Today I went to a place just outside of Antigua -- the city where all the tourists go and spend money freely. Many people there have million dollars homes...there are spas and restaurants everywhere catering to those who have money.
Well today, I went to a small community that sits about 10 minutes outside of Antigua. It is a dirty dusty flat tract of land that is home to 85 families who have nothing. Sadly, they were displaced from their homes 9 months ago. Severe storms hit the area causing a mudslide, and in a moment, their lives were forever changed (not that they had a lot to start with, but at least they had homes and a lot to put them on, and a community of friends and family). Now, they have no homes to return to and no place to rebuild. Everything is simply gone.
At present, they have been relocated to what i would call a camp. Not one house in the village is lamina -- they are plastic and cornstalk. Some have a lamina (corrugated metal) roof with or without holes. Today, I did a medical clinic there with a team from Michigan and Alabama. What did we find: people who were hungry, infestations of worms in the children's stomachs, infections, children whose teeth are falling out from poor nutrition and lack of dental care (not even a toothbrush), diabetics with no medicine, extremely high blood pressures with no medicine. You may be asking, "why", but think about it, if you have to choose between food for your family or medicine for yourself, what do you do?????
Well, as I sit here in my home and realize how blessed we are -- friends and family, a community of support, food on the table and a roof over my head that never leaks. I am humbled by God's goodness to us here in Guatemala...I wonder, "what do I do about the families I met today?" They are the hurting, the helpless and the hopeless.
So, here's our idea...
Sam and the PI team are coming here to Guatemala the first week of March and we have decided to focus ALL the team projects in this "camp" described above. One, we will hold medical clinics for the people there. Two, we will prepare a meal for everyone in the village AND distribute food staples to each family. Three, we will build 5 homes as a start to providing new housing to this community. (We will continue this work with future teams).
How can you help? Donate to the Medical Team's Fund so we can provide much needed medicine and vitamins for each person Donate to the Home builds and Other Projects Fund -- $10 provides each family a basket of essentials, $400 provides a solid home with a cement floor.
Each and every one of us can be a philanthropist. It just takes $10 at a time, and before we know it, we have saved a village --a community of friends and families. We have restored their dignity and offered hope. Won't you join us???
(we've included the personal note, below, to us to share how moved Laurie was by the what she saw)
Sam and Wendy this is from my heart today. I was broken by what I saw and how little I could do alone. Few things break my heart like this -- when people come to clinic they normally come dressed in their best and here there was only dirt and dust...hunger and infection.
Laurie
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