Common Hope - Long-Term Volunteer Guide

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Long-Term Volunteer Guide

History of Common Hope

In 1984, Dave and Betty Huebsch left their home in Minnesota to work in Guatemala. Until then, Dave had taught English literature in the local high school, and Betty managed their photography studio and stayed home with their children. Spiritually motivated by a desire to help people less fortunate than themselves, Betty and Dave made the difficult decision to leave family, friends, and a peaceful lifestyle to see what they could offer the people of Guatemala.

Dave and Betty spent the first year in Guatemala working with the San Lucas mission, which was sponsored by the Catholic Church. It was there that they learned Spanish and the intricacies of the native Mayan culture. However, their attention became focused on Santiago Atitlán, a remote village where 40,000 people lived in stark poverty. Godchild Sponsorship Corp. was formed in 1986 to provide formal education for the children of Santiago Atitlán.

In addition to educating the children, The Godchild Project also initiated adult education programs. A vocational school taught woodworking as the students built school desks for the children. Another program taught adults to read. And a third program taught widows how to raise chickens, which supplemented their meager incomes and raised the level of protein in their families’ diet.

In January 1988, Betty and Dave were forced to leave Guatemala because local political violence endangered their lives. Within days, they left their friends in Guatemala and traveled back to Minnesota. Even though their project was forced to stop supporting the schools in Santiago, the schools continued under local leadership.

Dave and Betty resumed their life back in Minnesota, but it would never be the same. Soon they were planning to return to Guatemala. It was then that Betty unexpectedly died.

In June 1990, Dave returned to Guatemala with his son, John, who had been involved with Godchild since its inception. They re-established their project near the small city of Antigua, in an impoverished mountainous area of Guatemala. It was much safer than Santiago. Their work prospered again as the network of people who had previously supported the project responded eagerly to the news that it had reopened.

Two years after returning to Guatemala, Dave decided to take a step in another direction. He entered the seminary to study theology, and his son John took over the direction of the project.

In 2001, the project changed its name to Common Hope, which describes more accurately the expanded mission of this small family-based project which has grown to become a powerful force helping thousands of families rise from poverty. While the Huebsch's are still involved, it is governed by a leadership team in Guatemala and an active Board of Directors.

Common Hope has developed a comprehensive set of programs and works personally with the poor. It serves the poor within the areas of education, health care, housing, vocational training, social work, volunteerism, community development, nutrition, and sanitation.

Common Hope has established two centers. The Family Development Center is located near Antigua and New Hope Village is north of Guatemala City. The project also manages two smaller projects, one south of Guatemala City and the other in the Ixcán jungle. Common Hope is in the process of developing other projects in Guatemala. Its diverse and growing staff includes dozens of Guatemalans and many volunteers from around the world.

Guatemala

Guatemala is a Central American country about the size of Tennessee. It is located just south of Mexico. Of the 12 million people living in Guatemala, about 60% are descendants of the ancient Maya, a culture whose superior achievements in architecture, art, and mathematics have astounded historians. Since the Spanish conquest more than 450 years ago, the Maya have lived in extreme poverty. Though Spanish is the official language in Guatemala, it is still common to hear the Mayan people speaking one of the 23 Mayan languages.

The topography of Guatemala varies from the hot coastal regions where the main exports are sugar, cotton, and bananas to the cooler mountainous regions where some of the best coffee in the world is produced. The northern region of Guatemala contains a lush rainforest called the “fifth lung of the world.” It is here at Tikal where the temples of the ancient Maya still tower high above the rainforest.

Generally speaking, there are two seasons in Guatemala - rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in April and reaches its peak in July. Even during the wettest time, the days are often punctuated with sunshine. The rain makes the countryside lush with green corn fields and vegetation. By October, the rains have slowed, bringing the sunny, warm, and very dusty dry season.

During the day, temperatures are normally in the 70s and 80s, though they can rise to above 100 on the coasts and in the jungle. It is normally quite comfortable. At night, temperatures can drop into the 40s in the mountainous areas, particularly in December and January. Guatemala is often referred to as the land of eternal spring.

Philosophy of Volunteerism

Common Hope seeks to provide a volunteer experience that encourages spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth. Volunteers bring enthusiasm and important skills, and they tend to be the most fulfilled when they are challenged and given responsibility. Volunteers learn first-hand the complexities and difficulties of helping others develop themselves in a positive and transformative way.

Common Hope seeks to give volunteers an authentic and complete experience of working with the poor. There are four basic stages to this process. The first is understanding Common Hope’s mission and philosophy and deciding if these values are a good fit with the volunteer’s personal goals.

The second is gathering the money and materials necessary to accomplish the work. Volunteers are encouraged to raise money and collect supplies prior to traveling to Guatemala. This is a way to give others the opportunity to become personally involved.

The third stage is building personal relationships with impoverished people and applying the gathered resources directly to their problems. Good intentions do not guarantee genuine helping. However, good intentions coupled with an understanding of the culture, a solid development philosophy, and hard work can change lives.

The fourth and final stage happens upon returning home. This can be a powerful experience as one reflects on one’s culture and lifestyle with a new worldview. If the overseas experience is taken seriously, the privilege of having expanded one’s understanding will challenge old attitudes that may require adjustment. This can be both uncomfortable and liberating. Returning home is also an opportunity to share the experience with friends and family. It is important to teach those who cannot travel to Guatemala about the struggles of a developing country. This may challenge them to action.

Volunteer Motivation and Expectations

Common Hope volunteers are committed to serve the underprivileged. The decision to become a volunteer should be taken seriously. Simply wanting to learn Spanish, travel, or have a new experience are not in themselves good reasons to become a volunteer with Common Hope. Good reasons to become a volunteer include a sincere desire to serve the poor, explore one’s spirituality, bring one’s lifestyle into harmony with one’s beliefs, or share one’s talents. It is useful to think in terms of personal transformation rather than saving the world.

It is important that volunteers feel pulled toward working with Common Hope, rather than pushed to volunteer by a desire to escape from or solve personal problems. Before coming to Common Hope, volunteers need to put their lives in order so that they are emotionally, mentally, and financially prepared to face the challenges of living in a foreign country and working with people who are struggling to survive. Volunteers should be mature and serious about making a difference.

Volunteering means working hard at a job with no pay or perhaps a small stipend. Receiving little or no pay does not mean that one can work sporadically or pick and choose what to do. Volunteers have important jobs with responsibility. Common Hope greatly appreciates and depends on its volunteers.

Before arriving in Guatemala, it is important for volunteers to develop realistic expectations, which are the best protection against disappointment. It is essential to remain open and flexible to what the experience can offer. Expect the unexpected.

Time Commitment

The longer volunteers stay, the more effective they can become, the less time Common Hope must spend finding and orienting new volunteers, and the more stability and continuity Common Hope can offer its own community and the families we serve. A longer stay also provides a deeper experience for the volunteer.

Common Hope expects long-term volunteers to commit to learning Spanish and then working for a minimum of one year, with the openness of staying longer if the experience is satisfying. Exceptions are sometimes made depending on a volunteer’s situation and specific skills. Common Hope and the volunteer understand that a volunteer is always free to leave, and Common Hope can ask a volunteer to leave at any time. It is best for both the volunteers and Common Hope when everyone is satisfied.

How Volunteers are Selected

Common Hope receives hundreds of inquiries from potential volunteers each year. The Long-term Volunteer Coordinator manages the correspondence and applications of volunteer candidates. Being accepted depends on many factors, such as the estimated date of arrival, length of commitment, Spanish proficiency, work skills, reasons for wanting to volunteer, project work needs, housing issues, budget constraints, the decision by existing volunteers to extend their commitments, and the qualifications of other applicants.

Ideally, correspondence with volunteer candidates is done by e-mail. In addition to being less expensive, it is much quicker, especially considering that applicants come from around the world.

Applicants begin by answering 12 simple questions. These answers help determine if the applicant fits Common Hope’s criteria and needs. If there is not a fit, the Long-term Volunteer Coordinator informs the applicant immediately. If there is a possible fit, the applicant receives a Long-term Volunteer Application by e-mail. It can take a couple weeks for the Long-term Volunteer Coordinator to review this initial information and send an application.

When the application is returned to Common Hope, it is shared with the Project Directors in Guatemala, who make the final decisions about the acceptance and placement of volunteers. The process of reviewing an application and making a final decision can take up to a month. If selected, an in-coming volunteer continues all correspondence directly with his or her Project Director, who sends detailed information about how to prepare for the experience and what to expect at the particular project site where the volunteer will be working.

If not selected, the applicant is informed by the Long-term Volunteer Coordinator.

The Long-term Volunteer Coordinator tries to inform volunteer candidates as soon as possible if they are accepted or not. However, it is often difficult to approve a volunteer position more than four months before the position would begin. This is because long-term volunteers often extend their commitments, which affects the availability of volunteer positions.

Multiple Projects

Not all volunteers work at the same place. Each Common Hope project site has its own specific volunteer guidelines and expectations, which are determined and communicated by the Project Director.

This guide describes what is common to volunteers at all projects. The specific expectations of the project where a volunteer is placed are shared during the application process and are reviewed during the orientation process.

Financial Commitment: The First Year

In the first year, volunteers are responsible for paying their own airfare, language training, health care, health insurance, the cost of dependents living with them in Guatemala, personal travel, long-distance phone bills, personal gift buying, and eating out.

Some volunteers may receive monthly living allowances, depending on the living situation. This would begin after any necessary language training is completed and when a volunteer either starts orientation or starts working full-time. living allowances vary by project, but are enough to provide a simple yet comfortable lifestyle similar to that of the middle-class of an industrialized nation. The allowance is enough for a volunteer to rent a private bedroom in a shared house, eat, travel to and from work, etc. Volunteers are obviously free to supplement their allowance with personal funds if desired.

Volunteers living in housing provided by Common Hope may receive a reduced living allowance or no allowance at all.

living allowances are paid monthly and are normally received in quetzales in Guatemala.

Financial Commitment:
After the First Year

In the first year, volunteers become more and more effective as they learn the language, culture, philosophy, processes, and policies of Common Hope, as well as develop relationships with the staff and families served by the project. At the same time, the financial burden of volunteering can become more challenging. If, at this point, Common Hope and the volunteer extend their commitment to one another for an additional year, the volunteer becomes eligible to receive health insurance and, in some cases, the volunteer's living allowance may be re-negotiated.

In the second and succeeding years, Common Hope is willing to financially assist a volunteer traveling home to visit family and friends if the volunteer agrees to spend some time fundraising for Common Hope. The amount of financial assistance depends on the number and type of fundraising engagements. Finding the necessary financial resources is an integral part of human development work, and volunteers are in a unique position to bear witness to the validity and importance of the work done in Guatemala. Volunteers are usually encouraged by the warm reception they receive from the donors who sustain the organization.

Vaccinations

Though no vaccinations are required to travel to Guatemala, it is strongly recommended that all volunteers have an updated tetanus shot and immunization for hepatitis A (a series of two shots, six months apart). Cholera exists in Guatemala, but should not pose a problem if food is properly cleaned. Malaria and dengue fever also exist in Guatemala but are not prevalent in the areas where Common Hope works. They are more prevalent in the coastal and rainforest areas.

Evacuation & Health Insurance

Common Hope does not provide health or medical evacuation insurance for its volunteers during the first year of volunteering. Health and medical evacuation insurance is required and is the volunteer’s responsibility. Often insurance companies will cover their clients for a limited period of time while they are out of their home country. Volunteers should contact their insurance companies about international coverage.

It is possible for first-year volunteers to be covered under Common Hope’s group health insurance policy if they pay their own premiums. This can be done by pre-paying the premiums to Common Hope, or by arranging for Common Hope to automatically withdraw the premium each month from the volunteer’s U.S. bank account.

In the second and succeeding years, Common Hope provides health and medical evacuation insurance for those volunteers who choose to be included under Common Hope’s health insurance policy. This is an international health policy that covers volunteers from different countries. There is a deductible of $500 for individuals and $1,500 for families. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to pay the deductible when necessary. The purpose of the insurance plan is to provide security in case the volunteer has a major health problem.

Common Hope has its own clinic, pharmacy, dental offices, and laboratory, which are available to all volunteers.

Safety

Poverty itself is a form of violence. In a country where a majority of the people lives in physical poverty and is struggling to survive, safety is a concern. Political volatility, corruption, and street crime are all present in Guatemala. Safety is an issue anywhere in the world, and potential volunteers are encouraged to investigate the issue of safety in Guatemala. Learning to stay safe is part of a volunteer’s orientation. Common Hope carefully monitors the issue of safety and keeps volunteers informed of all known safety concerns.

The following resources are places to learn about safety in Guatemala:

Link to the U.S. State Department
Link to the Presa Libre

Personal Appearance

Guatemala is a more conservative culture than most first-world countries, from which many volunteers come. It is important that volunteers respect this culture so that both they and the organization are well received. While those served by Common Hope do not dress in fancy clothing, they generally dress conservatively. The staff dresses casually so that the families are comfortable. At the same time, we dress professionally.

Clothing that reveals a lot of skin, such as shorts and halter-tops are not acceptable dress. Shirts and pants should not have holes in them. Even though Guatemalan women often wear dresses, it is fine for female volunteers to wear pants.

Male volunteers may not wear earrings during work hours. Female volunteers may wear earrings. It is permissible for male volunteers to have long hair, as long as it is kept neat, though shorter hair is more culturally acceptable for men. No volunteers may wear jewelry in piercings of the tongue, cheek, brow, or navel during work hours or in the sight of the families served.

To develop the trust of the people served by Common Hope, it is important to respect the Guatemalan culture and be respected in return. Being perceived in a positive light is important in accomplishing our mission.

Traveling to Guatemala

Common Hope’s U.S. Vision Team Manager has travel connections, which can help volunteers find the best and least expensive flights possible. Those volunteers leaving from Minnesota, USA may be asked by the US Office staff to carry mail and supplies.

It is necessary to have a passport. You should make a copy of your passport, birth certificate, and airline ticket. Keep these copies and the registered numbers of any traveler’s checks separate from original documents. It is also a good idea to leave copies of important documents with someone back home.

On the plane, everyone is given immigration and customs forms. The purpose of visiting Guatemala should be listed as tourism.

Common Hope needs to know a volunteer’s flight information (date of arrival, time of arrival, flight number, and airline). Common Hope normally picks volunteers up at the airport.

Language & Cultural Requirements

A volunteer’s effectiveness depends on developing personal relationships with staff members and those whom they serve. The depth of these relationships is directly proportional to the ability of both people to communicate clearly. On the part of the volunteer, this communication requires an understanding of both the Spanish language and the Guatemalan culture.

Volunteers who are not fluent in Spanish must learn it at one of the local language schools. Students usually attend class for four to six hours a day, one-on-one with their own teacher. While studying Spanish, volunteers live with local Guatemalan families for a complete immersion experience.

While in language school, volunteers may work with Common Hope in the afternoons. Volunteers will continue to study Spanish until they can work effectively without a translator. The speed at which volunteers learn the language depends on their age, prior studies, desire, and their ability to learn another language. Volunteers may study Spanish for as long as several months. The Common Hope staff determines when a volunteer’s proficiency in Spanish is adequate. If it becomes apparent that a volunteer’s language skills are not sufficient, he or she will be asked to return to study longer.

Though learning about the Guatemalan culture is usually part of learning Spanish, volunteers continually learn about the subtleties of culture through their day-to-day work with the Guatemalan families. It is normal for volunteers to evolve through many stages in their relationship with the culture.

Orientation & Commitment

All volunteers go through an extensive orientation to the philosophy and processes of Common Hope, as well as the Guatemalan culture. The orientation is usually a combination of formal sessions and informal experiential orientations. Many volunteers begin orientation while studying Spanish. Orientation is individualized for each volunteer and varies from site to site.

It is important for volunteers to understand the human development process and how each program helps Common Hope meet its goal of helping the financially poor overcome poverty. Volunteers receive a global orientation to the organization, and in the process, meet the staff. In addition to a general orientation, volunteers also receive a detailed orientation to the specific department in which they will work.

A volunteer does not officially begin working with Common Hope until he or she has been accepted, has completed any necessary language training, and has started orientation or working full-time. This becomes the volunteer’s anniversary date and is the beginning of the first year of service. It is also when a monthly living allowance would begin.

Living Conditions of Volunteers

The vast majority of volunteers from wealthier nations can only manage a year or two of living in the same conditions as the impoverished. Common Hope therefore encourages a living and working atmosphere where volunteers can sustain a long-term commitment to the poor.

Volunteers normally live in the local villages near Common Hope’s Development Centers. Volunteers are welcome to find their own housing or can work with the staff to find housing. Some prefer to live alone. Others live with a Guatemalan family. And some join together and share a house. Living in local villages gives volunteers contact with the Guatemalan culture and provides a healthy separation between work life and private life.

There are limited opportunities for volunteers to live in housing provided by Common Hope. A volunteer with special living needs may petition the Project Director to live in such housing if it is available. An example of such a need is volunteers who are raising children. Volunteers living in project housing may receive no living allowance or a reduced allowance, depending on the housing arrangement.

Volunteers with Children

Common Hope extends volunteer opportunities to people who have children. The number of volunteers with children is limited to balance Common Hope’s financial resources, as well as volunteer housing space in cases where the family petitions to live in housing provided by Common Hope.

The parent or parents will be expected to pay for the education, clothing, special supplies, childcare, health insurance, and food beyond that provided by Common Hope.

Diversity & Community

The Common Hope staff, which includes both volunteers and Guatemalans, differs in age, gender, culture, beliefs, education, commitment, etc. This diversity is intentional and beneficial because the focusing of many different perspectives on any single problem results in wonderfully creative solutions. This diversity makes Common Hope resilient because the different strengths and weaknesses of each member are stabilized and balanced by other members.

Working within a diverse group requires tolerance of each other’s differences. We encourage an atmosphere of personal freedom, peace, and privacy. The one thing that we have in common is our spirit to ethically serve the poor, which is an essential part of our common work.

While the staff often shares and develops very deep bonds with one another, they are not expected to form a unified and intentional community. Many overlapping groups naturally develop among any group of people. These groups may form around shared interests in spirituality, music, chess, life experience, education, humor, work, culture, etc. The development of sub-groups is perfectly acceptable, except if a group becomes exclusive of others.

Interpersonal Conflict & Gossip

Realistically, tensions do arise when many people of different cultures, ages, and expectations join together to work. Common Hope has developed a process to resolve interpersonal conflicts directly and respectfully. We are so serious about maintaining a healthy and positive atmosphere that we reserve the right to ask anyone to leave who doesn’t follow our simple conflict resolution process, which is explained during each volunteer’s orientation.

Gossip is one of the single most destructive forces in living and working together. It will not be tolerated because it is disrespectful, undermines trust, and increases negativity. While it takes great courage, one of the most powerful ways to stop gossip is to refuse to listen to it. Those who regularly gossip or listen to gossip may be asked to leave.

Work

Volunteers are generally accepted to work as doctors, nurses, teachers, tutors, social workers, managers, Vision Team coordinators, agricultural experts, builders, programmers, engineers, and fundraisers. After becoming familiar with Common Hope, volunteers begin working in a job where they can use their talents and where there is a real need. Volunteers fit into the project’s organizational structure and are supervised by the leader of their service area.

Volunteers comprise 15% of Common Hope’s staff, and work side-by-side with their Guatemalan co-workers. Working as a volunteer is like working at a regular job without pay. Volunteers work in important positions, and are expected to be at work on time and complete their work assignments, just like their paid co-workers.

Volunteers often work more than full-time. The work and working hours can vary depending on the immediate needs of those living in poverty. Volunteers understand that work is not restricted to these hours. When special circumstances arise, such as a patient needing to go the hospital or the pouring of a cement floor, it is expected that people will “go the extra mile.”

Vacation & Play

Common Hope volunteers work hard, but playing is also encouraged. Working with the poor can be very rewarding because it makes a real difference in people’s lives, and consequently volunteers can become consumed with it. Even though it is necessary at times to work very hard, there are natural lulls in the workload during which a volunteer can relax or take time to do personal traveling, which is important in maintaining a long-term commitment.

One-year volunteers are encouraged to do the majority of their personal traveling before or after their volunteer experience. During their year of work, one-year volunteers can take two to three weeks of vacation.

Volunteers extending their commitment beyond the first year are encouraged to take a four- or five-week trip home each year to reconnect to their culture of origin and spend time with family and friends. Common Hope also offers these volunteers two to three weeks of vacation annually within Guatemala.

Common Hope tries to provide vacation in the time and configuration chosen by the volunteer. All vacation time must be coordinated with the volunteer's supervisor. This ensures that vacations are spaced appropriately so the remaining staff is not overburdened.

Hospitality & Fundraising

Long-term volunteers are expected to spend time with people visiting Common Hope. Volunteers play an important role in hosting sponsors, Vision Teams, short-term volunteers, and tour groups. Visitors are eager to learn more about how we serve the poor. Extending a warm welcome to them and helping them to understand our work is important, because visitors return home and become enthusiastic ambassadors for Common Hope, as well as financial supporters.

There are long-term volunteers who specifically work with Vision Teams. However, all volunteers are expected to share meals with visitors, attend special events, and generally be available to answer questions and share personal stories. Visitors to Common Hope especially enjoy meeting long-term volunteers and learning about their experiences.

Spirituality

Common Hope welcomes anyone willing to serve the poor, and serves the poor without regard to religion. We believe that people of different faith traditions can join together in service and can peacefully live out their individual spirituality.

Our vision and philosophy are based on spiritual principles. We honor all beliefs that lead people to health. We embrace the spiritual values such as hope, forgiveness, compassion, respect, love, service, and the pursuit of peace.

Among the staff, spiritual development is encouraged, but not required. It is acceptable for groups to join together to pray or discuss spiritual themes. However, this is not obligatory.

Just as Common Hope strives to ensure that each volunteer is comfortable with his or her spiritual expression, Common Hope also strives to ensure that the affiliated families remain free to express themselves spiritually. For this reason, Common Hope prohibits volunteers from forcing their spirituality on one another or the affiliated families, while at the same time encourages volunteers to openly share their views when asked, though listening may be the wiser course of action.

Political Involvement

Volunteers are prohibited from becoming politically active with issues pertaining to Guatemala in their home country or in Guatemala. This helps ensure the safety of Common Hope’s staff and the affiliated families. One unintended political mistake by a volunteer could jeopardize the care received by thousands of people and threaten the organization’s very existence.

Alcohol

Volunteers must be aware of cultural attitudes towards alcohol consumption. Social drinking is often perceived differently in the Guatemalan culture. Because most Guatemalans assume that drinking indicates a desire to get drunk, seeing a volunteer drinking is likely to be misunderstood. Alcoholism is a big problem in Guatemala. Approximately 60% of the families served by Common Hope have a member whose alcoholism is affecting the family’s economic well being.

Responsible social drinking with an evening meal or with other volunteers is permitted off Common Hope premises. However, drunkenness is not tolerated. Volunteers are always representatives of Common Hope, even when they are not working. The misuse of alcohol by a volunteer can physically endanger both the volunteer and the reputation of the organization. Common Hope reserves the right to dismiss any volunteer who drinks irresponsibly, and has exercised this right in the past.

Each Common Hope project site has specific policies about alcohol consumption as defined by the Project Director. These are communicated to volunteers during the preparation and orientation process.

Smoking

Volunteers are seen as role models in the communities where Common Hope works. Those who must smoke should do so out of sight of the families we serve, so as not to set a bad example for an impressionable child or adult. Whenever possible, volunteers should be an example of healthy living.

Smoking is not permitted within the buildings of Common Hope or in Common Hope’s vehicles.

Driving in Guatemala

Driving in Guatemala is quite different from driving in other countries. It is less organized and more dangerous. There are many unwritten rules of the road, which must be understood before getting behind the wheel.

Driving is an important part of Common Hope’s work. The families served by Common Hope do not own automobiles, which means that Common Hope’s vehicles serve thousands of people. Volunteers routinely provide transportation to families, patients, sponsors, volunteers, and staff.

Volunteers cannot automatically drive Common Hope vehicles in Guatemala. They must first spend time riding as passengers and then receive driving orientation from experienced Common Hope drivers. New drivers normally begin by driving in smaller villages until they feel comfortable driving in more urban areas. Volunteers are not required to drive, though it is encouraged and very helpful.

Personal Phone Calls

Volunteers are responsible to pay for their personal phone calls. One of the least expensive ways to make international calls from Guatemala is by purchasing a phone card.

Of course, volunteers can use their personal calling cards. The main long-distance carriers serving Guatemala are ATT, MCI, and Sprint. We all know that the cheapest way to communicate by phone is to have someone call you.

Mail & Email

There are various ways that volunteers can receive mail and packages. Personal mail should be sent through the U.S. postal service to Common Hope’s post office box in Miami, where it is picked up, flown to Guatemala, and distributed through a reliable courier service. Packages should not be sent through this courier service. Volunteers must pay for all mail received and are therefore encouraged to discontinue junk mail, catalogs, etc. before they travel to Guatemala. When volunteers finish their time in Guatemala, they are responsible for changing their address or they will be billed for all mail that arrives after their term of service is over.

Packages should not be sent through the courier address. Small packages may be sent to the U.S. Office. However, volunteers must inform their families and friends to limit the number and size of packages sent. It is best if the packages are shoe box size. Volunteers must understand that packages are carried by travelers and may not arrive regularly or quickly. However, it is secure.

The address for letters, bills, etc. is:

Volunteer's Name
Familias de Esperanza
A-0040
PO Box 669004
Miami Springs, FL 33266

The address for small packages is:

Volunteer's Name
Common Hope
PO Box 14298
St. Paul, MN 55114

The address for FedEx or UPS is:

Volunteer’s Name
Common Hope
550 Vandalia Street
St. Paul, MN 55114

Email is the fastest, least expensive, and most reliable way to send and receive mail. Long-term volunteers receive their own private e-mail address through Common Hope.

Use of the Internet

Not all projects have access to the Internet. When available, the Internet is primarily used for work. However, volunteers can use it for personal reasons outside of work hours when it isn’t needed for work. Internet usage is not always free and unlimited. In those cases, volunteers are asked to pay when they use it for personal reasons.

Transfer of Personal Money

There are several methods available to volunteers to receive personal money. While in Guatemala, volunteers may write personal checks (made out to Familias de Esperanza) in dollars on their home bank accounts and cash them at the project in Antigua. Some places in Guatemala also have ATM machines. It should be noted that money should never be sent through the Guatemalan mail system, because the chances are high that it will be stolen.

Visitors

It is common for volunteers to be visited by their family and friends in Guatemala. These visits usually occur after a volunteer has been in Guatemala at least four to six months, and has time to acclimate to the culture and gain a better understanding of the language. If a volunteer is making plans with a visitor, vacation time must be arranged before any plane tickets are purchased.

It is common for visitors to stay at one of Common Hope’s Development Centers. Visitors are welcome to contribute towards their accommodations. Arrangements to stay at a Common Hope center should be made ahead of time.

Volunteer Impact

Because volunteers can become intimately familiar with the inner workings of Common Hope, they have a great deal to offer in terms of constructive suggestions for change and improvements in its programs. At the same time, it may be prudent for a new volunteer to take a few months to ask questions and be a student of the project and culture before proposing profound changes. Clearly, there are always ways any organization can improve. Common Hope has benefited from the wealth of ideas that have come from volunteers and welcomes their questions and ideas.