, there are over 110 students in one grade, with nearly two thousand students in my high school alone. We often take for granted our opportunity to gain a formal education.
The saying work hard, play hard is LITERAL. Imagine going on an adventure with your best friends. Now multiply that awesomeness, uncontrollable fun, and good vibes, and you might be close to the atmosphere on an expedition. It rains every single afternoon, literally. One day instead of just waiting it out, we decided to play in it. We started with one joking throw of mud, which then erupted into a full scale mud fight. We then taught the kids the enjoyment of puddle jumping. It is the simplest moments in life that have the possibility to bring us most joy. I must say, I have rarely laughed so genuinely than the time I have spent on an expedition.
My week in the Polochic Valley was an experience that cannot be properly expressed in any language. The only way to have any inkling as to what I have seen and been a part of is to go on a trip yourself. The opportunity to build relationships with those of another country and culture in their home land is something magical. Singular Humanitarian and Choice Humanitarian are organizations that truly alter people’s lives in some of the most dramatic ways. You may think going into these situations you are going to do so much good, and change so many lives. But let me tell you, that is only half of it. When you go on one of these trips, YOU are forever altered because of it. I can tell you how humbling it is to see real people living in poverty, tell you how much you will love those surrounding you, tell you how much you will think about this trip once you return home, or even tell you how grateful and appreciative you become of the little things. But until you are standing on a dirt floor in someone’s home, or watching children pick food out of a trash can to eat what you just considered scraps, or witness firsthand the joy on a child’s face when you pull out a ball to play with, it is all simply words with no meaning. So do it. Take the time to go on a trip. Take the time to witness miracles. Take the time to laugh with your whole body. Take the time to live in the moment. Take the time to find your path.
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