Do Guatemals hate me?

When more than one person asks the same question, it makes me wonder if perhaps they represent a bigger population of people who also are wondering the same thing.

Because I often mention that it’s dangerous here, some of you have written and asked why the Guatemalans don’t like/hate us. I’m very glad you took the time to ask, and please continue to ask questions.

By in large, Guatemalans like us. I have not yet met a Guatemalan that hated or strongly disliked me (us, Americans). On the contrary, they have welcomed me with open arms, and treated me very well. However, it’s commonly believed by Guatemalans that all Americans are rich. And for the most part, I believe they are right (at least as seen through their eyes). Some live by the Robin Hood philosophy- that it’s perfectly fine to take from the rich in order to provide for the poor/themselves. I’ve heard a saying here which roughly translates: An open treasure chest is available to all. So, for example, if I leave my house or car door unlocked or window open, or if I lay down a personal item, then it’s available to anyone. Which means that it’s my job to secure my stuff. However, there are quite a few people (especially those that I work with daily) that do not believe in this way of seeing things. My Guatemalan co-workers go out of their way to look out for me, and I’ve seen them put themselves in dangerous positions for my sake and for the sake of other Americans.

So, why am I (and any other American) in danger? Because we’re easy targets to get robbed. And women are more vulnerable because it’s not likely we carry a gun/knife or can overpower a Guatemalan man. They’re mostly wanting whatever we have on us: cell phones, money, watches, jewelry, and anything that’s in a backpack (camera, computers, etc.) The more Americans that can be found in one place, the more likely they are to find more valuable stuff. And if they find valuable stuff once, then they’ll come back again and again. That’s why we don’t let teams leave the house on their free time. That’s why we don’t let team members leave the house with cameras or other obviously valuable stuff. That’s why we’re never alone. That’s why we have eyes in the back of our head and try to stay very alert to our surroundings at all times. That’s why I have a little money and an old cell phone on me at all times. That’s why we try to avoid patters as much as possible (Ex: We go to different banks and grocery stores on different days.) That’s why we pray daily for safety.

So it’s just robbery, right? Well, every one of our Guatemalan team mates have been robbed at knife and/or gunpoint more than once. I don’t think they’d say, "It’s JUST robbery." It certainly causes a person to feel vulnerable, violated, and scared for many weeks to come (not to mention that their money/stuff is gone). It’s ABSOLUTELY NOT limited to Americans. Anyone who’s perceived to have anything valuable is a target. But as to whether a person’s health is endangered, I don’t know. I haven’t recently heard of any American being raped, kidnapped, or killed. But then again, I don’t know if this sort of thing gets reported, and if it does, if it’s put in the media. My guess it that most often it is limited to robbery.

Don’t get me wrong. This is a very dangerous country. Guatemala is way smaller than Mexico, yet has an equal number of deaths. On average, there are 18 violent deaths per day in Guatemala. The majority seems to be linked to gangs, drugs, and poverty. I’m signed up for free Google Alerts for Guatemala, and therefore I get emails daily re: any news that mentions Guatemala. This is how I try to stay alert as to what’s going on.

So, is it worth the risk? For me, undeniably yes. We all live around potential danger. Ours is just a little more overt than others. This is where I’m called by God to work and live. God gave me a brain, thus I try to make smart, safe decisions. But ultimately I trust God to protect me and to protect those that work in and visit this ministry. Does that mean that God won’t allow anything bad to happen? No, but it does mean that I believe God is in control and He’s going to take care of me (us) every step along the way. And for me the eternal benefit of reaching out to others in Jesus name far outweighs anything else.