"I'm Maureen Duncan and I am a member of the Rotary E-Club of San Diego Global. One of my high school vocational students in Guatemala created a poem regarding the pandemic in Guatemala (with some of my editing and input from other students and the local project manager of my District Grant in Guatemala). It's quite uplifting and I thought informative for all our District members to learn about how others are affected by the pandemic and how they cope. The original was written in Spanish. This has been translated into English. I hope you enjoy it."
I don't Need Anything.
I don't need anything...thoughts from a Guatemalan high school student, IDM, Santa Lucia
I don't need anything in this pandemic crisis. I have a roof over my head, a bed, bread and water every day.
I am grateful for the opportunity of opening my eyes; of seeing the light of day; studying with my books, hoping for a better future.
I am calm. I am not afraid, Guatemalans, we are not "los damificados", the damaged people. We are not victims.
We are a poor country but now it doesn't matter in this pandemic. We are equal with the rest of the rich countries; it doesn't matter what work we do or what class we are from. Even if you have the best clothing or shoe brands, this situation has marked equality worldwide.
What matters to me? To Guatemalans? Being united in family; school, friends, church, country, the planet.
We help each other now. No need to fight now. No need for wars.
Money doesn't matter anymore. Money buys vanity and now no nobody has money.
The planet matters. What are we doing with our planet? Our volcanic mountains are thundering, bleeding their lava again. They are crying out in anger about what we have done to the environment, what we have done to human rights. Let us be still and listen to the earth. I say it is time for us to rebuild our world with empathy, solidarity, connection.
What have I learned during this pandemic? To have hope .... last week I almost lost hope. I live alone here so I can go to school. May family lives nine hours away by bus. I did not care to see sunlight, telephone or a computer. I was nauseous and dizzy with a fever. But I still did my work; my obligations. I found the strength within me. I called upon my Mayan ancestors.
I don't need anything because I have my inner strength.