Guatemala CHOICE Jr Board - February/March 2025

Brian joined the CHOICE Humanitarian Jr. Board this year. Last minute they planned a Jr. Board expedition to a little village in Guatemala. They were able to keep the cost down for the kids and parents were invited to attend. I have always wanted to go to Guatemala, so I asked Brian if he would be good with me tagging along on this trip. I am so glad that I went. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am so grateful I could go with Brian. 

Mark was in Japan and Timmy was in San Diego when Brian and I left. We got everything situated at school and home and took an Uber to the airport at 2:45 AM. We hadn't even met many of the others going on the trip, but we soon got to know each other. There were two advisors and a parent volunteer with us. We arrived in Guatemala City and made our way to the super nice hotel. Brian stayed with another Jr. Board member and I stayed with another advisor/mom. After getting our things situated we walked over to McDonald's next door for a little food.

After some lunch, we walked to a tourist market to look at some souvenirs. That night we met for dinner, instructions and some get to know you activities. Afterward, many got in the hot tub to take advantage of the nice hotel facilities before heading out early the next morning to a remote village without any facilities.

We heard from our expedition leader, Dylan, and the Guatemala in country director Oljer.

We piled onto a bus and headed out for a 10 hour bus ride. The only seats open were in the back when we got on. That was a big mistake for me and Nancy. We both got pretty sick right away. The roads are super winding and bumpy. Nancy and I moved up front after the first stop, but I never recovered. It took a lot of concentration to be okay. Finally we stopped for some lunch at a beautiful restaurant.

After lunch we continued on bumping along and eventually made it to a small city called Chisec. This is the headquarters for CHOICE Guatemala. 

We switched from our bus to this..

Oljer thought it was so funny to have everyone climb in the back. He told us that the ride to the village was about 20 minutes long. It ended up being about an hour and a half.

We paraded through Chisec and moved on out into the beautiful Guatemalan hills.

As dusk set in on our long travel day, we bumped our way into the beautiful village of Sesaclech!

The whole village was waiting for us and ready to provide a sweet welcome with traditional dancing and songs and then dancing into the night.

After hours of dancing, they took us into their church and the CHOICE food team fed us a delicious Guatemalan meal. The villagers were instructed not to come in, so they stood at the door and watched us. We hadn't gotten to know them yet, so there was a lot of curiosity.

We set our beds with the girls in one room of the school house and the boys in another room. We were expecting to sleep on the floor of the school, but any villager that had a bed decided to carry it down to the school for us to borrow while we were there. It was the sweetest thing even though most of the American boys were too long for their beds and would have been more comfortable on the floor. We gratefully accepted and used the beds. Dylan gave us some instruction and we climbed into bed after a very long travel day and exciting night.

The kids were so curious. They were instructed not to come into the building, so they stood at the windows watching us until we went to asleep.

The next morning we were able to get a good look at the project we were there to help fund and inspire the village to complete. This school building was started over 4 years earlier by a government agency and then that agency took the money and left. The village did not have the funds or the knowledge or motivation to continue on and finish it. Many of the girls in the village were not going to school because they did not have enough space in the structures that they already had. When CHOICE came to see if the village had a project we could help with, the entire village said they wanted help finishing this school.

As I walked around the village center on this quiet early morning, I was struck by how peaceful and beautiful this place was. The community obviously took very good care of their church and soccer field. Community was so important to them and you could see how much they cared about each other. There was a whole kitchen by the the church and they come together each week to worship and eat and play soccer. 

There were a few latrines around the community center. I love how they spread white powder along the edges of the paths so we could see where we were going.

Soon the curious kids started showing up. They wanted to be with us, but they were timid and unsure.

Then enough village men showed up to start work on the school. CHOICE wants the villagers to take the ownership of their project. We were not there to do all the actual building but to provide the money and support and a time to gather the village together and get it done within a few days. The roof and scrubbing the walls for painting were the first items of business.

While a few people went into town to get the paint, the rest of us took some time for some intercultural exchange and time to get to know the kiddos. Bubbles were a huge hit!

Brian's favorite was playing soccer with the boys!

Games like Red Rover and London Bridges were a hit with everyone else that did not want to play soccer.

Then it was time for lunch! The cooking team did such an amazing job with the food. It was so nice not to have to make it ourselves and it was so delicious!

The bright pink paint arrived and we all got to work getting those cinder blocks painted.

Part way through the painting, Oljer told all the Jr. Board members to stop and go put on their swimsuits he was taking them to a surprise. We all piled into the truck and headed out for a little drive. We arrived at the very cool river cave. Brian climbed right down in there ready to explore.

He was the first one to jump in and swim back into this cool cave full of stalactites and bats!

Then everyone else made it to the end of the cave and jumped in and went swimming.

It was such a fun experience and a cool place way out in the middle of nowhere in Guatemala.

When we first arrived to the cave, there were these women washing their clothes at the river at the mouth to the cave. Oljer talked to them. One of the women owned the property. Oljer paid her to let us into the cave. She was so proud to have us all there.  

When we got back to the village, the villagers had almost finished all the painting. Some of the kids felt bad that they weren't there to help. Later that night, we had a meeting together and Dylan and Oljer talked about how important it is that the people in the village take ownership of the work. They should be doing most of the work and learning how to complete it and how to work together to accomplish something great. Taking us to the cave when they did was planned by Oljer and Dylan to provide space for the villagers to take charge and ownership.

Because the men were really taking over the construction and painting, we decided to go play with the kids again.

When it got dark, we chased lightening bugs around the soccer field, ate some dinner, had a meeting as a group and went to bed.

The next morning was just as beautiful and so fun to see the progress on the school building.

It was always hazy in the little valley especially in the mornings because all the women did their cooking outside. So there were many fires going and the smoke would settle in the cooler morning.

We met with Dylan and got our instructions for the day. 

We finished painting inside and then started the idea the Jr. Board came up with to put everyone's handprints into a big tree on the wall.

Oljer is the one on the right and the one on the left is another member of the CHOICE team. The kids were the boys that were always around. I think their dad's are leaders in the village helping with the project. 

The trunk of the tree was started!

We started painting the villagers hands. Even the older women were so excited to be a part of this.

The kids lined up and everyone else stood to watch. 

These boys really loved Brian. 

While we were working on the school, many of the women got together at the kitchen near the church to cook a meal for the entire village and the expedition members.

I helped them put together the tamales wrapped in banana leaves

They prepared many chickens and cooked them in soup.

They also made a huge pot of hot chocolate completely homemade from the cocoa beans they grew.

We all met in the church and around the church for a village lunch.

It was such an honor to be a part of this village lunch. We all said a prayer together before the lunch and I could see so much faith in these people. 

After lunch some of us kept working on the school hand tree and others did some things with the children. I brought a bunch of little scratch off papers. The kids found little sticks and went to making really fun pictures. Even the adults wanted to get in on the fun. 

Some of the CHOICE team decided to paint the Guatemalan National Quetzal bird with an American Eagle.

The hand tree was coming along!

We were supposed to mix and pour cement for the floor, but the company that was supposed to bring it did not show up so we had to leave it unfinished.

The next week after we left, Oljer sent us these pictures. The cement company came and the villagers finished the floor. It is fun to see in completed!

The sun started to go down and it was time to wrap up our time in the village. The boys played soccer until the sun went down.

The rest of us watched and enjoyed each other's company.

We danced and danced.

We went and had our last dinner and meeting as a CHOICE group in the village.

Then joined the villagers in more dancing.

And more dancing.

We took a group photo.

And said our goodbyes.

We left at 5:00 AM the next morning while the village was still asleep. We arrived in Chisec at the sun was just coming up. Brian took this picture as we were walking to the market while waiting for our bus to arrive at the CHOICE headquarters.

After visiting the market we got on the bus and headed to a tourist attraction. On the way we stopped for traditional Guatemalan breakfast.

We finally made it to Semuc Champey. A cool place with river pools and waterfalls in the mountains.

We played and swam and hiked and Brian and Mac almost died jumping off a huge waterfall and they got swept away in the fast part of the river. We were blessed that they were okay and they made it back to the hotel. After all that in one day we had a lovely dinner together. Jack open his mission call and we enjoyed each other's company.

The next morning we packed up and took the long bus ride back to Guatemala City.

On our way back Oljer bought everyone some pretty tasty ice cream. It was delicious. We only had a brief evening in the capitol city and then headed to the airport early the next morning. It was a packed and quick trip, but an experience that will stay with me forever and I hope Brian too.