Help...we need more votes urgently to help Guatemala!

Hi, today we have dropped to 18th place....
Our wonderful volunteer, Michael who runs the carpentry workshop here, just messaged me and said how can a group called Save the Frogs...whose legs are eaten as a delicacy be just a few votes behind us..!!! He said people's priorities are certainly out of whack. He made me laugh.....but he also made me think.


I really think that if people saw how children live here, that they don't have clean drinking water, that they often don't have a bathroom, that some of them sleep on a straw mat on a dirt floor, they don't have enough blankets and are cold, that they wake up hungry, they go to bed hungry, they have terrible stomach cramps from parasites, that their little feet are cramped into shoes that are too tight or a falling apart and held together with string...just so that they have something to cover their feet.....that surely they would vote for us to enable us to help these children. 
The reason that we so desperately need this $25,000 is that donations are flat due to the economic crisis that we are all feeling. We can understand that. But here is a chance at "free" money, it doesn't cost anything ....just a moment to vote and spread the word.
We need this donation to be able to keep the pre-school/after-school and feeding centers running to help the children of San Antonio.
We do not have any chance at the $100,000 unless there was some amazing miracle ...the United Sikhs seem to be true to their name and they are definitely united and have a lot of support and are in the 1st place. But we are falling daily and the race gets tougher every day, we have been told that it is really easy to fall off the list in the last two days, and now is crunch time because there are now less than two days to go.
Often on the last day , it is too hard to vote, the system overloads, so we can't wait till then.


Please ask everyone you know, who may be sympathetic, to take a few moments and vote for us. Here is the link. http://bit.ly/rFKYZE.
You get 10 votes, please use one for Mayan Families....you can only vote once and then please vote for our friends, Mission Guatemala and Amigos de Santa Cruz.
Here is another link: 


1. Mayan Families - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/208433997-mayan-families?src=charity_share


2. Mission Guatemala - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/264500667-mission-guatemala?src=charity_share


3. Amigos de Santa Cruz - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/912155843-amigos-de-santa-cruz?src=charity_share


thanks, Sharon.
p.s....I have nothing against frogs...I like them! with their legs intact! 
Sharon Smart-Poage
MAYAN FAMILIES
a registered 501.(c).(3) Non Profit Charity

Adrian

We recently posted on the Elderly Care Blog about a sweet man named Adrian who was sleeping on a wooden door. It was heartbreaking to see this frail 86 year old man sleeping on wood. To make the situation even worse, he didn't even own the door, it was borrowed from his neighbors. So the only thing he had to sleep on did not even belong to him. We would like to give Adrian a bed so he can at least have one safe, comfortable place to rest. We've received some donations from you, thank you so much, but we are still short $70. If anyone was thinking of giving a little something extra to someone who really needed it, please consider donating to Adrian and giving him a bed. He (and we) would really appreciate your concern and generosity. Thank you so, so much!

To donate for Adrian please go to our website and click on "Donate Now". Enter your donation in the "Other $" box.  In the "Details" box, write "A79 Bed".

Thank you! Questions can be emailed to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Santiago is a dear member of our Elderly Care Program

Santiago is a dear member of our Elderly Care Program. In September, he started becoming ill and we were worried about him. We sent him to a doctor where he was examined and given medication for an ulcer, severe inflammation, and stomach and leg pain. However, the doctor wanted Santiago to return the next morning at 7:00am for a blood test. The challenge is that Santiago lives quite far away and he can't walk. There is also a long path to his house that is very narrow and rocky, impossible to drive. Therefore, we had to have our staff carry Santiago down the mountanous terrain to the car. And then we would drive him to the hospital, which was still far away.


The doctor kept wanting Santiago to return for more exams and check-ups, but we really struggled finding enough staff to carry him and drive him so frequently. We tried to brainstorm some other options, including using firemen to carry him. Eventually, the family tired from the process and Santiago started to get better so they decided it would be best for Santiago to just recover at home and not return to the doctor anymore. The family said that they would contact us if he got worse. 


For more information on how to help Santiago, please visit:


http://mayanfamilieselderlycare.blogspot.com/2011/11/santiago-needs-urgent-help.html
Thank you!
News Update!


We just found out that Santiago has been in the hospital in Solola for a week, due to pain and inflammation again. This morning the doctors told the family that they want to send Santiago to the hospital in the capital because his situation is deteriorating. We're still not 100% sure what is wrong with Santiago, but the doctors in Solola are confident that they can't do anything more to help him. 


The cost of taking Santiago to the capital, admitting him to the hospital, and running several exams is $75. Hopefully we can soon discover what is wrong with Santiago and treat him in the capital, where they have more equipment and doctors. Any amount that you could give to help Santiago, would be greatly appreciated. We would like to send him to the capital as soon as possible, so please spread the word about Santiago's urgent need. Thank you so much!

A mother with suspected Tuberculosis and a child with Pneumonia.

Yesterday, we had a mother with suspected Tuberculosis and a child with pneumonia.

We sent them both to the local health center to be diagnosed.

It was closed because the staff is on strike protesting that they have no medicines.

We also had a father come on Sunday from the coast. He brought his 8yr old daughter with him ....who looked to be the size of a very small 5yr old.

She could barely stand and could only walk a few steps without stumbling.

He had taken her to the hospital in Mazatenango but they had given  him a prescription for medicines ...that would have taken a whole months wages....if he was lucky enough to be working.

He knew that he could not afford the meds.

So he borrowed the bus fare and came to Mayan Families.

We sent the little girl for medical care.

She has parasites, anemia and mostly malnutrition.  The family has barely enough food to survive on.

The mother is ill ...she can't work, she is mostly bedridden.

The father cannot find work.  He is lucky if he gets a day or two a week. This just keeps them alive.

I want to thank  you all for making a difference in so many people's lives.  These are just two families that we are able to send for medical treatment thanks to you.

We were able to give them some food to take home.  Some clothes, a pair of shoes each....but we were able to give them the medicine that they needed.

The mother with tuberculosis is being treated to see if it is TB. We will know in a few days.

Sharon

Animals more important than children in Guatemala?

Hi, as most of you know , there are three Guatemalan charities trying hard to win a place in the Chase Community Giving competition.
All three of these charities work hard to help the children in Guatemala with education, food and medical care. Services that the children here badly need.
So it disheartening to see that people are voting more for pitbull rescue than for feeding malnourished children.
I am a big animal lover...we have an animal program as part of Mayan Families but how is that so many animal organizations are doing so much better, getting so many more votes than the children of Guatemala ?
All three of our charities have been appealing to everyone we know or who will spread the word.
Please help us ....we hate to keep bugging you...but we really need your help to keep these three charities in the running to get $25,000 US which will make such a difference to how we can help the children. 
We are not competing against each other. We are working together. All three of these charities can win the $25,000 US.
If you have already voted, please spread the word, please take a lap top to work, ask your friends to vote, take a laptop to church or a social gathering. It only takes a few minutes and will have long lasting benefits for the children here in Guatemala.
Here are the directions that Melissa Draper was kind enough to do.
Free, Easy and it Takes Less Than a Minute! 

Chase Community Giving is giving money to 100 non-profits.
First place is $250,000.
2nd,3rd, 4th and 5th all receive $100,000.
...6th place through 100th place all will receive $25,000 each. 

Each person gets 10 votes.

Step 1: Open Chase Community Giving on Facebook (http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/208433997-mayan-families?src=twitter) and "Like" the Chase Community Giving. (NOTE: please do not confuse "Like" Mayan Families as voting for Mayan Families. Being "Liked" is nice, but it does not count as a vote to win).

THEN: Click "Vote and Share" for these 3 non-profits that work in Guatemala:
1. Mayan Families - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/208433997-mayan-families?src=charity_share
2. Amigos de Santa Cruz - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/912155843-amigos-de-santa-cruz?src=charity_share
3. Mission Guatemala - http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/264500667-mission-guatemala?src=charity_share

PLEASE vote and have EVERYONE you know (friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.) vote too! It only takes ONE (1) click ONE (1) time for these these 3 non-profits that work in Guatemala to win BIG bucks and do FABULOUS work in Guatemala!

Please also feel free to share this invite with as many people as possible to spread the word, as well.

** VOTING ENDS ON NOVEMBER 22 **

THANK YOU! 
Sharon.
www.mayanfamilies.org 

We need your Vote on facebook to help impoverished children in Guatemala!

Ok everyone, it's time to take it to the streets. Get people to vote!! Set up your laptop, ask people to vote. Go to Starbucks or your favorite Coffee place & set up. Have a business? Ask people to take a minute on your laptop to vote. The easier it is the more likely people will be to vote. Make up flyer's and pass them out in the neighborhood. This money would save so many lives and it requires so little of anyone. Please, please help MAYAN FAMILIES and the two other charities here in Guatemala, Amigos de Santa Cruz and Mission Guatemala. Take an hour or two it could make a huge difference!! Vote now!

1. Click on link http://bit.ly/rFKYZE  for Mayan Families

2. Click on the green "Vote & Share" button.

3. You may be prompted to like Chase Community Giving page. Please "like" Chase Giving page.

4. Make sure to click on "Vote & Share" button again .

When you click on the Vote & Share button, a new window may open that states: "Chase Community Giving" is request permission to do the following...". This window will have an "Allow" button that needs to be clicked.

Once you click the Allow button, a new message will appear with the "Vote & Share" button at the bottom.

Voting is not complete unless you click this "Vote & Share" button and see a message "Thanks for your Vote", and the vote count increases. The link to Vote will appear on your Facebook page as well after you Vote successfully. That is how you know that you have done it correctly, plus next to your photo on the upper center right of the page it will say: 9 VOTES LEFT.

World Diabetes Day

Today is World's Dibetes Day. In honor of this day and in an effort to edcuate the local population, we held our monthly Diabetes Club today. Sixty-two people came to the club. The meeting began at 8:30 and we gave free blood exams, physical exams, and each person received a one-on-one consultation with a doctor and nutritionist. Medical staff led three discussions about neuropathy, diet, and exercise. At the end of the club, we handed out pamphlets explaining how to control your diabetes and the right foods to eat, and then we gave everyone a healhty lunch. People came from all over the lake-region, some came from far away, even across the lake.

When measuring blood sugar levels, we were shocked with what we saw. Keep in mind that a normal measurement is 100 and below. However, in our club today we had 21 people with measurements above 200, and 3 people had measurements above 400! We gave them shots of insulin right away, knowing that they were in great danger with such high blood sugar levels. This shows how dangerous diabetes is among Guatemalans and how desperate our Club is needed to help educate people.

Diabetes is a serious illness that effects many people all over the world. The poverty and lack of education that is so prevalent in Guatemala often makes diabetes invisible and deadly. Please consider making a donation to our Diabetes Club so we can continue our efforts in educating people and helping individuals live with diabetes in a healthy way.

Please go to Donate Now and scroll down.  Enter your donation in the "Other $" box.  In the "Details" box, write "Diabetes Club". Thank you so much!