Visit to Guatemala garbage dump

As I had mentioned before, Mi Refugio was started for the children living in the city dump back in th 80's. Since the school started many things have changed in the dump- the government would probably say that life has improved. We got to go see those "improvements" today.

When we arrived at the grounds I was horrified to discover my camera was broken and I couldn't take any pictures... but now I think this might have been a good thing because the images today are forever burned in my mind.

The original school (which in its original days was only 1 block from the edge of the dump and now it is a few blocks over) sits on top of a hill and when the bus stopped, the site before me was so surreal. About a mile away I saw hundreds of vultures circling in the sky over the dump. Looking into the skyline that was all I could see... just swarms of birds as high as the skyline. It was like something out of a movie and quite frankly gave me chills. It is haunting to think how these Guatemalan children see this eerie image instead of rainbows or clouds shaped like dinosaurs when they look off into the sky.

There was a definite odor and thickness in the air as we stepped of our bus today. The streets are littered with animal deposits and flies rule the air. After a few minutes I stopped swatting at the flies crawling on me or buzzing around my head- it was useless....there were just too many of them. And at this point we were still about a mile away from the dump.

We walked through some neighborhoods and entered the "government housing" section. After much international publicity about Guatemala's 4th world- the people living in the city dump (they were considered the 4th world because they were not counted in any census) the government tried to clean up the country's image by moving people out of the dump and into the outskirts. There they provided free land to the people. This is supposed to be an "improvement".
As we entered one of the government housing neighborhoods, I noticed a man lying on the ground at the entrance. For a moment I wondered if he was dead. His body was strewn on the ground like a limp rag doll...just lying there ragged unaware of the murky river of the street's drainage running under his body. His skin was weathered from suffering the sun and rain for years with no protection. His clothing- beyond filthy. He had his left hand up to his lips and I could see the white crust on his cheeks and fingers from vomit. Flies covered his entire head and face. My guess was that he had gotten high on glue and passed out in his own vomit.

The houses are shacks made of tin; many of them have a bed sheet as a door. There are just rows of these houses with no plumbing and electricity for only those who can afford it. We visited the home of a Mi Refugio student. She lives with 10 people in a room the half the size of my bedroom. The ground is just dirt... there is only 1 bunk bed and the walls are soaked from the morning rain. The tin roof does not cover the entire ceiling and therefore does not provide full rain coverage. However, there are no windows in the home so the ceiling provides the only ventilation. This dark, crowded, dirty room is where 10 people eat, sleep, and live their lives every day. And this is the 21st century???

We could only get to the edge of the dump as there is now a wall and armed guards to keep tourists and journalists out. Guatemala is known for its rich soils and plush vegetation- yet surrounding the dump were the only sickly trees I have seen in this country. Trees were only half full of leaves and the leaves it had were burnt brown from all the fumes in the dump. I've heard it said that the people living around the dump lose 10 years of their life because of the fumes. It's hard to see how it couldn't impact their health and lives negatively. The dump site is massive and is a huge ravine. Dump trucks come in by the hundreds pushing the trash into the center, building up the layers. When the ravine is filled, they move on and dig another ravine.

This is the first time I got to visit the dump grounds- last time we were unable to make the trip because work that needed to be done at the school due to weather damage. I am amazed at what the students of Mi Refugio have to survive on a daily basis to live. I am especially amazed by the dedication Kari Engen has had to these forgotten children and the hope she brings to their lives.

Through the education and scholarship Mi Refugio has provided, the student we visited today is enrolled in the university to become a social worker. Another student from the dumps is graduating from the university this year and has a job with a finance company. After visiting their home and neighborhoods, I realize how truly fantastic their accomplishments are. Without Kari and Mi Refugio these children would have never known or had the chance to make opportunities for themselves.