An Immersion Experience to Savor
"What I loved was connecting with the people; I loved the whole experience where I completely gave to the culture, was completely immersed in it and felt accepted by those around me."
When I reached Keyan Krabill, he was taking a brief break from his current work with Mennonite Volunteer Service to talk. "I love my placement," he says to me. "I work as a volunteer in immigration legal services for East Bay Sanctuary Covenant. Right now, there is a lot of need."
That Keyan went from serving with Mennonite Central Committee's Serving and Learning Together (SALT) program right into another volunteer program speaks volumes about the impact of SALT and how he still values living in community and serving others.
He joined SALT in 2023-2024 largely due to his family's MCC connections—his mother serves on the West Coast MCC board—and his passion for travel. Since he had learned Spanish in school, he wanted to serve in a Latin American country.
Keyan was placed in Guatemala City in an after-school program run by the organization "Puerta de Esperanza" (Door of Hope). Its mission is to serve families living in El Mercado La Terminal, a huge market complex of open-air stalls, by providing extra tutoring to help children pass their classes.
“In Guatemala, students only go to school for half the day,” he explains, “and many of the kids needed extra support. Also, we provided a safe place for children to be, as market life sometimes held risks to their well-being.”
Keyan served as a tutor and later as an English teacher for children ages 6-10. On Fridays, he taught various sports such as soccer, basketball, and running. “I just loved the kids,” he says, “and my favorite was the Friday sports.”
During his service term, he lived with his host family. It was a place where he could rest and relax. He found his hosts kind and caring, and became good friends with the host family’s son, Juancho. They are still in close contact.
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"I found the people of Guatemala to be extremely hospitable, genuine, kind, and warm. They do not hide their true selves. As indigenous people, they are humble, yet very proud of their roots and want to maintain them.”
What were the highlights from his experience? Keyan answers quickly:
“What I loved was connecting with the people in general; I loved the whole experience where I completely gave myself to the culture, was completely immersed in it, and felt completely accepted by those around me."
"I found the people of Guatemala to be extremely hospitable, genuine, kind, and warm. They do not hide their true selves. As indigenous people, they are humble, yet very proud of their roots and want to maintain them.”
Another of Keyan’s highlights was climbing volcanoes with other volunteers. “It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, five hours of climbing virtually straight up. But then you are up there, and you run down the mountain before dark. It was just great.”
“I highly recommend SALT to others. Not only did I get to know people from the local culture, but I also got close to other SALT volunteers and volunteers from other MCC programs like SEED and YAMEN. So I got to be friends with volunteers from other countries.”
It is clear that Keyan’s SALT experience is now woven into the fabric of his life. One of his closest friends is a former SALTer who stayed in Guatemala, and he knows some young people who have taken a second SALT term. “Who knows,” he muses, “maybe I should sign up again!”
SALT and other MCC service programs offer more than opportunities to serve alongside others. They allow participants to immerse themselves in a different culture, learn a new language, build relationships, and create a community where they will gain new perspectives and a broader understanding of the world God has created.
Curious about other MCC service programs? Visit mcc.org/careers for more opportunities.