Guatemala 2008
In June of 2008, seven St. Martin’s teens joined with seven adults for an unforgettable 12-day journey to the Guatemalan highlands …
Sam Morse
Grasping a Different Set of Values in the Mayan Ceremony at Chichi
Overall, this was a great trip. We went to a lot of places and saw a lot of things. One moment of the trip, however, that was very special for me was the ceremony we saw in Chichi. In the part of the ceremony that I remember most, a lady danced and hopped around the room with her firecrackers. It’s really hard to explain exactly what I felt when I saw it, because no words can fully describe it.
What I realized when I saw it was how many things in life that I thought mattered actually don’t, and how many things that I thought didn’t matter actually do. I learned that there are more important things in life than what I have been told are essential to living.
The way most people in the world live is in competition, and this has become the mindset that has taken over the world. What I realized, watching this ceremony, is that it is easy to escape this mindset, but also very hard. I’m not sure if this will be the most important experience of my life, but it is definitely a huge step for me to take.
Memories of Guatemala
Photo Gallery
Lasting images from the 2008 trip to the Guatemalan Highlands by St. Martin’s teen and adult parishioners.