IDJNOW team member goes the extra M.I.L.E. in Guatemala

Get to know the staff at IDJNOW, and you'll find a very eclectic bunch of characters with backgrounds in music, theater, muscle cars and more. Needless to say, the majority of us here are "Loud 'n Proud" and we like to make our presence known. But one team member in particular takes a different approach altogether, by making her presence known through her daily physical achievements and contributions to the company, to her local community, and now internationally through charitable volunteer work.  Lauren Gibbons, Graphic Designer here at IDJNOW, is the very quiet, very talented individual responsible for creating each and every one of our product/package images for idjnow.com. But don't let her quiet demeanor and cherubim smile fool you — underneath that timid exterior is a real Ninja.  No, seriously, don't mess with her because Lauren is also a highly-decorated Black Belt Kung Fu Instructor, with an affinity for Martial Arts Weaponry, Country Music and playing guitar.  As if that wasn't enough, Lauren has once again quietly added to her life's achievements by becoming an international charity volunteer. Lauren is a member of The M.I.L.E. (Music Is Love Exchange)  — a network of Artists, Musicians and Music Lovers affecting change in the lives of disadvantaged and underserved children, strengthening families and communities, both in the U.S. and abroad. Lauren recently was on assignment in Guatemala, where members of M.I.L.E. (Milers) assisted in the construction/restoration of classrooms in San Lucas Tolimán. In her own words, the following is a recap of Lauren's recent experience. When 33 near strangers share a common goal in a foreign place, acquaintanceship quickly turns into friendship and that friendship creates a familial bond. Many of us traveled alone to a country about half of us had never seen before to work together in a small community creating minor changes that will resonate for years. When you first arrive at the airport in Guatemala City it can be quite overwhelming. Through the glass exit doors you see swarms of families eagerly awaiting loved ones. Their excitement is palpable and adds to the adrenaline rush you are feeling as you look out into the crowd for someone holding a MILE sign. Once spotted, you feel a rush of relief knowing you are no longer alone; and even though the person on the other side of that sign is currently a stranger, quick introductions lead to comfort and security. The first day after you arrive is spent travelling to San Lucas Tolimán, where you spend the week working with and getting to know the 32 others you are travelling alongside. Sunday is spent settling into the rooms after a day full of travelling by bus and on Monday you hop into the back of a pick-up truck to visit the place where the group was started. The Music is Love Exchange is a non-profit organization dreamt up and run by Dustin & Jenny Reynolds, Tony and Rachel Lucca, and Jason and Tammy Spiewak. The house you visit on Monday is owned by Dustin & Jenny. It is our connection to the community and where plans and a direction for the organization were originally created. You spend the day there relaxing, listening to stories about the history of the MILE and past trips and getting to know the history and stories of the people beside you. While at the Reynolds’ house, a few local women stop by with their hand woven goods available for purchase and give a brief explanation of how they create the table runners, clothing, bags and other products. The group then jumps back into the trucks and heads to the hotel before the first family dinner and nighttime jam. Tuesday morning starts off with a Guatemalan breakfast of eggs, black beans, salsa, plantains and tortillas. After breakfast we hop into the pickup trucks and take a ride to the community in which we will be working. Standing in the back of a truck is an experience all its own. In comparison to the locals that feel comfortable and safe in large groups riding the miles of mountainous terrain, you feel nervous yet alive with the wind blowing freely while staring off over the edges of cliffs seeing the beautiful mountains above and towns strewn below. As you turn into the community, the new classroom building that was funded for by the MILE appears on the right. The next two days will be spent painting the rooms with the community and adding the MILE logos to the outer walls. Everyone grabs a brush, local kids included, and together we paint the walls yellow. Before breaking for lunch, the musicians grabbed their instruments, the kids are handed kazoos and a Christmas concert filled with laughter, dance and beautiful music was had. After lunch, we take a field trip to visit Patricia, a girl who people of the MILE met a year ago who has crossed eyes. She has such a vibrant and open personality and once you meet her you instantly fall in love and the language barrier truly has no effect. The MILE group spent the last year raising funds to pay for corrective lenses and other treatments to help her vision. With her family only making the equivalent of $100 a month, this kind of treatment would not have been possible if it hadn’t been for the MILE group. The group got a chance to see Patricia’s home, meet her parents and siblings and see the impact helping one life can have on the community as a whole. Wednesday was spent finishing up the paint job, playing basketball, soccer and Frisbee with the kids. There was more time to connect, the kids were open and wanted to connect with everyone that was willing to listen. It’s incredible to see the pure joy and happiness these families share even though you would consider them to be living in poverty. The older siblings watch over their younger siblings, with kids no older than 8 carrying babies on their backs while their parents and eldest siblings are off working, possibly gathering coffee beans, avocadoes, wood or other goods that are sold by weight on the sides of the road at these large scales. A lack of financial security doesn’t diminish the love, generosity and hope you see in each individual you meet. It leaves your view on the world changed for life. The community presented the MILE with a token of their gratitude that Wednesday evening. A hand made banner that thanks the organization for helping to bring to completion a project that had been 8 years in the making. For assisting with the funding and the painting of this place where the children can study, learn and grow. Thursday morning leads to more time traveling in the back of a pickup, to another community that the MILE has worked with in the past for another beautiful Christmas concert for the children. This is just a quick stop though before heading out to the Hospital Atitlán in Santiago. The trip to the Hospital starts off with a concert for the staff and some patients. We then split off into groups to work on small chores that the Hospital staff don’t always have time to get to. Some tasks include gathering buckets of dirt from one area and carrying it through to the garden, carrying boxes of supplies from one room to the new area in which they will be stored, washing the solar panels on the roof, cleaning the windows inside and outside and putting cotton swabs with vitamins and medicines as instructed by the staff. The group works hard and is able to complete the majority of the tasks before lunch. The hospital staff provides a delicious meal and hibiscus tea. After the chores are completed we hop back in the trucks to rest up at the hotel before eating dinner and enjoying a sunset cruise of the lake. Friday is an excursion day and a boat takes us over to Panajachel where some go zip lining while others explore the lakeside town. This area attracts more tourists and so there are more vendors looking to sell handmade goods, a variety of lunch options and more opportunities to create a deeper connection with the people you are travelling with. Saturday morning comes and we all get back onto a bus to head over to Antigua, another more popular tourist destination. We stay there for the night, as it is rich in history and also closer to the airport we will all be leaving from the next day. There is the opportunity to tour the Jade factory to learn of Guatemala’s history with exporting Jade and to see the beautiful Jade creations. There is also Casa de Ron where you can taste the Rums made in Guatemala and learn more about why they chose to make rum, considering the abundance of sugar cane. There are many other historical buildings you can see while roaming the streets and plenty of more places to shop for local goods. The rooftop of the Antigua hotel hosts the last of the nighttime jams before people say their goodbyes and get set to travel back home the next morning. The Music is Love Exchange is more than just a non-profit organizing yearly trips to a foreign country. It’s a group whose family keeps growing each year as new people embark on the trip hoping to help the local families. Soon after the service projects begin though, you realize this trip isn’t just you helping those families; it’s them helping you to find that piece of yourself that has been missing for so long. The jobs are small and help only a small portion of the locals affected by poverty, but it is work that is necessary for that community and leaves a lasting mark. The MILE works hard to build and maintain relationships with the locals so that each future project is one that we can work side by side on with the children and parents and ensure that a positive change is brought to that community." Congratulations to Lauren for her great achievements.   You can learn more about the Music is Love Exchange at: www.GoMile.org https://www.facebook.com/musicisloveexchange   You can learn more about Patricia and their fundraising efforts at: https://www.gofundme.com/277tnrg