WE NEED YOU IN 2014; PLEASE MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TODAY OR TOMORROW

 THESE PICTURES ARE OF A TEAM THAT CAME AT THANKSGIVING. THE PICTURES EPITOMIZE A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT AND WHY WE NEED YOU.
HERE IS THE FIRST. THE TEAM IS WORKING  IN ONE OF OUR MAYAN COMMUNITIES PUTTING UP LAMINA ON HOMES THAT LEAK RAIN ON TOP OF THE DIRT FLOORS. OR THEIR BEDS.

SOME OF THE 300 KIDS WE GIVE  LUNCH AND A TUTOR 

THE CROWDS THAT TURN OUT WHENEVER THERE IS A PARTY OR A DISTRIBUTION OF FORMULA, INCAPARINA,  CLOTHES, OR SHOES. MOST OF THESE PEOPLE REALLY NEED WHAT THEY RECEIVE. WHEN YOUR EDUCATIONAL LEVEL IS 2ND GRADE IT IS HARD TO MAKE MORE THAN ABOUT $1.00 OR 2.00 A DAY

 CASA DE SION HAS ABOUT 10 EMPLOYEES IN GUATEMALA AND WHEN THE ORPHANAGE OPENS THAT WILL JUMP TO 20. PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT HAVE A JOB WITHOUT US. HERE ARE TWO. JUANA ON THE LEFT. A 70 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO HAS WORKED FOR ME FOR 10 YEARS. NOT MANY OTHERS WOULD EMPLOYEE HER, BUT ALL WHO KNOW JUANA LOVE HER. IRVIN IS ON THE RIGHT. HE LOOKS 12 BUT IS REALLY 27. HE HAS A TEACHING CERT. AND IS IN LAW SCHOOL ON THE WEEK-ENDS.

 OUR MAMA AND TOT PROGRAM. 300 MAMAS AND ABOUT 600 TOTS AND INFANTS. THEY RECEIVE FORMULA AND INCAPARINA SUPPLEMENTATION . AS WELL AS EDUCATION IN NUTRITION, BREAST FEEDING, PARENTING AND CHRISTLIKE BEHAVIOR. THEY ARE PART OF OUR CLOTHING AND SHOE DISTRIBUTIONS

SOME KIDS AND VOLUNTEERS AT OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

PROGRAMS THAT WERE NOT MENTIONED ARE THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILDREN AND ADULTS THAT WE WORK WITH AND FINANCE MEDICAL TRAVEL, MEDICINES AND REHABS FOR

OR THE ORPHANAGE THAT WILL SOON HAVE CHILDREN IN IT FOR THOSE THAT CAN NOT STAY IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF HORRIFIC ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT OR NO FAMILY. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, THE ORPHANAGE WILL PROBABLY BE FULL OF LITTLE RUG RATS THAT WILL COST ABOUT $300.00 A MONTH TO SUPPORT. WE NEED SPONSORS FOR THEM NOW.

OR THE 100 KIDS WHO WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IN SCHOOL WITHOUT THE HELP THEY GET FROM US. SCHOOL IS NOT FREE IN THIS COUNTRY. RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE 15 KIDS SPONSORED.

WITH ALL THESE THINGS WE NEED YOUR HELP. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS.

A. SEND FORMULA OR CLOTHING OR ANYTHING USEFUL TO MY USA ADDRESS

B. GATHER A TEAM [ WE LOVE ALL KINDS] AND COME VISIT US. STAY IN OUR VOLUNTEER HOUSING AND ALL THE MONEY EXCEPT WHAT WE TAKE OUT FOR YOUR FOOD, GOES INTO OUR PROGRAMS.

C. GO TO www.casadesion.org/sponsorme and sponsor a school kid.

D. GO TO  www.casadesion.org and click the donate button and donate

E. SEND ME CASH IN THE MAIL AND I WILL PUT IT IN THE 501C3 ACCOUNT.

F. DONATE NOW AND USE IT AS A TAX DEDUCTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL TAXES.

G. PRAY ALWAYS FOR OUR FINANCIAL NEEDS TO BE MET AND OUR LIVES TO BE KEPT SAFE AND SPIRITUALLY FED.

MAY YOU BE BLESSED FOR YOUR HELP IN 2013 AND CONTINUE IT AS ABLE IN 2014. IT WILL HELP YOU BE SPIRITUALLY FED.

THANKS

VICKI DALIA AND THE REST OF THE STAFF AND ALL THE MAYAN FOLKS WE HELP

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE CASA DE SION/SHFC FOR YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING

 WE, AT CASA DE SION/SHFC, HOPE YOU WILL CHOOSE US AND OUR PROGRAMS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GIVING. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS. WE GIVE 100% OF ALL DONATIONS TO OUR PROGRAMS SO YOUR MONEY GOES WHERE YOU WANT IT TO.

COME VISIT US AT OUR BEAUTIFUL LOCATION NEAR LAKE ATITLAN AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS

MANY OF YOU KNOW THE IDEA OF OPENING AN ORPHANAGE CAME UP WHEN THIS BEAUTIFUL BABY WAS OFFERED TO ME FOR SALE. OF COURSE, I SAID NO AND THEN WE WORKED WITH THE FAMILY SO SHE COULD STAY WITH HER BIOLOGICAL FAMILY. BUT WE KNEW THERE WERE OTHERS WHO COULD NOT STAY IN THEIR FAMILIES AND WE STARTED THE PROCESS TO OPEN AN ORPHANAGE. WE SHOULD HAVE CHILDREN BY THE MIDDLE OF MARCH AND ARE NOW GETTING THE ROOMS READY AND HIRING THE STAFF.

 TO THE RIGHT ARE 8 OF THE 100 12,13 AND 14 YEAR OLDS WE PROMISED WE WOULD HELP COME UP WITH THE FUNDING SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO QUIT SCHOOL AND WORK IN THE FIELDS FOR $20.00 A WEEK. WE HAVE 12 SPONSORED. PLEASE PARTNER WITH US IN THIS AND CHANGE A LIFE WHILE YOU ENRICH YOUR HEART. WE HAVE A SPECIAL WEBPAGE FOR THIS. www.casadesion.org/sponsorme

WE FEED AND CLOTHE ABOUT 300 MAMAS AND ABOUT 600 TOTS AND INFANTS IN OUR MAMA/TOT PROGRAM. WE SUPPLY FORMULA FOR THE UNDER ONE SET WHOSE MAMAS DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH BREAST MILK [ DUH ALL OF THEM ] AND INCAPARINA FOR THE 1 TO 5 YEARS OLDS.
WE ALSO DO CLOTHING AND SHOE DISTRIBUTIONS AND TRAININGS ON VARIOUS THINGS OF INTEREST. PARENTING. HUMAN RIGHTS. CHILD ABUSE. CHARACTER BUILDING. ETC.
I AM GOING TO GUATEMALA RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS AND WILL TAKE ANY CANS OF POWDERED FORMULA SENT TO ME .

 WE WORK HARD TO GET HELP FOR THE MEDICALLY FRAGILE.  WE HAVE ABOUT 35 PEOPLE ON THIS LIST. MOST ARE CHILDREN. NONE OF THEIR CAREGIVERS CAN AFFORD EVEN THE TRANSPORTION MONEY TO GET THEIR KID TO THE DOCTOR, MUCH LESS PAY FOR TREATMENTS AND MEDICINE.

 

 WE WORK TO CUT COSTS EVERYWHERE WE CAN. SO WE ORGANICALLY RAISE A LOT OF THE FOOD USED IN THE PROGRAMS. THE KIDS IN THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE ONES IN THE NEW ORPHANAGE LEARN HOW TO GROW HEALTHY FOODS IN A HEALTHY WAY. AND THEY LEARN HOW TO GIVE BACK. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAMS. EVERYONE GIVES WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE.

 WE HAVE A SMALL CLINIC ON OUR COMMUNITY PROPERTY. WE LOVE HAVING MEDICAL AND DENTAL TEAMS COME DOWN AND GIVE SERVICE TO OUR MAYAN FRIENDS. IF THE TEAMS STAY IN OUR VOLUNTEER HOUSING ALL MONEY THEY PAY [ EXCEPT FOR THEIR FOOD ] GOES BACK INTO OUR PROGRAMS. YOU NEVER LACK FOR PATIENTS IF YOU DO A MEDICAL TEAM NOR DO YOU LACK FOR A HEARTWARMING EXPERIENCE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE FEED ABOUT 300 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS 3 TIMES A WEEK AND HAVE TEACHERS WHO TUTOR WITH THEM FOR 3 HOURS A DAY. WE KNOW THE WAY OUT OF POVERTY IS THRU HEALTHY MINDS AND BODIES AND EDUCATION.








WE NEED MORE PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS TO PARTNER WITH US ON THESE PROGRAMS. WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE AND SACRIFICE OUR MONEY AND OUR TIME FOR THEM. IN EXCHANGE WE GET WONDERFUL HEARTWARMING FEELINGS OF OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE. YOU CAN GET THESE TOO.

CALL ME AT 1-800-431-0392
OR WRITE AT info@casadesion.org
LIKE US AT facebook.com/casadesion
OR WATCH A VIDEO AT youtube.com/CasaDeSionSHFC

OR SEND DONATIONS TO
SAFE HOMES FOR CHILDREN [ OUR USA 501C3 ]
3303 POND MOUNTAIN LANE
WHITETOP, VA 24292

THANKS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS
VICKI DALIA
DIRECTOR OF SAFE HOMES FOR CHILDREN AND CASA DE SION

We  are growing in lots of ways. As you can see the veggie organic gardens get bigger everyday. We are planning for them to be the vegetables used in all of the 5000 meals a month we now prepare for our Mayan kids in our feeding programs. With the orphanage this will jump to 35,000 meals a month. WOW that is scary. Pray our gardens produce well. We are even growing our own black beans. 

Our third floor is getting built and will be ready for our Los Robles teams starting in the spring. 

We have all our staff in place for the orphanage except the social worker and the doctor. We hope to have them hired soon.

But the most important thing we need now are orphan sponsors. I know this is easier to get once we have the orphans. But I can tell you from past experience something about them. They will have mostly been abused. Some quite horrifically. They will be scared. They will be little or big. They will be kids. They will be loved and kept safe.

We pray that you will use some of your holiday money to sponsor an orphan or a child who wants to go onto school and help break the poverty cycle their mayan family is in. We pray you will choose us at www.casadesion.org

Or write me at 20.vicki@gmail.com

SEEING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

The last 7 weeks we spent in Guatemala was a really hard time for me. I had a  fever of 103 within 2 days after we got in the country. Then after I got back on my feet but was still not fully recovered, my husband got a bad case of parasites and for 2 weeks I had extra chores to do as I took on some of his. Then I was sick again with stomach issues.
Add to this homeschooling of 5 kids . managing all the existing programs, doing all the paperwork and hiring that is needed for a new orphanage and training the wife of the couple who was going to take our place and you can see why I was running faster than I was able. Oh did I mention that said husband and I did not agree on a single decision.
One day I went to Casa de Sion to supervise the mama/tot program there. I was still sickly and tired and not excited about going. Usually I am. So I said a prayer on the way there asking Heavenly Father to let me know He was still involved with us and still there for me.
A woman was waiting for me with her baby wrapped up tight on her back and her toddler clinging to her hand. She said she needed my help. I thought to myself. "Yeah you and everyone else." Not my most spiritual moment. But I asked her what I could do. She told me the baby needed help. So I took him and unwrapped him and laid him on our change table to assess for myself his challenges. He was hydrocephalic. The pictures do not do a good job of showing how swollen beyond normal his head is. I asked about doctors and yes he is being seen by Doctor Peter. He had a shunt. She, the mom, wanted formula as he needed more nourishment. That was arranged. But the miraculous part of all this was that while I was talking to her, this magnificent light and spirit was shining off the babies' head and his shy little smile was like seeing the face of Christ. My prayers were answered. Heavenly Father is still right there with us and I am still being blessed by the service I render to the Mayan little ones even when I am at a low point.
Want to lift your spirits. You could be his sponsor.

Vicki
20.vicki@gmail.com

HAVING TO QUIT SCHOOL AT 12 YEARS OLD

 A month ago I visited the community of Tocayche situated among the Highland Mayans of Guatemala. I was there to check out our community feeding program and to interview kids who can not go to school next year without financial help.
I found the feeding program doing well. Several dedicated mamas were doing the cooking for the 90 some people who show up for a nutritious nutrient supplemented lunch.
I was saddened by the middle school sponsorships. Saddened because the four kids we interviewed want to go to 7th grade so bad and their 3 mamas are doing all they can to get them there. They are the same mamas who come in and cook the lunch for the kids. None of these mamas had any education. Nothing. So hard to believe that in this day and age I can interview 3 women and none of then had even a kindergarten education. No wonder they want it so bad for their kids. So here are the kids

Angel

 Angel: 13. Has 3 younger sibs. His dad makes about $20.00 a week working in the fields.
He wants to be an agronomist.

Rosalia

 Rosalia : 12
Has 4 sibs.
Dad works in fields and makes about $20.00 a week.
She wants to be a teacher.














This next child is Adolfo. He is 11. He is the brother of Angel with 3 sibs and a dad making only $20.00 a week. He wants to be a teacher.

Now to Julio. He is 13 with 4 sibs. Same story with his dad and money. He wants to be an engineer.


The last child is Tony. He is my 11 year old adopted son. He does not worry about school. He knows he is expected to go to University and he knows we will provide the money for it. He wants to be an engineer.

What a difference where you are born can make.

The Mayan kids of Guatemala have to pay about $350.00 to go to middle school. Per year. $20 a week doesn't even buy food much less education.

We have a new website developed to help the 100 kids coming to us hoping we can get them the scholarships they need to continue.

www.casadesion.org/sponsorme

you can write me too if interested  20.vicki@gmail.com

Adolfo

Julio

Tony

HAVE ORANGE BAGS [ FULL OF GUATEMALA DONATIONS ] WILL TRAVEL

THIS SAGA OF THE ORANGE BAGS STARTED A YEAR AGO AS MY DAUGHTERS AND I SORTED AND PACKED MANY OF THE WONDERFUL CLOTHING DONATIONS GIVEN TO US BY A CARING KID'S CONSIGNMENT STORE.

LUCKILY THE DAUGHTERS WHO HELPED ME WERE IN THEIR 20S AND 30S AND NOT THESE LITTLE MUNCHKINS WHO ADDED SPICE.

 NEXT WE HAULED IN OUR FAMILY TRUCK DRIVER AND HIS FAMILY [ MY SON JOEY AND DIL CRYSTAL AND GIRLS ] JOEY WILL DRIVE THE TRUCK TO PA WHERE IT WILL BE LOADED ON A CONTAINER AND SENT TO GUATEMALA

THE WHOLE FAMILY PITCHES IN TO LOAD THE TRUCK. ANOTHER SON AND MY HUSBAND PACKING AND HAULING

THE GUATEMALAN FIVE [ THE ONES WHO LIVE WITH US IN GUATEMALA] PRACTICING THEIR GUATEMALAN DANCE CLASS MOVES WHEN THEY TIRED OF LOADING BAGS

THE CONTAINER TOOK FIVE MONTHS FROM WHEN WE GOT THIS LOAD TO PA AND WHEN IT WAS DELIVERED TO US IN GUATEMALA. HERE IS
 MY TEAM WHO WILL UNPACK, SORT, AND CLASSIFY GETTING READY FOR SEVERAL CLOTHING ANAD SHOE DISTIBUTIONS.
BTW THERE ARE OVER 200 BAGS. THANKS KAREN AND CREW.


YOU CAN HELP PAY FOR THE NEXT SHIPMENT DUE TO LEAVE JAN. 2014

Vicki Dalia
www.casadesion.org
20.vicki@gmail.com

Construction underway

 We arrived on September 25th and after settling in we hired a builder to start with the new bodega.  It is next to existing kitchen and will also house a bathroom and laundry room.  These latter two rooms are required by the government authorities for an orphanage.  The bodega (warehouse) is large 6m. x 7m. and must hold all the existing supplies in the old building which will turn into the orphanage.  We had to move the old outdoor firepit behind the new building and outside what will be the play area.

 The builder began on Oct 2nd and expects to finish about Oct 24th with everything but the roof.  He had to find some extra long beams and we want them to dry, at least, a little.

 We also have to extend the dining area by ten feet and put a perimeter fence around the main yard area.  Our afterschool feeding-tutorial program ended this last Friday with the end of school and we will begin work on the dining area on Monday.  Later this week we hope to start on the perimeter fence.  When we talked with our consultant about opening the orphanage 3 year ago, they were demanding a 6' block fence topped with 6' of chain link and then razor wire.  It sounded like a prison to us.  They have scaled it down to 6' of chain link and I am hoping we don't have to do the razor wire on top.
In the beginning of November we should have these projects stable enough to begin on the 3rd floor which will be the new (&improved) volunteer housing.  It will be lighter and more airy.   We applied for a matching grant of $15,000 and think we have a good chance of getting it.  We will not know till February so keep praying.

Children changing the world

Addy, Katie and Marcus

Many of you will remember my daughter, Katie, and her saving her change to bring bubbles and tattoo stickers to the kids in Guatemala when we went down 1 1/2 yrs ago.    Since we have been home she has had grander plans.  Every time I would put away clothing that no longer fit; she would say "let's put that in the yard sale pile".  Every time the baby outgrew a toy she would say; "that will be great for the yard sale".  Somehow she got it in her head that she was going to hold a yard sale to raise money for the kids in Guatemala.  I agreed with her but didn't make any real plans.  But as the summer was drawing to a close Katie really started pushing me to do the yard sale.  I realized that this was a good opportunity to teach my children about giving.  I finally committed, enlisted the whole family, set a date and reached out to friends to see if they had anything they wanted to donate.  The response was overwhelming!  We also decided to do a lemonade stand and bake sale.  I decided that the kids would be able to be more involved in selling food then manning the yard sale.

 Marcus with his sign

Katie with her sign

Marcus and Katie happened to be home sick the day we hung the signs, but Addy was in school so I didn't get a picture of her with her sign.

The morning of the yard sale started off with bang.  The sale started at 8:30 and people started coming at 7:45!  Luckily a couple friends came to help me and another friend showed up with her kids to help with the Lemonade Stand.  

The kids took turns being in charge of the stand.  It was entertaining to see my shy son running up to yard sale customers to see if they wanted to buy a cookie or some lemonade.

Marcus and Ava

Marcus making a sale

Katie and Zoe

Katie got up bright and early to help me set up everything.  She had a soccer game at 8:30am but rushed home to do her part. 

We ended up getting rained out at around noon.  The kids were pretty disappointed until we counted our money.  We made over $750!  That will buy a lot of formula!!!

For some reason Miss Addy kept seeming to miss the camera so I just wanted to give a little shout out to her because she did a great job of doing her part!

 

We are hoping to take the formula down ourselves sometime the beginning of next year.   If anyone is interested in joining us for a family team please email me.

Also, if anyone is interested in doing something similar let us know and we send you our rack cards (brochures) to hand out and bracelets made the local women to sell.

ONE OF OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

 We have 60 kids in our middle school sponsorship program . Part of what they need to do to get the scholarship money is help out when needed. This boy is helping to straighten and clean up.

 Part of our after school feeding program requires that the moms of the students do the cooking. Here are two mom's doing the cooking.

 These organic veggies came from our gardens

Here is the teacher for after school program in Los Robles

















Thanks for your time

Vicki Dalia
20.vicki@gmail.com