Not just Guatemalans at border who need our help
A phone call from the Consular Corps of Arizona came in recently with an invitation.
The group was presenting a check to the consulate general of Guatemala, Oscar Adolfo Padilla Lam, as a donation to aid the country’s recovery from the deadly volcanic eruption earlier this month.
It got us thinking about recovery in Guatemala — and our role.
How do we answer a humble request for help? There are ways, big and small. And the need is still great, even weeks after the devastation.
By now, you’ve likely seen the catastrophic damage communities in Guatemala are facing in wake of the deadly volcanic eruption in early June. Scenes from the aftermath look apocalyptic: a dark gray scourge suffocating vegetation, infrastructure and life.
First came a thunderous sonic boom that rumbled in the depths of the earth. Then a dark cloud poured from the mouth of Volcan del Fuego, billowing so high that it was visible from space.
Unlike the recent eruption in Hawaii, Guatemala was struck by a “pyroclastic flow.” The looming cloud is a mixture of pulverized rock, searing ash and hot gases, and it obliterates everything. As these clouds collapse and move, they can travel at speeds of 430 mph and exceed temperatures of 1,800 degrees.
Hundreds have died, hundreds are still missing, and it is estimated that 1.7 million people will have been affected.
Disasters can be difficult to grasp, if simply because of the sheer magnitude of the devastation. They can also be easy to dismiss, especially for those of us with limited financial means and little to no time to contribute.
Distance also adds to the ease of detachment. Without a personal connection through friends, family or an experience with the culture, the impact decreases. But when a humble nation, already struggling with corruption and poverty, is devastated by a natural and unexpected disaster, why not help with any means possible?
Why not donate that same price for a tall cup of Guatemalan Antigua to relief organizations and first responders?
There are more ways to help than just donating money — blood donations, clothes, baby supplies and more are seemingly small gestures that mean much more to the receivers.
It is important to remember that, ultimately, we are tied to a global community. Foreign-owned companies employed 103,400 Arizona workers in 2015, and exports from Arizona helped account for the $2.33 trillion of U.S. goods and services exports in 2017.
When Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, nations provided the United States with whatever assistance they could muster. Likewise, when other countries faced disasters, the U.S. and its intricate network of ambassadors have stepped up.
Being in a position to help is a privilege with responsibility. It comes down to reciprocity. We need to help when we can, and in turn, we get help when we need it.
We as individuals can control how our international neighbors perceive us.
As Arizonans, we are all part of individual communities that make up a state. But that state is part of a nation with a very important role in the world. If Volcan del Fuego summoned hell to the surface, let it be met equally by a helping, global community that includes us.