Guatemala City {2}

Earlier this week, I shared photos from our hike up M. Pacaya,
but I want to share a bit more the alternative break trip I went to 

Guatemala City for last week.  I traveled with eight students 

from Bridgewater State University and one other staff member. 

We spent four days working at AbonOrgániCo, 

a company that processes organic waste from

Guatemala's Central Market into compost used to fertilize the land. 

The business exists to create meaningful jobs
for adolescents who come from high-risk backgrounds;
it was born out of work Young Life has been doing there. 

sunrise at AbonOrganiCo [we arrived by 6:30am each day]

At the beginning of each day, we would split into groups
and work on two projects:
mixing & laying concrete OR readying garden space.

preparing the ground [via pick ax] for flower & vegetable gardens at the entrance

The priority of the week was laying a large concrete pad

that would be used to receive the produce & sort it for composting.

the concrete pad [in process] and Mt Pacaya is in the background

day 2 at the work site

Due to the heat [and lack of shade] we took frequent water breaks.

Each morning, we would break at 9 or 10am for bananas & fresh bread.
We also drank more soda than usual since we were working so hard
and our bodies needed the sugar for energy.  We went to the same
tienda at the marketplace daily to buy coke in a glass bottle.

bananas & water from a bag

The concrete pad was done in parts [seven in total]

and the group mixed the cement by hand.

While most of the group worked to mix & lay concrete, 

others worked to prepare the ground  for flower & vegetable gardens 

at the entrance of AbonOrgániCo, making it more appealing.

lots of concrete mixing

Susie got to make a tortilla at Central Market during lunch one day.

The whole group [Guatemalans & Gringos] on our last day at AbonOrgániCo.