Day 7 Farewell Chontala

Day 7: Friday 3/13/09 Farewell Chontalá (gathering place)
Today was our last day of work. It was definitely the most physically challenging day (besides my sick days). On our way to the site we stopped by the school to give out candy to all the kids. I got to see their classrooms and the way they learn. It is one tiny school for all ages but separated into different grades. Some children were in outhouses for classrooms and just really bad conditions. I found out that not all people can go to school. It’s really expensive and most people can’t afford it. So, we adopted/sponsored an 11 year old girl named Estéfana. Wesley pays $300/year for her schooling. Vance bought her a really nice backpack, notebooks and supplies. So, we went to work today and laid concrete bricks to build walls for the new house and broke the most compact soil and clay imaginable. The woman and her sisters that we’re building the house for killed their fastest chickens to feed us lunch! There were at least 30 of us to feed and she used on whole week’s worth of food to do it, and it was her pleasure! I’m not going to lie, though. I have a phobia of eating chicken with some feathers still on it and more body parts than necessary… and this meal was just that. So, I just ate the potatoes and the soup. But I felt really bad. They weren’t offended though. Thank goodness. All of the natives have been so patient with us! We mess up at the worksite and they just laugh and simply show us how to correct it. It’s not like in America when money is on the line and one mistake promotes a heart attack. They cure so patient with our broken Spanish and pathetic Quiché. They are so laid back, they have something called Guatemalan time. It’s worse than any Hispanic late time I know, and it’s wonderful! We had no watches or cell phones to constrict us. We were on God’s time and it was perfect! They taught us that the simple life is a blessing and worthy of praise. It’s okay to get dirty. It’s okay to give of yourself. It’s okay to love and be loved. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
So after lunch today it was time to go to VBS. Before we left, we gave the workers our gloves and tools. We also filled our water bottles and happily gave it all to them as a gift. You should’ve seen their faces!!! They were so overwhelmed with joy and so grateful for our hand-me-downs. We left our work clothes and shoes to the church too. God has blessed us abundantly so we can bless others. And when we bless others, we completely change for the best.
So, we arrived at the church and the whole village was there! They came to celebrate our arrival and bless our departure. They made us their ceremonial meal! TOMALES!! It was steamed and mashed corn wrapped in Banana leaves. MAN were those things delicious?! It was hard for them to see us go, and it was equally hard to watch them out the window as we left. Carlos ran along-side the bus until he could run no more, tears streaming down all of our faces…we said, “Hasta Luego.” That means “See You Later” in Spanish, in case any readers didn’t know. I want to return. A piece of my heart will always remain here. I have truly been changed by these beautiful people, and I can only hope they have been influenced by us…even if it’s only a little bit. Until Next time.
Sincerely,
Sabie Q.