01/23/2026
Tomorrow we head out to build in Guatemala on what marks my 5th GV build, so I'd like to reflect back on my 1st experience with Habitat Global Village. Sorry in advance for the length. December 2017, our group ventured out from Bryan/College Station on our first affiliate led GV build. We spent the week in Sololá, Guatemala and this is where I fell in love with Guatemala, the Global Village experience, and even more so with the people of our BCS community who are willing to take their time and money to make such an amazing impact for those families in need, both locally and abroad. We hiked into some very rural places, played telephone as we translated conversations from English to Spanish to a Mayan dialect and all the way back to English, played with some kids, built a lot of smokeless stoves while watching the ladies of the family spend their entire day cooking over hot stones outside, we shoveled and mixed concrete, broke cement blocks with a machete, and when we ran out of supplies, we made more, like sifting sand (which is a great core exercise), all the while we were humbled by what we take for granted every day. We spent the week in fellowship, reflecting each evening on the events of the day and how it impacted each of us. We had an opportunity to visit a coffee plantation and a women's weaving cooperative to see the impact these have on the community and financial infrastructure of the towns. We built friendships, memories, and a desire to help others. I personally was supposed to walk and receive my Master's degree and these amazing people gave me that experience in the middle of Guatemala, I gave an acceptance speech as they handed me my diploma, signed by our affiliate president of course, I wore a cap and gown, stared out at these people, I may have known for a short time, and appreciated every moment that led me to this trip. This is the first time I get the opportunity to hike on the side of a volcano and it is grounding. This is the start of something beautiful and life changing and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to continue to have the blessing in my life.
Over the next week, we will share our experience as we yet again venture into Guatemala and seek to fulfill the Habitat mission and vision. I hope you will help us to ensure everyone has a safe, decent, affordable place to live. Thank you.
