A new roof before the rains come!

 This family in San Antonio Palopo was thrilled to receive a new roof on their house. Their house is very simple but it the roof was in very bad shape...thankfully, they received a donation from their sponsor to be able to have new roof before the wet season gets in full swing in May through October. Many families live in misery during the wet season. The roof leaks, the dirt floor turns to mud, the beds and blankets get wet, clothes don't dry and the firewood is wet. 
Having a roof that doesn't leak makes life so much easier and more comfortable! Thank you to the sponsors who were able to improve this family's life so much!

Caring for the Elderly

Every day, Monday to Friday we feed approx. 75 elderly people. We also try to help them with their medical needs and other needs that will make life more comfortable for them.  If you would like to help an elderly person, it is just $30 US per month.

Jesus and Clara have 10 children

Hi Everyone,

Jesus and Clara have 10 children. They do all they can to provide for their large family, but neither Clara nor Jesus were able to study and are now forced to work labor or domestic jobs, which pay next to nothing and are never steady jobs.

Furthermore, Clara suffers from several health problems, including bleeding ulcers in her stomach. They barely have enough money to feed their children, so Clara often goes without medical attention as she doesn't want to be a burden on the family.
Jesus works labor jobs when he can find them, but there is never enough money to give their children good nourishment. Often, they are left with nothing to eat except a few corn tortillas for days. 

Jesus and his family have been kicked out of many homes before because they can't afford their monthly rent. It's been very difficult on the children, having to move so frequently and not having a stable or safe home to go to. At one point, they were living in a dark shack filled with smoke and mold. Their bathroom was a few pieces of corrugated aluminum outside. But at least they had a place to call home and they were together. 

Right now they are renting another small shack, but can't afford the monthly rent and will most likely be kicked out at the end of the month. It is a difficult reality that they face every day.

But you can change their reality forever. For just $1,920 you can give this poor family their very own plot of land. They will receive the deed to their home - in their own name - something that can never be taken away from them. This land will be a place where they can grow their own food, raise animals, and even build other homes for future generations. 

This is a very rare opportunity, one that we at Mayan Families must take advantage of. We're doing everything we can to raise enough money to give them their own land. Read the full story of this opportunity here.

For more information on how to help this family receive land, please visit:

http://familyaidprogram.blogspot.com/2012/04/land-for-family-of-12.html

We need to help them by tommorrow.

Thank you so much!

Mayan Families Preschool Kids at the Circus!

Mayan Families Preschool Kids at the Circus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dDjujBd7jo&feature=plcp

Feliz Dia de la Madre from MAYAN FAMILIES

Feliz Dia de la Madre from MAYAN FAMILIES Greetings! Mother's Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices that all mothers make in pursuit of a better future for their children. We, at Mayan Families, invite you to celebrate the invaluable work of the hundreds of Mayan mothers that we work with every day. While mothers in the developed world enjoy breakfast in bed and homemade cards, Mayan women face the daily challenge of providing their families with the most basic need of all: food.    The mothers involved in Mayan Families' Programs are extraordinary people! Their dedication to their families is truly remarkable. They live in extreme poverty, but instead of giving in to desperation, they wake up at the break of dawn, to look for work, washing clothing by hand, collecting firewood or making tortillas. They live in small and uncomfortable homes and often cook meals over an open fire, washing all clothes by hand, and carrying a baby on their back while trying to find enough food to feed their children. Many mothers who did not have the opportunity to go to school have told us that they do not want their children to have to suffer the same difficulties they have had to endure due to their lack of education. They make enormous sacrifices to keep their children in school. Their tireless perseverance in the face of such dire circumstances is truly inspiring. As with all mothers, they are truly the heart and soul of their family. Please make a difference to a Mayan mother on Mother's Day and provide her entire family with a Mother's Day Food Basket. This gift would give a Mayan Mother a much-deserved break from her daily routine and a chance for her family to celebrate her amazing work. We have many orphaned children in our Orphan Care program who are living with extended family.   Mother's Day is a particularly difficult day for them. Please think about giving a basket of food to an orphaned family.  It will make this difficult day a lot brighter for them, knowing there is someone who cares about them.  The basket the food comes in is made of plastic and will be used afterwards by the family to stack and wash dishes, hold food etc. The food items will include: Chicken, Fruits, Vegetables, Oil, Rice, beans, corn or vitamin enriched cereal.  Click here to donate a Dia de la Madre food basket for $35 that will feed approximately 10 people. For the elderly mothers/grandmothers in our Elder care program: many of them live alone and do not have enough to eat.  For just $10, you can send them a small bag of food that will bring a lot of happiness and relief to them.      2012 Star Mothers:  Our 'Star Mothers' are mothers that we feel are exceptional or have exceptional need. These women have stayed strong in the face of poverty, degradation, and injustice. They are the heart of every Mayan Family, and it brings us great joy to be able to share their stories, which so often go untold. Marta (mother of #2302) - scrapes food, Chukmuk Marta is mother to student #2302 Rosa Lidia, #2416 Marta, and three others. Her family's home was given to her after her hometown, Panabaj, was destroyed in 2005's Hurricane Stan. The devastating landslides that destroyed Panabaj left families reeling from loss of property, employment, family members and friends. The residents of Panabaj lived in emergency shelters (tents) for several years before the Guatemalan government built them a new community in nearby Chukmuk. Now, Marta has a home in Chukmuk to shelter her family, but no steady work and nowhere to cultivate food. Upon entering her home, it becomes clear how desperate her situation is. There are four walls, but no viable furniture-the beds are rickety and have no mattress, there is no water filter to purify the children's drinking water, there is no wardrobe to store clothing. Marta actually volunteers at the Mayan Families Preschool in Chukmuk in order to scrape food scraps  from the children's plates after they have eaten. She brings this food home to share with her children. Please help Marta care for family this Mother's Day, with the gift of a bed and mattress ($170) or a 100 lb bag of corn ($50). or a basket of food. ($35)   Dominga (mother of #41) - has curable cancer! Dominga, mother of seven, does not know how to read or write. For many years, she has been very sick and never knew the cause of her illness. It appeared that she was suffering from anemia. When Mayan Families first became aware of her sickness, she was sent to the doctor to determine the diagnosis. Sadly, it was discovered that she has a cancerous tumor in her stomach. Fortunately, doctors believe that her cancer is curable! Right now, Dominga needs a series of more in-depth testing to determine her course of treatment. To begin testing, Dominga is still in need of $334. If you are able to help Dominga begin her cancer treatment, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the Other $ box. In the Details box, write #41 Medical.  This is Dominga!    It is just $35 to feed a family of 10 .... The need for food continues this year.   If you would like to help a family but can't afford the whole amount..you can make a  donation of any amount to put towards a basket for a family in need who may not otherwise have food for Mother's Day.  Please click here to donate now.   You may also choose to send a donation in the form of a check.  Please make it payable to "Mayan Families" and send to:  Mayan Families P.O. Box 52 Claremont, N.C. 28610 *and please include a note designating the service to be provided with your donation.   If you would like to make your donation in Honor of someone special please send us an email to  sharon@mayanfamilies.org  giving us the details and we will put them on our IN HONOR OF web page.  Any general donation of $5, $10, $25, $50 or more-- no matter how small is always welcomed and appreciated.  Donate here. We make every dollar count!  You can make a difference right now, today!   Thank you and Happy Dia de las Madres! Sincerely, Sharon Smart-Poage MAYAN FAMILIES www.mayanfamilies.org Email: sharon@mayanfamilies.org Telephone:             619-550-2608       Read our Blog

Wouldn't you love these!

These are some of the rescued puppies and kittens that are available for adoption right now. There are a few mothers dogs and cats here, they are also available for adoption.
They have all come from awful situations .
They are all vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
All they want is love!
We can arrange transport to the U.S. and Canada....and they are all bi-lingual...Spanish and English!

Art from the Heart!

I love the artwork that our students do to send to their sponsors.
They are done with a lot of love .
The volcanoes and the lake are always a great feature  in these drawings.