Students from Bellarmine Preparatory High School make lifelong memories in the community of Vaquilla, Panama
On July 25th, twenty six volunteers arrived in Vaquilla, Panama. The following morning we began to work carrying buckets of sand, gravel, and concrete back and forth from the concrete mixer. The work was hard in the humid air but the mood stayed lighthearted as we worked under the cooler morning sun. The court was finished in four days as good weather prevailed during the morning work.
For meals we ate a variety of new foods such as plantains, chicharron, and traditional tamales. Following construction, we connected with the local school children playing soccer, volleyball, and hacky sack. This connection happened almost instantly and continued through the entire trip. The group participated in many other activities such as weaving the traditional Panamanian hat, swimming in the nearby river, making hojaldre, a traditional local bread, and dancing with the locals. One of our favorite activities was to take a short walk to Fe y Alegria, a non-profit initiative based in Vaquilla that works in sustainable agriculture, cultural promotion, and environmental protection. The leaders showed us all different types of growing food: sugar cane, mint, ginger, and more. Seeing how food looks and smells before it’s cooked for meals makes us appreciate our food all the more. We also got to see roosters, hens, and baby chicks. Following the gardens, we were led to a quiet lagoon where we spent a good portion of the afternoon swimming and playing games. The water was the perfect mix of refreshing and warm.
Another favorite activity was learning how to weave the Panamanian hats. The traditional weaving techniques combined with the speed the locals wove left us mesmerized. We soon gained a deep respect and sense of the work that it took to complete only one circle of the hat. Being given the opportunity to learn the traditional techniques was a blessing we will never forget and be forever grateful for. It took many of us a couple of hours just to complete a couple of inches of a single circle. The traditional fibers and strings used in a hat, revealed to us how resourceful the locals were with what they have in hand. Some fibers even take multiple years to mature and develop before use.
During a few of the evenings, our group wandered down to the cancha (local field) in hopes of playing the locals in a soccer match. Both teams consisted of players of every age. There were school teachers, second graders, teenagers, and everything in between; all with their shoes off, playing in the wet mud. The only time our school won was when we had a few Panamanians playing for us.
On our last day in the community, we got to celebrate with all the locals and have a grand opening of the court! They performed their cultural dances and shared their appreciation with us. It was a pleasure to get to build this court for this community and they showed their love and appreciation through all their actions. We got to see the kids enjoy the court and we hope they can make lifelong memories there!
~ John Lucas, Bellarmine Preparatory High School
Volunteer Quotes:
“My favorite memory from this trip was playing soccer with the locas. This simple, fun game brought together the whole community and us as a group of students.”~ Charlotte Hedricke
“The soccer game united everyone and brought the whole community together. It showed me how, even though our lives are different, we all have so much in common.” ~ Collins Lindstrom
“I learned from the community that unity and a shared goal can be incredibly beneficial. The community of Vaquilla is so closely knit and everyone cares for each other a lot. This is expressed throughout the emotions and actions of people in the community.” ~ Luc Menard
“The moments when I helped the people of Vaquilla or played with the locals were my favorite moments of the trip, as the experience was not surface-level but a broader experience, and a bond was formed between the community and me, creating a larger community.” ~ Max Wetzel
“My highlight of this trip was becoming part of the community while dancing with some of the kids and laughing with them.”
~ Abbie Sachwitz
Community Quotes:
“The community was able to interact with an external group and realize that our culture, our food, and our dances are valuable, and they enjoyed it. This gave us a boost of self-esteem.” ~ Antonio Alvarado, School Principal
“This project has left us a recreational space that will serve generations and generations of students”
~ Kathya Benitez, community leader
“This project is life-transforming for the kids in the community. Having a space where they can host community activities and play sports will keep them out of violence and bad habits.” ~ Ruben Rivas, PTA President
