Audrey’s experience
3 years ago, and my 1st time in Guatemala, my family went to San Lucas with a WCC group and every day we would walk or ride in the back of a pick up truck to a village known as San Andres. Our project for the week was to build dividing walls in a school to create classrooms. I quickly found out I wasn’t much help, so I spent almost all of my time playing and taking pictures with the kids who would attend the school. I loved being with everyone, but an 8 year old girl was always glued to my side. I could tell she was normally fairly shy, but when I was with her she had no problem being herself. My sister, Julia, told all the kids we were playing with to call me by my first and middle names. I like my middle name, Shea, but it can get a little old of everybody calling you “Audrey Shea! Audrey Shea!” over and over again if ya know what I mean. On the last day of “working” in San Andres my friend, Julieta, told me we would be siempre amigas (friends forever.)
When we went back to San Lucas this year I had the chance to go back up to San Andres for a visit. I didn’t think I would see her, but I had deffinatlly been thinking about her and praying for her every day since July of 2008. I was playing soccer and taking pictures with the kids by the school, and I saw a girl sitting behind my mom, not talking to anyone. I had a picture of Julieta from 3 years ago on Julia’s camera so I went over to the girl sitting down and asked her what her name was. She told me “Julieta.” I showed her the picture and she recognized it and confirmed that it was her. I don’t speak spanish, so I went over to my sister and told her to tell Julieta I was here 3 years ago and I remembered her. I told Julieta my name and she didn’t seem like there was any memory of me what so ever. I told her my name a second time, but instead I said “ Me llamo Audrey Shea.” Her face lit up and and she nodded as if she did remember me. Things were a little awkward after that considering all I could say was “How old are you?” in Spanish and she spoke no English. It was still the highlight of my week to be able to at least see her again and know she remembered me too.
The Patio 