A transformative experience of solidarity, learning, and community that left its mark on volunteers and beneficiaries
The ARCORES volunteering program in Guatemala became an authentic adventure of solidarity that for three weeks transformed lives, built cultural bridges, and sowed hope in the community of Totonicapán. From the second to the last week, each day brought new stories, faces, and moments that touched the souls of all participants.
Building Homes, Sowing Future
One of the most significant activities was the work on the “A Roof for Jesus” project, where volunteers met women who, with effort and faith, are building a more dignified future. The actions were diverse: from changing Rafaela’s roof plastic to helping cement the floor of a house that would soon become a home.
Small gestures also made a difference. Delivering batteries to families in need, such as the one with six daughters who wash at a spring, demonstrated that the deepest transformations often arise from simple actions loaded with meaning.
Education with Heart and Celebration
The educational component of the program was developed through reinforcement classes, school camps, and visits to institutes. In some centers there were dozens of young people, in others just a few, but in all of them they found eagerness to grow and learn.
The educational camps became spaces of laughter, games, and mutual learning. Preparing performances for the Augustinian Festival showed that educating is also celebrating, culminating with a presentation where volunteers shared a piece of Spain through dances, music, and joy.
The grand closing of the educational camp at the municipal multipurpose hall, with basketball games and the delivery of t-shirts and crosses, was especially moving. Seeing how something so simple can mean so much to children reminded all participants of the true value of their work.
Each morning began with breakfasts for homeless people, offering not only food but also company and listening. At home, Mariló constantly surprised with pancakes and personalized messages with biblical quotes, showing that love is also served on a plate.
Encounters that Transform
Visits to the sick on Saint Ezekiel Moreno’s day revealed harsh but courageous stories: a woman who decided to continue with her pregnancy despite a paralyzing illness, and a man who was bedridden after an accident. Each encounter reminded that the true mission lies in looking into eyes and being present.
Visits to the Divine Providence Nursing Home were particularly moving. Celebrating mass surrounded by people who, although without family, offered immense warmth, demonstrated the transformative power of presence and accompaniment.
One of the most symbolic projects was the design and painting of a mural that unites Guatemala and Spain under the ARCORES symbol. This cross-cutting project accompanied the entire last week and now decorates the office entrance as a permanent witness to what was lived, telling its own story of international brotherhood.
Culture, Celebration, and Fraternity
The experience was enriched by participation in the patron saint festivities of Santa Cruz del Quiché, parades with school bands, parish bonfires, and dinners with the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters. These moments of fraternity made volunteers feel part of something greater.
The program also included exploring Guatemala’s natural and cultural heritage: Lake Panajachel, San Juan de la Laguna, Eagle’s Viewpoint, the Mayan ruins of Zaculeo, and the Kaxtum viewpoint. Getting to know the country allowed for a better understanding of its people, history, and beauty.
The last days were marked by significant closures: the delivery of sports shoes within the framework of closing scholarship, greenhouse, and chicken coop projects, and emotional farewells with the camp children, full of hugs, drawings, and promises to return.
The pajama party in a San Cristóbal cabin, with laughter, confidences, and stars, and the meal at Lucrecia’s house, a generous-hearted hostess, closed the experience with moments of intimacy and gratitude.
A Legacy that Endures
This ARCORES volunteering experience taught that service is not just what you do, but how you live it. Each action, each smile, each shared prayer brought participants closer both to others and to themselves.
The last day, dedicated to visiting Antigua before the return trip, was not a goodbye but a “see you soon.” Because Totonicapán is now part of everyone who participated in this transformative experience, where it was demonstrated that hearts in action can change the world, one smile at a time.
