She spent weeks trapped in Central America due to COVID-19, and when she finally arrived home she couldn't even get a hug from her parents. 

Annika Scheelar was one of 42 people involved with Canadian Mennonite University's (CMU) Outtatown program that became stranded in Guatemala. She says that the past two weeks were confusing in some ways after the government of Guatemala closed their borders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"It was a lot. Lots of us were quite confused because details about when we were leaving kept changing by the hour originally. We didn't know what to make of the situation at first."

After two weeks of negotiations with the Guatemalan government, CMU and the government of Canada were finally able to arrange a repatriation flight home for the group. They arrived in Scheelar's hometown of Winnipeg on Friday. Other students still had longer journeys ahead of them making their way to various home provinces including Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Scheelar says when the plane finally touched down in Winnipeg it felt surreal in some ways. "I don't think it hit me right away." She says her return home was anything but typical, though.

Because of the Quarantine Act currently being enforced, there were a number of strict rules to follow as the students and staff made their way into the arrivals area. Transport Canada staff at the airport ensured everyone was spaced at least six feet apart.

"As we walked down we see all of our parents, and they've also spread out six feet apart. And it was really weird; they're seeing us, and we wanted to run up and give my mom a hug, but it all had to be six feet apart, so it was like 'Hey, I haven't seen you in three months, I missed you!'"

A surprise homecoming

Scheelar says that as she sat in the back of the family van heading to their home, her mom was acting weird. "She kept sending these 10-minute updates to my dad and my sister because she said my sister planned something." Scheelar thought her younger sister, who enjoys baking, simply had some treats in the oven.

Instead, as they neared their home, her mom honked the van horn twice. "That was weird. I was slightly confused, but I kind of ignored it. So I got home and before I went in the house my mom was like, 'Why don't we hang out in the driveway for a couple of minutes.'" That, she says, was really weird, but she went with it.

"All of a sudden I heard somebody screaming my name from the street." As Scheelar turned around a parade of cars began going by, with people honking, waving signs, and welcoming her home, all while socially distanced.

A friend and members of Scheelar's church, Willowlake Baptist Church, planned the welcome home parade.

"It felt amazing. It felt coming home (to a quarantine), it made it a lot easier. I felt really loved, and started crying."

'God was working'

Scheelar says the uncertainty of the situation and the isolation the group was forced to go under in their compound in Guatemala may have been confusing at first but it had an amazing outcome.

"I think God was working. All of our parents and faith communities back home were praying for us as we were awaiting news. I think I learned that God is working even though it might not seem like He is. And that He's planned so much greater (than what we plan)."

She says that when the borders were shut down the whole group was devastated that their program was ending early. Instead, the delays in leaving the country meant that the group had two very intense weeks with one another and she believes the ordeal made them grow even closer together with one another. She also says it made her, and many others', faith that much stronger.

Scheelar is now quarantined in her parent's home. She is in her own room in the basement away from other members of the family and using her own washroom. She says, though, that despite all the restrictions she now faces, the experience was worth it.