Taking Kids on An Extended Volunteer Vacation

This is where we live in the USA. Fall is coming on and the trees will be beautiful in a couple of weeks. Every morning I come here to see the view which changes everyday. It was hard to leave it.

Here are the kids who came with us this time. Our five youngest. They are homeschooled so free to travel. They did not want to come

So we are trying to do fun things for them. Their trip started with the drive to Atlanta. 7 hours from home. We stopped at a fabric store and let them each pick out a piece of fabric to make a pillowcase for their new pillows at the guesthouse in Lomas. Then we stopped for supper. At the hotel that night, they had an adjoining room which meant they got to watch tv all night. We do not have tv at home so this was a treat. Next we headed to the airport at 6 in the morning and they had to suffer thru a movie and soft drinks which they also do not get at home. Then the shuttle picked us up in Guatemala and they started having a little culture shock. Pricesmart was next where we loaded up on USA food.

Then the drive to Lomas and landing there at 8pm that night. Kids had a hard time adjusting to their new bedrooms as most of their treasures were in their bedrooms in the states. But they are doing well. They went to the elementary school programs with us on Fri. and met all the kids. The whole time they are here [ 7 weeks] they will help with all we do, so their lives will be school work and volunteer work. We took them to Lake Atitlan on Fri. for their dad's birthday and to buy an ice cream cake.

Monday they start gymnastic and yoga and art classes.

JODY AND VICKI

The swinging bridge that has to be crossed when we go from San Andres to Panajachel. It is the only way across when Cerro Lec has mudslides that block the road

 This last picture is Lake Atitlan. We will do a family boat trip with lunch out while here and celebrate 2 birthdays. The kids also got a surprise the first morning. They were upset they had to leave their dogs in the USA. The first morning here a dog showed up at our door and has not left. he eats here and plays here and the kids now have a Guatemalan dog.

We love family teams. My daughter Erin is trying to put one together for either the end of Feb. or later in the spring.

write us at 20.vicki@gmail.com

Vicki
www.casadesion.org

Awesome Things are Happening

We now have a new association that is dedicated to the work of our orphanage. We have some powerful people on the board of this association and we will be doing great things.

The orphanage is moving forward and I will be hiring staff while down there in Oct. Also will be decorating the kids rooms and getting a cozy little spot for them to land in and , hopefully, feel safe in.

We have a new project called the SPONSORME project that we are almost ready to launch. I will be training our scholarship kids on the Sponsorme process and will notify you when the website is up and functioning.

We have Debbie in GA collecting bed coverings for our soon to arrive little orphans. If you want to contribute to this write me at 20.vicki@gmail.com.

We have Katie, another one of our elementary school fundraisers, doing a yard sale lemonade stand this Sat. in Stamford, CT. She is excited. I sent her rack cards and her mom is helping get out posters. If you are in the area write me for the address. 20.vicki@gmail.com

KATIE AND MOM ERIN

KATIE IS IN THE RED AND YES SHE IS ONE OF MY GRANDKIDS

the area we serve in Guatemala

One more awesome thing going on is happening in Denton, TX this Sunday.

Here are the facts
UNT MUSIC BUILDING VOERTMAN HALL
4 PM   415 AVENUE C, DENTON , TX
TICKETS $20.00 STUDENTS $15.00

HERE IS THE URL LINK AND YOU CAN BUY TICKETS ONLINE
http://www.servicementors.org/events

THEY HAVE A FANTASTIC LINEUP OF MUSICIANS. IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS.

Also please send this to all your friends and ask them to like us on Facebook

Packing to go Again

Probably the hardest part of the work we do in Guatemala is the transition. Living part time in the USA and part time in Guatemala involves us trying to have lives in both places and to adjust all the time. Right now we are adjusting to leaving the USA. Adjustments include but not limited to
Not seeing any of our 22 grandkids under 9 for 7 weeks
Trying to make sure all kids left here are settled. Our 17 year old is staying for school and football. Our 19 year old is in a voc. rehab college that is not working out. So right in the middle of packing , I am having to get her back home and talk her into coming with us or staying with her sister. Staying involves another educational plan for her as well as a job. She is not going to like either alternative.
Packing for the 5 kids and husband and I for the next 7 weeks of the rainy season.
Talking husband into the 5 extra suitcases we will have to pay for [ and lug around] because they have donations in them. That makes 7 already paid for check suitcases, 5 check suitcases we have to pay for and 7 big carry ons and bookbags to be lugged from one airport to the next and out to the shuttle, then to our home, then unpacked again.
Making sure we have all the materials needed to homeschool said 5 kids.
Leaving my house here in the USA clean enough so it will not be overrun with bugs or rats when I return.

That is just a few. I left out all the prayers said for safety while there and easy travel. Could you please pray for all of our safety in travel and while there also?

CHECK OUT OUR GARDEN AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS REPORT

We just got this monthly report from our new director. He is doing such a good job. Check out the veggie production and usage in our Mayan Guatemalan Organic garden.

 Weekly report

 After school attendance of elementary students in the different communites we work in. How many eat lunch and how many study afterwards.

                                 Mon                  Tues                Wed                       Thur                   Fri                   Total

LR	Lunch 24 Study 23	Study 20	Lunch 25 Study 24	Study 21	Lunch 24 Study 22
NV	Lunch 90		Lunch 86		Lunch 85
MdelC	Lunch 135 Study 18	Study 15	Lunch 138 Study 14	Study 15	Lunch 139 Study 15
Toko
Total

Items of special interest:

Pues el programa ha funcionado muy bien como siempre, se realizan varias actividades educativas con los niños como: promover en el niño el habito de la lectura, desarrollar en el niños sus habilidades físicas y también hay un tiempo determinado para que los niños puedan recrearse realizando varios juegos como: futbol, beisbol, domino, memoria, lotería y rompecabezas.

The program has been working well as always. We do several educational activities with the children like: reading habits, physical education, developing memory and understanding skills using the board games. They also play soccer, beisbol, dominoes, memory, puzzles and others

WOWEE LOOK AT HOW MANY VEGGIES WE ARE PRODUCING AND USING

Gardens

Vegetables going into programs and where:

Se cosecharon  8 docenas de guisquil, 2 para cada comunidad (María del Carmen, Nueva Victoria, Tocache y Los Robles).

Se cosecharon 11 docenas de zanahoria, 3 para cada comunidad (María del Carmen, Nueva Victoria y Tocache) para Los Robles 2 docenas.

Se cosecharon 8 libras de cebolla, 2 para cada comunidad (María del Carmen, Nueva Victoria, Tocache y Los Robles).

Se cosecharon 8 unidades de brócoli y 4 de Coliflor, 3 para cada comunidad (María del Carmen, Nueva Victoria, Tocache y Los Robles).

This week we harvested 8 dozen of guisquil. 2 dozen went for each community.

11 dozen of carrots. 3 for each community and 2 for Los Robles.

8 pounds of onions. 2 for each community.

8 broccolies and 4 cauliflowers. 3 for each community (MdelC, NV  and LR)

Eggs laid and # going into programs where:

Se recolecto un total de 4 cartones y se utilizaron 20 huevos el dia viernes para la comida de los niños de los robles. Ya que se les hizo brócoli envuelto en huevo con frijol y arroz.

120 eggs were collected. 20 of them were used on Friday for children’s lunch because we gave them broccoli with eggs, beans and rice. The others went to the communities.

Land prepared or new beds dug:

La tierra preparada (limpiada y picada) para esta semana es de  30 varas de largo por 10 de ancho.

The land prepared this week was an area of 25 x 8 meters.

Seeds planted estimated maturity:

Zanahoria (Carrots)

Fecha que se sembró  (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
04-05-2013	Listo para cosechar (Ready to harvest)
03-06-2013	Listo para cosechar (Ready to harvest)
14-06-2013	15-10-2013
15-07-2013	30-11-2013
20-07-2013	30-11-2013

Remolacha (Beets)

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
25-06-2013	Listo para cosechar  (Ready to harvest)
13-05-2013	Listo para cosechar  (Ready to harvest)

Frijol de ejotera de vara (Beans)

Fecha que se sembró  (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
10-06-2013	Se está cosechando (we are harvesting it)
12-08-2013	30-10-2013

Ejote de suelo  Green Beans

Fecha que se sembró   (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha(Harvest date)
20-06-2013	Se está cosechando    (we are harvesting it)
23-05-2013	15-10-2013

Apio Celery

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
20-08-2013	15-12-2013

Cilantro (Cilantro)

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha(Harvest date)
15-07-2013	15-10-2013

Brócoli Brocoli

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
15-06-2013	30-10-2013

Coliflor  Cauliflawer

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
15-06-2013	15-10-2013

Tomate Tomato

Fecha que se sembró    (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
20-06-2013	15-10-2013
29-08-2013	15-12-2013

Pepino Cucumber

Fecha que se sembró   (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
10-06-2013	15-10-2013

Cebolla Onions

Fecha que se sembró   (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha (Harvest date)
25-06-2013	15-10-2013

Chile Red pepper

Fecha que se sembró   (Date planted)	Fecha aproximada para cosecha(Harvest date)
01-07-2013	15-11-2013

Sprays applied (be specific  of type):

Se está utilizando el Beliz en los sembrados de tomate, para evitar que las plagas los destruyan.

Se utiliza el abono biocofia para los cultivos.

They are using Bellis for tomato plants… And the fertilizer Biocofia for gardens. 

What else are workers doing each day:

Cernir abono, fumigar cultivos, limpiar cultivos, mover aboneras. 

Besides their daily duties, they also clean the gardens, clear land because with the rain the weeds grow fast, prepare land, spray the gardens, and move composting piles.

Improvements  seen in garden:

El frijol ya está casi listo solo falta que se seque y ya para la próxima semana pues esperamos poder utilizarlo para enviar a las comunidades y así evitar comprar en el mercado.

Black beans are almost ready we are just drying it very well so we can start using it in the programs and won’t have to buy anymore for a while.

Things not doing well & why:

Problems

Problems that came up this week and what you did about them:

Good things

What good or exciting things came up this week:

Pues tome la iniciativa de realizar con los niños un proyecto de reciclaje que consiste en realizar una manualidad utilizando material que ya no sirve con el fin de enseñarle a los niños lo importante que es el reciclaje y así contribuir a tener un mejor medio ambiente. Pronto adjuntare imágenes para que puedan observar cómo va el proyecto.

The good thing this week was that I started a recycle project with the children to show them how important is to take care of our environment. I will send some pics soon to show you how is this  going.

RAQUEL, at 8 years of age saves babies: her story

 My new , on probation, Director sent this touching powerpoint. he is just learning English so I give him a high five on this powerpoint and the English description.  Here is our little Raquel giving out the formula she bought with money she made selling lemonade.

IRVIN, RAQUEL AND HER MAMA

IRVIN DECORATED EVERYTHING FOR OUR GUESTS AND HAD THE SCHOOL KIDS DO A PERFORMANCE

THE MAYAN MAMAS ARE HAPPY

 Want your young one to do the same and help the Mayan children of Guatemala? We will help them help us. Just contact me at 20.vicki@gmail.com