Today was our final of service and it was incredible. We spent the morning and afternoon working at a Mayan village alongside members of a local church. The service consisted of taking weights and blood pressures for a general physician, assisting a dentist, and helping take notes for a psychiatrist. Also, we spent time working on the construction of the school kitchen.
The time we spent at the village really put into perspective the true meaning of having nothing. Many of the people who came to be examined by the doctors today have not much more than the clothes on their backs. Houses in the village are mostly composed of large sticks with a makeshift cardboard or tin roof. As for running water or electricity anywhere in the village, such amenities do not exist.
Being there today I couldn't help but have a heavy heart as well as an eagerness to do all that I could for these people. The most touching part of the day for me and what brought a little light to what seemed like such a dark place were the two kids I got to spend time with. I rolled a "ball" (rock because that's all we had) with two little boys while there mother was in with the doctor. Both of them were smiling and laughing the entire time. It was amazing to see such joy in their faces when everything about that place seemed so sad. These boys and there mother ended up getting on the bus with us when we left and we dropped them off at their home. Seeing the small stick shack they lived in made their ability to be happy even more incredible. I am so thankful that I was able to spend time with the even if we just threw a rock around.
They taught me an important lesson: No matter what life hands us whether its dirt or gold, we can always find a reason to smile! And I was glad I could be part of their reason to smile. Today truly was an incredible day.
-Jestina, Senior
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