Celebrating Día de Todos los Santos in Guatemala

All Saints Day, known as “Dia de Todos los Santos” in Spanish, is a vibrant and deeply rooted tradition in many Latin American countries, including Guatemala. This unique celebration is called All Saints Day or All Souls Day and honors the lives of departed loved ones and offers a colorful insight into the rich cultural heritage of the Guatemalan people.

The History of All Saints Day in Guatemala

The roots of All Saints Day in Guatemala can be traced back to a blend of indigenous Mayan beliefs and Catholicism. Before the Spanish conquest, the Mayans had their own rituals and ceremonies to honor the dead. When Catholicism was introduced to the region, these indigenous customs merged with All Saints Day, creating the unique Guatemalan celebration we know today.

The syncretism of these traditions has resulted in a vibrant and diverse celebration that showcases the coexistence of ancient and colonial influences in Guatemalan culture.

The Merits Of A Volunteer Vacation In Central America:

In the realm of travel, there lies an extraordinary opportunity that combines adventure, service, and personal growth — volunteer vacation.

Central America, a region known for its vibrant culture, diverse landscapes, and rich history, has become a popular destination for those seeking meaningful experiences beyond traditional tourist ventures. If you’re looking for ways to explore the community, and do some good, volunteer vacations offer a unique blend of adventure travel and service-oriented trips, allowing participants to immerse themselves in local communities and contribute to causes that matter.

Adventure Travel meets Humanitarian Trips

Guatemala is a land of contrasts, boasting lush rainforests, stunning beaches, ancient ruins, and charming towns. By opting for a volunteer vacation, adventure travel enthusiasts can delve deep into this breathtaking landscape while making a positive impact. Unlike traditional vacations, volunteer vacations integrate exciting activities such as ecotourism and adventure tours with the purpose of serving local communities. Imagine exploring the dense Guatemalan rainforests during the day and collaborating with a local community to build sustainable infrastructure in the evening. These experiences create memories that are not only etched in the traveler’s heart but also leave a lasting legacy for the local population.

We strive to be transparent in all we do. To learn more about our operations and the Candid Seal of Transparency, click the button below.

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We understand that there are so many worthy causes that you could choose to support. We are immensely grateful for your consideration in choosing Be Humanitarian! Thank you!

Join Us On An Upcoming Trip!

Fair Trade Adventure
Guatemalan Service Vacation
Jan 14 – 21, 2024

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July Adventure
Guatemalan Service Vacation
July 18 – 29th, 2024

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October Turtle Release
Guatemalan Service Vacation
Oct 17 – 25, 2024

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Our mission is to inspire our volunteers to become global citizens and take a hands-on role in the world around them. We believe our duty is to improve the lives of those in need. We aim to improve the future of some of Guatemala’s most vulnerable people, and help them to break the poverty cycle through early nutrition, education and self sustainability.
You can learn more about how to Be Humanitarian and the work that we are doing from this link https://linktr.ee/behumanitarian Tobie is the founder and director of the nonprofit Be Humanitarian. Tobie leads service vacations to Guatemala to help companies, families, and individuals give back while rediscovering what really matters.
If you ever have an issue with anything we write about please let us know. We want to make sure we are always serving you at the highest level. We understand that there are many great organizations doing great work around the world. We aim to be a beacon of love and hope and we sincerely appreciate your support and friendship. It is our greatest goal to spread the belief that we can all be humanitarians in our simple, everyday interactions. We try our best to do good in the world and we welcome you to join us. Tobie was recently asked “Why she is passionate about our work in Guatemala and this is her reply …
Why am I passionate about Be Humanitarian? Because the obstacles facing our world may feel big however the obstacles of living in Guatemala have historically been even more difficult. Guatemala consistently ranks around the fourth most malnourished country in the world where about half of all children under the age of five are chronically malnourished. Keeping children in school is a constant struggle as indigenous girls typically attend school for 3 years until they are needed to work in the home or in the fields. For many years I led groups of volunteers to visit orphanages in Guatemala where we offered love and hope to the children there. I was dumbfounded to learn that many children have two living parents that simply couldn’t afford to feed their child and so they placed them in an orphanage to make sure they received food and an education. It was then that I decided to support the fragile family and stop children from being placed in the system when they have parents who love them. As a mother, I simply couldn’t imagine the heartbreak of choosing to give my daughters to strangers to raise to ensure that they ate. Be Humanitarian works closely within the community to ascertain the needs of the families and we have created trust within the community which allows us to intimately know the families we serve. Over the years we have donated thousands of books to fill empty shelves, created libraries, paid children’s tuition, provided hundreds of thousands of meals and thousands of backpacks full of school supplies. We have delivered water filters, installed wood burning stoves and taught our families how to make their own bookshelves so they could organize their homes.
Be Humanitarian has been working diligently to ease the burdens of everyday life in Guatemala for the last 11 years. We firmly believe that we can positively impact our communities by keeping families intact while providing educational opportunities, creating income opportunities and supporting self sufficiency programs such as our volunteer run nutrition program and garden tower projects. We firmly believe that a small group of dedicated individuals can make the world a better place.
Stories about our personal experiences are yours to share. Feel free to forward any of our emails to your community. The more humanitarians we have in the world, the better the world will be. Know that we are grateful for your support, your readership, and look forward to you joining us on the adventure.

Thank you all so much for being a part of our world,
Tobie, Darrin, Chelsea, Danka, Dana, Jen and William

Tobie Spears
Founder / Director
Be Humanitarian

support@behumanitarian.org

Be Humanitarian 501c3
Pleasant Grove UT 84062