Puzzled

When our friends and family hear that COTA team members are planning our annual medical/surgical/dental/orthotics trip to Guatemala, we typically get one of two reactions. 

" Oh, I would love to do that someday."

Or

" How do you stand to go there and see all of the poverty and despair? "

Most of us have family responsibilities or limited financial resources, and we realize that willingness alone is not enough to make it the best time to board a plane and head to Central America to do good work. The second response however, leaves us puzzled. 
Children of the Americas volunteers typically have a long-term relationship with our organization. We travel to Guatemala regularly and for some of us, it is our international destination of choice. The lack of infrastructure in this tiny country makes travel difficult;

The hotels don't come with a four-star rating. Food is interesting, water needs to be regarded with caution, and the weather, especially in the rainy season, can be interesting.
It is expensive to go back repeatedly on our own financial resources, and we come back tired, sometimes even sick. Stateside matters of work and family take a back seat to all matters Guatemalan before and during the team. 

Why then do we return, time after time?
Here are the reasons:

For the Amazing Natural Beauty

Beautiful Old World Architecture

For the Children that Need Our Medical Specialists

And for the Mothers who need to stay healthy to raise them