Agros Blog

Rain pummeled the zinc-laminate “tin” roof as one tall gringo, me, sat on sacks of cement towering still over my new Kanjo’bal (an indigenous Mayan sub-group) family. I’d been whisked into this temporary shelter for an emergency meeting. Unbeknownst to me, the village leaders of Villa Linda were wracked with fear about the next day’s pending “Signing Ceremony”. Having never been visited by a service team from the U.S. these hard-working poor families hidden in north-central Guatemala’s mountains were welcoming but cautious.

My merry band of 10 had just finished three rain-soaked days working, laughing, and playing among these 20 previously unknown & “forgotten” families. Now the time for our closing ceremony and signing of a 5 year commitment of “Walking & Working Together” was to mark this newest Journey with a Village partnership. All seemed ready but the dark rain clouds that were unleashing their torrent carried with them an inner darkness yet unknown to me.

“We have an important question Don David.”, said Pablo Juan Pablo, the village spokesman, “Will this paper we sign tomorrow enslave us again? Will these men become our new evil farm managers?”

Shocked into their horrific history by this haunting question I wondered how they saw me? Was I a dark hidden-behind-a-mask enslaving invader or could I be as one riding in on a white stallion to break centuries of bondage? My answer lifted the heavy cloud now filling the temporary hut and brought ear to ear grins to their work-worn faces. “No, oh no…we, they are like your family now… here to help you reach your dreams. This will be a covenant of friendship and support and if ever you fear or hear that is not the case, you must tell us.”

Pablo Juan Pablo then spoke in his native tongue and when finished turned to me and said, “Don David this sits well with us - but tomorrow, will you tell the entire village this good news?” And I did.

Rain pummeled the zinc-laminate “tin” roof as one tall gringo, me, sat on sacks of cement towering still over my new Kanjo’bal (an indigenous Mayan sub-group) family. I’d been whisked into this temporary shelter for an emergency meeting. Unbeknownst to me the village leaders of Villa Linda were wracked with fear about the next day’s pending “Signing Ceremony”. Having never been visited by a service team from the U.S. these hard-working poor families hidden in north-central Guatemala’s mountains were welcoming but cautious.

My merry band of 10 had just finished three rain-soaked days working, laughing, and playing among these 20 previously unknown & “forgotten” families. Now the time for our closing ceremony and signing of a 5 year commitment of “Walking & Working Together” was to mark this newest Journey with a Village partnership. All seemed ready but the dark rain clouds that were unleashing their torrent carried with them an inner darkness yet unknown to me. “We have an important question Don David.”, said Pablo Juan Pablo, the village spokesman, “Will this paper we sign tomorrow enslave us again? Will these men become our new evil farm managers?” Shocked into their horrific history by this haunting question I wondered how they saw me? Was I a dark hidden-behind-a-mask enslaving invader or could I be as one riding in on a white stallion to break centuries of bondage? My answer lifted the heavy cloud now filling the temporary hut and brought ear to ear grins to their work-worn faces. “No, oh no…we, they are like your family now…here to help you reach your dreams. This will be a covenant of friendship and support and if ever you fear or hear that is not the case you must tell us.” Pablo Juan Pablo then spoke in his native tongue and when finished turned to me and said, “Don David this sits well with us but will you tell all the village tomorrow this good news?” And I did.