Feliz Semana Santa! Happy Passover! Happy Springtime!

Yesterday was a great day! We gave out lots and lots of baskets......we started work at 7am and we left here at 8p.m.......it was a long day but a very happy one.
So many people grateful for the food that they were receiving.
Unfortunately, about 60 baskets are still waiting to be given out.... these were people who either had to work and couldn't get here or were sick....so the staff made the decision to come in and work today....hopefully, just for two hours till all the baskets are picked up. I just have to say what a great staff we have, everyone is here at 8.am. on this public holiday which they had expected to have off, they are all smiling and I can hear laughter coming from outside the garden where people are starting to come in to pick up their baskets.

We had about 60 people still lined up outside the gate when we left last night , they had waited even when it rained , hoping to get a basket but there are just not enough to go around .

There are so many people sick with a flu virus going around that lots of mothers could not come with their children, they were sick at home, or else mothers came without children who were too sick to come. Several came with children with fevers and obviously sick, we sent them to the clinic.....one whole family came that was very sick, we sent them off to the clinic and got their meds. I have just gone through both Dwight and our children being sick with this flu and it is awful , so I was really sympathetic to the children and parents suffering with this flu. It is very, very strong.

Families came and waited in the line to get their baskets and their photos taken, some came in their new trajes para Semana Santa looking very beautiful, many had been gifts from their sponsors.

It was quite a fun atmosphere with the children all playing on the swings, the playground equipment and the bicycles and ride on's that have been donated. Any more small bicycles or ride on toys that your kids have grown out of would be so loved here!

Three mothers of sponsored children asked permission to set up booths selling food and drinks. We were really happy to be able to help them do that. One set up a bbq and sold tortillas with guacamole and chorizo. smelt wonderful! Others sold drinks, sweets they had made, tostados.

I wish that you could all be here to experience the baskets being distributed and see how much they are appreciated!

Thank you everyone who has helped make this such a happy occasion......those who were able to send baskets, those who spread the word and those who sent their best wishes.
Everyone is very, very grateful!
I hope you can see the photos, not all of them are uploaded yet, but there is a slide show on the blog and there are some on Facebook and all that we have now are on Picassa.
Wishing you and your families a very Happy Semana Santa and we are getting ready here for some serious processions and some beautiful carpets, not as fancy as Antigua but made with a lot of love and heart.

Sharon Smart-Poage
MAYAN FAMILIES
Panajachel, Guatemala

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