who we are and what we do

A lot of you have had the pleasure of meeting many of us face to face, working and learning with us during your time here. The MCC Guatemala/El Salvador team is just great, if I do say so myself, and I have not only greatly appreciated, but genuinely enjoyed collaborating with them in the work I do as Connecting Peoples Facilitator (they definitely have made my job a lot easier!!) Below is a short description of what each worker does, plus some other fun information about each of them.

Chris and Rebeca Strong - Metapan, El Salvador
Chris: My official job title is youth pastoral accompaniment. How I do that is through monthly meetings/Bible studies with the youth from the 5 communities/churches that I work with directly. Likewise, we get togehter a second time every month to either play games, do some cleaning/recycling in the community or a trip that the youth would like to take. I also help organize and lead our youth retreats and get our youth involved in the yearly service weeks that the Connecting Peoples program puts together.

How long have you been with MCC: 2 years

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Hanging out with the youth where they live and getting to know them. Low - Knowing that when it comes to the work that needs to be done with the youth, I'm just doing what amounts to the tip of the iceberg

One thing you miss from home: Sorry, I've got more than one: family, Wheaties, graham crackers, and flushing toliet paper down the toliet instead of putting it in a waste basket

Rebeca: My job title is Family Accompaniment. My position consists of working with 6 churches, giving parenting classes at each of them. I also lead women's circles at each of these churches. With children, I work on giving them workshops on peace and justice and how to better their relationships with others. Finally, I also work with a group of youth, accompanying them, leading service projects and monthly reflections.

How long have you been with MCC: 2 years

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Working with different churches in different communities; having flexbile hours to be able to do home visits and just hang out with people; hearing people's life experiences; doing service projects like recycling or street cleaning with the youth. Low - A lot of traveling. Becuase it is a new position, it has also been challenging getting people interested in the projects.

One thing you miss from home: my parents

Jordan Penner - Altaverapaz, Guatemala
My position is part of the SALT program (1-year MCC program). I work in the library of a middle and high school that recieves support from MCC and Eastern Mennonite Missions and which provides a very valuable education as a very small price for Q'eqchi' (indigenous Mayan group) people who historically have not been provided with very good educational opportunities by the Guatemalan government. I work in the library tutoring students, helping with everyday library tasks, being a mentor and friend for students, and encouraging students to read and think critically, especially in regards to current events.

How long have you been with MCC: 10 months

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Whenever I get the chance to work with students on current events or issues that affect them or help them understand the larger issues that affect the whole world. Also when a student asked me, "What is the bourgeois?" (I really like modern history). And helping students with Algebra (I really like Algebra). And when a student asked me, "Why doesn't the earth fall?" (I really like astronomy). The last one, for your information, is a lot harder to explain than you at first realize when you consider that the Earth is moving really fast (and not just around the sun) but that there really is no up and down (or falling or rising) in space. I'm still working on keeping my answers as simple as possible. Low - The first three or four weeks after I arrived at my placement, I saw the sun once, for a second or two. I also got sick and was not used to taking bucket showers in the cold, and was eating way too many plain tortillas and noodles for my meals. Ones feet are NEVER dry.

One thing you miss from home: chocolate chip cookies

Adriana Koehn - Guatemala City, Guatemala
If you are reading this, you probably know first hand what my job is becuase I have probably worked with you in some way in the past year. Officially, I am the Connecting Peoples Facilitator which means I work with all you great people from Canada and the United States in planning, organizing and leading your trips when you come to Guatemala/El Salvador to learn about the work MCC is doing here and to connect with the people here (north-south connections). I also work at organizing similar activites for locals (south-south connections) and do things like keep this blog up to date, etc. :)

How long have you been with MCC: 14 months

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Getting to meet and connect with a wide variety of people, not only here in Guatemala/El Salvador, but also from North America; being part of their learning and growing experiences. Being able to travel a lot and see so many different beautiful parts of the country and participate in the learning that groups experience - all becuase it is my job! Another high is definitely the opportunity to work on bettering my Spanish and living in another country, both of which have been life goals of mine. Low - All of the traveling can definitely wear me down, plus having 3 month periods that are really crazy busy followed by 2 or 3 slower ones can make me feel like I'm on a rollercoaster sometimes. I also don't really like being called the "mom" of groups - haha!

One thing you miss from home: being able to walk around outside after dark and not being worried about my safety; my family and friends; and definitely, sushi!

Irma and Antony Sanchez Solano - Guatemala City, Guatemala
Antony and Irma are the Country Representatives for MCC Guatemala and El Salvador. They are from Colombia but have beeing working in Guatemala for the past 5 years with their two daugthers, Nataly and Melany. We were all very happy when they recently decided to extend their term here for another 4 years! They are in charge of so many different things that it would be difficult to fit all of it in this little space. They are are bosses, but also are friends and family here and we greatly appreciate all of the work they do for each of us!

Nataly recently graduated from High School and will starting medical school in Colombia in about a month. Melany will be starting 9th grade in the fall here in Guatemala City.

Irma
How long have you been with MCC: 5 years

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - The diversity of people, especially those living in the rural areas. Low - The culture of gossip that is so prevelant here. Also seeing that the people are not able to really identify how they are feeling; they will say they are always happy when really they are struggling with a lot of difficult issues.

One thing you miss from home: family and food

Antony
How long have you been with MCC: 5 years

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - The feeling of community and family that we have in the work we do. Low - The violence and insecurity that is the reality of living in Guatemala.

One thing you miss from home: family

Nataly
High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - All of the learning about the context and culture of Guatemala that I have been able to experience here. Low - the closemindedness of some people.

One thing you miss from home: family and culture

Melany
High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - All of the learning experiences I have had here. Low - The violence and feeling of being scared.

One thing you miss from home: family and food

Nate Howard - San Marcos, Guatemala
I work in Sibinal, San Marcos with the San Marcos Diocese on a food security project. Specifically we are accompanying four farming communities that suffer from high levels of malnutrition. The program's focus is on small business development and the formation of small producers associations; the program is in its' third year.

How long have you been with MCC: 2 years and 9 months

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Weekends in Yalú with no responsabilities, time to read, write, and drink coffee. Low - The moments of loneliness and missing my family.

One thing you miss from home: College football fall Saturdays, 18 holes of golf in the morning with my dad, afternoons and evenings to flip between games, with a special interest in Notre Dame, and late night walks with my dog to destress after Notre Dame's frustrating performance.

David Janzen - Nebaj, Guatemala
I spend most of my time in small rural villages in the Ixil region of the Cuchumatanes Mountains. My work focuses on developing and supporting youth leadership; creating community-based organizations of youth and young adults; and working with leaders and organizations to develop small community projects in health and education.

How long have you been with MCC: I arrived in Guatemala last August and am finishing up my term this coming August.

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: Highs - Seeing the energy and creativity of the youth I work with, living immersed in the lively and colorful indigenous Ixil culture, and working amidst the marvelous natural beauty of the Guatemalan Highlands. Low - The rainy season.

One thing you miss from home: Other than my family, I miss my dog, Lewis, the library, and pond hockey

Rachel Schmitz - Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala
I am working with ANADESA (Asociación Nuevo Amanecer de Santiago Atitlan). I help support ANADESA's various programs and work mostly with the children's afterschool program and the woman's co-operative. I organize and facilitate seminars for both programs. Also, I help out with ANADESA's eco-tourism program coordinating group visits and translating for ANADESA's educational tour.

How long have you been with MCC: I am a SALTer. I arrived in Guatemala in August 2008 and moved to Santiago in October 2008. Right now I am finishing up my term and will be leaving at the end of July.

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Having the unique experience of living in a small, indigenous community. Getting to meet lots of different people from the States and Canada and helping them connect with the people in Santiago. Low - Being far away from famiy and friends and missing out on special events back home.

One thing you miss from home: Some of my favorite foods like sushi, salads, good Italian food, and water/italian ice!

Tobias Roberts - Santa Clara, El Salvador
Toby works in 5 different rural communities supporting community development projects and working in HIV/AIDS education and prevention. He also accompanies 15 families living with HIV/AIDS.

How long have you been with MCC: 2 years and 4 months

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Being identified with a movement, being part of a community searching for their life and liberation; the intimacy that comes from that. Low - Feeling too busy and not being able to focus on just one thing at a time.

One thing you miss from home: family

Beth Peachey - Guatemala City, Guatemala
I work with the Guatemalan Mennonite Church Conference in a program called Mennonite Arts and Recreation Academy. The acronym in Spanish is AMAR, which means "to love". We provide music classes (guitar, keyboard, choir, basic music theory) and recreational activities in three Mennonite chuches in and around Guatemala City. We also do a weekly music class at a preschool run by one of the churches, and I teach singing classes for one of the youth groups.

How long have you been with MCC: 2 years and 7 months

High and low of your job and/or living in Guatemala/El Salvador: High - Being able to see people learning and growing. Low - smog from cars and buses

One thing you miss from home: pickles