By Jonathan Wojcik

Jonathan Wojcik: Testimony on the Guatemala Experience '07 (9th grade)

      Once we arrived there, our group was immediately running around. We went to 4 or 5 completely opposite areas. We experienced the city, the mountains, saw so many crops, visited a tourist place, and helped the poor. We helped each community we traveled to. We gave toothbrushes, toothpaste, rice, beans and flour to the people in the mountains. Going up the mountain roads took us three hours. We helped the people get equal amounts of food for each family. The families even weighed the babies to make sure that they were actually feeding their babies, so they would not develop malnutrition. I was surprised that so many of these people were so skinny. Then I realized why they had to weigh the baby. One boy from that town had ears that were literally three inches big, but they were bent in half.

      That was just one of the places we visited, there are so many stories that are in each place. Even through all of them, each place was a learning experience and we were able to see what is happening to these people. Every place we visited we noticed all these people have practically nothing. During the trip you start to realize how much you have and that you should not take it for granted. The people in Guatemala have so little and yet they appreciate every little thing they have. But when you look at America, we want more stuff, bigger stuff, shinier stuff and stuff that is expensive. We want more just so we can compete with others in America, because when we have the bigger things it makes us look better.

      Another thing, the people in Guatemala are extremely friendly. Even though they speak another language they are quite friendly. Even though they don't have much on the outside, they have more than enough on the inside. Coming from New Jersey, I learned a lot from these people. I learned that you should stop trying to be better than other people and just enjoy what is around you. When I was Guatemala one night I just looked up and noticed the stars. I suddenly realized that when I am in New Jersey I am "too busy to notice" the stars. I could go on forever about Guatemala, but they are just some of the many experiences I was fortunate to have experienced.

-Jonathan Wojcik