I just returned from spending six weeks in Guatemala doing humanitarian work with an organization called HELP International (Help ELiminate Poverty). While I could type for hours about my thoughts and the things I learned, I'm going to focus here on the blessing of living in the culture we do. While everyone who ever read this blog understands that I do my share of complaining about our culture, there are some blessings we enjoy as American citizens that we don't even realize.

While there, we met a man who studies global trends and phsychology and stuff. He talked about how the culture in Guatemala is to strive to pass, to get above 50% to just get by. In school, the students ask each other if they passed. In our country, the majority of us strive for the best we can do, we strive for A's. Living in a culture of higher expectations is a blessing I didn't even realize I enjoyed. We must keep these high expectations flowing, and not settle for the lower expectations that sometimes teenagers especially settle for.

I've also heard from some that the American dream is dying. While I don't know if the American dream used to be stronger, as far as I can tell, the American dream is alive and well. While our government isn't near perfect, at least it isn't corrupted, and it does listen to the people. If a poor high school graduate wants to attend college and get a good job, there are opportunities from the government and non-government to help get that person to school and on the road to a bright future, even if his parents never graduated high school or he doesn't have a dollar to his name. In third-world countries such opportunities do not exist, especially by the government. Much of the hope of people in third-world countries lies in the care that non-government organizations and chairty organizations provide. (Here's my plug to donate to charity when you have means to do so! Charity money goes far! I've witnessed it!) Relative to other countries, the USA is the land of opportunity.

So, even though I loved Guatemala and didn't want to come home, I do realize that we have so many blessings in the USA. Look for them. You'll soon be overwhelmed with gratitude.

We can make a difference.
Faith