Guatemala Trip Summer 2008

Taking the Lasllian Teacher Immersion Program to Guatemala

As we look to the future and continue to prepare young men to enter the classroom,
I would like to update you on six “alums” that have completed both the semester and summer experience of the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program (LTIP).

On May 11, Andrew Knobbe, Tony Elfering, Albert Escanilla, José Gonzalez, and Jim Trebisovsky traveled to Guatemala to participate in the LTIP five-week summer immersion. During the first three weeks, these young men studied Spanish and lived with host families in Antigua. The last two weeks were spent living and studying theology in community with the Brothers and traveling to different Lasallian ministries throughout the country.

The goal of the summer experience is three-fold: to familiarize students with our global Lasallian network of Brothers and Partners; to develop an appreciation for the people and culture of a developing country; and to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking students and families in our Lasallian schools.

In addition to the two classes in Spanish, they also took a theology class: Catholic Hispanics; Issue and Concerns. Brother Patrick Duffy, their theology professor is a member of the Baltimore District of the Christian Brothers and has spent close to 30 years as a missionary in Central America. Because of Brother Patrick’s rich and varied experience in Guatemala, as well as the contacts he has made over the years, the LTIP participants were able to encounter the Guatemalan people, church and culture in a very meaningful way.

As I reflect on the students’ academic work both in and out of the classroom, their living in community, and the way they embraced a culture very different from their own, I am convinced the five-week experience had an indelible impact on their lives and how they now view our world. It was certainly a privilege for me to journey with these young men as they continue to discern their future as Lasallian educators.

Two days before we returned to the States, I asked each student to write a response to a couple open-ended questions. I found the following response rather poignant and want to share it with you:

What I have learned about myself and others as a result of participating in the Guatemala experience…

One thing that I have experienced during my time in Guatemala is the strong emphasis that the people place upon the suffering of Jesus. The sad history of Guatemala and most of Latin America has left its people suffering in poverty and oppression. The people here can more easily relate to the suffering and hardship that Jesus endured because of this history. In churches across the country graphic images of Jesus hanging on the cross are present in large numbers. In sharp contrast is the image of Jesus in the United States. At least for the contemporary Euro-American community, oppression and hardship (that exists in Guatemala) is not familiar to our way of life. In the Anglo-American Church the emphasis lies in the forgiveness of the sins exemplified in the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection symbolizes redemption only possible by the sacrifice that was made by Jesus. While these images are vastly different, they are compatible in the sense that they are centered on the compassion of Jesus.

Tim Uselman
Saint Mary’s University, ’10

I want to point out that the time spent in Guatemala was not easy—it was not meant to be easy. For three weeks each student was in class six hours a day, one-on-one with his language instructor. The last two weeks were spent studying theology. This involved a good deal of reading, writing, and thought-provoking discussions. During the last two weeks it rained, and rained, and rained! Although we lived in a comfortable home during this period, we were somewhat confined to those quarters and limited in terms of travel.

Each student is to be applauded: for his openness to leave family and friends for five weeks, for his desire to learn more about our Church, for his perseverance in the study of another language, and for his yearning to help create a better world.

Finally, the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program is able to provide these experiences because many of you have generously supported our efforts in the Midwest District to ensure that teachers be grounded in the traditions of St. John Baptist de La Salle. On behalf of the Brothers, Lasallian Partners and the young men in the LTIP, thank you!