There was great pride in many of the quick speeches that members of Christ of Esquipula Parish’s parish council gave as they introduced themselves to us on Sunday. They were pleased to host a group of strangers that had come so far to get to know them and work with them in their parish. Some of them mentioned how they were excited for us to try the food unique to their community. Others talked about the beauty of their town, which sits at the foot of a 12,000 ft. peak from which you can see Mexico. Our presence alone had become a moment of civic joy for the area of a little over 50,000 people.
They expressed that joy first with an overwhelming welcome featuring music, flowers, singing, hugs, smiling, and fireworks. This unimaginable display of hospitality was followed by words of welcome from Orlando, president of the parish council, and also the father of one of the Disciples of the Good Shepherd in formation we had met the night before back in Huehuetenango. He shared the hopes his community had that we might learn from each other over the next week together.
As the introductions to La Libertad continued, our missionary group cheered and smiled with glee at the various ways our hosts helped us learn about our new home. We excitedly discussed the wonderful lunch prepared for us—a local dish called Jocón. We spent time during little breaks to play with children who accompanied their parents, who had hands in the work of the opening ceremony. We danced and laughed through activities that helped break the ice with our new family. The happiness of having arrived wiped away any tiredness of the days and miles it took to arrive.
Part of the introductions featured a moment in which one of us talked about why we decided to travel so far to come to La Libertad. Bill Rice, a parishioner from St. Bernadette Parish in Bellevue, Nebraska, volunteered to share how he had always wanted to take part in a mission since he was young. He was curious to learn about the lives and faith of people who live in different parts of the world. He never thought when he finally made such a journey that he’d be welcomed like a rock star.
Bill’s curiosity was no surprise to anyone who had been traveling with him for the past few days. It seemed like everywhere we stopped you could find Bill, who has just a basic level of Spanish, in conversation with someone he had just met along our journey. There was a couple at a church where we stopped. There was a man of similar age who had spent a few years in the United States. There were young men who had stopped for some ice cream at the town’s overlook. Bill never let a chance encounter pass without getting to know a little about someone’s life here in Guatemala.
Our evening ended with introductions to our new family for the next three nights. We were reminded that an encounter with anyone, but especially with a stranger, is an encounter with the living God. After meeting our hosts, we celebrated mass with them, presided over by Fr. Jairo and the pastor at La Libertatd, Fr. Juventino. The first meal we shared was one we had always shared together, though we did not know one another at the time.
On Monday, we will get to know each other better by working together in our medical clinic, through a painting project, and by working with the children’s catechesis group. We are sure to have more encounters that will fill our hearts and makes us just as proud to know La Libertad as those who introduced us to their beautiful home.
