An Overview of Spring Quarter

TEAM GUATEMALA

An Overview • Guatemala City, Guatemala

• August 1-September 1

• Organization and School: America Latina

• Job description: •Working in America Latina K-12 school as English teachers and teacher assistants, running after-school programs, occasionally leading chapel and staying in individual home stays.

Ongoing Work• 5,000 students between K-12 and adult schools. (Redistribution)• Relate to Harvard picture—where are the adults? Learning too!

• Home stays allow us to be immersed fully in the culture to eliminate the “hero-mentality” by putting us on the same level as the community members. (Relocation)

•Work is already being done!• Christianity is not a new concept• America Latina’s 60th Anniversary

Cross-Cultural Challenges & Opportunities

• Language barrier (home stays)• Leadership • Patience • Outside of comfort zone• Homesick (not with group)

• Building relationships• Relational vs. Task Oriented • Time vs. Event • Growing • Personally• Spiritually• Relationally

Challenges Opportunities

U-Curve and Service Compost• The components of the U and

W curve include the highest highs, and lowest of lows on your trip.• Everyone will experience

these stages at different times• Be aware of your teammates• Be encouraging and supportive• Be flexible and open• Be in touch with God

• WATER• Wash and Rejuvenate• Nourishment• HEAT• A Burning Desire • Cleanser • HUMUS• What Sustains the Fire • “Cure”• LOVE• A Process

U or W-Curve Service Compost

Short-Term Missions• Building relationships• Serving the long term

missionaries • Learning and growing

because of your experience• Getting to know God better

and learning to love as He loves• Seeing God through the lens

of another culture (White Jesus)

Challenges Benefits • Hero-Complex• Giving them what you think

they need• Not listening to what they

really need• De-humanizing the people

you are working with • Thinking you are going to

change their lives/country • Expectations

Poverty, Injustice & Oppression• Poor health care• High infant mortality rates• Low literacy rates• History of immigrating legally

and illegally to Mexico, U.S and Canada because of:

1. Lack of economic opportunity 2. Political instability3. Natural disasters• Active duty members of

armed forces are not allowed to vote

• Ongoing drug cartel and gang violence

Educating the Nation• Education

• Meeting people where they’re at

• A Different System:• Cultural Awareness