Over two consecutive weeks in early March, two teams from Gorham traveled to Guatemala to support Safe Passage, a Maine based program that works with impoverished families in the Guatemala City dump. The program, started by Yarmouth resident Hanley Denning in 1999, works with families living in the dump neighborhood, and provides educational, vocational, and social services to over 500 children.
One team from First Parish Congregational Church included Carol Hardy, Jane Charron, Heather Bettencourt, Kyren Bettencourt, Bruce Webb and Linda Webb. A second team from Gorham High School included Anna Nelson, Ty Gammon, Jordan Bretton, Ryan Reno, Adele Nadeau, Grant Nadeau and Victoria Reynolds. Although the trip lasted only seven days for each team, the preparation was extensive and involved the wider community. At Village School, teacher Kim Meggison organized a service learning project in which the fifth grade classes learned about Guatemala and created class books about Maine for the Safe Passage students. Gorham High School Spanish students then translated the books so that the children in Guatemala could read them. Gorham students and faculty also donated money to purchase school supplies for the Guatemalan students.
Noted Gorham children’s book author, Cathy Falwell, donated bi-lingual copies of her books to Safe Passage which were delivered to the school in Guatemala – a much appreciated gift for children with limited resources.
Photo courtesy of Kim MeggisonFifth-grade students at Village School worked on a service learning project in which they learned about Guatemala and created class books about Maine for the Safe Passage students. Shown with their books are (left to right) front row: Taylor Ernest, Kyren Bettencourt, and Lily White; back row: Ruby Soule, Luke Willette, and Aiden Cahill.
The entire church community at First Parish Church was involved for nearly a year in raising funds for Safe Passage through their Music on a Mission initiative. Three events were held during the fall to help raise a donation for the program.
Preparations by individual team members included obtaining passports, buying airline tickets, getting vaccinations, practicing Spanish, reading about the history of Guatemala, and learning more about the requirements of the program.
While in Guatemala, the teams stayed in Antigua, a beautiful, colonial city. From there, they traveled 25 miles to the city daily on a bus provided by the project. The two support teams assisted classroom teachers, participated in school activities, helped with administrative tasks, and met with families to learn more about the culture of Guatemala.
The days started with an hour-long commute to the city, followed by a day packed with activities led by the Safe Passage staff, and then a return commute back to Antigua. Each evening, the teams ate together at a restaurant selected by their team coordinator where they had a chance to review the events of the day and prepare for the next day.
During their limited free time, members had options to hike a nearby volcano and cook marshmallows on hot lava, visit a coffee plantation to learn about free trade coffee, shop for colorful native fabrics, or visit a local waterpark with some of the Safe Passage teens.
Upon their return, team members commented that the experience had been “eye opening,” “amazing,” “unforgettable,” and “challenging.” Participants remarked that the experience was truly inspirational and that, by stepping into another culture, they had gained a better appreciation for their own lives in Gorham. The trip also gave team members a greater incentive to get more involved in efforts to help people from other cultures.