A new year. The birth of a baby. A new house. All these new beginnings are reasons for celebration. But disastrous events such as hurricanes and earthquakes also bring about new beginnings - beginnings of painful trials and heartache when homes are destroyed or lives are lost.

Imagine watching your entire home being swept away by a massive mudslide. That's what happened in the mountains of Guatemala, where people already struggle just to provide the necessities of life for their families. When a disaster like this strikes, victims have little hope for the future. They begin to despair. That's why teams like the one my son Kostik joined are so crucial.

Last summer, these teams of unusual teenagers, organized by Global Expeditions, took time away from the comforts of home and used the resources that they raised themselves to go to the ends of the earth to help others. Their funds paid not only for their air fares and lodging, but also for the building materials and for soap, toothpaste, and other items that they handed out. The NBC Nightly News even did a story about one of these teams:

The news segment is about Matamoros, Mexico, the destination of my son's earlier trip, a trip on which I also went. Whereas that first year we literally went to a dump to build houses, Kostik's last destination was San Pedro, Guatemala on the shores of Lake Atitlan, described by author Aldous Huxley as the most beautiful lake in the world. Since I did not go along on that trip to the dramatic crater lake edged with volcanoes, I eagerly awaited Kostik's return so I could see the pictures that he captured with his Kodak EasyShare Z710:

The scenery was indeed spectacular, but the mountains were steep and roads were treacherous. The teams used old school buses with fancy paint jobs to get to and from their worksites. The switchback turns on the hills were so sharp that the bus could not negotiate some of the turns without backing up. The driver would then honk the horn to warn vehicles driving down the mountain that the bus was making a wide turn.

Kostik documented this backing up process with a video clip taken with his Z710. As you can see, the truck at the top of the hill stopped to let the bus pass.

The teams built new homes out of cinderblocks, a sturdy material that will hopefully withstand future storms and mudslides.  Carrying all the cinderblocks from the road to the building site was a workout.  The building process was not only a learning experience, but a time of bonding for team members.

Building the walls

Helping hands

 

Kostik in front of partially built house

Nearly completed house

Oftentimes when we give our resources or our time, we don't expect anything in return, yet we end up receiving far more than we give. These teens and young adults ventured out of their comfort zones to give their labor and love to the Guatemalans. One of the participants, Nikki, described some of the rewards:

"Every morning and night we eat at this quaint little restaurant that overlooks the majestic Lake Atitlan. Walking back and forth everyday to the restaurant is truly a blessing. You get the feel of the real Guatemalan culture. Their pace of life is a much more comfortable speed than what I am used to. Guatemalans lined the streets wearing their vibrant attire, welcoming us with bright eyes and smiles. As I walk down the road, I gently wave and try a few of my newly learned Spanish greetings. Seeing their warm response to my simple gestures fills my heart with love for them. Such kindness they bring to complete strangers; I have hardly experienced that in my culture. I wish I could bring them home with me to teach Americans a lesson. I never knew that a simple "Hola" everyday could do your heart such good."

Traditionally we think of the New Year as a time of new beginnings. But I think of the trip my son took to Guatemala last summer as a new beginning both for the family for whom his team built a house and for the participants. New friendships. New experiences. New self-confidence. New hope. Isn't that much better and more significant than New Year's Day?