School Sponsorship news 2012

Hi everyone,
The time of year for the 2012 School Sponsorship drive has arrived!
For Elementary school it will be $190
Junior High School will be $390
High School will be $490
University will be $1,250
We are sad to put the prices up and we have agonized about it but the reality is that we cut the sponsorship as close to the bone as possible...and with the costs rising we have to go up as well.
Our wish is to have as many kids have access to school as is possible but if we can't give them what they need to be able to stay in school then there is not much point in sending them. I have been checking around to see how other organizations cope with the costs of the school sponorship and another very well known org. here in Guatemala that charges $30 US a month is giving shoes that are donated...if they have the sizes...we give two pairs of brand new shoes....they do not give backpacks, they give a plastic basket with the school supplies...while plastic baskets come in very handy, I have never seen a kid carrying their school supplies in one....and they do not pay the subscription fees or the monthly fees for the children who are in jnr. high or high school. ..we pay those fees and we give everyone a backpack, plus when we can, we give them socks, underwear, gym clothes and as much as we can to help them ...often a ball for school, or a musical instrument....we cannot guarantee that we can do  the ball and the instrument  but if we can, we do. Also we do try, when we have medical and dental groups here to make sure that all our sponsored students have access to these facilities first.   We advertise them at our office, we call students who we know have the problems that could be attended to. We really have tried to rack our brains how not to put the prices up...we have considered cutting out some things, but what to cut out that children will be able to go to school without that item?The shoes that we buy are really good quality...but even so with all the hard wearing on the roads here, they don't last a year, so the kids always receive extra shoes from the donations.   I wish we didn't have to raise the prices ..I am really sorry. I know it is a really hard time for all of us right now.Sharon 

Beth's Blog

We are very fortunate to have a wonderful group of people here doing a trip.


They have been battling some pretty rainy weather and transportation has become increasingly difficult due to the poor conditions of the roads.  Mudslides are everywhere and roads are falling apart.


But a dear friend of ours, Beth is blogging during this time and if you have a moment to read her blog, you will find it very interesting.   Beth has a beautiful heart and she shares the experiences that touch her and her brother, Dave while they are here.


Here is the link .http://just--beth.blogspot.com/

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Shoe shines boys in Panajachel, Guatemala

Saturday morning I saw these two little boys, 6 and 8 years
old....trying to get work shining shoes. They had on just thin
t.shirts and plastic shoes with no socks, the rest of their clothes
were in bad shape.  But they were cold.
I asked them if they had eaten yet and they said no. So I bought them
a hot cup of oatmeal and then took them to the Mayan Families office
to get them some clothing.


They told me that they had come by themselves to shine shoes.  A long
way from their village on the back of a pick up in the rain.  They are
the same age as my daughter, who is not allowed to cross the road by
herself.


Thanks to the donations that we have received we were able to give
them new shoes....one pair had lights!!!  and new clothes to keep them
warm. They were so happy.
The caretaker at Mayan Families got them to wash their feet before
putting on their new socks and shoes and then he carefully helped dry
their feet for them.


The shoes and clothes that these two boys received just thrilled them so much.
Thank you to everyone who sends us clothes and shoes...it means so
much to the people who receive it.

Inside a devastated home in Guatemala.

This family had no time to save anything before a mud slide came
through their home.
Our Mayan Families staff had been checking on the Elderly in our
Elderly Care Program when they came across this sponsored student and
their family.
They stopped and helped dig out a lot of mud and rescue what
belongings were possible.
A heartbreaking sight.

Collecting firewood in Guatemala

Returning from seeing the devastation at the river we saw this little boy.
He was with his father and they had been collecting branches and debri
from the river.
Lots of trees and branches get washed down the river and the people
take advantage of this disaster to at least, be able to get some free
wood to have for their fires.
It can be dangerous collecting firewood from the river...the current
is unbelievably strong.
This little boy is probably making one of many journeys back and forth
to bring home the firewood.

Emergency clothing distributed in Guatemala

This family had to evacuate quickly and left all their clothing behind.
Thanks to the donations that you have given Mayan Families, we have been able to
provide families with clean, dry clothing.
Thank you to everyone who has been able to help by sending donations.
Mayan Families can be found at www.mayanfamilies.org