Memorable Service Experience by Ariel Allen

I loved the culture within the small community of Jechvo, Chiapas. 

Their beautiful, handmade clothing with all its vibrant colors and floral designs, I knew it took the women countless hours of dedicated devotion and concentration to create them. 

The men, women, and children all wore these unique articles of clothing with pride and beaming, smiling faces. 

I was mesmerized when we arrived at the village that first day. Every person was there waiting to welcome our team of volunteers. Some were holding signs with handwritten words of welcome to each individual in our group. 

As we headed further into the village, we were seated in the kindergarten courtyard as little children performed number after number of dances they had prepared for our arrival. 

Each dance was associated with an outfit, no doubt handmade by their mothers, that was unique to each performance. It warmed my heart and I felt so blessed to be in that moment, experiencing their culture and acceptance of our group. 

I loved when we gathered all the small children together and taught them colors and numbers in English. It was so endearing, and hilarious, to see them spout off broken English as they repeated  the words "blue" and "brown" while color-cards flashed before them. I went around from child to child and, in my own broken Spanish, tried to help them learn basic words in my native language. 

The children were so full of energy, and you could tell they were ecstatic that we were there in their village to teach them. I felt we were all learning from each other.

I learned and experienced so many things, from listening to an archaeologist about recent Mayan findings, to visiting actual Mayan ruins, to singing a made-up song about numbers in English to the little children while they waited to see a local dentist. It was a trip I will never forget and will hold dear in my heart forever.

xxoo,

Ariel