Guatemala City {3}

In earlier posts, I shared a bit of my experience on an
alternative break trip to Guatemala City.  We spent one day
working in a community,  preparing a foundation
for a house to be built in Zone 3.  Young Life has been
in Guatemala City  for over ten years and it was out of the relationships
built with adolescents there, that AbonOrgániCo began.

By spending a full day in a community that is not only impoverished,
but extremely close to the Guatemala City Landfill,
one of the world's largest dump sites at 40 acres [read more],

we saw firsthand what the poverty this area looks like.
Many of the people living in Zone 3 have grown up
scavenging in the dump, believing they are trash themselves.
The stories of the people I met there are heart-wrenching.

Our goal for the day was to prepare the foundation to be poured 

for a family's home to be built. She had been living on the cement
slab that was there for a year, but supplies had been purchased to
build a home from re-bar, mortar and cinder blocks.
Our group literally cut through concrete and dug 50cm down
for the new foundation to be poured. The house would be built
in the week after we were there by another spring break group.
As we dug through the concrete and dirt, we pulled out all kinds of trash
from a plastic Mr. Incredible toy to food wrappers to glass bottles.

Our group on the foundation of where the home will be, accompanied by Young Life staff & community members.

We also got to experience Vida Joven [Young Life] Club
in the community that night. It's very similar to Young Life Club
in the U.S. with music, games, skits and a talk from a leader.
There were probably 30 kids from the community
and a few of our friends who work at AbonOrgániCo came too.

A large group game during Club.

It was just like the Young Life clubs I've been a part of in 

Colorado & Maryland with the guys sitting in one part 

of the room and the girls in the other part 

[I found that hilarious and am bummer I don't have a photo showing it].

Annette explains another game.

Fito shared about Jesus Christ during his ten minute talk at the 

conclusion of the night.  He is passionate about telling

teens they are loved just as they are.

He grew up in Zone 3 & is now on staff with Young Life there.

Fito talks to the kids at the end of the night.