Do you want to join a team and visit the highlands of Guatemala? 

Do you want to make an impact in the lives of students and teachers with a focus on education and families?

Join one of our teams who visits Cotzal specifically to work with the students and teachers at Colegio Horeb. Our teams offer teacher training, workshops for students, and help wherever they’re needed. Team members have opportunities to visit the students’ homes to encourage them and their families. Our teams install stoves to help families have a safe way to cook and heat their homes. Our November team attends graduation and helps celebrate by providing school supplies for graduates and school yearbooks for all the students.

Who should join us? Each team is unique. Each trip is unique. Though our team’s schedule for the week is determined by the needs of the school, we also have time to offer unique opportunities to students and teachers based on the team’s particular gifts and talents. In the past we have offered workshops on sex trafficking awareness, goal setting, art classes, soccer clinics, and childhood health workshops for moms. You don’t need to have any specific talent or special training – just a willingness to serve as needed.

SERVICE Teams FAQ’s

WHAT DOES A TRIP SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?

 Typically we leave from Seattle on a Friday morning or evening, fly to Dallas, TX and then on to Guatemala City. We drive 45 minutes to Antigua where we spend the night (and have several hours to see the sites). On Sunday we drive by chartered bus for approximately five hours through the beautiful countryside of Guatemala, with a stop in Chichicastenango and a few other stops for photo taking. We arrive in Cotzal, our home for the week, in time for dinner and get settled into our hotel. Monday through Friday finds us working at the school and visiting families. On Saturday we drive back to Antigua, have a team debrief and have the afternoon to be tourists. We fly home on Sunday.

What Does a Typical Day in Cotzal look like?

Each morning we have a team devotion and eat breakfast together. The week has been planned by the team leaders and Horeb’s director well before we arrive, but each day has its own adventures. On a typical day we will work with students, visit families in their homes, install stoves, play soccer, hug a mom, and help with any tasks the teachers have for us. Our number one goal is to help where and how we are most needed, so flexibility is the greatest gift we can bring to the school. In the late afternoon we will return to the hotel and have dinner and a team meeting.

What does the average team look like?

Teams usually consist of 10-14 members, including team leaders, a WIND representative and a translator. Participants range from high school age to adults in their 70’s. The only physical requirement is to be able to walk on uneven and semi-steep terrain.

What is the Cost?

We estimate total cost, including an allowance for coach airfare, to be around $2,200. This will include all meals, accommodations and in-country travel. An appropriate adjustment can be made for participants who want to book their own travel to and from Guatemala using airline miles or otherwise. Accommodations will be clean and comfortable although not luxurious. You will need money for shopping and meals out while sightseeing in Antigua, for snacks and incidentals in Cotzal. Team leaders will help you find ATM’s to exchange currency.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

You don’t need to be fluent in Spanish. We will have several translators with the team at all times. Usually other team members speak Spanish well enough to assist you too. If you want to learn Spanish before a trip, WIND offers Spanish lessons through our missionary, Carolina. We also suggest using the Babbel or Duolingo apps.