Reserved at first, the children of Panabajal quickly warmed to their CYC visitors. (All photos ©CARE 2002/David Rochkind).

I am in Panabajal, Guatemala, with a standard Polaroid camera raised in my hand. I stand six feet tall, and the camera extending high above my head towers over the children crowded below me. Such a distance must have been strikingly disappointing to the youths whose heads were cocked upward with an intense desire for a "Photo! Photo!"

The CARE Youth Corps (CYC) and I -- Kenneth Butler, your hard-working electronic guide -- had not been on Guatemalan soil for 20 hours and already we'd made quite an impression. Okay, not on the entire country, but certainly on the small community of Panabajal, the first site of the CARE Girls' Education project that we visited. CARE believes that educating girls, who are often relegated to housework and childcare, is a key step to reducing poverty and helping a family move forward.

The students' joy in Panabajal left a lasting impression on the CYC members.

To my left, Hammad Ahmed, Atlanta high school senior, stands before a soccer goal, trying to block some very professionally pinpointed shots from some of the students involved in this education project. One small boy, clearly a soccer guru within the mountain-nestled community, dribbles the small plastic ball to the right, fakes left and fires away with quick-footed action. Miraculously, 17-year-old Hammad blocks it by jumping and allowing it to hit him in the chest. But don't let that fool you, it was merely luck.

Somewhere behind me, Phillip Martin, from Chicago, is positioned in front of a wood and cement basketball goal. Guatemalan girls surround him as they take shots to the hoop with the new basketballs purchased by the CYC. The girls, varying in age from 5 to 11, are free-spiritedly taking shots as Phillip tries to keep all the rebounds from landing atop the little girls' heads. Phillip valiantly continues his struggles, as the girls smile and giggle.

On their first day of traveling, the visitors took in the local scenery.

The remaining 14 members of our happy, country-hopping band are scattered throughout the inner courtyard of this small village's school. All involved are in awe of the secret treasures found in this little chest of Guatemala.

But at the moment, my awe is slightly skewed from that of everyone else. I am being chased by 50 to 60 little children, all screaming "Photo! Photo!" Around the stairs of the courtyard and darting in and around the pillars that support the school, I feel as though I could be fleeing for my life. Pictures bring about a change in the initially reserved and bashful behavior of the students. The ability to see a photograph of themselves at the push of a button amazes them and awakens a tremendous energy.

In the center of a swarm of boys clad in faded blue jeans and girls dressed in bright and multi-colored dresses, I frantically push the button to appease my eager followers. But of course, there is no film left in the camera and many small hands with strong grips take hold of my arm. Laughter breaks as they realize the absence of film, and I am given a split-second to pass off the camera to the next brave soul.

Sadly, the fun is not everlasting... at least not for the members of the CYC. The time to depart from this charming rural village is here. As we depart down a steep dirt path with the children of Panabajal waving goodbye to us, we notice that they are not sad, but wear the same unwavering smiles that greeted us with "Hola," and gave high-fives when we arrived. Eighteen-year-old Kathryn Ebert, an Atlanta student, put what the rest of us felt, but could not express, into perfect words: "It's so breathtaking to see their unconditional happiness." And indeed it was.

CARE staffer Eileen Rivera briefed the CYC members on their upcoming activities.

We'd spent the entire day prepping for the hour or so that we spent with those children. At 6:30 that morning a wake-up call rang in all CYC rooms, and by 8:00 we were on the road to CARE's local headquarters in the heart of Guatemala City.

The morning ride downtown was filled with new and spectacular sites. Similarities to the United States also were noted, as we all stared in amazement at the McDonalds, Pepsi billboards, Wendy's and Burger Kings that abounded. The CARE bus sped past all these as the nine CYC students were taken aback by their first morning in the big Central American city.

In less than half an hour, our guide Eileen Rivera, accompanied by her 11-year-old son, Miguel, and her 9-year-old daughter, Eileencita ("Little Eileen," so as to avoid confusion), had safely directed us to the location of CARE's main office in Guatemala. For the next two hours, CARE staff members Carlos Piedrasanta and Maria Eugenia Mijangos and CARE's director in Guatemala, Kirsten Johnson, would provide us with information on various projects ranging from agriculture to education.

Neena Panjwani (left) and Wintta Woldemariam talked with many young students during their visit to Panabajal.

CARE staff also shared stories of the strength and kindness of Guatemalans. Carlos Piedrasanta worked in the field for CARE in his first years of employment. He shared with the CYC that once, while staying with a village family, he awoke to find the family eating in the kitchen, but they hadn't invited him in for food. An hour passed and suddenly the eldest son burst through the front door sweating, tired, carrying a small sack of eggs. He had been sent on a four-hour trip to the market to purchase eggs for the family's guest. The family did not have enough money to purchase eggs for themselves, but wanted to give their visitor the best that they could provide.

Since that time, Carlos has been working on projects that help link Guatemalan farmers to national and international food chains and grocery stores. His involvement with CARE and Guatemala -- and what we CYC members were quickly learning -- was stated best by Kristen Johnson: "Guatemala is a beautiful and complex country. There's a lot you can learn here and a lot you can contribute."

Journal entries are written by Kenneth Butler, student-writer for the CARE Youth Corps.