Whalen's Wanderings

 A Mission Trip Involves Two Communities

I've been on some great treks lately up and down rivers and along some small ridges and this is usually enough to inspire me to write.  This week though I want to write about something that is coming up, rather than something I have already done.  This is no small event, at least not for me.  I have been given an incredible opportunity to be part of a Mission Trip to Guatemala, and I will be leaving in two weeks time on May 20^th. 

Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about this trip.  For the first time in my life I have a passport and I will be flying.  I am use to driving or walking every where so this in itself will be culture shock.  That shock will likely not come close to that which I will feel when I reach my destination in north central Guatemala.  With a team from the Atlantic Community Church, I am heading to Villa Hortencia II, a small, rural, mountain, community with a population of about 700 people.

The appeal to me for this mission comes from the fact that the Church is making a long term commitment to the Village in Guatemala.  The goal is to make the community more self sustainable and that speaks loudly for the environmentalist in me.  My own journey of faith has led me down this path and I am ecstatic about the chance to experience another culture, another continent, and to further my understanding of the world we live in.

This trip would not be possible without a good team.  The team is not simply those people who are heading to Guatemala but everyone who has donated time and funds to the team to get us there.  My family has been extremely supportive.  They have never wavered despite the looming time I will spend away from home.  With a big team we will accomplish big things.  The team aspect is important on this trip as well.  The building project we will focus on is to aid in building a sports court.  This court will allow the residents of Villa Hortencia II to participate in a broader range of recreational activities and provide them with a greater sense of community and camaraderie.  

Our path will take us from Apohaqui to Bangor, Bangor to New York City, New York to Huston, and then to Guatemala City.  We then will drive a great distance to Nebaj and from there we will gear up for the drive to Villa Hortencia II.  We have some tech types who are hoping to hook us up to internet services and I hope to blog from there.  One thing for sure, it will likely inspire a few Wandering columns with a global flavor.  Keep reading…you're part of the team.

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