Volunteer Daniel Carey shares some of his experiences

I arrived in Guatemala in March 2006, at the same time as Emma Marshall, another volunteer from England.. Time really has flown, I can't believe that eight months have passed already. It has been a time full of many deeply moving and inspiring experiences. It’s difficult for me to choose one or two because the experience is an all-enveloping one in many ways.

In recent months the team has received more requests for accompaniment and it is clear that human rights defenders continue to face security risks that cause concern. During my time with Peace Brigades International, I have had an opportunity to accompany human rights defenders who have been carrying out very important work, people who bring a great deal of energy and skill to their work despite the difficult situations they face and, in many cases, difficult personal histories as well.

One accompaniment that comes to mind took place last August when we travelled to Parraxtut, Quiché to accompany members of CONAVIGUA [National Coordinator of Guatemalan Widows] who were carrying out an inhumation [reburial of exhumed human remains after the unearthing of a mass grave]. Reading about Guatemala's history and the tragic incidents that occurred as a result of the internal conflict cannot prepare one to face the impact this history has had on the victims’ families. I felt privileged to think that PBI's presence could play a role during such a difficult and painful process taking place in a region that is still plagued by conflict. Assessing the impact of an accompaniment in the short term is always difficult, but if our presence went even a small way in assisting the victims’ families and the members of CONAVIGUA in this moment then I feel like my whole year as a PBI volunteer has been justified.

Accompaniments outside of the capital are not only important because our presence can have a dissuasive effect in particularly tense situations, it is also an opportunity to get a first hand look at the reality of the country and its people, deepen relations with other team members and with the organisations we accompany and reflect a little on the work we do.

As for life in the capital, we are all appreciating the experience despite the fact that the environment is not the most pleasant, nor does it afford one the same freedoms and safety we are accustomed to in European cities. The team has just celebrated its first anniversary in the new PBI house, which we all appreciate a great deal. Really, I have nothing but admiration for the previous volunteers who shared a much smaller space. There are separate quarters for the living and working areas and even though they are part of the same building, this does make the task of living and working together easier. We are also lucky enough to have a roof terrace from which you can see the Agua volcano in the distance and any number of beautiful sunsets.

Of course, to be working with PBI in Guatemala is to be involved in a number of difficult and delicate matters and we have naturally been personally affected by various incidents. For example, in August the son of Amilcar Méndez, whom the team accompanied in the past and a long-time friend of the project, was assassinated. The team has also been impacted by other situations involving attacks against human rights defenders, a result of the current climate of unrest and impunity. We have met with people who have come under attack because of their work, whose bravery in these circumstances is often beyond comprehension. Working so closely as a team is the best manner to deal with these moments, as we turn to each other for support and to share our thoughts and reflections.