This morning, we delivered the photos to the families, took the photos, provided a certificate from the church, gave them a metal spoon & ladle, and checked the caulking for leaks.
After lunch, Joshue picked us up in the chicken bus and drove us to Takalik Ab Aj. We toured the many remnants of the Mayan civilization and talked about the changing of eras on the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2010. We also saw new escavation projects that had been discovered since January when the team was last there.
Tonight we started packing all of our stuff, and we added to the pile of things to leave behind until the mound reached halfway up the corner walls. T-shirts, work pants, shorts, jeans, blankets, baby clothes, school supplies, books, shoes, etc. And we designated special places for those who helped us this week:
- Raul, our interpreter, coworker, jokester, and all-around cool friend
- Nicho, the how-to man-with-a-plan
- our cooks Lidia and Carmelina
- and the guys who got us from home to home with incredible efficiency, given the circumstances--Santos, Big Miguel, Juan, Eliseo, Little Miguel, and Lorenzo.
For these friends, we left specific items that we knew they could use or trade for something they need. These people have made such a positive impact on this work done in Pabeya and on me. Someone once told me that every new friend you make fills a void in your life. Perhaps a void you didn't even realize was there until it was pointed out to you and then filled. They help you to see yourself and your own life through new eyes. In Pabeya, theirs is a problem that you can't throw money at. You can't come in and wave a magic wand to fix what you think is broken. You have to plan and strategize and then work shoulder-to-shoulder alongside your new friends in a common effort to make life better for all.
I cannot count the number of times I placed my trust in Raul, Nicho, Joshue, and the people of Pabeya--holding a ladder, learning against a board, lending a hand, keeping us safe from harm. The amount of trust we placed in the community became evident tonight when we returned from Takalik Ab Aj later than expected. the sun had set, and the canopy only darkened the shadows along the 1/2 mile path that led us from the road to the church. As if they knew the problem, the children took our hands and led us through the darkness on narrow passages with rocks so uneven and wobbly that the best of eyes and feet would stumble in clear daylight. No one fell. No one was hurt. And that is when it became clear to me that we were not the first to grant our trust. The community believed in us and our intentions long before tonight, before last week when we arrived, before the group that came in January. This relationship with the community began years ago when it opened its doors and its hearts to the people of Oak Ridge UMC. And I was merely a player on the team who was so fortunate to share their lives for a short time.
At the end of an incredibly emotional night, Juana prayed for us and for the community. She asked that God keep us safe and bless us. The best blessing I can think of is that I am able to return to Pabeya very soon to see my friends again. As I have said, this experience is not for everyone, but I have come to realize that it is for me. The next trip is in late January, and Max has already scheduled the following trip for HPU's Fall Break 2010. Not a coincidence! We will find a way to make it happen.
This morning goodbyes were hard. There were photos and hugs and cheers and feelings of sadness looking at the empty church that served as our Pabeya home. There was an ache in my heart as I watched the children run after us as we drove away. And as I reflect on my time in Pabeya, as I read through the pages of notes I will soon type into the blog for the world to read, my heart also aches for the things I didn't say:
To Juana, Santos, and Big Miguel: You are the faces and the spirit of the community. Keep your thoughts and efforts aimed at making life better, safer, healthier for everyone regardless of their beliefs.
To Juan, Eliseo, Little Miguel, and Lorenzo: You are the future leaders of the community. You will be the ones to carry the message to younger generations. Your lives will mark the turning point for Pabeya.
To Max, who tried for more than 2 years to get me to work in Guatemala: Your persistence has changed my life. Words fail me.
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