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Kitasume
She looked just like little "Boo" from Monster's Inc. My father was a bit of a joker. When I started dating way back in 1972, he wanted to be sure the boys treated me right. When that nervous knock came at the door, he would open it wearing a warm smile and say...
“Hello, My name is Herb Beck. You must be a smart young man because my daughter is very special. Here, let me show you my gun collection. I’m an expert marksman. Please have her home by 10:30 PM.”
I was always escorted home by 10PM.
Meeting the family of someone you care about can be nerve wracking. You want them to like you. You want to like them.
I was delighted when Julio invited Luke and me to spend two days with his family. It would be great to see his life in Santa Lucia, see the Maya Skills project, and his family. My son, who is very involved in the Civil Air Patrol and wants to go to college on an ROTC scholarship, has a tendency to glorify military activity. Seeing what happens to the lives of people living in an area of conflict, could make him a better leader.
Kitasume and the Teddy Bear
She loved the softest one I could find that said "I love you". Yet, I was a little nervous. Not because I was worried about a gun collection, but because this was a totally different lifestyle and different language. I knew I would be comfortable because Julio is my friend and Guatemala is my choice, but I wanted Luke to like it as much as I do, or at least to understand.
We brought a stuffed toy to Julio’s 2 year old niece, Kitasumi. I made the clerk at the toy store take all the stuffed animals out of the case so I could find the softest one. She loved that it said "I love you" in English.
Poor little thing had a tummy bug and wasn’t feeling well. She was lovely to these tall, white strangers with blue eyes, anyway.
Julio’s sister, Elsa, had prepared a special lunch for us. We met several of his siblings and his 90 year old father. It was delicious and it represented the warmth and acceptance I felt the entire time I was there.
The Alva family is unique for a Mayan community. Julio’s father was the first Mayan to own a home in their town. During the civil war,
Meet the Family
Well, at least most of it! he sent Julio and his brothers to live with a family in a safe town and attend high school. To this day, many Mayan fathers refuse to send their children to school, opting instead to work them in the fields.
Julio completed college by teaching spanish. His courageous work has impacted this town for the better. (More about that in the next blog).
His brother Marco, finished six years of education to become a doctor. He has chosen to set up practice in a remote and poverty stricken Mayan village where other doctors refuse to work. He sometimes gets paid in chickens.
Luis just received his law degree and opened an office in the village. Although it is an agricultural community, people still get in trouble with the law, have title debates and unfortunately, get divorced. Lawyers around the world are never out of work.
Elsa, Kitasumi’s mom, started a K-8 Christian School in 2003. She operates as Principal and Administrator. She left a better paying job, to offer a better education for the children of her village. And to share her love of Jesus. That alone earned my respect.
Her husband, Henry, spent two
years in Delaware and speaks perfect english. Always the Toastmaster, I made a speech of gratitude, which Henry translated. First, I apologized for my very bad spanish. He translated it by saying “I speak excellent K’iche’”. Everyone laughed. Quite the comedian.
After lunch, the clouds that were born over Lake Atitlan grew into a huge, thunderstorm. Luke and Julio took a siesta while our hostess, Elsa, continued to clean and prepare dinner.
Energized by being in a family, I didn’t need a nap. It was my joy to read in my very broken spanish to little Kitasumi, play with her and her blocks and watch her “bailer de las mariposas” -dance with the butterflies. Sweet.
Here, there is a television, but no channels. A computer, but no internet access. No video games. After dinner, the family does not retreat into separate, plush bedrooms to watch their electronic devices. They play with the babies, talk and laugh. Together. It reminded me of how things were with my family at Tahoe. Only I was the baby!
Before retiring, Julio showed Luke his Maya Skills presentation. My son was moved, enlightend and inspired. As am I every time I
Luis the Lawyer
Working hard at his new office hear it.
I believe that if my father had opened the door and Julio was standing there waiting to meet my family, he would smile broadly and say “Come in young man. It is pleasure to meet you. My daughter has made an excellent choice of friends.”
More about Maya Skills in the next blog.
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