Carroll College Campus Ministry

Blago de Jaime/Santiago

Well I am not really sure how to begin, so much has happened since I came here and there is so much that I wish to remember and to share with all of you. I am not good with words and I don’t have eloquent thoughts, I just know what I have seen needs to be shared and it is something that will remain with me forever, no matter what path God has placed before me. ‘
Much has happened since I began and I feel like a lot has changed, both in my surroundings as well as within myself. I have seen things that I have only heard about; and I have seen much that I have never even imagined to be true. I have seen what I can only describe as some surreal movie or dream. Walking through jungle-type foliage, and wondering through poverty-stricken towns I feel like I will wake up at any moment and see that this was all a dream, but I know that will never happen. This is real; this sadness, sickness and garbage-filled life is the reality for many Guatemalans. This past week I have found myself stepping back and trying to take everything in. I know that for most of us this is a once in a lifetime experience, and keeping that in mind is sometimes a struggle. It would be so easy to just distract ourselves from what is actually happening and from the people that we are meeting. We can fall in to the trap that many of us fall in to in our everyday lives. Back in the States we drive around our hometowns and pass homeless people almost daily. We had this discussion last night about how many times we pass people in need and what we are going to do about that. Many of us realized that it is not okay for us to just turn away and pretend that they are not there. It is not right for us to make excuses as to why we don’t help them. But that is a reality for many of us. It is not something that we may want to accept but that is what happens so often. We cannot go back and change the past; we cannot do things over again. The only thing that we can control at this point is what we decide to do with out future encounters with the poor and needy. Life throws us many different situations and we must do our best to live in the now.
This trip has been a shock for many, myself included, but we can’t get down on ourselves for our failure to act in the past. That will not DO anything. We all make mistakes and they must be dealt with each individually. But now is a time for us to DO. Now is not the time for despair and self-torment over our faults. We can’t dwell on the past any longer. Look at Peter in the Gospels; he lacked the courage and faith to follow Christ when he desperately needed him. He made a mistake, he denied The Savior three times yet in the end, he knew he made a mistake and he DID something about it. He did not dwell on the past, he admitted his fault and took action. He regained courage in the Lord and became an instrument of Christ. I believe that we all have a similar calling, and that is to be an instrument for Christ. We all have different God-given talents and we have an obligation to use them for the betterment of those suffering. It should be hard for us to go to sleep at night knowing we pasted up the poor on the street corner, it should bother us that it took a trip down to Guatemala in order for our eyes to be opened to the destitute at home. We shouldn’t have to take a trip to a different country in order for us to see that every time we pass up the poor we are passing up Christ. He is in every single person, every human being and when it comes down to it the only thing that matters is how we loved those whom we came in contact with. It is through loving God’s creations that He reveals Himself to us. It is through love that we will find Him and how we can become close to Him. If we can’t connect with the Lord then all our relationships with those around us will be lacking. If we can’t love we can’t have a relationship with Him. Our relationship with Christ is and should be the center of our lives. Everything else stems from our closeness with Him. If we can’t find Him in those on the street corners and in the “bad” parts of town then how do we expect to find Him when He comes again. We all have things in our life we need to change and what better time is there to change then the present.
This trip to Guatemala has been amazing; it has been filled with amazing people and memories that I will never forget. I have laughed and been put in check by what I see. I have thought more about life and what God’s vocation for me is here and I think that is one reason I am here. I also want to share my experience with those of you who can’t see what I have. Much needs to be done for these people and it starts with telling their story. I don’t think I have seen this much love and willingness to serve ever and it is truly beautiful. I am thankful for this opportunity to be here and I hope that I can share even a little of what I have learned.
Peace to all and thanks for all the prayers and support,
Sincerely in Christ,
James Winegart

Speaking English

If you have been keeping up with this blog, then you have heard a lot of generalities about the people here. I want to take this opportunity to tell you the story of a boy named Francisco. I met him yesterday on our hike up the mountains. He is 16 years old and is in his 4th year at La Asuncion. Francisco touched me in a very special and different way than any of the other kids I’ve met so far. He is very humble and very genuine. Francisco is one of 6 children in his family; he has 3 sisters and 2 brothers. He told me his dream is to teach English. He was the first person who I really had the opportunity to communicate with because he spoke a little bit of English. He spent 3 years studying English in Guatemala City and when he finishes at La Asuncion he would like to continue on to the university in Guatemala City. He told me another dream of his is to travel to the United States in order to get better at his English, and then come back to Guatemala, his home, to teach. However, he recognized how difficult that would be, and knew his parents didn’t have the means to do so.
The difference in Francisco and the other children was how he treated us. I have literally felt like a celebrity here. I mean the children at the school would line up to get their picture taken with us. But Francisco did not. He genuinely wanted to get to know us and told me he liked talking with me to practice his English. There isn’t much opportunity for him to do that here; very few people speak any English. I spent most of the 4 hours we hiked with him, and the whole time, he just wanted to learn more and more. In return to me helping him with English, he helped me with my Spanish, and probably more so than anything I could teach him. I saw God very much in this young man, in his humble heart and genuine spirit. And he will always hold a very special place in my heart.

I pray that Francisco continues to shoot for his dream and that he finds success it doing so.

Please pray for my friend Francisco!
“Even if you shoot for the moon and miss, you’ll land upon a star” -unkown

Hasta luego!

Kelsey Rohm

Leaving the Mission

Hello!

Today is our last day at the mission. From here we will be leaving for Lake Atitlan and Antigua. We want to keep updating the blog but I am not sure of the internet service we will have access to. I know many more students are waiting for the computer so they can write before we leave, so you will have more to read later tonight or tomorrow morning. Heavy rains knock out internet service here in the evening so it is hard to say when we can post if it isn’t in the morning.

This morning we spent the day driving very high up into the mountains to a village called Palaca. Three years ago when we visited this village the bridge was knocked out from Hurricane Stan. The bridge is now rebuilt which shows progress. We climbed around on the rocks and took in some of the beauty Guatemala has to offer.

When we leave here it will be very challenging to stay focused on our trip because we will be going to tourist destinations. My hope is that it allows us to see the separation between areas where economic development is possible and areas such as we are in that struggle with economic development. On our way, we will be stopping by the New Ulm, MN Diocesan Mission at the the Lake. They have a coffee coop that allows them to take out the middle person in exporting coffee. They can roast and bag their coffee right at the mission and then export it for sale in the U.S. My hope is that this will allow us to think about the ways in which we can help the people of this country in something as simple as making sure the coffee we drink each day is Fair Trade.

Thanks Again for Reading!!!

Peace,
Colleen

Tonight we will be celebrating Laura’s 20th birthday with a cake and some Fireworks (which is custom here).

Final Thoughts

Final thought:

Sometimes it is hard to explain to people the idea and meaning of an immersion trip. Before we left, many asked us “What are you going to do in Guatemala” or “What are you going to build in Guatemala?” To answer “We are going to build friendships” does not explain the depth or meaning behind this statement.

During this past week we have talked with the Guatemalan people and spent time with the poor. We were invited into their homes, met their families, and heard their stories. We laughed and cried together. We sang, played games, shared pictures, and danced together. We shared meals, and went to Mass. We held their children in our arms and we became friends. We learned the truth about poverty and we ended up with more questions than answers. Did we make a difference? Yes, love always does. Did we make a change? Yes, it was within.

Ask me what we did in Guatemala and I will tell you “we built friendships” and I believe it was the most valuable, lasting, and worthy thing we could have built.

Patrick Harris

What is a Moose?

Today I woke up feeling a little bit sick, but thankfully, after a four-hour siesta I was feeling quite a bit better. I decided to sit out on the patio and enjoy the “quiet” (which would definitely not be considered quiet at home) and try to get feeling all the way better for the mothers day celebration the youth were putting on at the mission this afternoon. Five minutes after I sat down three girls came walking around the corner and sat down on the bench next to me and began asking me questions. Talking with these girls turned my day right around and somehow got me feeling better than any medication could have.
The children that came today were filled with so much joy; joy that can brighten anyone’s day. As some others and myself were visiting with the kids, they took a great interest in Colleen’s laptop that was sitting on my lap. I was going to begin writing this blog, but had no idea what to share with all of you, there is so much that we have experienced here. As they were staring at foreign words on the screen, Colleen had the idea to show them pictures of Montana. We showed them pictures of Legendary Lodge, Carroll, Glacier Park…beautiful pictures of our home that has a landscape so different from the place they know. I was struck by how different the world I grew up in was from what these children knew when a picture of a moose head came up and one girl asked if it was a horse. I am able to speak some Spanish, but trying to explain what a moose is posed a rather difficult task. I told them that it was bigger than a horse, to which they replied, oh, giraffe? Ah, not quite, shorter than that. Logically, the next animal they came up with was elephant, which isn’t quite the ideal description of a moose either. I ended up telling that a moose is an animal similar to a horse, but larger.
The language barrier that exists here creates a challenge with every encounter, but the people here are so patient and willing to help us understand. The kids especially have been wonderful teachers. The girls who came and visited with me today will never know that they made my day. Their excitement and curiosity about the cold place called Montana, their patience with my poor Spanish, and their smiles that cross any language barrier are lessons that I will always remember.
God Bless,
Kellie Kalbfleisch

Photos!

Hey everyone, here are some photos from the trip thus far.

Understanding Infastructure

Guatemala has been very interesting for me. I have been to many different villages and areas like this in Mexico before and have seen many of the things that are happening in Guatemala. It is amazing to me how kind and generous people are here. They are willing to give us so much and they have so little. They make us feel like celebrities and they really have no reason to do so much for us. At the school we were given two meals that had meat in them. This is such a big deal for them since they never eat meat with any meals and we received two meals with meat in one day. They also cleaned the pool for us and picked up around the school so it was a lot cleaner.
One thing that has bothered me is the lack of infrastructure and the education system in Guatemala. The lack of infrastructure bothers me the most in that they waste so much of the Federal funding on useless projects. An example of this is on our hike yesterday when we were walking along the trail and saw a brick lined road that was only about 100 feet long and out in the middle of no where. Why can’t they use this funding to help clean their water supply or figure out a better option for the trash they just throw everywhere? Everywhere you look there is trash. People here have no care and I blame most of this on the government. The reason for this is that they have no where to put the trash and the government doesn’t educate them on how to take care of it. With the education part I see many flaws in it. Once a teacher has tenured they don’t even have to show up to get paid and don’t even have to show up to class. The government here only provides free education until middle school and once in high school they have to pay for it, which many families can’t afford.
I am still trying to find the source of this problem with the lack of infrastructure and the education system. The source that I keep coming to is that it is the government’s fault. The government here seems very corrupt. They waste their money on very poor infrastructure including roads, electricity, building and they don’t even have money some times to pay their federal employees like the police. At night the wattages goes down because they do not have enough electricity because the power lines were so poorly made.
Growing up I have always wondered why my Aunt Mary who is a US ambassador always stressed to us and told us how hard it was to get stuff accomplished with a government that is not willing to truly help its people with its true needs. She has always told me that I should expand my thinking and not just look at things from one perspective, but rather look at things from many perspectives. I think the government is the major issue with Guatemala and I have no idea on how to change it. The main way we can promote this change is through educating the children so that they will become aware of these issues and to help solve these major problems.
At the Mission we have learned so much not only about the people in Guatemala, but different situations that have happened. The people here are so generous and are willing to help us so much. We have witnessed so much here from the poverty of the people to a little kid trying to pick pocket us. This Mission provides so much for the people here whether it is educating them, helping them in the medical center, or providing them with a source of faith. However, this Mission is just a crutch for Guatemala and doesn’t help the long term outcome for this country. We keep hearing here that the big problems are up to Guatemala to solve. I hope that I will continue to learn about this country on this trip and will try to find the many answers to all the questions I have.

Sincerely,
Mathew Carlin

Sunday!

Once again thank you to so many people who have been praying for us.  I must say I am humbled to read the comments from people.  Please know that we are being served, welcomed, and taken care of far more than we are serving in any way. We are very thankful for the hospitality we are shown.

Today is a more laid back day for everyone.  Several of us are feeling sick and appreciating the opportunity to rest.  Today is market day in Santo Tomas so quite a few of the students have walked the four blocks up the street to check things out.  Last night we went to mass and walked home in an incredible rain storm with water pouring down on us.  We once again sang when the Saints Go Marching in at the end of mass.

In our reflection last night we talked a lot about responsibility.  Seeing so much here does bring up the question of what responsibility we have toward the poor in our communities, country, the world.  As I leave my room each day it is getting harder and harder for me to see the beggars waiting for Fr. Hazelton.  Yet it is getting easier and easier to be tempted to not recognize them or say hello because they are always there.  This really bothers me.  I am reminded of Jesus telling us that the poor you will always have with you.  It is not enough for me to say that in some way we are all poor…  that lets me off the hook too easily.  Yet, to think about responsibility can be overwhelming because there is so much need and no easy answer on how to respond to that need.  I do know that seeing them as people of God is first and foremost the most important response.

We also talked a lot about immersion.  There is no where we can go here and not see the suffering present on the streets and in the villages.  In every way we are affected by it yet in every way we are welcomed and treated well here.

This afternoon we will go to a Mother’s Day celebration.  Even though Mother’s day was last week they still celebrate it here with the mothers and children.  It is hopeful to see in the midst of so much suffering there is still an importance to celebrate.  People here will put on hold other things in order to celebrate.. that is one difference I see in this culture from our own.  We do not take the time to celebrate in this way.  The way that our schedules and commitments guide our lives is almost non existent here.  Things here run day by day and each day the priorities and celebrations are different.  This makes it difficult to plan but I am starting to realize planning is a very American thing to do.  I don’t see it as good or bad but just as a difference in cultures.

Anyway, that is enough for now.  I know more students plan to write today!

Peace,

Colleen

Theft

We have seen and met many kind, friendly, and generous people during our past five days in Guatemala. Right now, however, I am frustrated.

Most of us went for a hike this morning.  After our hike and eating lunch, many of us went up to the office to buy weavings, purses, and bags. I came along and had my first experience with the beggars that approach Fr. Hazelton.

As I approached the office there were many people waiting around the yard.  Many of our students were gathered around a table inside the building choosing which goods they wanted to buy.  I went through the gate to look at the goods too and sat down to wait for the crowd of students to clear before I did my shopping.  As I sat in the chair, Fr. Hazelton arrived in his blue Landcruiser.  The crowd on the lawn immediately surrounded the vehicle, almost preventing him from getting out.  The crowd moved with him as he walked to unlock the gate to his residence.  He spoke to them as he entered and as they clung to the gate, hearing their requests.  He then walked into his office, closed the door, and returned two minutes later to listen to them again.  I felt very awkward sitting behind Fr. Hazelton as the people begged to him from the other side of the gate.  As much as I am sympathetic for their poverty and needs, I am getting frustrated by the amount of time they are spending for the opportunity to beg.

Some of the students have been staying in this same building that the beggars gather around, seeing the same people appear every day.   Some of the Carroll people who did not go hiking today spent some of the morning playing with the children of one of the families that has been on the grounds all week.  After a few hours of play, one of the children has been attempting to steal from some of us.  Some of us were surprised by it and some of us were mad about it.  I think it makes us feel like every child’s smile or wave that we have received so far has been deceptive, an attempt to take advantage of us.  For now, I think most of us are hurt and a little less trusting.

Samuel Hunthausen

Buenos Dias from Guatemala!

The other day we piled into the back of two trucks and headed up a twisty, rough, crazy road to Palacal.  We passed through a few towns during the hour long drive—this has probably been the most eye-opening experience of the trip for me so far.  All of the people, both adults and children, greeted us as we drove by.  We waved and shouted “hola!” and tried to take pictures of the smiling children.  I have never felt so welcomed in my life.

A couple of days ago we had the opportunity to see the Clinica Maxena.  The differences between healthcare in the U.S. and Guatemala are staggering.  At the clinic, we met a woman in her 80’s who had compound fractured her femur two months ago.  She had no family to help her so she had been staying at the clinic.  This week she was able to try walking again—for the first time in two months!  Despite all of this, the woman was smiling and waving at us from her bed—this ultra enthusiastic wave involved her entire arm, not just her hand and wrist!!!  However, only a few minutes later we saw a woman who was at the clinic with her malnourished baby.  She didn’t smile and didn’t make eye contact.  It broke my heart to finally witness the pain and sadness so many Guatemalans are experiencing.

Yesterday we spent the day at La Asuncion, the Catholic school started by Father Hazelton.  As soon as we jumped out of the trucks we were greeted with smiles and hugs from the students.  We spent the day touring the school and attempting to interact with the students and teachers in Spanish.  Of course while we were trying to improve our Spanish, the students were trying to practice their English (I found myself answering their questions in Spanish, even though they had asked me in English!)  Although the entire day was filled with special moments to remember, my favorite was playing basketball with the students.  At first we played a U.S. versus Guatemala game, but then we decided to mix up both teams.  Since we really had no easy way of distinguishing our own team from the other, we were forced to really learn each other’s names and faces.  My Guatemalan teammates were Feliciano, Frederico, Maria, and Gloria.  It was incredible to feel the connection with the Asuncion students, despite the very obvious language barrier.  We passed to one another, cheered, and congratulated.

To end on a funny note, I gotta tell a story about my sad attempt to communicate in Spanish.  Before mass, a 15 year-old boy started talking to me.  It had started to rain and we were talking about how beautiful it is in Guatemala when it rains.  I was trying to say it is more beautiful than the U.S.  I used the word “meyor,” which means older instead of the word “mejor” which means better.  Oops.  After realizing that this made absolutely no sense, I tried to tell the boy that I was trying my best to speak in Spanish.  I said, “Estoy tragando!!” (I’m trying).  The boy kindly informed me that the correct verb is “tratar” and not “tragar” because tragar means swallow.  So I basically said “I’m swallowing” instead of “I’m trying.” Oops again!!!  I will never forget the boy’s confused face.  We got a pretty good laugh out of this and continued teaching each other Spanish and English.

Okay, I think its time for a nap now  Adios!!!

Jacey Stahlberg

By the way, banana spiders are huge.