Only one more day ...

  

Tomorrow I fly to Guatemala City! I’ve studied and researched and am prepared to see it in person. This dump is situated in a ravine that occupies 40 acres of land and has few, if any, health and safety restrictions limiting what can be disposed of there. Human and animal corpses even deteriorate amid the waste that is home to thousands of people. They work to scour the garbage for anything of value: bits of plastic, metal, glass, etc. for up to 14 hour long work days and share their workplace with rats, snakes, and vultures. The locals call these people scavengers, an insult.

I’ll be working with Potter’s House Association, a local NGO situated next to the dump. These scavengers are more than statistics to the volunteers of Potter’s House who see them as real and beautiful treasures. They explain that each of them is precious in the sight of God and that each deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Their efforts are transforming the Guatemala City dump into a place of hope. I want to be a part of that hope.

Join me again Tuesday evening when I’ll hopefully post pictures.