One afternoon at the Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC) Center in Guatemala, my niece Karina (15) and I trekked out into the farm to plant trees with Elida and Deysi, leaders in the Women in Agroecology Leadership for Conservation (WALC) program. There was definitely a language barrier, so the outing began mostly in silence, figuring out how to communicate the logistical needs of the tree planting.  

Karina and Elida plant a tree. Photo courtesy of Sara Spohr.

Eventually we found a rhythm and Elida began to hum a song. Deysi joined in. Karina perked up, because she’s a singer too. Soon, tree planting became secondary to the music and laughter. I was simply a witness to the joy. I happily recorded a video of the moment. The video features Elida, holding one of the tree seedlings like a microphone, and singing with full voice and heart. In the video I can also hear Deysi and Karina laugh and sing. I can hear my own voice asking for more: “mas, mas.” 

Karina and Elida walk arm in arm back to the CCFC campus. Photo courtesy of Sara Spohr.

On the hike back to the center, the three girls took turns picking songs and singing. As they searched for the songs all three of them knew, music became their common language. I have a vision that the next trip should include a transformational karaoke party!

Watch Elida and Karina's relationship blossom!

The trip to Guatemala was a powerful example of the ways in which relationships transform boundaries. We were an intergenerational group from Minnesota, and we met up with a small family, with Guatemalan and Honduran roots, from Pennsylvania. We ate, hiked, played, swam, and learned with the WALC leaders. Diversity of age, language, socio-economics, religion, food, and cultural identity might have kept us apart, but the holy and the human spirit kept stepping across those lines to present us all with the precious and sacred gift of each other.  

Learn more about traveling to Guatemala with LPGMSupport WALC

The Rev. Sara Spohr is a current LPGM board member, Guatemala and India traveler, and Lead Paster at Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church.