Oh, Community!

I have this really vivid memory of getting to stay up really late as a kid in the small town where I grew up, of walking around Main Street, my brother asleep, seated on dad's shoulders. The occasion, the yearly Street Dance. All of the businesses would stay open well past midnight, and my neighbors would take to the streets in bright colors and dancing shoes. Of all the summer activities I participated in as a kid, those nights are some of my most clear memories, maybe because even then I loved to get down, but I think it's more likely because it was a rare glimpse of community spirit. In our fiercely individualistic American society, there aren't many opportunities to experience community. A few times a year for county fairs, fire-department fundraisers, or fireworks Americans let down their guard and soak in the richness of community.

Something I have consistently loved about Guatemala in the last 18 months is the incredible sense of community. It's the kind of community that gets in your business, brings you food unexpectedly, that makes you late for meetings because you have to greet everyone on your way. I love it. On any given night in my town there will be people at a taco stand or cheering on the local soccer teams, rubbing shoulders and swapping stories. I literally can't take 10 steps from my front door without being greeted by my neighbors. Sure, it has it's annoyances, like the fact that the gossip mill is quick and harsh, but in general the blessings outweigh the curses. Community has been a keyword in my life for the last few years and I expect it to be for many more. This time here has taught me a lot about community that I think I'll look back on and draw from in future community settings.