In February 2023 I participated in my very first mission trip when I traveled to Guatemala with other volunteers to install fuel efficient stoves and water filters to families in the Guatemalan Highlands. The experience didn’t just change my view from beaches to mountains, it changed my perspective and my life.
Invited by a friend who was going on her third trip, I signed up to volunteer, was accepted and bought my plane ticket. I was going through a HELPS Int’l. program that – together with agricultural, medical and educational efforts – works to fight extreme poverty and build a foundation for lasting change in Guatemala.
The mountains of Guatemala are beautiful, rich and green, and full of life. The people of Guatemala are also beautiful, full of life, and loving, despite the various levels of extreme poverty I saw during my three weeks among them.
But it was the children who captured my heart! While shy at first, by the end of our time in the home, usually an hour or so, they were chatting away and playing with the small gifts we brought. Most popular were the friendship bracelets and finger puppets. Smiles and play transcend language, so although the people speak Ixil, a derivative of the Mayan languages spoken by their ancestors and native to the people in of the Quiche region, we still found ways to communicate.
Each team was assigned a native speaker as translator to assist the teams. These people were invaluable, not only in explaining to recipients how the to clean the water filters and maintain the stove, but in locating the homes as no addresses are associated with the families. We needed a village elder, usually a woman, to lead us from home to home after speaking with our translator.
Some families save for years to put together the $40 US required to purchase the stove and filter, and it was easy to see how proud they were to do so.
In teams of 3 or 4, traveling with a translator, our group of 17 volunteers, from Michigan, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Florida, installed 154 stoves and water filters in various mountain villages, changing forever the long-term health of those families.
The work was exhausting, and the elevation was not kind to my lungs, but I went to bed each night remembering the smiling faces and counting my blessings for all I have in my life. I will never again take for granted my indoor toilet, my access to healthcare, or my ability to buy the things my family needs. At least, I hope so and, for now, my view of what is truly important in life has changed.
What’s important is how we live each day, and how we choose to see things. What I saw reflected in the faces of the people, especially the children, was joy. Joy at being alive, at having a roof, at having corn hanging up to dry, and at having a new wood stove and water filter.
For me, the joy was contagious, and I honestly can’t wait to do it again next year.
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Teresa Bowman Esq. is the founder of the estate planning and elder law firm of Teresa K Bowman P.A. (tkbowmanpa.com), serving clients across Manatee and Sarasota Counties. She is certified in Elder Law by the American Bar Assn.-approved National Elder Law Foundation (NELF). Her expertise includes: Preparation of wills and trusts; Estate planning; Incapacity planning including powers of attorney and advance directives; Special needs planning; Asset protection; Probate; and End of life plans.
The people of Guatemala are beautiful, full of life, and loving, despite the various levels of extreme poverty I saw during my three weeks among them.
