Six weeks of growth in Guatemala with Maryknoll

I contacted Maryknoll in late March of 2010 asking for help on how to explore the possibility of becoming a missionary priest. Two months later I arrived in the Petén, Guatemala where I spent six weeks that introduced me to new peoples and cultures and  gave me a deeper insight into mission and the vocation to priesthood.

Within a short time of my arrival, Fr. Bill Mullan and Julián, an indigenous catechist allowed me accompany them to the remote villages of the Petén inhabited by the Q’eqchi’, a native Mayan people.  The trip was to be four days long.  On our ride there, Fr. Bill introduced me to the Q’eqchi' language.  A greeting was Sa’ laa chool (literally: is there happiness in your heart) and a response would be Sa’ in chool.  To practice I would greet the people “Sa’ laa chool?” as we passed them on the rocky road to our destination.  We traveled on rocky roads to get to the distant villages where Fr. Bill celebrated Mass with the people.  I was very impressed by the simple and sincere life of the Q’eqchi’; they are mostly subsistence farmers.