Feb. 24, 2020

We are told there is bad in the world. We are told of war, malnutrition, poverty, starvation. But to what extent do we truly understand how these bad things look in the everyday lives of people who are no different from ourselves? This weekend we got the amazing opportunity to live in the homes of an indigenous family in the Alta Verapaz which in turn allowed us to see a new way of life.

Eighteen white people standing in the back of a pick-up truck, driving through the mountains to arrive at tiny villages to be dropped off with complete strangers who knew little to no Spanish. Sitting at a table surrounded by people gawking at you and kids begging to hear you say the names of items around the room in English. Adults asking question after question, kids giggling at the word “puppy”, people requesting to take a picture with you. A whole swirl of emotions as you try to gain an understanding of the things around you. Dirt floors, no soap to wash your hands, bathrooms that are a hole in the ground, beds that are just wooden boards. And yet, there isn’t a single person to be seen that is not smiling or laughing.

We learn of the bad things, and then we assume that living in those bad things means you live a sad life. But I learned that people find joy in any and all situations. Happiness is universal and doesn’t have limitations. Everyone has the ability to smile or laugh no matter how they live or what challenges they face.

-Julie Crouse