Hola from Tamahu!

We have been having such a blast here, from dancing in the downpour with the kids to visiting the malnutrition center. Today we visited two schools and felt like stars in both, we sang songs with them and had a great time playing together! We are now playing with more kids in the courtyard, and feeling sad that our awesome adventure is coming to an end! See you all soon!

The Clifford Twins

Tamahu Day 4!

Hi everyone in the United States,
     We don¨t have a lot of time in this tiny yellow internet cafe, but here is a recap of our day:
BreakFEAST was delicious and our hike up the moutnain was invigorating in the heat today. While Alturo  (our guide) worked on the roof with the father of our family with Dan C. and Malcolm T., the rest of us played with the children we have come to love in Tamahu.

It is dinner time, so we have to run.  The internet has not been very reliable today, sorry for the short message.

-Izzy, Kim, and Cam

Group 3´s Day of Work

Today, group 3 returned to our worksite 45 minutes down the road from Tamahu. The house is almost done as all the walls and the roof are built. We worked on making the cement for the floor and the foreman took over distributing cement on one half of the floor and smoothing it ,so we finished work at around noontime. We only have to finish the floor now. We then decided to play with the kids at our worksite. They love looking at their own pictures and we tried to teach them some English (they only know how to say goodbye so far). I mostly played with some kids named Pito, Juan Monolo, Eddie, Londo, and Allebal. Juan Monolo actually learned my name and would not stop saying "Cam". When it was time to depart, the kids followed us all they way down the hill shouting goodbye. About halfway through our trip back to the church in Tamahu, we hitched a ride from the police all they way back to the center of town in the back of their truck. Tomorrow is market day and I want to finish our house and visit the malnutrition center. Tamahu is beautiful and everyone is so nice.

Day 1 of work!

Day 1 Group 1: Swag erupts as we strut up the mountains, todos (everyone) watching as we get closer and closer. Mad people look at us and smile or say hola, but we just carry onward with water in our bags and happiness in our hearts. Upon arrival, theres a roof and an outlined foundation of a single room home, but  inside there´s the skeleton of a charred home. First we brought all the wood from the previous development down the diveted steps with the help of the owner and contractor  Francisco and Ermilindo. Francisco's wife and daughter, Irma, helped Ella and I sort out the wood that wasn't infected with termites and sent it up the steps to their future home. Banging out the job like nobody's business, we took on the challenge with ease, creating three walls and removing the entire insde within one day, and even getting to leave early. Ms. Hallihan told us the story of the family before we left. Francisco's first two children died, and now he lives his wife and two daughters. We are all so honored to be able to give this family a home they deserve, when we all take our lavish ones back in scimass for granted. To our families back home, we love you all, and this place is the most beautiful thing we have ever seen.  We're blessed to experience it and the people that live here. Thank you all for the support and helping us get here, for me, I already know this trip has changed me forever. We all love and miss you, keep it tru back in the states! #stayratchet #group1 #lovemollpalmkillaswag #andtherestofgroupone #butmollywrotethis #ella #jonny #nikki #maddie #alex #mshalihan #eileen # peaceoutdoe

Quick post to say that we have arrived in Tamahu.  Everyone enjoyed a hike up to the furthest work site.  It's been a fun day exploring the town.  Due to Easter, no Internet cafes are open, but you can expect a longer post from the students tomorrow.  Happy Easter!

Scituate High School Student Volunteers Are About To Make A Meaningful Difference In The Lives Of the Poor of Tamahu, Guatemala! (2014)

After months of preparations, lots of fundraising, and receiving an outpouring of school supplies, our 26 high school student volunteers and group leaders are very excited to make our way to Tamahu veeery early on Saturday morning! We are looking forward to seeing our beloved friends and to serve them with open hearts, warm smiles, and great big hugs!  

To follow our week of service and fellowship, check this blog daily beginning on Sunday, April 20th.  Our teen volunteers will be posting accounts of their daily activities and experiences (hopefully photos too!).

Please keep us and the people of Tamahu in your prayers!

Greetings from Scituate!

We have arrived home safely last Saturday and have been slowly acclimating to life back here in the States. Our journey was smooth, and most of our travelers slept all the way home. Over the last several days, we have been catching up on news here and settling back into our routines. But there's a strong undercurrent from the experience - these students will never look at the world in the same way, and neither will I.

 As a teacher at Scituate High School, I have the distinct pleasure of seeing many Mir Pace volunteers (current and former) in the hallways and classrooms. Those who traveled to Tamahu in the past reminisce with those who have just returned. It's beautiful and inspiring to see everyone's face light up as they exchange stories and talk about how they already can't wait to go back. This year's trip was remarkable, and I consider it a tremendous honor to have been able to work with such wonderful individuals with a passion for helping others.

 On the journey home, those who managed to stay awake spent some time writing reflections on their experiences. Cliff and Jane started a list of lessons from Guatemala, and others added to it. I'd like to share it with you.

 The Things I Learned in Guatemala....
 -how to kill a cockroach and dispose of the body
 -how to enjoy being drenched in sweat and covered in dirt
 -how to wrestle and subdue 10 small children at once
 -ALWAYS start with the 'usted' form (formally addressing strangers)
-hills are brutal
-water = best friend
 -be happy with what you have -break in your hiking boots before!
-I love my family
-Go on a bug raid BEFORE you get into bed. Every night.
 -Sun hats are COOL.
-Chickens love cockroaches.
-Roosters are terrible at telling time.
-TURDUCKENS (ie, they exist)
-how to speak Spanish/effectively fake it
-Asian kids live in Tamahu too
-how to wash clothes
-what a marimba is
-how to make coffee with a water bottle and tea bag
-how to get kids to cooperate (with gum)
-I am pathetically out of shape
-wearing no makeup for a week IS possible
-zip up all of your belongings before someone else makes a home out of them
-dogs wait until I am sleeping to bark.

 While we are grateful, as always, for our own beds and for the comfort of family and friends, our hearts linger in Tamahu. This having been my third trip there with Mir Pace, I can say with sincerity that I look forward to each visit. Many, many thanks to Mir Pace for another remarkable experience with the people of Tamahu. Many thanks to Fr. Philippe for hosting us, making us laugh, and of course always seeking to help the poorest of the poor in Tamahu (you inspire us all). Many thanks to the students, for your hard work, compassion, patience and kindness. And even though it's a distinctly American value, we love that you showed up everywhere on time (especially at the airport). To the parents - we know you took a huge leap of faith in trusting that we would take care of your children. Many thanks from us and the people of Tamahu for your trust and generosity in lending out your children. They inspired us daily and even moved me to tears with their compassion and concern. Many thanks to John, Annette, Samantha, Ryan, and Janice for lending such guidance and experience to the trip. I hope your muscles have recovered from those intense hikes.

 And finally, thank you to Eileen, Mir Pace, and all the others who make this amazing opportunity possible.

Hola de Daisy, Isabel, Fiona, Kathryn, and Charlotte! We are leaving today in about in an hour and we all wish that we could stay longer. We´ve packed up our things, scrubbed our houses and much to the children´s chagrin said our goodbyes. It´s a beautiful day in the mountains, and Isabel is already crying because she doesn´t want to leave. (Just kidding, I hope). Last night we had a dance party with all the kids and some nice spanish music. It was the best send off anyone could have imagined. This trip has been such an awesome experience for all of us, and truly changed not only how we view the world but also how we live in it. As all of us are newbies, we are all so glad that we took the chance to travel to another culture and spend our April vacation in the service of others that really need our help. Though I can´t say I´ll miss freezing cold showers outside and the nightly spider raids before bed, I will miss the breakfast conversations of the heroic achievements (cockroach kills) and stories of Jill dancing in her sleep. I´m going to miss the friends I made here but I´ll always have the memories (and the thousands of pictures I took). Well, that´s all I have to say about that. See you on saturday!!!!! Love, Daisy, Isabel, Fiona, Kathryn and Charlotte

Last Full Day

Hello from Brendan! Today was the last full day in Tamahu. Some of us switched groups, and some went to the school. I was able to go on the farthest hike today. It was a great experience and we had a beautiful of the mountains the entire time. I was able to take a lot of pictures of the scenery. The houses are almost completely done. We all enjoyed the day and have really loved this entire experience. We all have pictures from throughout the week that everyone will be able to share with each other. Tomorrow morning we will be attending the mass led by Father Philippe. After breakfast we will be leaving Tamahu to go to the hotel in Guatemala City. We will see you all on Saturday evening!

HOLA

Hey from Lindsay Zappolo!! We^are having a great time her in Tamahu. Today was market day, and almost everyone bought something, whether it be the beautiful traditional skirts, or a simple handmade bracelet. The people are being very welcoming of us, always greeting us with a Buenas dias and a smile. They really appreciate all we do, and how hard we try to speak with them, play with the kids, and respect their culture. A few people were able to visit the school today, and a few more will go tomorrow. Four of us, including me, we able to go to Tactic, another nearby city, with Father to run some errans. It was great to see another area of Guatemala. Tomorrow, many will be returning to their sites to finish the concrete floors. Hope everyone at home is have a great week, and all of us cannot wait to see our friends and families again. Much love, Lindsay, and group

Hola from Shannon and Charlotte! Today group number one climbed up their mountain to finish putting the walls up on our house! We all found out that hitting things with hammers is really fun... a little too much fun. The family is really starting to warm up to us today especially when they saw we had gum for them. It was really hot but we managed to do it with help from our guide Roberto, who has a lot of patience for us Americans. The way back to our house we were bombarded with a lot of little children who really like to give hugs and take our gum. The kids are the best part of this trip.. they are all up to no good, but their mischevious smiles are too cute. I am having alot of fun, and secretly dont want to come home, sorry family.... Love Shannon :) Tamahu is a beautiful place was my first thought when we drove into the town late saturday night. My second was not to breathe in too deeply, for fear of what I would smell. These people really do need our help and we are trying our best to do so. Today group number 2 (first is the worst, second is the best, right?) finished putting the tin roof on the house and also created a monster out of the little boy by giving him a tennis ball which he promptly began throwing off the walls of the new house. Oops. The family was very shy but today they opened up a little bit more when we gave them handmade bracelets. We are settling into our routine here in town which much to my chagrin has given me time to realize that everything my parents suggested me to bring I actually needed. Who knew I would actually need underwear? Just kidding, Shannon made me write that. But really, sorry Mom and Dad about refusing the coban wrap, the purell, and the bandana, it turns out that you guys know more about packing then I do. Well, Shannon is rashing on me for how long this is so..... Adios! Te amo familia, Charlotte

Hey everyone, its Rebecca Clifford! We had an AWESOME day today! Our three groups went up into the mountains to begin building the houses and we got to meet the families who these houses are for. Everyone is super friendly here, especially the little kids who are so adorable! We had pasta for dinner and a birthday cake for Hannah. We are taking tons of pictures and videos of this beautiful place for you all back home! We love you and miss you!

Hey everyone its hannah smalls and this is our first full day in Tamahu! It was a long voyage and we have lots of work ahead of us but i cant wait! I miss you so much mom and i hope you can see this. See everyone in the states in a week! Its sunny and 80 and im 18 and i couldn^t ask for a better place than Guatemala Peace and Love Hannah

They're On Their Way

After many months of tireless but very energized meetings and fundraising efforts, and after a bit of a "New England" weather delay, our teen volunteers are now in flight and on their way to Tamahú, Guatemala!  The flight is now scheduled to arrive at 1:00pm into Guatemala, and they are sure to be pretty tuckered out by the time they arrive into Tamahú later this evening, so I'm thinking we can begin enjoying their posts tomorrow (Sunday).  I can't wait to follow their journey!

Welcome home and a HUGE thank you to our remarkable leaders and teen volunteers! Mir Pace was again blessed with an extraordinary and very special group of volunteers who participated in this past week's service program in Tamahú, Guatemala. We are grateful for the sacrifices they and their families made, and we applaud each and every one of them for their patience, flexibility, tireless efforts, and unremitting exuberance. Our teens came together in truly inspiring ways to accomplish the work we set out to do! Yet, it was not the gift of a new home or school supplies or medicines that mattered most; it was the gift of yourselves - your presence, your laughter, your compassion, your love and your joy that touched the hearts of so many in Tamahú. They will never forget you and we are forever grateful to you! Welcome home and congratulations on a job well done!

Hi! We arrived at the hotel at precisely 4:32 and 6 seconds after a long, tight, and humid bus ride. People were sweating all over each other and by the end of it I could not feel my rear end. Tears streaming down my cheeks and wimpers crawling up my throat but after 3 boxes of kleenex I managed to pull myself together. As we left Tamahu we all agreed how fast the time went by. The first half of the ride was fine, everyone chatting, kids playing games such as madlibs. We stopped for a quick bite to eat and to stretch because our mouths were salivating like kid in front of cake. Soon enough we were back on the road and the kids started to sing songs in a horrible tone deaf manner unable to finish a single song.  Finally we arrived in the city where the scenary changed from mountain tops to shanty covered tops :( We then arrived at the hotel to shower, relax and shop. We then ate a nice buffet dinner. Cant wait to wake up at 3:30!

xoxo yours truly,
                  Conor <3

Hey everyone! We´re leaving from Tamahu today. Just wanted to check in with you all. We are safe and we will contact you when we get to the hotel in Guatemala City.
From William and Jonny

Hola!!!!! Today was our second day at our respective work sites. Everyone has come back with amazing stories about their hard days work. The group with the two hour climb was pleasantly surprised to find their house to have a foundation when they arrived in the morning. They spent their day leveling the foundation of the house and patio as well as laying cinder blocks for the base of the house. One of the other groups had a great day in the mountains mixing cement and pouring the foundation into the trenches they dug yesterday. They were disappointed to end the day a bit early however, due to rain. After we returned to Tamahu, a couple of kids went to visit babies at the malnutrition center. The babies were very cute but their condition was a bit shocking. One of the babies, Orlando, loved to be held and seemed to be doing well. Right now the group is all hanging out, we are all getting along very well and will probably head over to the stadium soon to play some soccer with the local kids. We are sad that we only have one full day left in Tamahu, and disappointed that we may not get to see our houses to completion, but we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to help in the house building process.

All our love,
Nicole, Sheila, and Cori

p.s. Haley refuses to blog but says hi. 

Hey everyone, it's been a really good, but really long day. The whole group split up into three smaller ones, and our group got to repeat the two hour hike up one of the mountains. Today, we began to dig the foundation for a new home for a family. The family had a bunch of really adorable, entertaining kids that were wicked fun to play with on our breaks. Luckily we made it down before the downpours started. We have the rest of the day to blog, visit the malnutriton center, play soccer with the kids, and just experience Tamahu. We are so lucky to be here and have this experience.  Miss everyone back home, but this is so worth it, such an unforgettable experience. :)

- Sheila and Nicole
P.S. Cori and Jane say hello and their day was awesome too!

¡Hola! After a long night of rain, and losing shoes in the flash floods we woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine. Today our plan was to check out all the sites that we are going to be working on. After a delicous breakfast, we started our first trek up to our first site. The first hike was two hours away, but with beautiful views. When we finally reached the top of the mountain, we met one of the family that we are going to build a home for. One of the children is blind and can not walk or talk. When we came down we finally got to have lunch, as we started to leave for our next expedition it started to thunder. As of right now, we are just hanging out at the school yard playing soccer and basketball. While some of the students went to the malnutrition center visiting the kids. Hope you are enjoying life in Scituate and Sharon! -jillian, jane, kelly, and cori.

p.s. Good luck to my sister Katie who is running the Boston Marathon tomorrow! I am sure you will keep up with the world ranked runners! - love, jillian.