Day 6 Thursday June 10 Highlights

Hello All, I feel asleep without being able to get some pictures up of the day here are a few. One of the highlights yesterday was being able to go to club in the neighborhood where our group has been serving. It was a great experience on many levels. We have made many new friendships. It is so fun to see the students interacting and having fun with people that they met only a few days ago. The friendship and relationship made during the week is clearly one of the highlights.

Blessings, Chad

Day 5 Wednesday, June 8

It is a little after midnight and the bus is going to be picking us up at 6:45 am to head to the job sites. I did want to get a few photos up and let everyone know the students are doing well. We heard the Blackhawks won on the bus on the way home from dinner and had a fun celebration on the bus! Tomorrow will be another day of work more people will be joining us at the compost company that is putting teens from the neighborhood to work. The concrete floor teams are going to be lending us a hand. They have poured 4 floors and are able to help out in other areas. The house is coming along and overall all the work teams are doing well. Thanks for your continued prayers. Thanks, Chad

Day 4 Tuesday, June 8 Guest Blogger

Hola!

I'm Matt Mrozek, a leader on this trip and a recent graduate from Hinsdale Central. This is my fourth Young Life trip down here to Guatemala, and I'm still amazed at the wonderful experience that this trip is. Chad asked me if I would do a "guest post" on the trip blog and share a bit about how my day/trip has been. This year has been a bit different for me as I have an entirely new role as a leader. This position as well as my previous experience have given me a chance to take a step back and see how this experience is effecting others. That said, it has still been incredible for me personally; I had one of the best moments of my life in a reunion on Saturday morning with a little boy I met on the first trip, and today was able to give him a few gifts (see picture below). I'm constantly amazed by the love and joy offered and felt so freely by the people we are helping, and even those who just live in the neighborhood. From my new perspective, it is just as amazing to see the effects these people have on the kids on the trip. As much as I have been moved by the relationships I have developed with the Guatemalans, it is even more impactful to see the new and numerous friendships formed between the Hinsdale kids and the Guatemalans, despite the (sometimes extreme) language barrier as well as the serious differences in culture and background. All the kids have been working hard at their jobs, whether that means mixing concrete, making numerous trips to deliver cinder blocks, digging drainage ditches or performing many other tasks, but somehow they still find time to play with kids, teach them to say "I love you" in English, or have a wrestling match in a pile of compost (not the Stefani you might expect). It's been an amazing week, and yet it's only day four. I can only imagine how the rest of the week will unfold for us down here in Guatemala, but at any rate, Go Hawks!

Matt Mrozek

Day 3 Monday Highlights

Greetings from Guatemala. We began work projects this morning dividing into four work teams. There were three teams in the neighborhood and one helping at the compost company. It was a sunny day and concrete floors were poured, cinder blocks were set in place, trenches dug, some great work and progress was made today. It is late but wanted to get some pictures up. If you don't see a student in a photo we are limited in our picture taking on the work sites the first few days. All the students are enjoying things so far and are doing well. Blessings, Chad

Day 2 Sunday June 6

Day 2 Highlights
Today is Sunday and we were able to rest up from our travel day today. We left this morning at 7:30 am and traveled to visit Mayan Ruins about 2 hours away. (This was a substitute for the Pacaya Volcano hike) We had a great time and as a group hanging out. Many played dodge hack with the ruins providing an interesting playing environment. Dodge Hack is a combo game of hackey sac and dodge ball. There was lots of laughter and competitiveness. We had lunch and devotional group time there and then headed back to city. We were going to play the 3rd annual Vida Joven Soccer Classic. (Hinsdale Group vs people from the neighborhood). This game was postponed due to heavy traffic coming back. In the evening we had dinner with Internet working a little better we listened to the Blackhawks on WGN radio. Great Win! We had dinner and got an overview of the work sites and projects. Brady shared this evening and provided context for our work and appreciation for coming to serve. We are really able to support and help the existing work taking place here in Guatemala. We are excited to make new friendships, learn about a community different from ours back home, work hard, and learn about more about how God has created us unique as individuals for His purpose and for His glory.
Also excited to share a few pictures for you to see your kids and friends.
Chad

We are all hear and safe and things are going really well.

Day 1 Saturday Highlights
We arrived, had a great breakfast, then went st right to the neighborhood and started work. We had a welcome party and got to meet the families we will be serving this week. We mixed concrete by hand and poured the foundation for the house we will be building. Everyone jumped right in and had great attitudes. After work we got settled into our accommodations for the week, went out to the mall for dinner and had some time together as a group to process the day. Overall everything is going well except Internet here as it is really slow and I have been unable to post pictures. I wanted to get an update out. Will keep trying on the photos.
Chad