Churunel 2

In a classroom with the children of Churunel 2

Today (March 3^rd) marked one of the most memorable experiences of my sojourn here in Guatemala. I am very fortunate to know Helga, my colleague at UVG, who has lived here for over ten years. She is very well connected with many interesting people and organizations here in Panajachel. One organization that she actively participates in is La Fundacíon Atitlan, which is a German foundation that gathers donations in Germany to buy school supplies for needy Guatemalan schools because 80% of the population live in poverty here and education is regarded a "leg up" out of their condition. Four years ago, the Fundacíon had a surplus of supplies since all of the schools in Panajachel were taken care of. Helga contacted an indigenous leader from the Department (province) of Sololá and asked if the Fundacíon could give these supplies to schools in his area. He told Helga that he knew of an area of Sololá, Churunel 2, which was in dire need of help. Helga and Astrid, the wife of the German consul here in Panajachel, went to the tiny hamlet and looked at the school. Since then, the school has become one of the beneficiaries of the Fundacíon. There are 140 school children and 4 teachers.

Helga invited me to come along on this visit to the school. It was a planned visit from the Fundacíon which included a group of members from Koblenz, Germany, who had arrived a couple of weeks ago. On our way to the school in Helga’s car, I spoke to two members, one was a German woman and the other Dutch. They were here in Guatemala for the first time. The conversation in the car was very amiable and we were all excited about visiting the school. When we arrived at the meeting point on top of the hill, Helga parked her car. We had gone caravan style. One of the picops which followed us was loaded with donations for the school. We climbed into another picop which lumbered down a dirt road to the school. To relieve our nervousness, we all made jokes during our descent since earlier this picop had stalled and locals had to push it to get the motor started.

Picop being loaded with donations

German visitors in the picop headed down to the school
Helga is on the far left smiling at the camera.

The scenery surrounding the village

When we arrived at the school, all of the students and teachers were gathered in the schoolyard anticipating our arrival. As our picops drove to the entrance, all of the students, teachers, parents, and local supporters began to applaud. They set off firecrackers in our honor.

Children applauding our arrival

Close-up of the children welcoming us

We were greeted heartily by the people of Churunel 2. All of the local men first came up to us and shook our hands and welcomed us. We then entered the school yard and were asked to sit in rows of chairs facing the children. Then the performance began. First, there was the national hymn which has to be one of the longest of national hymns in the world. It did appear that the children knew all of the verses, with their right hand over their heart. After that came speeches of gratitude and lovely performances from the children.

One of the teachers who acted as master of ceremony during the performance

Singing the exceptionally long national anthem

In one of the folkloric dances,
the dancer swings a pot of burning incense.

In another dance, the children threw baskets of flower petals at the visitors.

After the student performances, Josef Fuhrmann, leader of the Fundacíon in the Koblenz area of Germany, stood up and gave a very heartfelt speech which Helga translated into Spanish. You have to remember that the children and their parents here know Spanish as a second language. Their mother tongue is the Maya dialect Kacqichel. However, from the reaction from the crowd, most understood Helga's translation of Josef’s message.

Josef Fuhrman giving his speech and Helga Knapp translating

Crowd's reaction

Mothers and grandmothers were at the ceremony.
They also received gifts from the Fundacíon.

The whole village was there.

After the speech, he began to distribute gifts from the Fundacíon which consisted of school supplies: pens, backpacks, even a soccer ball for recess. Many of the gifts Josef presented were sent by donors who had been to the school the previous year. In return, students gave Josef pictures of gratitude that they have drawn especially for the occasion. It was truly a beautiful statement of humanism.

A soccer ball donated by a member who was here last year

One of the drawings from a student given to Josef
It says "Thank you for coming to my school. Welcome."

After the ceremony, we were ushered into one of the classrooms for lunch. We found out that the people of the school went into the villages to gather money to provide us a lunch which consisted of a lovely club sandwich of vegetables and boiled eggs. We all very touched by their sacrifice. The Fundacíon donated the drinks which were ironically Gatorade!

Lunch at the school

After the lunch, we were shown the new kitchen that Fundacíon had sent money to have built. Due to this organization, children here are given free lunch, so the kitchen is now there to provide it. Children filed into rows to get their “snack” which was a nutritious cup of cream of wheat. It is supplemented with additional proteins and vitamins.

After the snack, the children gathered back into the classroom.

Their classroom

Helga needed to get back to Sololá to teach her class at 12:30, so we all climbed into picops and headed back to where Helga’s car was parked. The day's encounter swept me away emotionally. I think it has to do with my lack of exposure to people who are very poor and yet genuinely grateful, sincere, and pure. Moreover, their children radiate a beauty and poignancy that I have never experienced and shall never forget.

The school children of Churunel 2