Guatemala Mayterm
This unique Kinesiology Mayterm program serves to introduce students to the complex issues facing Third World countries, as well as exposing students to career opportunities on the mission field. On our last trip, eighteen students from Westmont College traveled with John Moore, professor of Kinesiology and men’s basketball coach, to Guatemala for 3 weeks. Students spent the first week in intensive language school, enhancing their Spanish speaking skills for the task ahead. The next two weeks were spent partnering with a missionary organization called Students International (SI). SI provides educational, health and social services to the Guatemalan people in Antigua and the surrounding villages. Students experienced first hand the career possibilities of therapy, teaching and other allied health fields. Students came away from Guatemala not only with a better understanding of typical career choices for Kinesiology majors, but a deepened faith and appreciation for God’s work around the world. Please take a moment to read about one student’s perspective from their experience below.
Letter from a Guatemala Mayterm student
Hello all,
As I sit here in a brightly colored internet cafe in Antigua, Guatemala, I am overcome by my week. The events that took place, the people I met, the ways God has changed me. It has been good. So so good. Just as a preface, know that it is entirely impossible to write down in words all that has happened here. But as a mealy attempt to share my experiences with you all … I will write this e-mail.
For those of you who are unaware of why on earth I went to Guatemala (or were unaware of my presence here at all) I’ll give you a quick fill in. I am interning here as a physicians assistant with a missionary group called Students International. Students International is located here in Antigua, and has groups come down for months at a time to work with them at different sites. As a physician’s assistant, my role has been split into two main parts: first … Mondays and Tuesdays our group of 7 students rides what is commonly known as the “chicken bus” (for the ever present live chickens riding with us) up the mountian 30 minutes to the amazing town of Santa Maria de Jesus. This town is located at the base of the volcano Agua. In this town of 20,000 people, there are only 3 places of medical services. We work at one of them and perofrm any necessary tasks.
Walking through the streets of Santa Maria de Jesus, we enter the living place of Rimonda, a 63 year old lady suffering from three strokes. I say living place, because if I were to choose the work house, connotations of food, water and shelter would come into play and this is not the case. With great generosity, the family searched for their best, so that we could sit in comfort. Such love and generosity I have rarely seen in the comforts of the United States. After a medical exam and conference, Rimonda asks if we could sing for her. With broken voices, four of us sang “Amazing Grace”. Tears ran down all our eyes, as we were struck by his grace. God is good.
Seven aspiring medics gasp with amazement as we are told we were going to witness a c-section for an 18 year old recovering prostitute who was giving her child up for adoption. At the “climesa” in Guatemala City, we saw life. I cannot even begin to explain the wonder of this event. For all of you who I see and talk to this summer, you will for SURE hear about it. Well, I am nearing my last few minutes of internet time, so I must be leaving. I do wish I could tell you more, because I fear this letter did not give even an opaque picture of God’s glory in Guatemala.
Andrea Wilson