Random Acts of Kindness (part two)

I met these two men while walking outside of Chajul. The were repairing the fence around their corn field. Each post cost 26 cents and was made from one log split three times by a chain saw. The post holes were being dug with a machete and each fence post would only last a couple of years. I left them with enough money to buy 50 more posts and thanked them for the their conversation.

Once again, here is Andres. I gathered rocks and packed them out on mules so he could rebuild his house. I visited with him several different times over a six week period. I could not find a real good way to help him so on my last day in Chajul I decided to give him 1000 quetzales... which is equal to two months wages for his house project.

When I arrived at Andre's home, I found his house gone and his wife cooking in a three sided kitchen. He is starting the foundation for a new house and is a real hard worker. I really enjoyed him and his family and it will be interesting to see at what stage I find his home next year.

Dominigo and his family gave me a place to stay in Chajul and I provided them with a concrete floor for their house.

I have a stack of “ solicitudes”- requests - for help on my desk. Many of these papers are stamped with the village seal and thumb prints of the community members. I have seen so many needs and had so many ideas of ways to help it will be an evolving process to choose which projects and when. There is a need for a trade school, a weaver’s co-op, chicken, sheep and beef production, a fish farm, a shop for school supplies, a bakery and on and on it goes. Here are a few photos that correspond with some of these requests.

This man told me of life during the civil war and their present need for drinking water. We had fried tortillas and a root for breakfast. I visited their community to look at the water situation and found it would be very difficult to solve. He asked for water tanks to help collect rain water until a solution could be found.

Here is some of the open pit storage that they presently use.

This system is better designed for mosquitos then people.

This school at Fatima needs desks. 40 desks cost about $600.

These two men came to me one night and asked if the could summit a request for help with metal roofing for their village. They had to walk two hours to make the request, then came back three days later with two copies of a proposal. One copy had twelve signatures and 8 thumbprints for me to keep and the other that I signed so they could show they village they had summited the proposal.

Mateo, a school teacher, was showing me his house one night and I asked him if there was only three in his family. The house was so small I didn't think there could be very many more living there. He told me yes, there were only three presently, but clarified that they had already lost two children, one at 6 months and another at 3 years. I think they could qualify for a Habitat House if we are successful in bringing Habitat for Humanity into the area. Very few people could qualify because of their low income.

This village has requested a kitchen where the mothers would be able to prepare snacks or a meal for their students. All the schools have needs for school supplies and books.

This is our sponser child through Christian Children's Fund , Anna Maria. She has the privilege of studying with personal work books, a rarity in Guatemala. In the municipio of Chajul there are 37,ooo people without a bookstore.

Here is part of the community of Xesalli. There are 22 families without drinking water yet there is a nearby spring that could be bought and developed for under $10,000. Another $3500 would also provide 2 sheep for each family. The posibilities are endless. Is our vision to help others equal to the opportunities?

The chidren of Xesalli. The next generation's future is in the hands of today's people. I want to make a difference with "planned" acts of kindness in this community and others. Adios y Dios te bendiga!

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