It was a damp, mundane and gloomy day in Malta when I overheard an acquaintance recalling his dreaded predicament of being stranded in Guatemala, while doing voluntary work, when the border was unprecedentedly closed due to the pandemic outbreak.

In a foreign country at the time, and desperately hankering the need for a new experience, I took the leap of faith and contacted Dun Anton Grech, a Gozitan priest and founder of the GuateMalta Foundation.

Despite having never heard or met Dun Anton, he welcomed the opportunity with open arms. As fast as greased lightning, I booked my flight, packed my bags, and set for pastures new.

At the time of writing, I find myself just short of a month’s stay in a spacious, clean and comfortable room in Casa Isabel, run by GuateMalta in Puerto Barrios, a port city on the Atlantic coast of Guatemala.

Casa Isabel is a women’s shelter, administered by Dun Anton and his colleagues, for victims of domestic violence. The shelter also provides vital medical services, including ultrasounds, psychological counselling and pharmaceutical supplies.

Francesco Fenech with young members of the community in Guatemala.

Over the past 12 years, GuateMalta has extended its grounds to include a sizeable playground, a church and is currently finishing off a hostel to host guests and future volunteers.

On a daily basis, I have accompanied Dun Anton to the jungle to visit remote Q’eqchi and Ladina villages, as he sees to his priestly duties.

As an avid enthusiast of symbolic rituals, I have been fortunate enough to witness a melting pot of religious customs; a syncretic blend between the traditional Roman Catholic ceremony – delivered by Dun Anton in Spanish and the native Q’eqchi tongue – amalgamated with Mayan shamanic prayers, offerings and traditional attire.

One significant project, one that has been a roaring success, is the supply of clean stoves. Many rural families deep within the jungle still utilise open fires to cook, thus inhaling toxic fumes and risking the possibility of treacherous fires. I have aided in assembling and dispersing these clean stoves, sponsored by St Sebastian parish church, Qormi, that have flourished like a green bay tree among such communities.

Guatemala offers a lifetime of experiences, and over the past month, it has been nothing short of an experience of a lifetime.

During my stay so far, I have also visited the local prison, recorded a soundtrack for the local television station Stella Maris TV and have had a short stint as a teacher’s assistant in English classes offered by the GuateMalta Foundation.

Yet, despite the deep and rich history the Mayan culture boasts, the current economic situation is a far cry from a pretty picture. Poverty and lack of basic supplies remain rife, due to political instability, civil wars and aggravated hardships because of the pandemic.

GuateMalta is accepting donations and, after a hiatus due to the pandemic, the organisation has reopened its doors to volunteers who are willing to partake in such programmes.