In March and April of this year, we had several groups of volunteers join us from the United States to help build sustainable stoves for families in need. I sat down with one volunteer, Debbie Hoffman, to talk about her interest in the work being done here in Guatemala. Debbie has been involved with Sueños y Esperanzas for several years, with this trip marking her sixth service trip with the organization. While back in the United States, Debbie sponsors students in San Juan, maintains Sueños’ website, and works with other volunteers to support the long-term goals of Sueños y Esperanzas.
Here is my interview with Debbie:
How did you get involved with Sueños y Esperanzas?
“I met Fredy when he was working as a translator for Habitat for Humanity’s global village program. He shared his dream to serve his community and reached out to us for help building the foundation of what is now the three-story Sueños y Esperanzas center. I fell in love with the Mayan people through Habitat for Humanity, but now even more through Sueños. I say, and I mean it, my heart lives in Guatemala. So I have to come from the United States every once in a while to visit my heart.
There’s nothing like coming on “vacation” to serve. We meet amazing families doing the best they can with what they have. In the end, we’re all the same. Every family has the same issues– they have children they have to take care of, teenagers who rebel, health issues, and they have joys and celebrations. So if we can see and understand that, we can have an amazing experience here, and that’s what I’ve had. Even when it’s hard and when we’re tired, even though the conditions of building are different and not the easiest. We still have a great day.”
Is there a particular family’s story that impacted you while volunteering in Guatemala?
“There is such a polarizing issue of individuals and sometimes families who want to immigrate to the United States from Central America, and we’ve met a lot of them. They’re told that it’s so easy to live in the United States but they don’t realize that the cost of living is so much greater and that people are often taken advantage of.
We once met a family through Habitat for Humanity that tried to go to the United States several times. Each time the family would pay an enormous amount of money to the people that would transport them. The last time the mother tried to go, she was abandoned in the desert of Mexico. I don’t know how, but she made her way back to her home and her family. Then they found Habitat. We came for two weeks to build their new home and we had great laughs. The family was just amazing. But the significant part of the story is not about Habitat at all.
During the closing ceremony, the mother told us that she thought that her family needed to go to the United States to attain their dream of having a safe home where they could raise their kids. But she didn’t know that the United States would come to her instead. She thanked us profusely but it was us who were blessed. I want people in the United States to know that people here don’t want to leave their home. They love Guatemala, they love their communities, they love their families, and they won’t need to leave if we help them. That’s why these trips are so important, and I’ll come back as long as I can.”
What is something that you took out of this particular experience?
“Being here for Semana Santa, which I’ve never been able to do before. Even in a town of 10,000 people, the building of the alfombras for the procession felt like a small community event. It wasn’t just a massive call to volunteer. The people that live and work here were building the alfombras on their own streets. We were invited to participate, and it was a huge highlight to be able to see the community in a different way.”
Do you have a favorite part of the week?
“Getting to know Efrin [the mason] better, and him feeling open to sharing and feeling safe. I’ve known him for several years, but I’ve gotten to know him better this week than any other time. I also love Chico and Chica and Kleida and all the staff. The team also consisted of the right people at the right time, and we’ve had great experiences.”