Sarah Schwaller
 In the U.S. bicycles are used for recreation, sport, or in those lucky towns that have a decent bike lane (definitely not in my hometown, Houston), transportation. In Guatemala bikes almost always fall in the transportation category and are described by some as the most common family vehicle. Husbands peddle wives to work, friends ride into town together and rowdy school boys careen down steep hills, one steering with the other perched precariously on pegs in back.
Inspiration finds you in funny ways sometimes, and this time it was found through a frequent encounter with one of these 'family vehicles'. I would often pass the same family when walking to work in the morning. They usually peddled about as fast as I walked, heading in the opposite direction from their village into Antigua for school. The father struggled to peddle while the kids hung on as they bumped along the cobblestones—one child on the handlebars, another on the crossbar, and the last behind their father, all dressed smartly in school uniforms. To them this was a normal part of their day, but after awhile I saw something more in their simple morning ride. I saw the determination that we see in many of the families that partner with Common Hope, families who are dedicated to working together to do whatever it takes for a better life. We see this strength daily at Common Hope–a mother attending a literacy class after a long day of work, a young girl whose dream is to graduate from college so that she can support her parents and siblings, and a father's long morning trek to ensure a good education for his children. It has been a blessing to be a part of an organization that helps to make these families’ hopes and dreams a reality.
Sarah worked for the past year as the Communications Associate at the Antigua site. She returns this December to Houston, Texas.
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