. Well it was time once again to visit my friends in Guatemala. We have been looking for some property to start a collective Garden on and I needed to see three parcels that were for sell. I also wanted to review the books to see how we were doing tracking our finances. This year we have not really stopped working but every month there is something happening. I often worry how are things going? Were my goals for a program clear enough for people to follow? Are they keeping track of how the money is being spent well enough? As we turn a corner and start reaching out to supporters in the U.S. I need to be surer that all my ducks are in a row. So here is my visit in review.
Our first program back in 08 was the purchase of 22 cows (see entry "Operacion Benidicion" from May '08}families between July and November. Here is a couple of photos of that first delivery. This sign thanks Higinio and me for this work under the name Operation Blessing
This bull was sold in July for a little over twice what we paid for it in ’07. In total we have sold 8 cows now and are going to wait another two months for the others to finish growing.
Eight new families have received the same opportunity. I have paid $200 for the transportation of this group of cows but all other cost has been covered by the original owner. I want to continue to bring cows in from another area to build up the number of cattle available to the community. Some of the original 8 owners who have sold their cattle have choicen to buy a new cow but others are using the proceeds in other ways.
The other animal program we have going is with the 45 widows who are raising pigs. I was really pleased with the progress of this project. Almost all the pigs have reached maturity. Some widows have bred their sow and already have buyers for the piglets when they are weaned. Others have bought a new piglet with part of the profits. Only one widow has fallen out of the program. 
This woman sold her pig a few days later for $75. I paid $15 to $17 for it as a wiener. She wanted to give me $5 of the money as a thank-you.
Juana and Rosa handed out the monthly food. They have keep excellent records. Each time a widow receives food, thread , a pig or grain they mark the ledger with a thumb print. All the purchases are detailed really well listing how many cabbages or tomatoes were bought and for how much. Each month we have distributed food to 23 widows and in July we gave #4,400 of corn to help feed the first cycle of pigs and in August we gave #180 of thread to the widows in the weaving program.
We are continuing our search for land. I visited four pieces of property. This is one parcel that would work well for us but we are working on getting the price lowered. The soil is fertile, there is water and the size would work for 34 -36 widows. I have high hopes for this idea ( see the blog farm dreaming from August '09) and will be excited when we find a home for it.
I also visited Xeselli. When I left in March the ditch and final piping were not finished. It felt good walking into the village and seeing hose bibs with clean water where there was none. It took two weeks for the community to dig the trenches and lay the pipes. The can from USAID is part of a nutrition program that has been in this region for two years. It is helping children under two years of age.
( see Xesalli Water Project in march '09 for more info)
Beautiful gift for beautiful people. We past out some vitamins to 10 families and 60 portraits taken from previous visits.
All in all families are being help
As I visit these communities I am beginning to see the footprints of our work. Water, cows, more pigs in one village, a school in another. coffee nurseries, micro loan that has grown into a store, clothes that I recognize buying for the children. I am grateful to be a part of this work. Will you please consider joining me healing, changing loving these people? We are raising money for 50 more pigs for $20 each, and will buy #180 of thread and bring a deligation of widow out to Chichicastenago,which is the largest open air market in Guatemala, to try and find a better market for there weavings. $275 will provide a widow a plot of land in the garden project we are working on. It wil cost around $300 per family for the water project in Nueve Puntos and Los Encuentros. Al donations are tax deductable. Thank you and adios for now
