August 4th-14th, 2006

Post Trip Reflection: Ross Starkson

Ross Starkson , with sincere devotion to this project, announced, “Every time I return from Guatemala I feel like I have gained so much.” Ross’s life has pilgrimed him through corporate success and RCIA team mentorship to a focus of learning more about cultural differences and commonalities among the people of Central and South America. Ross has been on other TN2 trips. His wife Katharine, who has previously participated, will be unable to join the group this year.

I'm not home yet - not really.  My body is here, but my spirit is wandering around Guatemala.  I'm still getting and giving hugs.  I'm still experiencing the sadness and anger at the Peace Park in Santiago Atitlán.  I'm still feeling the love of the children.  I know my spirit will get here sooner or later, but I don't want it to come home just yet.  Two years ago I felt much the same when we came back.  A sense of new connections and new friends.  No, family is a better word to describe it.  But this time something has changed in me that I don't have a name for yet.  The world is a different place now and even the future seems to be readjusting itself.  

I stayed with Doña Estela and her children Josefina and Juan Felipe.  Fredie was there as well.  He is Norma's husband.  Norma is Doña Estela's daughter, who was in the hospital while we were there.  She gave birth to a son on August 10th, two months early and she is very ill.  Doña Estela's husband, Efraín, died last October.  He was very involved with Sister Parish from the beginning 11 years ago.  (See some pictures of Efraín at http://www.stjoan.com/sp/Reports/Efrain.htm.)  Estela is also very active in Sister Parish work and sees that as a way to carry on the things that her husband valued.  She and her family are strong and very much involved in the life of the community and the church in Tierra Nueva Dos.  

For many of us the re-entry into the culture of the United States is much more difficult than adapting to the culture in Guatemala.  It feels so lonely when you come back.  It's clear that people and relationships are the priority in Tierra Nueva Dos.  Here, it's clear that people are starving for connection.  Don't get me wrong, life is not simple nor perfect in Guatemala.  There are many challenges wherever life is lived fully.  But we have much to learn from our brothers and sisters in Tierra Nueva Dos about being community.  Being self-sufficient is such a key value in the U.S. that even when people are in severe need they are expected to deal with their own issues.  How lonely and dysfunctional that sounds after spending just a few days with the people of San Marcos in Tierra Nueva Dos.  

One of the key differences between the relationship St. Joan's has with San Marcos in Tierra Nueva Dos and other connections to Guatemala is that we keep seeing each other.  The priority is on the relationship.  It's very gratifying to see young people involved in this relationship.  People like Josefina, Brenda, Lilian, Blanca, Juan, Gustavo, Claire, Ashley and many others.  Like Willie said during the goodbyes, these young men and women are our future.  They will shape our world and accept the challenges that are put in their path.  I, for one, am proud of them and confident in their ability to bring us into the future, whatever it may hold.  We are all in this thing together and that's what gives me hope.

Delegates participated in Sunday Mass at San Marcos, where they also presented the banner signed by St. Joan parishioners.