During a recent trip to the beautiful country of Guatemala, GoPhilanthropic reps were awe-inspired by the continued work and positive spirits of our partner organizations there.

We were reminded that to read about their accomplishments is one thing; but it is something else entirely to be able to see it all in person….

…Visiting Centro Maya school for the disabled, and seeing the faces of the children happily learning and at play; the hard work of the women working tirelessly day in and day out; so giving that they are more concerned with making sure we have a cup of rice milk and a plate of tortillas than themselves probably taking a single moment to eat all day.

…Visiting Aguas Calientes Artisan Cooperative and seeing the reenactment of a Mayan traditional wedding; taking our own hands to making tortillas and feeling the weight of the dough and the ease with which the women (and children) create perfectly-shaped pastries.

…Visiting Safe Passage and actually being able to smell and feel the effects of the Guatemala City Garbage Dump on the entire community…before even stepping outside of the car.

…Smelling the coffee roasting over an open fire at the house of one of the farmers’ working with As Green As it Gets.

fredys-wifeThese are experiences for which words can do no justice.

It is not until you step into those situations yourself that you fully know them. And there is great beauty in the variety of partners that we work with – There is a little bit of something for everyone. Every person’s take-away and experience will be ever-so-slightly different than the next.

We are fortunate to have these experiences ourselves, moments like those which our travelers experience, and it is a great reminder of why we do what we do.