Stuart´s Turn!

    As many of you know the blog has been down for a few days which has forced me to postpone my blog. I will be writing about last Thursday, the 12th.
    We got the chance to do our first official work this day. After breakfast, we loaded up into the back of a Ford pickup modified with an intricate roll-cage type railing system (my new favorite mode of transportation) and drove out to a temporary housing project setup for people whose houses were destroyed in a hurricane. We were assigned the task of moving a large pile of sheet rock from a house to a shed about 100 yards away. I know everyone, myself included was ready to get some work done and it felt good to get some exercise and some sun. After we picked up loose sheet rock and trash all over the area. When we were done we were toured around the area and shown their water system, pilas (outdoor laundry area), and the new latrines they were building.
     Later in the afternoon, we got back in my favorite truck and headed out of town. I was sure to get a prime spot in the front of the truck this time. After a bit of driving we started to climb a mountain road, and drove until we reached a small village near the top of a mountain. We parked the truck and hiked the last 5 minutes up to a small house. We all filed in to a small, dim house with three beds in the corners. We had come to listen to the widow of man who died in the Guatemalan civil war tell the story of her husband´s death. The woman, like many of the indigenous population only spoke K'iche', a narrowly used native language. She would speak, then our guide Andres would translate into Spanish, then Professor Grant would translate into English. It was an awe-inspiring scene. Her late husband was the leader of a movement trying to advocate for the rights of the poor in this area. The government targeted him as a suspected communist. They came to his house and shot him through the window of the house we were sitting in. They then came into the house, and shot his wife (our story teller) three times. To be able to hear this story firsthand was an amazing experience for all of us, and I know that we are all grateful for it.

The cooking area of the house we visited

     This was an amazing day, and I feel like we are learning a lot. Despite all the learning, we are also having a great time. It feels like time is flying by and I know I will be sad to leave.