I just recently moved out of my apartment where I lived for two months (a great view but still not quite right) to house sit for a friend for the month of December. I call it the Hacienda. I live in a little casita with a livingroom, bedroom and bathroom and use the kitchen and dining room in the main house. I also take care of 2 cats and 2 dogs. Her house is about a 15 minute ride outside of Antigua. And by the way, I have use of her car and am driving for the first time in Guatemala.
Today, I walked into Antigua, which is a 50 minute walk. I wanted to see what the walk was like and get my exercise. I went to the grocery store and returned by bus to the entrance into the houseing complex. As I was walking to the house (about a 7 minute walk from the main road) a woman stopped her car and said to me "vienes con bolsitas". I said, "si de la bodegona". And she said, "no de el pueblo. Vives lejos"? I said, "no estoy muy cerca". She told me 'yo puedo llevarla' but I told her," no estoy cerca".
This woman, stopped because she saw me carrying groceries and wanted to know if I lived far away, in the housing community, and offered to take me to the house. She thought that I'd walked from the local town, rather than having come in from Antigua via the bus and been dropped off at the main road. The town is about a 15 minute walk. This complete stranger, stopped to see if I needed a ride to my house because she thought that I'd walked a distance with really two small plastic bags. It seems that no matter where you go in Guatemala, you are in one small community and there is no end to the neighborliness.
La Uva - Ninos del Lago's unveils its first cabin
November 13th, was a huge day for Ninos del Lago when the first cabin was unveiled and dedicated to the children of Guatemala from the Capgemini employees and Coca-Cola Enterprises. Present was Capgemini management, responsible for selecting and tirelessly supporting Ninos del Lago as their charity for the Americas; Coca Cola Enterprises a Capgemini client and NDL Donor; Capgemini top performing employees; and of course, future Ninos del Lago children from Esperanza Juvenil, one of the organizations whose children will attend the camp. Click Pictures to see all those smiling faces and the fun that we had.
The best part: Kids running through the cabins all excited, asking all about where they'd sleep, what they'd do and when they would get to come to Camp Ninos del Lago.
p.s. I can't seem to make the 'tilde' over the n since my computer was ugraded. I've already spent hours trying to make it work to no avail. I'm not giving up though...
A day in the field
As part of setting up the clinic, I visited a couple of villages and talked with future clients of the clinics to find out what they’re already doing for their healthcare. My story for today, is about a family from Santa Catarina (above), or I should say the father and one of his sons. His other children were in school and the mother wasn’t home.
I’d been to several houses that day before coming to this home. Generally speaking, the kitchen is in a separate room with a dirt floor. Most of them have some signs of food, though it’s often just tortillas and maybe a vegetable. In this home, I saw no signs of food.
The man (above) is a carpenter by trade and the brutal rainy season that we’ve had this year has hurt his business (I heard this over and over again with those in agriculture as well). What happens is that because of all the moisture, the glue doesn’t hold. I suppose my point is that even if he were able to work, he still wouldn’t have much but in this case, he had even less.
What moved me is that as we were sitting in his kitchen/sala, he sent his son to the store to buy cola so that he could offer us a drink. I could hear him give this direction to his son and I wanted to jump up and stop him which of course would have been too rude for words. I still get teary thinking about it and I was glad to have on my sunglasses to hide my discomfort.
I’ve experienced this generosity before in other parts of the world too – families with very little themselves offer what they do have to the guests who are sitting in their livingrooms. I’ll bet you have as well. On one trip to Hungary, we arrived at 8am in a small house in a small village and we were given shots of vodka (I think some people call this an eye opener) and their daughters bedroom to sleep in (she slept on the sofa). This family didn’t have much but what they had they shared.
This was different. They had nothing and still gave.
And just so you know that I'm still OK and that it's still beautiful here....
Life happening
You remember that I began working with Niños del Lago more than five years ago and just a year and a half ago, joined the Founder in Guatemala in order to help build the organizational structure. Along the way, you’ve supported me and cheered me on and watched Niños del Lago blossom.
Well, recently, an opportunity to be a part of a health clinic in a village outside of Antigua appeared virtually out of nowhere. Along with it, came the opportunity to take on more direct responsibility and become more integrated into the local community. I think you know where this is leading, verdad? I’ve begun working with them this week to prepare the clinic for it’s opening (date to be determined) and manage the ongoing operations.
The name of the organization is called From Houses to Homes and the clinic, La Clinicas Medicas San Jose, is just a small part of what they do for the families here in Antigua’s surrounding villages. Take a look. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a worthy venture.
And, so I say good bye to my current relationship with Niños del Lago though not good bye in total. You know that much of my heart is with them and that I will stay connected with the project and smile along with everyone else on the opening day.
In the meantime, I take on a full time employment role with From Houses to Homes as the Manager of the Clinic and look forward to further developing my work here in Guatemala.
Stay tuned!
Well, recently, an opportunity to be a part of a health clinic in a village outside of Antigua appeared virtually out of nowhere. Along with it, came the opportunity to take on more direct responsibility and become more integrated into the local community. I think you know where this is leading, verdad? I’ve begun working with them this week to prepare the clinic for it’s opening (date to be determined) and manage the ongoing operations.
The name of the organization is called From Houses to Homes and the clinic, La Clinicas Medicas San Jose, is just a small part of what they do for the families here in Antigua’s surrounding villages. Take a look. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a worthy venture.
And, so I say good bye to my current relationship with Niños del Lago though not good bye in total. You know that much of my heart is with them and that I will stay connected with the project and smile along with everyone else on the opening day.
In the meantime, I take on a full time employment role with From Houses to Homes as the Manager of the Clinic and look forward to further developing my work here in Guatemala.
Stay tuned!
My new name - Mira Kristina
"Mirar" in Spanish, means "to look". And, I go by Kristina here because it seems more understandable with a Latin ending- there is no such name as Kristen. Mira Kristina - Look Kris!
Yesterday, I took the kids to the zoo. When I asked the parents for permission to take them, one knew of the zoo and the other didn't really know what it was. None of the kids had been there before and asked me to explain it.
The most precious part was the planning; the girls, asked me what they should wear. I've only ever seen them in their one traditional outfit, well actually two different ones, in the year and a half that I've known them. I wouldn't have thought that question would even enter their minds and was really touched, not only by the question but, by the recognition that they are, after all, little girls with the same feelings that other little girls have. They showed up wearing their best huipil's (traditional top) and cortés (traditional skirt). They also all brought new purses (and Rebecca gave me a bracelet and ring as a gift).
I continue to be caught off guard by how the processes are different when you're dealing with those who have few resourcès. There are no clocks and there are no phones. So, even though I recieved permission from the parents of both families to take their children to the zoo at 12:30, departing from the park where they hang out, only 2 of the seven were there at the agreed upon time. In fairness to them, doce y media (12:30) sounds an awful lot like dos y media (2:30).
After tracking down the rest of the kids (I won't go into how we drove to their home to find them and then luckily found them on the way to our agreed meeting place) we were on our way, delayed only by about 30 minutes - a very acceptable delay by Guatemalan standards.
We walked through the zoo, very quickly I might add, as the kids were running, yelling (every 10 seconds) "mira Kristina" a lion, a zebra, an ostrich, monkeys, snakes, foxes (in spanish, of course). And the good news? Some of the older ones were able to read the signs. The bad news? Rebecca, 9, can't write her name.
p.s. I would like to thank my friend Emily for agreeing to come with me at the last minute when my housemate, Gina was too sick to join us. Also, Joe Collins, of From Houses to Homes, who paid for the transporation to the zoo and entrance fees, and our driver Mario, with 8 children himself, who was watching closely enough to remind the children to keep their heads inside the van.
Year two at the fair - impressed again
If you read the post 'impressed by an eight year old'(August,2009), you'll know that last year, we took 4 kids (2 kids from 2 families) to the fair in Antigua. I've since met all of the kids from both families and so our trip this year was with 7 kids.
It was a little more difficult this year to arrange because we needed to coordinate with the parents a day we could take them all together. What made it a logistical nightmare was that the older kids had to work (I'm talking about 11 and 12 year olds here selling ice cream and shining shoes)and so the weekends were not an option. During the week, the parents were OK with our taking them when they should be in school (only 2 go to school) but I wasn't. So we ended up settling for a Tuesday evening after school and a slow work day.
There's always something about these kids that impresses me. This time, when we arrived, all rides but two were stopped because the generator wasn't working and they'd had to go to Guatemala City for a new one. There were two manual rides where the operators physically spun them - a small ferris wheel probably no higher than 10 feet and a carousel - both really meant for children younger than the group we had.
Like last year, they were all allowed to select 2 rides. Since there were only 2rides available, and not the fun ones, I thought that they might prefer to leave and return the next day. I know kids are into immediate gratification and tomorrow may never come but what I expected was a little bit of sulking followed by agreement or disagreement. Well, no sulking and emphatic disagreement. They rode the carousel, threw their arms up in the air as if they were on a roller coaster and immediately settled into Plan B.
Mudslide
As promised, I just returned from Panajachel and watched the repair around the bridges and river banks and also crossed the mudslide that has blocked vehicular access to the camp. I don't know that the pictures do it justice.
Here is a picture of the workers passing heavy rocks from the ground up to their work level. I guess it struck me because I'm used to seeing machines do this type of work. They were enjoying themselves -- especially being in pictures.
This is the mudslide that blocked access to the camp. Transportation takes you to the beginning of the mudslide and then you walk across and pick up the transportation on the other side. The path now has built in steps and the path changes because it continues to slide as more rains come.
And lastly, mi amiga, Aura who is not only our architect but a masseus and healer who in one treatment did more for a pain I'd been having for over a month than 6 sessions of physical therapy. This shows you the large rock that is at the start of the mudslide on the day that we walked to the camp.
Check out the link if you want to see all the photos I took this day including a bystander who was having a little fun with his friends and posing for me on one leg.
Photos
Here is a picture of the workers passing heavy rocks from the ground up to their work level. I guess it struck me because I'm used to seeing machines do this type of work. They were enjoying themselves -- especially being in pictures.
This is the mudslide that blocked access to the camp. Transportation takes you to the beginning of the mudslide and then you walk across and pick up the transportation on the other side. The path now has built in steps and the path changes because it continues to slide as more rains come.
And lastly, mi amiga, Aura who is not only our architect but a masseus and healer who in one treatment did more for a pain I'd been having for over a month than 6 sessions of physical therapy. This shows you the large rock that is at the start of the mudslide on the day that we walked to the camp.
Check out the link if you want to see all the photos I took this day including a bystander who was having a little fun with his friends and posing for me on one leg.
Photos
After the Rains
I sometimes joke about calamities as they are going on because it's one of the ways in which I manage the stress and disappointment that comes from its interference with my plans. Afterward, when the damages are tallied, I feel remorse for having laughed at something that has affected people so tragically.
I no sooner joked about an earthquake we had here a few months ago and a major earthquake hit Chile. And the recent fun that I had with our Tropical storm has come back to remind me that while it helps me personally to laugh at my own situation, it is no laughing matter.
There are people who lost their homes and lives from volcanic lava as was the case here in Antigua just before the storm and from mudslides as was the case all over Guatemala when just days later we were hit by Tropical Storm Agatha.
I have friends in both the Panajachel area and in the Antigua area who were involved in search and rescue and getting aid to people who were not just looking for "stepping stones to cross the river that was the street" but whose cars were in the river and whose homes were buried in the mud. To them, I say thank you!
I no sooner joked about an earthquake we had here a few months ago and a major earthquake hit Chile. And the recent fun that I had with our Tropical storm has come back to remind me that while it helps me personally to laugh at my own situation, it is no laughing matter.
There are people who lost their homes and lives from volcanic lava as was the case here in Antigua just before the storm and from mudslides as was the case all over Guatemala when just days later we were hit by Tropical Storm Agatha.
I have friends in both the Panajachel area and in the Antigua area who were involved in search and rescue and getting aid to people who were not just looking for "stepping stones to cross the river that was the street" but whose cars were in the river and whose homes were buried in the mud. To them, I say thank you!
Lessons Learned during the rainy season
1) Do not get lulled into a false sense of security based on your prior year's experience. Just because last year's rainy season was unusually dry, remember that it actually rains and rains a lot during the season.
2) Make sure you have food in your house.
3) If you find yourself in the grocery store during a drizzle do not say "I'll go to the mercado tomorrow to buy my vegetables and fruits as I normally do” because it may rain, rain, rain - and you may not get to the market. See number 2.
4) Do not wait until the last minute to take a shower before needing to be somewhere. If the electricity goes out, you need enough time to allow your hair to dry naturally – especially if you are going somewhere where you need to wear a dress.
5) When the electricity does goes out and you think it's just that your lightbulb needs to be screwed in a little tigher, beware of your stress level so that you do not break it as you are tightening it. This is especially important if this is your last light bulb because you just broke one two days ago by knocking over your lamp during a breathing meditation.
6) Take your flashlight with you as you walk to the restaurant so that when the streetlights go out, you can find the stepping stones in the river that was the street.
7) Remember to laugh.
Who has lessons to share? Post your comments.
2) Make sure you have food in your house.
3) If you find yourself in the grocery store during a drizzle do not say "I'll go to the mercado tomorrow to buy my vegetables and fruits as I normally do” because it may rain, rain, rain - and you may not get to the market. See number 2.
4) Do not wait until the last minute to take a shower before needing to be somewhere. If the electricity goes out, you need enough time to allow your hair to dry naturally – especially if you are going somewhere where you need to wear a dress.
5) When the electricity does goes out and you think it's just that your lightbulb needs to be screwed in a little tigher, beware of your stress level so that you do not break it as you are tightening it. This is especially important if this is your last light bulb because you just broke one two days ago by knocking over your lamp during a breathing meditation.
6) Take your flashlight with you as you walk to the restaurant so that when the streetlights go out, you can find the stepping stones in the river that was the street.
7) Remember to laugh.
Who has lessons to share? Post your comments.
Too late to do what you were going to do.....
Sound Familiar? Last weekend, Antigua lost a Personaje - someone that is a part of the city - someone that everybody knows. Her name is Marcia and she died of peritonitis. Marcia was born with very short arms and non-functioning hands and feet. But, instead of finding her on the corner begging as most disabled people here do, you found her in the square, painting beautiful pictures with a paintbrush in her toes and a smile on her face.
Last month I said to myself "I am going to take a photo of her to share her inspiration with you and I'm going to ask her to paint me a picture".
I was "Going to do it ......". Another lesson learned many times over but not always lived.
Last month I said to myself "I am going to take a photo of her to share her inspiration with you and I'm going to ask her to paint me a picture".
I was "Going to do it ......". Another lesson learned many times over but not always lived.
All Hands on Deck for 2010
(left to right) Luis Briseño, Luis Enrique Pereira, Arlaine (in back), Gustavo Adolfo Azmitia and Evelyn Herrera.
Last weekend, our Guatemalan Board of Directors visited the site, assessed the progress, and considered our priorities for the year. You may remember that our international board members visited just a few weeks ago. Everybody is now fully engaged for 2010 as we plan on completing at least one full duplex cabin and begin construction on the Main building and perhaps the Education/Arts center (if we're successful with a pending grant application).
A little bit about the local team above -- Luis Briseño, our fountain of information about the inner workings of Guatemala, Luis Enrique, our attorney, Evelyn Herrera, another wealth of information and source of help with the local population (and my Spanish teacher), and Gustavo, whose staff beautifully print our brochures. After our visit, we relaxed and enjoyed a feast at a local restaurant, complete with a celebratory bottle of Scotch (brought along by I won't say who, though not me, to toast commitment to our work ahead) and had a plain old good time.
P.S. Also, our newest addition -- Our Guardiana and Architect at the camp have been caring for the cutest little puppy ever. She needs a home and Sandy, if you're reading this, I know Zelda's a cat but I think she has a little competition.
Niños del Lago Newsletter
Here's the first newsletter for 2010 which reports 2009 financials, construction progress and general news. Also highlighted are meaningful opportunities to participate at the board level through this period of tremendous growth and development. Take a look and let us know if you're interested in any of the areas mentioned.
Niños del Lago Newsletter
Niños del Lago Newsletter
Niños del Lago Board Meets in Guatemala
Top: Joni Daidone, USA and Karin Baimaan, Holland
Bottom: Madelon Smelik-Eling, Holland; Emese Szorenyi, USA; Me, Guatemala; Arlaine Cervantes, Guatemala
Our most recent visitors! Last week, our 2 Executive Boardmembers from Holland and one of our Executive Boardmembers from the States (Joni), along with our volunteer web designer (Emese) came to Guatemala to get a first hand look at the results of their very hard work.
If you've been reading the Niños del Lago newsletters, you'll know that we'd not be where we are today without Karin and Madelon who have consistently raised the largest percentage of the funds for Niños del Lago. And if you've seen our brochure, you'll see Joni and Emese's work. In the near future, when you see the redesigned NDL website you'll be even more impressed with them.
Together, we had a demanding and fun schedule which included, on most days, a local activity and a Niños del Lago meeting. This was the first time we met in person as one team to plan the year - and you know how much better these things go when you meet in person. We laughed alot and held productive meetings around communication strategy, fundraising and financials. It doesn't get much better than that.
Lastly - a photo of our home cooked lunch the day after their arrival that has to be shared because Emese (she is not to be missed) was looking down in the above picture, and I wanted you also to meet the two additional people from our Guatemalan Board of Directors. On the left: Ana Maria (short hair) and Evelyn Herrera (wavy hair). Ana Maria heads up a project of her own, a school in Alotenango (future Niños del Lago children) and Evelyn is also my strict (but loving) Spanish teacher who gets that I don't like to study.
Left to right: Karin, Ana Maria, Evelyn, Joni, Madelon, Emese.
I think I was cooking or sitting at the kids table.
To KrisforKids Supporters
It's hard to say everything there is to say in less than 60 seconds and since my last statement was cut off, please do fill in the blank with something that makes you smile. And then, tell me what it is!
Gina and Kris of San Antonio Aguas Calientes
Since returning, I've picked up where I left off and continued to visit the small local towns close to Antigua. Saturday, my new housemate, Gina, and I went to San Antonio Aguas Calientes. This is a town known for its textiles and embroidery.
You might think that since it has textile shops and is so close to Antigua that they would be used to tourists. You would be right. We barely entered the park when the children - OK, just one boy at this point, followed immediately by his friend - were climbing a cement structure in the plaza and asking to have their photos taken. Generally it's the other way around (No, I didn't mean it's usually the tourists who are climbing on the cement structures. I meant that it's generally the tourists asking if they can take the picture). I do not pass up requests for pictures since I like to share them with you. After the first picture, the rest of the kids came swarming. Kids are kids no matter where you go. They love to look at themselves in the camera.
After having a little fun with the young ones, we went into a shop and met Maximilliana. Gina and I weren't shopping but we enjoy looking at the craftsmanship and after talking with Maximilliana, she suggested that she dress us up as if we were from San Antonio and that we take a picture. This was honestly her idea, not ours. She dubbed us Gina and Kris of San Antonio Aguas Calientes. The headcloth protects your head from the sun and serves as a covering for church.
What a pleasant afternoon. In some way, I felt like the local townspeople were the tourists and we were the ones of interest. Maybe since they outnumbered us to the extent that they did on that day, things did shift a bit.
p.s. Maximiliana has six children ranging in age from 8 to 22 and every one of them is in school. That's so rare and absolutely fantastic to encounter.
Traditional Maya Ball Game
This past weekend I went to a local coffee finca to see a presentation of a traditional maya ball game - it was to benefit the organization ChocoGuateMaya.
The game is a combination of basketball, soccer and volleyball and dates back to at least 2500 B.C. It was the first sport in the history of humanity and central to the Maya religious beliefs. It is believed to be a reenactment of a myth where the Hero Twins had to battle the gods of death of the underworld by playing a ball game. The goal of the game was to pass the ball through the ring (top right picture) without using hands and feet - hips, thighs and forearms were allowed. It not only doesn't sound easy, it doesn't look easy, but I saw it with my own eyes.
There is disagreement as to whether the losers went to sacrifice and some even say the winners went to sacrifice. Neither sounds too appealing to me.
Seeking Solar
The Solar Team: Alex, Blanca, Gaby and Blake
I came to the campsite for the first time since I've been back in Guatemala in order to enable solar experts to evaluate the camp for solar energy. With the group was Blake Manson, from Green City Development in the states, Alex, who works with Blake here in Guatemala, and Blanca and Gaby from ECO, a Guatemalan organization that works toward responsible, ecological construction for a more sustainable world.
Together, they will work with us and Capgemini employees in Poland to come up with a solar design to power the camp. We have some of the best resources helping us and I continue to be amazed at how everything just comes together when you are taking steps toward accomplishing your goals and are serious about it. Has that been your experience?
Sidenote: The world is so small. Alex is a friend of one of my house mates here and I'd met him on my first day back in Guatemala. Neither of us had any idea at the time that we'd be working together on a project. What a surprise it was to see him. I admit, I recognized his face and was having a hard time placing who he was - and he had been to my house. You know what it's like when you meet someone in one place and then you see them in a completely different context? It was like that. Sorry, Alex.
Things you see every day become normal, even when they shouldn't be
I came to Guatemala after learning that the average years of schooling in this country is four years and that 3 out of 10 children graduate the sixth grade. This is their normal. Niños del Lago is working to change that.
Niños del Lago is an educational recreational facility that gives children, who rarely see outside thier villages, the chance to experience first hand that their life is not the only life available to them. It may be the first time that the idea seeps into their being that it doesn't have to be this way.
Ninos del Lago works with the neediest children who don't have the resources to attend the public schools and are educated in local school programs offered through social development agencies. Unfortunately, many children end up leaving these classes. We incent them to stay in these schools by making it a requirement of our program. They return year after year as long as they stay in school and in their home programs and they take the lessons they learn at Camp Niños del Lago back to their peers in their community.
We're in our second year of major construction. Last year, I created the structure of the organization while Arlaine, our Founder, focused on construction. We completed cabin foundations, camp roads, roof structures and a storage facility. Together, with the help of our generous sponsors and donors, we brought Niños del Lago to the point where we can open in as short as 18 months if we stay on track with our funding.
This year, we begin construction on the main building and complete a minimum of 2 duplex cabins so that we can provide services while continuing to build to full capacity. When complete, we will receive more than 3,000 children per year.
I know many of you have met Coco before, but take another look and tell me, after you see his smile, if you'd like to help create "a new normal" for him. If someone like me can do this, we all can and you don't even have to come to Guatemala (though I would love to see you - it gets lonely sometimes). Please consider making a donation of $25 and pass this along to someone you know who wants to help make the world a better place for the children.
Let's begin 2010 by changing these things that should not be normal so that Coco can thrive and break out of his cycle of poverty! Donate
**All donations through KrisforKids through the end of Feburary, will be matched dollar for dollar to a maximum of $3,000.
En Español:
Las cosas que vemos todos los días se convierten en normales, incluso cuando no deberían serlo.
Vine a Guatemala después de enterarme de que la media de años escolares en este país es de 4, y que solo 3 de cada 10 niños terminan el 6 grado. Esto aquí es normal, y Niños del Lago trabaja para cambiarlo.
Niños del Lago es un campamento educacional y recreacional que da a los niños, quienes raramente han salido de sus pueblos, la experiencia de primera mano, de que las vidas que llevan no son las únicas vidas que se encuentran disponibles para ellos. Es posible que sea la primera vez que se encuentran con la idea de que no todo tiene que ser como actualmente es.
Niños del Lago trabaja con los niños mas necesitados, quienes no tienen recursos para acudir a las escuelas públicas y son educados en programas escolares locales llevados a cabo mediante agencias de desarrollo público. Por desgracia, muchos niños terminan por abandonar las clases. Nosotros pretendemos incentivarles para que permanezcan en la escuela haciéndolo un requerimiento del programa. Podrán volver año tras año siempre que permanezcan en la escuela y en sus programas, así como que lleven lo que han aprendido en Niños del Lago de vuelta a sus comunidades.
Nos encontramos en nuestro segundo año de construcción. El año pasado cree la estructura de la organización, mientras Arlaine, nuestra fundadora, se centró en los trabajos de construcción. Completamos los cimientos de las cabinas, las carreteras del campo, los tejados y el edificio del almacén. Juntas, con la ayuda de nuestros generosos sponsors y donantes, hemos traido a niños del lago al punto en el que podemos afirmar que abriremos nuestras puertas dentro de 18 meses si seguimos recibiendo donaciones al mismo ritmo.
Este año, hemos comenzado la construcción del edificio principal, y completaremos un mínimo de dos cabinas, de modo que éstas puedan empezar a alojar niños mientras continuamos construyendo para alcanzar nuestra máxima capacidad. Una vez en este punto, recibiremos más de 3000 niños por año.
Sé que muchos de vosotros habéis conocido a Coco ya, pero por favor, volved a mirarle y decidme después de ver su sonrisa si no os gustaría contribuir a crear un nuevo concepto de “normal” para él. Si alguien como yo puede hacer esto, entonces todos podemos, e incluso no es necesario venir a Guatemala (aunque me encantaría veros, a veces se hace un poco solitario). Por favor, considerad haced una donación de 25 euros y pasadlo a cualquiera que sepáis que quiera colaborar para hacer del mundo un lugar mejor para los niños.
Niños del Lago is an educational recreational facility that gives children, who rarely see outside thier villages, the chance to experience first hand that their life is not the only life available to them. It may be the first time that the idea seeps into their being that it doesn't have to be this way.
Ninos del Lago works with the neediest children who don't have the resources to attend the public schools and are educated in local school programs offered through social development agencies. Unfortunately, many children end up leaving these classes. We incent them to stay in these schools by making it a requirement of our program. They return year after year as long as they stay in school and in their home programs and they take the lessons they learn at Camp Niños del Lago back to their peers in their community.
We're in our second year of major construction. Last year, I created the structure of the organization while Arlaine, our Founder, focused on construction. We completed cabin foundations, camp roads, roof structures and a storage facility. Together, with the help of our generous sponsors and donors, we brought Niños del Lago to the point where we can open in as short as 18 months if we stay on track with our funding.
This year, we begin construction on the main building and complete a minimum of 2 duplex cabins so that we can provide services while continuing to build to full capacity. When complete, we will receive more than 3,000 children per year.
I know many of you have met Coco before, but take another look and tell me, after you see his smile, if you'd like to help create "a new normal" for him. If someone like me can do this, we all can and you don't even have to come to Guatemala (though I would love to see you - it gets lonely sometimes). Please consider making a donation of $25 and pass this along to someone you know who wants to help make the world a better place for the children.
Let's begin 2010 by changing these things that should not be normal so that Coco can thrive and break out of his cycle of poverty! Donate
**All donations through KrisforKids through the end of Feburary, will be matched dollar for dollar to a maximum of $3,000.
En Español:
Las cosas que vemos todos los días se convierten en normales, incluso cuando no deberían serlo.
Vine a Guatemala después de enterarme de que la media de años escolares en este país es de 4, y que solo 3 de cada 10 niños terminan el 6 grado. Esto aquí es normal, y Niños del Lago trabaja para cambiarlo.
Niños del Lago es un campamento educacional y recreacional que da a los niños, quienes raramente han salido de sus pueblos, la experiencia de primera mano, de que las vidas que llevan no son las únicas vidas que se encuentran disponibles para ellos. Es posible que sea la primera vez que se encuentran con la idea de que no todo tiene que ser como actualmente es.
Niños del Lago trabaja con los niños mas necesitados, quienes no tienen recursos para acudir a las escuelas públicas y son educados en programas escolares locales llevados a cabo mediante agencias de desarrollo público. Por desgracia, muchos niños terminan por abandonar las clases. Nosotros pretendemos incentivarles para que permanezcan en la escuela haciéndolo un requerimiento del programa. Podrán volver año tras año siempre que permanezcan en la escuela y en sus programas, así como que lleven lo que han aprendido en Niños del Lago de vuelta a sus comunidades.
Nos encontramos en nuestro segundo año de construcción. El año pasado cree la estructura de la organización, mientras Arlaine, nuestra fundadora, se centró en los trabajos de construcción. Completamos los cimientos de las cabinas, las carreteras del campo, los tejados y el edificio del almacén. Juntas, con la ayuda de nuestros generosos sponsors y donantes, hemos traido a niños del lago al punto en el que podemos afirmar que abriremos nuestras puertas dentro de 18 meses si seguimos recibiendo donaciones al mismo ritmo.
Este año, hemos comenzado la construcción del edificio principal, y completaremos un mínimo de dos cabinas, de modo que éstas puedan empezar a alojar niños mientras continuamos construyendo para alcanzar nuestra máxima capacidad. Una vez en este punto, recibiremos más de 3000 niños por año.
Sé que muchos de vosotros habéis conocido a Coco ya, pero por favor, volved a mirarle y decidme después de ver su sonrisa si no os gustaría contribuir a crear un nuevo concepto de “normal” para él. Si alguien como yo puede hacer esto, entonces todos podemos, e incluso no es necesario venir a Guatemala (aunque me encantaría veros, a veces se hace un poco solitario). Por favor, considerad haced una donación de 25 euros y pasadlo a cualquiera que sepáis que quiera colaborar para hacer del mundo un lugar mejor para los niños.
Worldview 1/28/2010
Worldview Interview 1/28/2010
This is a revised posting which includes the link to just the Niños del Lago portion of the 1 hour Chicago Public Radio program. Thanks to my friend Jean you can now click on the link and go directly to the interview.
If you like what you hear, please share with a friend by clicking on the picture of the envelope.
This is a revised posting which includes the link to just the Niños del Lago portion of the 1 hour Chicago Public Radio program. Thanks to my friend Jean you can now click on the link and go directly to the interview.
If you like what you hear, please share with a friend by clicking on the picture of the envelope.
Niños del Lago receives radio coverage
Before returning to Guatemala, I was interviewed by Chicago Public Radio's Jerome McDonnell for their Worldview program. The worldview program covers global affairs and has in-depth conversations on world issues and their local impact.
The program will air tomorrow, January 28th. You can hear it on the air on 91.5 at 12:00 and then again at 9:00pm. You can also listen live via streaming on their website at Chicago Public Radio. Otherwise, it will live on their web archive.
The program will air tomorrow, January 28th. You can hear it on the air on 91.5 at 12:00 and then again at 9:00pm. You can also listen live via streaming on their website at Chicago Public Radio. Otherwise, it will live on their web archive.
What I don't take for granted
I recently received a cool link to vintage ads and found a 1950's ad set in the foreground of the Antigua Arch, probably the most photographed spot in Antigua, Guatemala. I wanted to show you a then vs. now photo and realized that I didn't have a current picture. I have pictures of many things Antigua, but not the famous arch.
I'm not an avid photographer who likes to capture everything I see. I often rely on my mind's eye in exchange for being in the moment. It's just that it hit me that I'd been taking that arch for granted. I know the arch itself isn't a big deal. You get what I'm saying, though, don't you? I ran right out to get a picture.
Antigua Arch 1950's
p.s. Here's what I don't take for granted: everyone who has offered me a room to sleep and a meal during my recent visit to the states (especially Jean's most comfortable bed in the whole world); my renter in the U.S. - she is the absolute best; my new renters here in Antigua - they also are the best; baking cookies with friends; KrisforKids readers; Niños del Lago donors, volunteers and the entire Niños del Lago team; good leaders who move things forward; my family - snow days with my sisters, dinner with my brothers, Christmas Eve with the whole family, and especially the 4th generation; my enduring friendships, new and old; the list goes on......
The Children - Yes!
Have you read "The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, an Indian Elder? I recently ran across it while cleaning files on my computer and preparing for 2010 (I keep poems etc. in a file to look through when I need some inspiration). Here's an excerpt which especially speaks to me --
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money
you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of
grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what
needs to be done for our children.
Yes! (Full poem below)
En Español:
Los Niños - Si!
Habeis leido “La Invitación” de Oriah Mountain Dreamer, un anciano indio? Lo encontré hace poco limpiando archivos en mi ordenador y preparándome para el 2010. Guardo poemas y citas en un archivo para echarles un vistazo cuando necesito inspiración. Aquí hay un fragmento que me inspira especialmente:
No me interesa donde vives o cuanto dinero tienes. Quiero saber si puedes levantarte después de una noche de pena Y desesperación, cansado y sin poder moverte, y hacer lo que
Ha de ser hecho por nuestros niños.
Si!
Full Poem: The Invitation, May 1994, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know
what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your
heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you
will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the
adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I
want to know if you have touched your own center, if you've been
opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know
if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with
wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers
and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to
remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling is true. I
want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to
yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not
betray your own soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be
trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's
not pretty everyday, and if you can source your life from ITS
presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and
still stand on the edge of a lake and shout "YES!"
to the silver of the full moon.
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money
you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of
grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what
needs to be done for our children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here. I
want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have
studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when
all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with
yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty
moments."
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money
you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of
grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what
needs to be done for our children.
Yes! (Full poem below)
En Español:
Los Niños - Si!
Habeis leido “La Invitación” de Oriah Mountain Dreamer, un anciano indio? Lo encontré hace poco limpiando archivos en mi ordenador y preparándome para el 2010. Guardo poemas y citas en un archivo para echarles un vistazo cuando necesito inspiración. Aquí hay un fragmento que me inspira especialmente:
No me interesa donde vives o cuanto dinero tienes. Quiero saber si puedes levantarte después de una noche de pena Y desesperación, cansado y sin poder moverte, y hacer lo que
Ha de ser hecho por nuestros niños.
Si!
Full Poem: The Invitation, May 1994, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know
what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your
heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you
will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the
adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I
want to know if you have touched your own center, if you've been
opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know
if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with
wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers
and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to
remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling is true. I
want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to
yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not
betray your own soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be
trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's
not pretty everyday, and if you can source your life from ITS
presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and
still stand on the edge of a lake and shout "YES!"
to the silver of the full moon.
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money
you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of
grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what
needs to be done for our children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here. I
want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have
studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when
all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with
yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty
moments."
Happy Holidays
Wishing you and your loved ones peace and happiness!
The best part of the Holidays for me is seeing people that I don't see on a regular basis and that I see even less now that I am spending the better part of the year in Guatemala.
May you enjoy your own very special connections to friends and family during this Holiday season.
Good friends, good music, good times, and a good cause.
This is what Success looks like to me!
We held an event to benefit Niños del Lago called Child's Play for Childrens Day. The event was held at the Irish Eyes in Chicago on 11/20 in celebration of Universal Childrens Day, the day the United Nations adopted the convention on the Rights of the Child.
Thanks to the efforts of my good friend and former co-worker, Sue Patel, who generously donated $413 she made in tips and my good friends Jean Erhardt and Andrea Pine who sold $505 worth of Guatemalan crafts, we received a total of $918. Add to that the personal benefit of seeing so many friends in one place at one time and I would say it was a smashing success!
A very special thanks to all of you who invited additional people and to those of you who attended.
Take a look at what your contributions are supporting (the camp construction photos in the right banner give you a good view of our progress). I hope you'll stay tuned to next year and watch the continuing development.
We held an event to benefit Niños del Lago called Child's Play for Childrens Day. The event was held at the Irish Eyes in Chicago on 11/20 in celebration of Universal Childrens Day, the day the United Nations adopted the convention on the Rights of the Child.
Thanks to the efforts of my good friend and former co-worker, Sue Patel, who generously donated $413 she made in tips and my good friends Jean Erhardt and Andrea Pine who sold $505 worth of Guatemalan crafts, we received a total of $918. Add to that the personal benefit of seeing so many friends in one place at one time and I would say it was a smashing success!
A very special thanks to all of you who invited additional people and to those of you who attended.
Take a look at what your contributions are supporting (the camp construction photos in the right banner give you a good view of our progress). I hope you'll stay tuned to next year and watch the continuing development.
Good bye sandals and sun; Hello coats and clouds
I've had recent technology issues and that has kept me somewhat silent, but I'll be live and in person in the coming months.
A family visit:
Last week, my parents and 2 of my aunts visited me here in Guatemala. Besides visiting the camp site they met some of my friends from the park - Juliana who sells jewelry, Domingo, the shoe shine boy you've seen in prior posts, and Carlos a shoe shine boy in Panajachel who is a little more fragile than the others. His situation is a different story and one that I hope to learn more about and share with you when I return to Guatemala in mid-January.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
I arrive in Chicago on 11/4, attend a fundraising event on 11/20 at the Irish Eyes (click on Child's Play for children's Day), and then move on to Philadelphia area on 12/2 to spend Christmas with my family, meet with a church group, and talk to a group of school children about Niños del Lago. While there, I make a side trip to Baltimore to visit with some very close friends and donors. I return to Chicago the day after Christmas, take a another side trip to Minneapolis to share progress with a group that is being coordinated by one of our donors, and then return to Guatemala on 1/17. Are you tired yet?
Before I forget - our latest Newsletter:
Lots of great photos - worth a look.
Good Bye sandals and sun; Hello coats and clouds:
Hasta Luego (see you later) to all my friends in Guatemala and Hola (hello) to all my friends in the states. Thank you for your support this year!
YEAH!!
I had a personal goal to reach $5000 before returning to the states. Thanks to my monthly recurring donations and my good friend, Micky, today - 3 days before my departure - I've met that goal. Can you see my smile?
Day of the Dead - November 1st
And now I hope to make you smile with some beautiful pictures from today's kite festival - held annually on the Day of the Dead. These are from a small town, Sumpango, about 20 minutes outside of Antigua.
A family visit:
Last week, my parents and 2 of my aunts visited me here in Guatemala. Besides visiting the camp site they met some of my friends from the park - Juliana who sells jewelry, Domingo, the shoe shine boy you've seen in prior posts, and Carlos a shoe shine boy in Panajachel who is a little more fragile than the others. His situation is a different story and one that I hope to learn more about and share with you when I return to Guatemala in mid-January. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
I arrive in Chicago on 11/4, attend a fundraising event on 11/20 at the Irish Eyes (click on Child's Play for children's Day), and then move on to Philadelphia area on 12/2 to spend Christmas with my family, meet with a church group, and talk to a group of school children about Niños del Lago. While there, I make a side trip to Baltimore to visit with some very close friends and donors. I return to Chicago the day after Christmas, take a another side trip to Minneapolis to share progress with a group that is being coordinated by one of our donors, and then return to Guatemala on 1/17. Are you tired yet?
Before I forget - our latest Newsletter:
Lots of great photos - worth a look.
Good Bye sandals and sun; Hello coats and clouds:
Hasta Luego (see you later) to all my friends in Guatemala and Hola (hello) to all my friends in the states. Thank you for your support this year!
YEAH!!
I had a personal goal to reach $5000 before returning to the states. Thanks to my monthly recurring donations and my good friend, Micky, today - 3 days before my departure - I've met that goal. Can you see my smile?
Day of the Dead - November 1st
And now I hope to make you smile with some beautiful pictures from today's kite festival - held annually on the Day of the Dead. These are from a small town, Sumpango, about 20 minutes outside of Antigua.
La Vida es difícil (Life is hard)
A man carrying his things in San Juan del Obispo
It's been a difficult year for alot of people. Many of my friends and family have either lost their jobs or are barely holding on in suffering industries. Some have moved to part-time work and others are working so many hours in order to hold down the fort with less people. On top of that, even if you have health insurance, some can't afford to go to the doctors. That's what I hear about in my country.
Life is difficult!
And it is. Yesterday, Paige and I went to visit a small town outside of Antigua called San Juan del Obispo. We traveled on the local bus (typical transportation called a chicken bus) which is a decorated old school bus where people sit three to a seat.
On the seat across the aisle from me was a woman who was holding onto a man while he had what looked like a slight siezure. When we arrived at our destination, one of the young men from the bus, along with Paige and I, helped her get him to his home. Someone needed to carry her things and at times we needed two people besides this woman, his sister, to literally drag him as he resisted leaving the bus.
He has epilepsy. I asked why she couldn't get medicine at the hospital. A recent med student who lived in our house had previously explained to me that medicine was available very cheaply in the hospitals as compared to the pharmacies. The young man who helped us explained that when you have a chronic condition that comes from birth, the hospitals don't support it. If I understood him right, the philosophy is that they keep giving and giving and you won't get better so they can't continue to give. Epilepsy medication falls into this category.
For three pills per day, at Q9.5 per pill (a little over a dollar) it costs more than $3 per day for him to get his medicine. She doesn't have the money. We gave her enough for two days, knowing that it wasn't enough, and wished her much success in finding what she needs for the remaining days.
Another bandaid - I am bothered by the bandaid and the boxes empty quickly. I like to support projects focused on developing the child and helping to secure a better future, thereby reducing the number of bandaids that we need. But wellness is a process and it takes time. I'm not sure that one can exist without the other in a humane way.
Niños del Lago coming alive
So much better than pictures! This is from a regular camera so the pictures in the slideshow on the right might still be a good complement.
I mention in the video that we lost a tree to disease - actually we lost 8 trees. Otherwise, we move trees and keep as much of the natural forest as possible. In fact, the clearing that you see in the very beginning is a clearing of brush along with replanting some smaller trees. No large trees were removed from the area.
The cabin's are duplex housing a total of 12 children and 2 counselors. There is a common entrance and shared bath for the counselors. Each side has an open space for the children to have quiet time with their counselor, sleeping room for six and an adjoined counselor's room with a large window to see the children.
I hope you enjoy this and have an even better sense of the work that we're doing here for Guatemala's children.
En Español:
Mucho mejor que las fotos!! Este video se ha realizado desde una cámara normal, así que las fotos en el slideshow de la derecha pueden todavía ser un buen complemento.
Menciono en el vídeo que hemos perdido un árbol debido a una enfermedad… De hecho, hemos perdido ocho. Estamos moviendo los árboles siempre que es posible, para preservar al máximo el entorno natural. El claro que se observa al principio, es un claro realizado moviendo arbustos y replantando árboles pequeños. No se ha movido ningún árbol grande de la zona.
Las cabinas son dúplex, y albergarán un total de 12 niños y 2 consejeros. Hay una entrada común y un baño compartido para los consejeros. Cada uno de los lados tiene un área separada para que los niños puedan disfrutar de privacidad con sus consejeros, una habitación para seis y una habitación para el consejero, la cual estará dotada de una ventana para que éstos puedan ver a los niños.
Espero que disfrutéis el video y os proporcione una idea más completa del trabajo que estamos llevando a cabo aquí para los niños de Guatemala.
Making Local Contacts
Arlaine and I were recently referred to Leonela Martinez (center), the former director of a student organization, AIESEC, and current employee of Guatemala's Habitat for Humanity office. Leonela has whole heartedly embraced our cause and has recently introduced us to AIESEC.
AIESEC is a great organization that provides internship opportunities for students from all over the world -- staffing projects in both the private and public sectors with the intention of developing leadership. They exist to be agents of change. The interns are responsible for thier own transportation to the country where the project exists and they receive a minimum stipend to cover the cost of their living expenses while there.
We met to discuss internship opportunities to design our solar program and begin developing our University Counselor Program. These are programs (among others) which will take center stage alongside of construction. Stay tuned.....
Impressed by an eight year old
A couple of weeks ago, Antigua had a town fair with ferris wheel and amusement park rides. Paige, my housemate, and I were on our way to the fair when we ran into Rebecca, a seven year old girl with whom I often sit in the park. We asked her if she wanted to go to the fair with us - what child doesn't want to go to a fair? How fun to see the absolute glee on her face as she said yes in one breath and, in the other, asked if she could bring her friend Sandra! Sandra had a brother and Rebecca had a brother and what we thought was going to be one child, turned into four all jumping up and down, clapping, holding hands and hugging our legs (they're short).
We told them they could each choose two rides. We started out on a young person's roller coaster which everyone handled very well. I'm not sure we did the best job of helping them select the second ride. They wanted to go on the above pictured ride and we suggested that it might be too 'rapida' for them, especially for the two little boys aged 5 and 6. The boys agreed that they would instead go on a smaller little ferris wheel but Rebecca and Sandra insisted that this was the ride they wanted.
And so it was. Paige stayed with the two boys and I went on this ride with the girls. Now, I grew up on rides, have always been a fan of amusement parks and have even ridden this ride before BUT the operator had that ride so straight up with absolutely no tilt that even I was uncomfortable.
I looked over at the girls and they were scared to death - eyes wide and staring straight ahead. What I noticed about Sandra though, was that she was relaxing herself by breathing slowly and deliberately through her mouth. I was so impressed. I didn't learn this technique until well into adulthood and that an eight year old girl knew how to calm herself in that way really struck me. Where did she learn that?
The rest of the day was fun. We paused for a drink and surprised them with a final roller coaster ride (Paige had previously bought tickets when we went on it the first time because we naturally assumed that they would be good for all rides in the park but it turned out that the rides were all independently operated and all tickets had to be individually purchased).
And then being the rainy season, just as we were descending the first hill, the rain started and dumped alot of rain in a short period of time all over us. It was a perfect day!
p.s. A few pictures from today in the park
Rebecca, her younger brother Antonio in front (both from the above story) and their amigo Dominic.
Camp Progress
Where do I begin? We've accomplished so much this year and I am excited to show you the pictures that demonstrate the progress we've made toward turning Niños del Lago into a reality. By the end of next month, we will have completed the entry roads, built the bodega (storage unit), prepared six cabin foundations with posts, and planted an avocado orchard.
When I first arrived in February, there was no construction in process - what was there were the very preliminary structures needed to secure the site and have water - fence, entrance, well,small security building etc. The land wasn't even cleared (re: 3/17/09 post).
We began the year working with Aura, our natural architect, to plan, estimate and budget the next phase of construction. For those of you who have done a major renovation or built a home, you probably have an idea of this process. It's time consuming, laborious and often frustrating (the price goes up, we change design in search of the most economical solution, something emerges that wasn't accounted for and it's back to the drawing board). Our approach has been to use natural materials as much as possible, build without destroying trees (in fact Aura will move them before losing them)and make the most economical choices that allow our camp to be sustainable and provide safety to the children. This has not always been easy, but the result - wait until you see!
The slideshow on the top right shows the entry roads, the progress of the bodega (storage unit), the various stages of the first six cabin foundations and a view of some of their placements. The cabins are not very far apart but are built on different elevations giving them a sense of privacy. Also, notice the natural river rock that forms the foundation and parts of the bodega wall. And, I threw in a few pictures from one of my prior visits with a visiting donor and friend so that you can see that I am alive and well.
This is the work that you are supporting and I don't think I can say often enough - Thank You. For those of you who have not yet participated and would like to, please click here: Donate - Niños del Lago . Your contribution, ensures my continuing work here in Guatemala, on behalf of those smiling faces that I'll continue to show you.
(If you're enjoying learning about Niños del Lago and my stories about life in Guatemala, click on the envelope after the post to share it with a friend. Also, add your email address to the 'Subscribe via email'box in the right column. By doing this, you will receive an update whenever I post an entry - much easier to stay in touch than having to check the site periodically)
Click here to see the pictures: Camp Pictures
When I first arrived in February, there was no construction in process - what was there were the very preliminary structures needed to secure the site and have water - fence, entrance, well,small security building etc. The land wasn't even cleared (re: 3/17/09 post).
We began the year working with Aura, our natural architect, to plan, estimate and budget the next phase of construction. For those of you who have done a major renovation or built a home, you probably have an idea of this process. It's time consuming, laborious and often frustrating (the price goes up, we change design in search of the most economical solution, something emerges that wasn't accounted for and it's back to the drawing board). Our approach has been to use natural materials as much as possible, build without destroying trees (in fact Aura will move them before losing them)and make the most economical choices that allow our camp to be sustainable and provide safety to the children. This has not always been easy, but the result - wait until you see!
The slideshow on the top right shows the entry roads, the progress of the bodega (storage unit), the various stages of the first six cabin foundations and a view of some of their placements. The cabins are not very far apart but are built on different elevations giving them a sense of privacy. Also, notice the natural river rock that forms the foundation and parts of the bodega wall. And, I threw in a few pictures from one of my prior visits with a visiting donor and friend so that you can see that I am alive and well.
This is the work that you are supporting and I don't think I can say often enough - Thank You. For those of you who have not yet participated and would like to, please click here: Donate - Niños del Lago . Your contribution, ensures my continuing work here in Guatemala, on behalf of those smiling faces that I'll continue to show you.
(If you're enjoying learning about Niños del Lago and my stories about life in Guatemala, click on the envelope after the post to share it with a friend. Also, add your email address to the 'Subscribe via email'box in the right column. By doing this, you will receive an update whenever I post an entry - much easier to stay in touch than having to check the site periodically)
Click here to see the pictures: Camp Pictures
What's on your list?
I moved to Chicago in 1991 and my two sisters, Rhoda and Joanna, drove with me from Pennsylvania to help me move. On our way, we created lists of what we wanted to do in our lives - you know, jump out of an airplane, learn to play saxaphone and find my soulmate.
One of the things on my list was to get involved in a cause and make a commitment to it. Within the first year of living in Chicago, I became involved as a volunteer in the children's group for Sarah's Inn, an organization that serves families with domestic violence. I volunteered off and on with them for more than 10 years - a year or two at a time depending on my work/travel schedule. I realize now that my cause is 'çhildren' and I wanted a much larger commitment than showing up once a week to talk to the kids for an hour and a half. I wanted to make something happen.
I had forgotten about this and it hit me recently when Arlaine and I exchanged lists. It was amazing that we had so many similar items and even more amazing that I was doing something on my list without even realizing it. What's on your list? Vote to the right or send me an email. (Poll closes and disappears July 5th)
En Español:
¿Que hay en tu lista?
Me mudé a Chicago en 1991, y mis dos hermanas, Rhoda y Joanna me llevaron en coche desde Pennsylvania para ayudarme con la mudanza. De camino, creamos una serie de listas con aquellas cosas que nos gustaría hacer en la vida, ya sabéis, saltar desde un avión, aprender a tocar el saxofón y encontrar a mi alma gemela.
Una de las cosas que había en mi lista era participar en una buena causa y comprometerme con ella. Durante el primer año de mi estancia en Chicago, comencé a colaborar con el grupo para niños de Sarah´s Inn, una organización que ayuda a familias víctimas de la violencia doméstica. Colaboré como voluntaria con ellos durante más de 10 años. Ahora me doy cuenta de que la causa que me atrae, son los niños, y siempre quise un compromiso mucho más grande que aparecer una vez a la semana y hablar con los niños una hora y media. Quería hacer que algo ocurriera.
Había olvidado todo esto cuando recientemente Arlaine y yo intercambiamos listas. Fue apasionante ver como teníamos tantos elementos similares, así como ver que estaba haciendo algo en mi lista sin ni siquiera ser consciente de ello.
The children in the park
Sometimes, when I have run out of aqua pura (bottled water) for coffee, I go to a favorite coffee stand, grab a cup to go, and sit in the park and enjoy the usual beautiful morning. This is where much of the sales work to the tourists is done. Saturday, I met Dulce Maria, a little girl of six, selling cloth bracelets. I usually don't buy from the children because I don't like the idea of perpetuating the cycle. If I buy, they will continue to sell, right? I am losing my resolve. She told me she was thirsty and had to sell bracelets so that she could buy some water. I didn't have any water to offer her so I bought some of her bracelets (the beautiful turquoise one bled into my white hand towel in the bathroom - I'm going to have to be more careful about that).
The next day, I met Jose (pictured above).
Jose is 12 years old and lives in Chimaltenango (about 30 minutes by bus). He tells me that he doesn't have parents and that he rents a room from a Señora. This doesn't make sense to me. I have a hard time believing that it's true, but it very well could be. On the weekends, he works as a 'shoe shine boy' which is a common occupation for a young boy in Latin America. I wear plastic sandals and am not a good target customer(although one child offered to wash my shoes rather than shine them and when I told him it wasn't important to me he passionately insisted that it was important to him) so instead we talked and he showed me the gaping hole in the sole of his shoe. I was glad to hear that he goes to school and he carried his english book with him. He pointed to sayings like 'you are beautiful' and 'it was nice to meet you' - what a clever and charming little boy, verdad? He is also in the church choir and he sang for me the most beautiful song.
If I see Jose on a Saturday, when the market is open, I am going to ask him if I can take him to buy shoes. I know in this case that I'm encouraging behavior that creates dependency. It is a dilemna that I am stuck with. My first time in Guatemala, I shared my lunch with a little boy and when we were done, he asked me if he could have my chicken bones. It broke my heart. I know that I can't take care of everything and so I do what I can and try not think too much about it or judge how deep or honest the need is. And sometimes, I say "no, not today". The alternative is to become immune to it and stop seeing it. I think I'd rather do a little bit here and a little bit there.
Niños del Lago Newsletter
Hello everybody - I am so happy to post our newsletter (happy to share the news and happy it's over because it's alot of work!!). We have had much going on these past several months. Click on the newsletter link below and you can read all about our progress and what I've been doing in case you're wondering.
Arlaine, shares a part of her story of what inspired her to dedicate her life to Niños del Lago. You'll also read about "yours truly" and Aura who you met a couple of posts ago.
Equally exciting is the kick-off of a fundraising campaign with our Capgemini partner and the beginning of major construction, along with financial details on 2008. Happy Reading!
Newsletter
Arlaine, shares a part of her story of what inspired her to dedicate her life to Niños del Lago. You'll also read about "yours truly" and Aura who you met a couple of posts ago.
Equally exciting is the kick-off of a fundraising campaign with our Capgemini partner and the beginning of major construction, along with financial details on 2008. Happy Reading!
Newsletter
Why Guatemala
I live in a tourist town and the pictures that I show you have a different face. Here, there is some affluence - and when you hear of violence it is generally in the City and other areas of the country.
I'd like to show you a little bit of the other side and the best way to do that is to share something with you that I ran across today while reading a blog about human rights. It is through this photo-journalist site that you might gain some insight as to "Why Guatemala" and get a sense of current and historical events here. To access MiMundo.org, click on the "Why Guatemala" link above.
Along with a very recent assassination of an attorney who was defending a whistle blower, you'll see accounts of massacres during the war and documentaries on the effects of mining in some of the rural/indigenous towns.
Lastly, I'll share with you a few statistics. According to UNICEF, 70% of indigenous children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition and there are regions as high as 82%. The percentage for Guatemala in general is 49%. It also reported that 51.2% of the population are now living in poverty while 15.2% in extreme poverty (less than $1 per day), meaning they cannot meet basic needs for food, water, shelter, sanitation, and health care. Infant mortality and illiteracy are also some of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
I'd like to show you a little bit of the other side and the best way to do that is to share something with you that I ran across today while reading a blog about human rights. It is through this photo-journalist site that you might gain some insight as to "Why Guatemala" and get a sense of current and historical events here. To access MiMundo.org, click on the "Why Guatemala" link above.
Along with a very recent assassination of an attorney who was defending a whistle blower, you'll see accounts of massacres during the war and documentaries on the effects of mining in some of the rural/indigenous towns.
Lastly, I'll share with you a few statistics. According to UNICEF, 70% of indigenous children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition and there are regions as high as 82%. The percentage for Guatemala in general is 49%. It also reported that 51.2% of the population are now living in poverty while 15.2% in extreme poverty (less than $1 per day), meaning they cannot meet basic needs for food, water, shelter, sanitation, and health care. Infant mortality and illiteracy are also some of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
Semana Santa
This is a little bit of old news but I've been under the weather. Here, Easter is celebrated more than Christmas and with much fanfare. Semana Santa, Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. During this period, there are solemn activities replicating the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. There are processions day and night with images such as Christ on the Cross, Christ laid to rest, Mary in mourning - all on floats carried on the shoulders of devoted followers. So that you don't miss this point, the float you see in the air is not motorized, rather is carried by lines of residents on their strong shoulders. Alfombras (carpets) with colored sand, grass, wood shavings and other materials are constructed by residents in the path of the procession, timed to be completed just before the procession is due to arrive. Carriers of the main float are the first to walk on the carpet, followed by the rest of the procession.
On a completely, different note, I can't sign off without mentioning my latest house guest, Aura. Aura, referred to as Indiana Jona, is our natural architect who came to Antigua to review her construction estimates with us. Are you noticing a trend here? Honestly, it's the warm and nurturing culture of the Mexican people (Aura too is from Mexico). I am not asking to be fed (though I am thoroughly enjoying it)!
My first guest
Mayan WeavingsLast week, I went to Chichicastenango, a large Mayan indigenous market in Guatemala, in order to buy weavings to decorate my house. I am intending to rent out two of the rooms (they're beautiful and awaiting your arrival - hint) in order to help with the rent. Por eso, I'm warming them up with some beautiful weavings.
On the way home, I met Raquela, who was befriended by Arlaine, the Queen of befrienders. She was sitting between us and wouldn't you know, she'd not made her arrangements to stay in Antigua. As such, she became my first paying guest (My rooms are very economical in case you really are planning to come to the beautiful city of Antigua - 2nd hint). Raquela is from Guadelajara, Mexico. She does not speak English and so we communicated only in Spanish.
In actuality, I should have paid her. She hung the flags for Semana Santa (more to come on that next week) and in borrowing the hammer and nails, introduced me to my neighbor, Sergio. She also cooked us the most delicious dinner of Chile Rellenos. My first faux paux was when she asked me for help and I said 'no thank you' thinking she had asked if I wanted help. It did turn into a laugh after her initial shock -- what do you mean 'no thank you'? Raquela is also a photographer and after dinner, we walked the city and took pictures of pretending to put gasoline in a motorcycle at a 60 year old gas pump (you had to be there - it really was fun). I thoroughly enjoyed her company and look forward to more guests (you don't have to cook dinner if you don't want to).
Muchas gracias, Raquela. Que eres siempre bienvenida!
A big step for Niños del Lago
We recently participated in a media event in Guatemala City where Capgemini announced their partnership with Niños del Lago and presented us with a check for $10,000 as a donation toward the construction of our camp. I'll continue to try to upload the press coverage - haven't been successful yet - but as you might imagine it was so gratifying to be a part of this. This is a big step for us and a true indication that this dream is going to become a reality. 
And so, another land clearing project is scheduled for this weekend where I'll have the opportunity to get bitten by mosquitos and shovel brush into a big pile – I can't wait. Actually, I get to use a machete. It's hard work but it's lots of fun because there's a large group of Capgemini employees who are really dedicated to helping to ensure this camp is built for the children in their country. I wish you could meet them. While the company is making this available as part of their admirable commitment toward Corporate Social Responsibility, there is a genuiness from their employees (and I mean everyone I've met so far) and their clients (OK I only met one) that honors the real intention of their effort. Above are the before and after pictures from our last land clearing.
I'm also including a few photos (below) of my home and the surrounding area so that you can be assured that I have enough to eat (Jean). You can make them bigger by clicking on them. Notice the outside office (not mine - this is at Arlaine's)and volcanoe view (this is from my rooftop terrace).
Take care everyone -- I miss you!!
Let's get interactive and have some fun!!
You may not know this -- I began KrisforKids for three reasons:
1. Keep in touch with my family and friends while I'm away. I may be hundreds of miles away but for my long distrance family and friends, I can actually be in touch with them more frequently through the blog. It's different of course for the people that I used to see regularly. The blog is meant to keep me close to the people I care about and hopefully vice versa. Of course you could do like Carl, and have a picture of me (not my best) sitting on the sofa, propped up on the sofa - very clever, no? To borrow his quote "'It's like you never left - I just look over and there you are"' (that's a joke - of course it's not the same).
2. Expand awareness about Guatemala and the Niños del Lago project so more and more people realize that it doesn't take much to have an impact in this world and that we really can help others build a better life for themselves. I hope to help facilitate this by sharing observations and stories about my time in Guatemala and the people I meet.
3. Raise money for Niños del Lago so that I can help accelerate their progress. Your support is what is allowing me to do this. Without me, Niños del Lago will surely be built. I like to think that my prior involvement in the project and my work experience, is just what's needed to kick us into high gear and allow us to keep pace with the construction. We are working to develop the infrastructure while we are building the camp, so that we are ready with children when the camp is complete.
Help me build the excitement -- Let's get interactive. Take a look after you read this and notice that you can make comments and email me by clicking on the picture of the envelope. I will reply to all emails and I welcome productive comments that will help create the involved atmosphere needed to move this project along and create fun along the way. Muchas gracias, mis amigos.
1. Keep in touch with my family and friends while I'm away. I may be hundreds of miles away but for my long distrance family and friends, I can actually be in touch with them more frequently through the blog. It's different of course for the people that I used to see regularly. The blog is meant to keep me close to the people I care about and hopefully vice versa. Of course you could do like Carl, and have a picture of me (not my best) sitting on the sofa, propped up on the sofa - very clever, no? To borrow his quote "'It's like you never left - I just look over and there you are"' (that's a joke - of course it's not the same).
2. Expand awareness about Guatemala and the Niños del Lago project so more and more people realize that it doesn't take much to have an impact in this world and that we really can help others build a better life for themselves. I hope to help facilitate this by sharing observations and stories about my time in Guatemala and the people I meet.
3. Raise money for Niños del Lago so that I can help accelerate their progress. Your support is what is allowing me to do this. Without me, Niños del Lago will surely be built. I like to think that my prior involvement in the project and my work experience, is just what's needed to kick us into high gear and allow us to keep pace with the construction. We are working to develop the infrastructure while we are building the camp, so that we are ready with children when the camp is complete.
Help me build the excitement -- Let's get interactive. Take a look after you read this and notice that you can make comments and email me by clicking on the picture of the envelope. I will reply to all emails and I welcome productive comments that will help create the involved atmosphere needed to move this project along and create fun along the way. Muchas gracias, mis amigos.
"What's good for you is good for me"
Where the car died...Well, it’s been a busy week. I arrived safely in Guatemala on Monday 2/16 and by Wednesday was on my way with Arlaine (Ninos del Lago founder) to our camp site outside of Panajachel. I was going to meet the owner of a house I wanted to rent here in Antigua and also to work on a project to clear brush from the land where the camp is being built. And by the way, I wasn’t fully adjusted to the altitude and was just plain tired!
We had a little trouble getting there. Arlaine had recently purchased what turned out to be a pretty unreliable car and it died in Los Encuentros about a half hour outside of Panajachel. But as is often the case with difficult situations, there were bright moments and bright people.
You should have seen this car. When I first got in and attempted to put the seat back a little, it fell off the track and went tumbling back with me in it. I ended up riding in the backseat while Arlaine chauffeured me in the front seat with the passenger seat leaning up against the dashboard. It was a funny sight and we looked pretty ridiculous.
When we arrived at a backup in Los Encuentros, Arlaine turned off the engine because the waits are often 30 minutes. Big Mistake! The car wouldn’t start back up when the traffic began to move. I got out of the car and approached someone for help with my very rusty Spanish and he looked at me and just shook his head no. Everyone in the area looked at us like we were crazy and stared at my very white legs (I'm always on the pale side but my legs are always pale no matter how brown the rest of me gets).
Luckily we met a very special person in the Texaco station just up the hill. The employees were trying to turn Arlaine away but when the manager came out, everything changed. He and one of his employees looked at the car, determined the battery needed to come out for a full charging at a friend's shop and left with the battery while Arlaine and I waited by the car. After some additional trouble with the contact, they were able to get it started.
We were so happy to be on our way again. Here's the bright spot: the manager wouldn’t accept money for the help that he provided. He suggested Arlaine could give some money to his worker but insisted that it hadn’t cost him anything (we did see him hand some money to the man who charged the battery so we don’t really believe this). His words to Arlaine: what’s good for you is good for me’.
There’s more to come about our land clearing project and I’ll share that as soon as I have the pictures. Until then, take care and remember ‘what’s good for others is good for you’. Hasta Pronto!
Transitioning
I’ve stepped away from writing in order to take care of the logistics of my move and while it’s been a very hectic two months, it has all progressed to the point of my departure. It’s here.
What a journey! I’ve rented my condo, moved my furniture, set up this blog, said good bye to close friends and just drove from Chicago to Pennsylvania to drop off my car for my little sister to use while I’m away. I spent the night at a Comfort Inn in Barkeysville, PA (never been there before so don’t ask) and thought about how my room is a palace as far as accommodations go for many Guatemalans.
While I’m so glad to have the hard tasks of rearranging my life behind me and am excited to be a part of something that I know is going to have a positive impact on some children who need an introduction into a different world, I feel really sad. Sad to walk away from people I love and sad to know that I will miss sharing experiences with them.
So this is the time to say thank you to all of you who have supported me these past couple of months and helped me to make this transition: my mother, the very first donor to KrisforKids (of course, I know, but still much appreciated); VISANOW, my former employer and first Corporate Sponsor who supported me and made it easy for me to transition out of the company and into an exciting new direction; my friends who are storing many of my belongings while I’m away; my family for just being my family and lastly, Carl for selflessly supporting me during this transition.
I’m back in my hometown now doing some final visiting with my parents and brothers and sisters and some non-Chicago friends. I fly to Guatemala on the 16th of this month. I’ll see you then. In the meantime, take care and stay tuned for Round Two and when the real work begins!!
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