Mayan Families April, May 2013 Newsletter

In This Issue Mother's Day and Father's Day Paraplegic Man Learns to Fly Indigenous Teachers Training on Vitamins Ready To Help? A Student In Need #1137 Juanita (12 years old) is just one co-sponsor away from being able to attend school. Juanita has been a sponsored child for the past three years but recently her parents came in to let us know they were pulling her out of school as it was just too expensive. Juanita needs to attend a special needs school as she has learning difficulties and had to repeat the first grade three times. The children pick on her in school, and she finds it very hard to concentrate and participate in class. Co-sponsorship for Juana costs only $15 per month or $180 per year. Please consider giving Juanita the gift of education. If you are interested please email us. Sponsor an Anciana A-54 Felipa Ramos lives alone after losing her husband of 40 years.  Her children have no financial means to help her, and she often eats only one meal a day at the Feeding Program. She can't work to help herself because of her medical issues, having suffered a brain hemorrhage last year. She does not have a water filter, stove, or a mattress on her bed. Please consider making a difference to her life by sponsoring her at $35 a month, or by donating for some of her needs. If you are interested, please email us. Other news in April/May     Special needs boy needs disability therapy Thanks to our fans, we are one of the first winners of a 2013 Top-Rated Award fromGreatNonprofits!  Greetings!   Welcome to the Mayan Families April/May 2013 Newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading about our recent activities, and ways you can get involved and help. Muchas Gracias for the 'Día de la Madre' Gifts Families Honor their Mothers with Your Gifts of Food   On May 10th, Mayan Families celebrated Mother's Day with the beloved mothers around Lake Atitlan. Thanks to generous donations from our sponsors, 345 food baskets were delivered to underprivileged families that otherwise would not have been able to honor the important women in their lives with a proper meal. The baskets contained enough food to feed a family of ten, and included essential ingredients for preparing everyday traditional local recipes. Thank you for helping make this a memorable holiday! If you wanted to donate but were unable to do so, Father's Day is just around the corner on June 17th. You still have the chance to provide a loving family meal and give the students a chance to celebrate the struggling dads' in rural Guatemala. Order a basket here and enter$40 in Community Aid and 'Father's Day Basket' in the Details section.  Physical Therapy Clinic Creates Miracle Paraplegic Man Learns to Fly!                                                    When Dave and Leiann Scee began volunteering at Mayan Families in February, the physical therapy clinic consisted of an empty room full of donated medical supplies. Within a few days they assembled a fully functioning clinic, and four months later they have treated over 250 patients.    Carlos, a paraplegic patient, came into the clinic in a wheelchair after being paralyzed from the waist down by an electrical accident. After several biweekly appointments, Carlos stood up for the first time in six years and, with the assistance of old leg braces and a homemade pair of forearm crutches, he began to walk around the clinic. With enough practice and work, Carlos will be able to realize his dream of living independently and playing sports again with his son one day. Dave and Leiann took Carlos paragliding over Lake Atitlan. Flying over his hometown while he is just learning to walk again was an incredible experience. During their time here, Dave and Leiann helped many other patients like Carlos overcome obstacles they never thought possible. Thank you! 'Vitamin Angels' Trains Indigenous Staff on Distribution Our Teachers Become Empowered With New Skills and Knowledge Last week Vitamin Angels, our partners who provide Vitamin A, prenatal and multivitamins to participants in our Milk Program and Preschool Nutrition Centers, trained our teachers and coordinators over two days on how to effectively distribute these essential Vitamins. Vitamin A deficiency is a severe global health problem, particularly in developing countries like Guatemala where diets are rarely varied and can lead to cognitive and physical problems. 21 participants successfully completed the training with competency performances and are now able to lead the next Vitamin A distribution in their communities. Many thanks to Eva and Ada from Vitamin Angels, and Sergio who translated the training!  Ready To Help? Spread The Word We are so grateful for everything you have done and contributed. We couldn't have done this without you. However, we still need more help with student sponsorship, family aid, our nutrition program and other projects that better the lives of those we work to protect. Here's how you can help. Share this newsletter on your Facebook or other social media tool. Forward this to your friends, they would love to hear from you. Mention our causes next time you are among influential people. Group together with relatives and friends to donate to one of our funds. Come visit us in Guatemala and create a project you, and above all those you help, will never forget. Volunteer and Internship Opportunities We could use your skills and expertise, whether you're in Guatemala or at your own home! Check out our listings here or email us.   Read more about individual projects on our dedicated blogs:   Sharon's Blog Family Aid Blog Eldery Care Blog Nutrition Blog Sewing Blog Mayan Families Connection We appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will not sell, exchange, or rent your email address.