A Story of Despair and Sorrow Among Mayan Mamas and Their Babies

I spent the better part of yesterday at the Chuti-estancia Mayan mama/tot program. Every Thurs. we have this program in a different community.  The first Thurs. of the month is Chuti. We now have

104 mamas and their assorted kids under 5 so maybe 200 littles. I knew ahead of time there were 4 new Mayan women who wanted to do this program. I was still recovering from strep throat and a fever of 103, but I had been on the Zpac now for 2 plus days and did not want to miss this program. I have to tell you I can  sit there and watch these women and kids and just feel happy, glowing. I don't know why. I don't know why I feel so honored to be helping and learning from this group and my other mama/tot groups. But it is not just me. Lots of our volunteers feel the same way and don't want to miss a mama/tot program while here. I think it has to do with being humbled by their humbleness, by their survival lacking so much of what I take for granted. So let me tell you a little about each one and see if you want to sponsor them and feel that same thrill of being able to help. I am not telling you their names as I can't remember them. But I remember their looks of despair and their sorrowful eyes.I will be getting a written report on each one with their names, etc if you want to sponsor them.

So this young lady is 16. She is in the picture above also. No husband and a 4 month old. She hung back from the others and looked so sad the whole time. She really touched my heart. Her baby is the 4 month old pictured at the bottom of the page 

This one gripped my heart also. An older lady with a 6 year old and a 15 day old. When I asked about the husband/boyfriend the other women told me, "sex, pregnant, papa gone". We have the best time pantomining our ladies conversations.
 A whole slew of women brought her in to sign up for our programs. I was so proud of their sense of community and women helping women.
To top it all out, she has no breast milk "absolutely none sworn to me by about 15 women"
Neither of these two ladies had any.... nada education. They also both seemed to have lower IQs. Her baby is the 15 day old at the bottom

THIS LADY ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE SHE LED A LIFE OF LEISURE AFTER THE LAST TWO, BUT SHE IS 19, MARRIED TO A HUSBAND WHO WORKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, HER BOY IS 13 MONTHS. ALL THESE WOMEN NEED SPONSORS OR RATHER PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THEM ENOUGH TO HELP THEM STAY IN OUR PROGRAMS. THEY WERE ACCEPTED YESTERDAY BASED ON MY KNOWING THAT 3 OF YOU WILL STEP FORTH AND SPONSOR THEM.  WELL TIME TO GO WRITE ME AT 20.vicki@gmail.com

 

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

OUR NEWEST 7 YEAR OLD FUNDRAISER; HELPING US FEED MORE KIDS

KATIE IN THE MIDDLE READY FOR SCHOOL WITH MARCUS AND ADDY

KATIE WITH MOM ERIN

KATIE IN THE GREEN WITH OTHER DALIA GRANDCHILDREN

KATIE WITH MOM, DAD AND SIBLINGS

I kind of devour John Woods' books. You see, he is the founder of Room To Read. And he has a yearly budget of $39,000,000. That's right 6 zeroes. He forms chapters all over the world of very wealthy people to do his fundraising. So I am trying hard to copy his ideas. And we do have some adults doing chapters. Kent, in TX and Debbie in GA. But the ones that tickle my heart the best are the kids, the young kids. Like Raquel in NY City who personally handed out the formula she raised the money for . [Pictures and story to follow when she returns to the USA ]
Now our new youngest fundraiser is Katie. Katie is the cute little blond in all the photos. The top photo is the most recent and she is shown with your younger bro and sis on the first day of school. She is doing a yard sale/lemonade stand on Sat. Sept. 14th in Stamford, CT. Katie raised donations for our feeding programs when she was just a toddler and took them down to Guatemala and delivered them herself. You see Katie is my granddaughter and the daughter of Erin, who many of you know through the work she does for us.
We love our young fundraisers. If your child is interested in doing a fundraiser, just let us know. We will send them rack cards and business cards to hand out. We also will send some woven bracelets, hand made by our women in Guatemala that are easy sells.

Vicki
Director of www.casadesion.org
20.vicki@gmail.com

OUR LIST OF NEEDS

This is a starter NEEDS LIST
These could done as a part of Eagle Scout Projects, Church Groups, Katie's Group and Vacation Volunteers, etc. 

Important Relative Fact: Besides the orphanage over 5000 meals per month are provided for not just the Los Robles community, but 5 other extremely poor communities. 

Over 60+ monthly/ yearly Student Scholarships (correct #?) are being provide by the Dalias/ Casa de Sion.

Projects:

Farming assistance, weeding, irrigation, organic fertilizing, bringing in black soil, cultivating etc. 

Clearing Farm Land, removing rocks, weeds, sticks, cultivating and preparing ground, etc. 

Fruit Tree Care, Pruning, Aerating, Picking Fruit, transporting. 

Fence Building: Two areas for fence 1. new Farm Area and 2. chain link w steel posts installed in orphans playground and for safety on front highway side. We should have at least 2 rows high of block circulating the external perimeter ideally. I don't know how strict they will be, but if we can get it donated and done by volunteers, it would be good. The fencing would go up from their total of 2 meters (6+ feet high). 

Playground Equipment and Installation: Need basketball hoop and pole, ........... (we have some equip already) to be coordinated.

Metal Signs: We need high quality metal signs painted with high grade weather resistant paint to post at every area. They ALL must be uniform. This is a strict requirement from several government agencies. examples: Playground, Kitchen, Drinking Water, Irrigation Water Only, Dining Area, Parking Area, Tutorial Area, Boys Bathroom, Girls Bathroom, Supervisors Bathroom, New born - 2, Toddlers 2 - 4 yrs, 4-6, 6-10, 11-15 yr olds (over each door). We will need a sign for each child for their personal locker (We prob need some blank ones made up for future children and then we can paint names ourselves later). These should be Cute maybe using our logo. 

New Orphanage Sign for building: We need a good artist to do this very professionally. This can be done as a mural with the new logo. 

Strip and paint front wood fence: I suggest that we need this wood fence for more privacy even though we are putting up chain link in front of it. 

Parking Area needs to be separated with fencing of some kind so it is secure and separate from children's area. Important to CNA.

Grounds organization: building walking paths, developing gardens. Children should be taught horticulture, farming and be surrounded by flowers and all the beautiful exotic plants that are characteristic of the region.
MAJOR CONSTRUCTION: Labor to Add third floor to existing orphanage home, includes: masonry work, plumbing (2-3 bathrooms with showers), electrical, windows, doors, trim and finish work, paint, etc. 

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION: Labor Expand kitchen and eating area, includes: masonry work, windows, doors, electrical, etc. 

Artisan Training Courses: Need volunteers to come and teach sewing, weaving, crocheting, painting, (especially pottery making). I have a vision of Los Robles being a pottery production center. NO ONE does this well anywhere around the region. It can also be know for basket weaving. All this should be done to preserve the artistic and cultural signature of their Mayan heritage. Requires planning and acquiring proper materials.

Musician Courses: We have access to many professional musicians in the USA and in the capital through the Universities such as La U. de Landivar, etc. We need musicians to come with simple instruments and have music classes for them to learn: Guitar, Ukulele, Flute, Recorder, Singing, Marimba, etc. There are over 1000 simple ancient instruments used by the Mayans. We should figure out how to make some of them and teach them to play them as a group. Form and children's musical group.

Secondary Projects:
Build Music building where the children are taught music lessons. We could be a music training center and even expand to the community. God knows they need it. 

Build a mechanic shop near the road: We would like to start the shop as a welding shop, basic tire repair and auto repair shop. It could serve us for repairs and projects as well as service to the community.
Build an art shop/ store for sewing, arts and crafts production shop/ store. We can also sell our goods and produce there or up in Godinez. Now we are creating enterprise and productivity

ITEMS NEEDED to be donated:

Plumbing materials for 3 bathrooms and for 10 showers 

Concrete, gravel, sand

Re-bar (various sizes), wire ties

Lumbar: 2"x4"s, 4" x 4"s, FORMS: 8'x12"x1"

electrical wire, plastic conduit, plugs, light sockets, fixtures

10 Windows

Tile for flooring and bathrooms

Metal Stair Case (1 flight)

2 Steel Doors, Hardware, etc

Paint

8 Computers with Internet (because we are in a remote area some kind of receiver or booster would be necessary) Along with installation and training. I know a guy who specializes in this service in the lake area to help: We have the computers, just need everything else.

Books for Libraries both in Spanish and English or Kakchiquel if at all possible. 

Decor for the orphanage

5 Fire Extinguishers (one per floor and per area, Kitchen should be special for grease, ABC (I believe is rating). Required by CNA and gov agencies. 

Tools: welder, buckets, shovels, pick ax, saws for both metal and wood, pliers, cutters, hammers, trowels, etc.

Television: Questionable??? probably not necessary unless can be used as a computer screen???

DVD player and G rated or educational kid movies

NEED TO ADD MORE PLAYGROUND TO MEET ORPHANAGE STANDARDS

NEED ALL KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION HELP

NEED ROOMS PAINTED FOR LITTLE GIRLS

NEED MEDICAL MONEY

NEED ROOMS PAINTED FOR LITTLE BOY

This list includes items and points from my meeting with Edy Tum back in May 2013. This is just a rough draft, but we need to post this, so we can get it donated. If people know, then they might be more likely to do it. 

Get involved in making kids lives better

Donate any amount. It will help

thanks

Vicki

20.vicki@gmail.com

EXPANDING FOR THE ORPHANAGE IN GUAT

 TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE NEW ORPHAN KIDS ON THE 1ST AND 2ND FLOORS OF OUR EXISTING BUILDING, WE NEED TO ADD A THIRD FLOOR FOR OUR VOLUNTEER TEAMS TO STAY ON. HERE ARE PICTURES OF MY HUSBAND, JODY, MEETING WITH TWO OF OUR GREAT BOARD MEMBERS, ABINADY AND JOSE MIQUEL.  ABINADY IS A BUILDER IN GUATEMALA, MY HUSBAND BUILDS HOUSES IN THE USA AND JOSE MIQUEL JUST SEEMED TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT.

THEY ARE DISCUSSING ROOM DIVISIONS AND ALTHO IT IS NOT SET IN STONE YET, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE 2 OR 3 DORM TYPE ROOMS WITH 2 OR 3 BATHROOMS, A SMALL SITTING AREA, A LAUNDRY ROOM AND A CLOSET FOR STORAGE OF ITEMS OF TEAM LEADERS.

 IN ADDITION TO THE THIRD FLOOR CONSTRUCTION, WE ARE BUILDING A NEW STORAGE ROOM WITH BATHROOM NEXT TO THE KITCHEN/DINING AREA AND INCLOSING THE DINING AREA. ALSO WE ARE PUTTING UP A SECURITY FENCE ALONG PARTS OF THE PORPERTY

NOW HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN. WE NEED MONEY TO BUILD. WE NEED CONSTRUCTION CREWS TO BUILD OR JUST HAUL BLOCK. WE NEED PAINTERS AND TILE LAYERS AND FURNITURE.


PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH ALL YOU KNOW AND HELP US GET THIS GOING SO WE CAN GET THE KIDS ROOMS READY FOR THEM ON FLOORS 1 AND 2. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OF WHERE TO GET GRANT MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION OR KNOW OF ANY FAMILY FOUNDATIONS WANTING TO HELP ORPHANS OR EDUCATE KIDS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

THANKS
VICKI
20.VICKI@GMAIL.COM