Mayan Families Elderly program feeds 70 elderly people a week

The Mayan Families Elderly program feeds 70 elderly people, Monday through Friday, 5 days a week.

Once a month they have a medical evaluation to see how they are going .

We have medicines donated that can help with the average pains and aches.

We try to make sure that each of the Elderly people in our program  have their basic needs met....That they have a bed, a mattress, sheets, a blanket, a pillow , a warm jacket. 

We give them daily food , five days a week..and basic medical care from donated medicines.  

Sometimes they need more.  Like diapers....we have one elderly gentleman who is having a problem with his prostrate.

He has to wear diapers. Disposable diapers are expensive in Guatemala.  His family cannot afford them. He doesn't have anyone who would wash cloth diapers for him.  The last few weeks he has had to wear pieces of a rough fabric from bags that hold corn and rice. 

This is very uncomfortable for him.  

We appreciate any donations for  disposable diapers for adults. 

Please consider sponsoring an elderly person to be able to eat one meal a day.

Contact megan@mayanfamilies.org  or make a donation ...no donation is to small...it will help..http://www.mayanfamilies.org/DonateNow.

Sharon Smart-Poage
MAYAN FAMILIES

a registered 501.(c).(3) Non Profit Charity
Website: www.mayanfamilies.org

Opening of the Pre-school/feeding program in San Antonio Palopo,Guatemala

Yesterday we had the opening of our 4th Pre-school/ Feeding program in San Antonio Palopo where there has been so much devastation from the mudslides caused by Tropical Storm Agatha. This program is different from our others as we are having classes for older children in the afternoon. The children in the morning will be aged 3-5yrs old and in the afternoon the children will be aged 5-10yrs old.
Both sessions the children will receive two meals, brush their teeth, take a vitamin tablet and have educational classes and crafts. These children are in need of having some fun activities to take their mind away from all the tragedy that they have seen recently. Over 20 people died in mudslides in this village. Dozens of families have been left homeless and many other people are too scared to live in their homes.



Eating a healthy meal.
Volunteer Vanessa helping the children to wash their hands. Vanessa also taught the children how to brush their teeth. Many had never brushed their teeth before and it was a new experience for them!
Wendy,the teacher at the center.


Mayan Families staff member, Ely getting to know the children!

Mayan Families Panajachel Preschool

The opening of the Panajachel Pre - School was held this past week. It was such a joyous occasion. We have been delayed in opening for sometime due to lots of paperwork but it was worth the wait! Representatives from the Mayor's office in Panajachel, representatives from the Dept. of Education, Directors of local schools, several lawyers who had been involved in helping open the preschool came and representatives of a local organization to help women and children were also there. After the speeches, everyone poured into the classroom and enjoyed looking at all the decorations and wonderful edcuational toys.
In the kitchen, everyone was busy, including my 4 1/2 yr old daughter, Aleeya serving up chuchitos and horchata. Traditional food and drink for a celebration.
Luki, the teacher at the Pana pre-school along with the representative of the Dept. of Education enjoyed looking at the books in the little library.
Lic. Jose Aguilar and his wonderful team who made opening the pre-school possible.!
Mayan Families employees, Carlos and Rodolfo ( who is also a school teacher) enjoyed helping the children with the puzzles.

Lidia, another Mayan Families employee helping this little girl with her drink.
The kids just loved all these wonderful toys and puzzles, many of them supplied by our visitors this summer, Nancy and Merrill Preiss. Thanks to them we have probably the best supply of educational toys in Guatemala!! They collected, shopped and shipped several large boxes of toys and supplies to us this summer before they arrived. They were hoping to be here for the opening but unfortunately due to the delays they were not...but their presence was obvious in all the wonderful posters and supplies! Thank you Nancy , Merrill and family for all that you have done!
I also want to thank all the others who have sent donations for this pre-school and the other two, one in San Jorge and one in Tierra Linda! We so appreciate all these wonderful gifts and I wish that you all could have been here to see the wonder in the children's eyes!

Infant feeding program.

 

This little girl is one of the malnourished children who is able to receive milk through the Infant feeding program.
I had a friend call today who told me about the baby in his village that has a cleft palate. We have been supplying the baby with milk and the friend said that the baby is now getting very chubby and has been able to put on weight.