A year ago.
Sometimes I wish I could hand out free plane tickets so I could literally walk you through a story. There are things I’ve seen that I fall short on explaining with words. I wrote this story to help take you on my journey. One day I hope you experience it first-hand.
The
Canadian in the Guatemalan market
A black shadow sweeps over me as I
duck my head to enter. The path is narrow and the gravel rolls beneath my feet,
kicking up into my sandals. There is a sharp pain I feel with every step, but this
aching is no longer because of the rock caught beneath my foot. There is new
weight piercing my heart. It is as though I am entrapped in a maze in which
every corner leads to a new found hopelessness. Boney fingers grasp my ankles, compromising
my balance, but I am left with no room to fall.
I am
tormented by the cries of hungry children, but cannot find the children who cry
amongst the crowd. My head pounds as I am forced to listen to the market’s
dreadful song that has no chords. The roosters crow, and the sirens of cop cars
howl. Dogs bark and the dry rice hisses as it is poured into bowls. “Gooda
price, gooda price”, yell the moaning people of the street. They look to
me to feed their needs. Their eyes watch me like a hawk watches its prey. The rich
colours of fabrics and fruits appear dull as they overwhelm the market stands. The
sweet smells of tortillas quickly sicken me causing an acidic taste to form in
my mouth. My heart feels as though it is on fire, burning it’s way out of my
chest. My breaths are short and sweat begins stinging my eyes. I run elbowing
my way through the people looking for an escape. I duck my head, I am out, but
pieces of my heart remain forever trapped in the Guatemalan markets.
In 2015 I had the opportunity to partner with Impact ministries. It was amazing to see the hope Impact is bringing to the communities of Tactic, Guatemala. These photos reflect a lot of light, smiles and laughter.
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