Can you imagine a life where your school can not afford books? Can you fathom not having clean drinking water because you have never been taught to boil natural water to kill the bacteria? This is the life that Mr. Sheehan encountered first-hand on his trip to San Marcos, Guatemala. It is a trip which opened his eyes, broadened his perspective, and taught him about true generosity and compassion.

For the past ten years, there has been a partnership between the Diocese of Wilmington and the Diocese of San Marcos, Guatemala. Through this partnership, delegations of parishioners with responsibilities within the Diocese of Wilmington are sent on mission to San Marcos with the intention of spreading awareness about the poverty and needs of the people of Guatemala. Mr. Sheehan, being a teacher in the Diocese, was asked to go on the most recent delegation. For two weeks, he and other delegates observed and experienced the destitution, as well as the unwavering optimism, of the people of San Marcos.

Upon arriving in San Marcos, Mr. Sheehan was immediately struck by the poverty, as Guatemala is unmistakably poor. However, in Guatemala City where Mr. Sheehan’s plane touched down, there is an airport, mall, and several nice restaurants. Even in more prosperous towns and cities such as this one, the poverty level still compels businesses to be surrounded by barbed wire fencing and protected by armed guards. In smaller towns, where more of Mr. Sheehan’s trip took place, the poverty is more evident. Basic commodities, that we often take for granted, would be considered rare treasures in Guatemala. For instance, hot showers are rare in the entire country. As Mr. Sheehan said, “The people there lack amenities that even the poorest people in our country are privy to.” Even with the shortage of food and necessities, Mr. Sheehan felt the biggest shortcoming was in the education system.

When the delegation visited local schools, the conditions where heart-wrenching. They saw makeshift desks made of cinder blocks and planks of wood, and toilets that don’t flush because there’s no sewage system. Schools were often lacking in the most basic materials necessary to learn, like books and pencils. Still, school in itself is a blessing because many students cannot afford to go. Every child has to wear a uniform to attend school; it costs about twenty U.S. dollars. Many students are denied schooling because their families simply can’t come up with that kind of money. If kids do manage to go to school, few make it to the fifth grade before they have to drop out and find work. Even in the midst of this injustice, the delegates were met with joy and enthusiasm by the children, who were thrilled to have someone new to play with and entertain. Looking at the happy faces of these children, it was hard not to be reminded of the students and family members back in the United States. Mr. Sheehan truly connected with the children he met. “Looking at them, I could envision my own students or my own family having to be in that condition, which made it really, really hard,” he said. “One kid in particular looked just like my cousin. It made me wonder what makes us so different from them other than the luck of what world you were born into.” With more awareness and understanding of what needs to be done there, Mr. Sheehan has faith that conditions in the education system have the potential to improve. He believes that, with the natural curiosity and will to learn that children come by instinctively, any educational system can thrive with the proper tools.

The happiness and optimism they were met with in the schools continued everywhere they went. “Down there, ignorance is bliss,” Mr. Sheehan noted regarding the lack of education in San Marcos. “I mean, they literally live in waste and trash; but they don’t realize what they’re lacking or how life should be because they’re not properly educated.” This lack of education prevents the people from understanding how unjust their conditions are. They don’t know that their water is contaminated because they’ve never been taught to clean it; and it doesn’t occur to them that they’re living in poverty because they’ve never known any other life. Still, Mr. Sheehan saw the spirit of the people prevail everywhere he went. Visiting a local home, he was met with more hospitality than he had ever seen in his life. The family who lived there was clearly struggling; their home was more a small shack than a house. Regardless of their own hardships, they couldn’t do enough for their guests. Immediately, the mother of the family began pouring cups of Coke for the delegates. What she gave them equated to one-fifth of her family’s total daily pay. The generosity was incredible, but it seemed this was the mindset everywhere. As Mr. Sheehan put it, “When people are at their lowest, are at the bottom, it’s easy for them to be rude or resentful or make excuses; but I didn’t see that happen once down there.”

So, what can we do? According to Mr. Sheehan, the most important step is to become aware. We need to force ourselves to realize that others lack what we take for granted. Once this happens, the real work begins. Mr. Sheehan really emphasized the need to spread awareness because, as he said, “I don’t think what they need is a quick fix. We need to develop a long term relationship in order to really help them out, and the first step in that is to make people aware that these conditions exist for people so similar to ourselves.” One story, in particular that exemplifies the unjust conditions Mr. Sheehan encountered occurred while he and other delegates were visiting a finca. Fincas are sort of live-on plantations, and Mr. Sheehan met a thirteen year old boy who lived and worked on one. He told Mr. Sheehan something that really blew his mind: he had never seen a book in person in his life. Reflecting on this, Mr. Sheehan thought, “Who knows if this kid would have been a great student or an intelligent scholar if he had been given the opportunity?” This inequality based solely on luck in place of birth struck Mr. Sheehan repeatedly during his trip. He knows that, one day, he will go back to San Marcos. “This trip gave me a new perspective and definition for poverty; and it gave me a much more powerful appreciation for people.” However, Mr. Sheehan wouldn’t feel right going back emtpy-handed. He wants to be sure that he has made some progress here and done something to improve their conditions first. We can help Mr. Sheehan in his new mission by taking the first step and becoming aware. Imagine what we, a community so blessed in so many ways, could do if we came together and joined Mr. Sheehan’s effort to put an end to their destitution.