Vanderbilt’s Presbyterian Student Fellowship
Works in Guatemala

by Shane Magee and Lauren Miramontes

What do fifteen college students, a mom, and a minister all on spring break make? We at Vanderbilt’s Presbyterian Student Fellowship sought the answer in sunny Guatemala.

In the wake of Katrina’s devastation, the mountain village of Santiago Atitlan felt the force of hurricane Stan’s torrential rains and massive mudslides. Over 600 families lost their homes along with countless people gone missing. The destruction of the only hospital in town made the devastation all the worse.

Outside the hospital at Santiago Atitlan.

Having already planned a trip to Santiago before hurricane Stan, we saw an even greater opportunity to help those afflicted and spread the love of Christ. In preparation for our experience in Guatemala, we spent months learning about local beliefs, politics, and culture.

Once we arrived on Saturday, we literally got down and dirty as we worked in constructing six houses in three days. The families of disabled children who lost their homes in the mudslides would inhabit these houses, built next to the new hospital. It was heartbreaking to see the abject poverty these families dealt with every day, yet inspiring to see their determination and hope for the future.

Over the course of the trip, we developed a special relationship with one of our fellow workers, Javier, who will be moving into one of these houses with his family in late April. On our last day of work, Javier and his family welcomed us into his home: a room the size of a Vanderbilt single dorm room housing five people. As we said our goodbyes, Javier picked up his guitar and sang Spanish worship songs. Although we couldn’t understand the words, we understood the meaning.

Vanderbilt students digging the foundation for a house.

In addition to working with these people, we also experienced the spirituality of the town. Our tour of Santiago Atitlan began at a Catholic church that was home to the assassinated Father Alpas, an American priest who spoke out against the government’s oppression of the local people during the civil war. His efforts enabled Santiago to be one of the only communities to resist martial rule. We also visited coloquías, or shrines, of the Mayan equivalent of Jesus, called Maximón, and a Pentecostal church service in both Spanish and Mayan.

Ask our group about our experiences, and you will hear seventeen different stories, but we all agree on one thing: God is at work in Guatemala. We were excited to be a part of that work, and eagerly anticipate the fruition of all of God’s work in Guatemala. So, what do fifteen college students, one mom, and one campus minister make? One transformative experience in Guatemala.

Shane Magee of Brentwood, TN and Lauren Miramontes of Irvine, CA are students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN and active in the Presbyterian Student Fellowship there. The Rev. Jennifer Fouse is the Presbyterian Campus Minister. They all spent March 4-11 serving in Guatemala. The web address for Vanderbilt’s Presbyterian campus ministry is www.vanderbilt.edu/presbyterian.