Back at ground zero (one of them anyways)

Today started off with a trip to the open market to bargain for rubber boots for my roommates staying at my home stay. After seeing my pictures they insisted on helping with some cleanup. We then waved down a tuc tuc (looks like a combo between a motorcycle and a golf cart) and managed to cram ourselves into it (we wouldn’t be in Guatemala if we didn’t) to head to the office of Global Visionaries, only about 5 minutes away.

Cesar, a staff member from Global Visionaries, was in charge of the crew today which consisted of about 15 young Guatemalan men and us, some American and Italian women. We stood out just a bit to say the least. With boots and shovels we followed Cesar out to ground zero, only a few blocks from their office.


When we approached the mudslide area, my roommates shook their heads in disbelief as I had a few days before. On this street a bulldozer was moving veraciously back and forth removing rubble and mud from the streets. A small older, somewhat-frail-looking man with a cowboy hat recruited our group to shovel as much mud from his property into the street as we could before the bulldozer got to his section. He had about 5 feet of mud throughout his entire property. His house, made of bamboo, was half covered in mud. Part of the mudflow came in through the back of his property, wiping out his outhouse and whatever else had been there. The houses to the West of his house were unscathed, while the houses to the East (and a bit lower) were directly in the path of destruction. It was a strange sight to see.


We worked hard as a team to scrape, shovel, and wheel barrow as much dirt as we could into the street. A few large rocks, about the size of me, where brought in by the mudflow and lay dispersed on the property. Several men took 2x4s and lodged them under a huge rock. Little by little, 3 men would push the 2x4 and 5 more men would roll the rock until eventually it would end up in street. They managed to get the last big rock out just as the bulldozer scooped it up. Simultaneously the rest of us took a break to watch if they would move the rock in time. We clapped our hands as the bulldozer took the last rock away.


Even after the bulldozer passed the house, we kept shoveling mud in piles along the front of his property. After about 3 hours I looked up and thought about how we had really only made a dent in what will be a painstakingly long process. The property owner may be better off building on top of the mud once is settles and dries out.

I am taking a break from shoveling tomorrow to recoup because my back is really sore and I have some bad blisters on my hands. I plan on getting back to the mudslinging when my boyfriend, Scott, comes here. He arrives Saturday night and I can’t wait! Although I’m taking a break, I know that there are many people who have been working nonstop since this natural disaster occurred. My hat is off to those people!