TheBanyanTree: Considering the Risks

[Pat Martin]

Only four and a half months ago, my husband Andrew and I lived in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and worried about what might happen when the entire country was put in a state of emergency because of Hurricane Adrian's impending arrival.  As luck would have it, there were no significant effects and our anxiety was soon forgotten.

 

This past week was different.  Hurricane Stan devastated many areas of Guatemala including Quetzaltenango.  Hundreds of people are missing and the death toll, now over two hundred, continues to rise.  Quetzaltenango (Xela) is reported to be without electricity and fresh water.  More than six feet of muddy water flooded Zone 1 where we lived, studied, and volunteered at Nuevos Horizontes, a centre for abused women and children.  My stomach feels sick to think of the children I worked with, Izabel, Carlito, Joel, Cerlin and all the others.  Here in Canada, I have no way of knowing their fate.

 

I was seriously considering returning to Quetzaltenango in January 2007 to continue my Spanish studies for a couple of months before returning to 'my kids' at Casa Hogar in Antigua.  With a year's commitment, I would be allowed to live on-site with the children again.  But this disaster has me questioning my tentative plan.

 

There is no doubt there are many risks associated with working in Guatemala.  Volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, exposure to life-threatening disease, a high crime rate and danger to personal safety must be considered.  I want to help; I want to do some good but do I want to expose myself to so many risks?  This needs much more thought...