Guatemala Surprise

I recently had a surprise much different from those I have experienced this Lent. This summer I had an opportunity to go with the P.O.P. youth group to Guatemala. It was an amazing experience that opened my eyes and my heart in more ways than one. When I was facebook stalking photos the other day I came across the photos from the Gustavus J-term trip to Guatemala a girl on my floor had been on. One of the pictures was of the mission we worked at in San Lucas Toliman. I went to her room and talked to her about what they did there. They only stayed in San Lucas two days, but they met Father Greg, and toured the women's center, the medical center, and the school the mission sponsors. She asked about the work we did there and I asked if she remembered the red stripe running around the bottom of the women's center and she did! We painted the bottom foot of the building and rooms red and it really made that building stand out as a place of change and not just a structure. I love that even though that red stripe isn't the most important thing of the building or the women's center project, it is part of something greater. It is part of a women's center that is going to help and empower countless people. I also love the fact that we were a part of that our work there is being recognized (and remembered) by others who have the opportunity to go there. It was one cool Guatemala surprise.

-kate