Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New pictures in the gallery

Just added pictures in the gallery of the trip Dr Dave Barnett and Dr Mike Wilson made to the orphanage in Novemeber. They took their kids Charlie, Haley and Nathan with them. They worked on Charlies Eagle Project by purchasing material and building bunk beds for the volunteer house. They also purchased mattresses for them.
Click here to view.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Update from Guillermo 16DEC08

A new volunteer arrived on Dec 13th from Utah and will be here for one week. We are getting ready for Christmas and just put up the Christmas tree. We have 16 children right now and everyone is happy. We will have a Christmas party on Dec 24th and we will invite all of the families that have been reunited to dinner. We will be having Martita's famous tamales and warm fruit drink. All of the children are very excited.

The chickens are now producing eggs and we are enjoying them.

As you can see everything is going good here. Thanks for everything.

Guilermo

Monday, December 1, 2008

Front Page article in The Spectrum

The Guatamala Children's Project has been chosen as a feature story in The Spectrum. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to reach out to a large community, and show them what this organization is all about. We have already begun to see a generated interest, and we really hope the exposure helps us to fulfill our goals for these children. To read the article printed in The Spectrum, please click here.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

New Arrivals

Jimmy is 12 years-old, and for the past 3 years, has cared and protected his two younger sisters. When the governmental organization came to pick up his two sisters, he said that he had to go with them wherever they sent them. Jimmy is in third grade and likes to play soccer and swim.

Mangy : 8 years-old. She has problems hearing and speaking. She likes to play with dolls.

Tania: 6 years-old. She likes to swim.

Oscar: 4 years-old. He’s very happy and likes to play quietly.

Their mother died in 2005. Grandma is too old to work , and cannot take care of them. As of yet, Guillermo has been unable to successfully locate other family members for these children. Until then, the children will remain under his care and GCP provide the safe and stable environment they need.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Happy Children

We received an update on the 3 children that have returned to family. They are living with their loving Grandmother, and she is doing everything she can to provide for them. Every night she reads to the children out of the Book of Mormon that Doug gave them when he was there volunteering. Guillermo says there is lots of love in the home and the kids are happy with their grandma.
On a side not: One day Deanna and Estuardo were outside when they saw two missionaries walk by. They yelled out and ran over to say hi. They told them that they went to the mormon church when they were in Chimaltenango at the orphanage. They begged the missionaries to come to their home to meet their grandma. She is now taking the discussions and both she and the oldest child plan to be baptized very soon!!

We are so happy to hear the kids are doing well and their Grandma loves them so much. Guillermo will continue to follow up with their progress for many months to come. We look forward to those updates!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

School Support

Hey everyone,

Ken and I just got back from Sunset Elementary in St George where Ken did a presentation on the orphanage. It lasted about 20 minutes where he reviewed pictures of the children at the orphanage and told how life is for them in Guatemala. Sorry I forgot to take pictures. The whole purpose of him doing the presentation was to help introduce a new reading program the PTA is doing designed to help the orphanage. It is called "Pennies by the Page". Each classroom will have a bank where the students can deposit 1 penny for every page they read. To help motivate them to read, prizes will be given as well. I was very impressed by the work the PTA has gone to in doing this project. If anyone is interested in doing something like this for their local schools please email me at infogcp@guatemalachildrensproject.org and I can give more details.

In addition to this project the Sunset PTA is also partnered with Scholastic Books and the "One for Books" program that helps raise money through donations to purchase books and other supplies for the orphanage.

Thank you to the Sunset Elementary PTA for all their support. They have really stepped up and are doing all they can to support our cause.

Ken also did a presentation at SunFirst Bank (click the link to see locations) in St George to see if they would use Guatemala Children's Project as their annual charity project. They accepted and have established an account that people can deposit money into that will then be given to the orphanage.

Great things are happening here in St George and I'm glad to a part of this adventure.

Mike

Friday, October 17, 2008

One story at a time...

I think it's important that we hear the experiences of those who have been to the orphanage, and met the children. It brings the project to life, and allows those who cannot be there, share in the experiences of those who can.
Here is an experience of one single girl who visited the orphanage:


So I haven´t been as good about doing updates as I´ve wanted to have been. And I only have a few minutes now so I want to share a neat experience I had the other day at a foster care place we work at called ¨The Guatemalan Children´s Project.¨ In Guatemala, there really isn´t foster care, only orphanages. The government takes these children from their parents and puts them in orphanages and they never see each other again. It´s for a good reason, because the fathers are alcoholics and the mothers are prostitutes and they´re addicted to drugs. The children are mistreated, not fed, abused physically and sexually, burned, you name it. The worst kinds of things you can imagine. So the director of this organization, Guatemalan Children´s Project, petitions the judges to get children sent to his orphanage. He finds out from the judge where the children came from and what their stories are. Then, (Guillermo is his name,) goes to the place the judge said the child was from and asks around about the child. Anyway, long story short, he talks with the parents and, if they´re interested, he has them set goals and change their lives so their child or children can come back to live with them. He said the mothers usually cry when he explains this, because, like I said, they have no way of finding their children. Guillermo uses the LDS church to help them change thier lives. He teaches them about the Proclamation on the Family and the Word of Wisdom, and checks up on them to make sure they´re making progress. What he basically does is reunite families. Anyway, it´s a pretty revolutionary idea here.
I went one day to meet with him and then give a lesson to one of the children. I taught her letters and numbers, colors and shapes, and then I asked her if she wanted to sing a song. As soon as she saw me pulling out the church songbook from my bag she grabbed it from me and started leafing through it. I had chosen a few fun songs beforehand but decided to let her choose. I had specifically chosen songs about nature or other fun songs and skipped the ones about family, because I thought that might be emotional or difficult for her. The song she wanted to sing is the one that starts, I see my mother kneeling with her family each day... It´s about a family and how the mother prays with her children and asks God to protect them. The second verse talks about, well I´ll just put the words here:

I see my mother kneeling with her family each day.
I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.
Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,
and I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where every hour
is blessed by the strength of priesthood power.
With father and mother leading the way,
teaching me how to trust and obey,
and the things they teach are crystal clear,
for love is spoken here.

It´s a beautiful song and I was really touched that of all the songs she picked that one. That she was thinking of her family and wanted what the song talked about. She had me sing it in english first and then wanted to sing it herself in spanish. The experience reconfirmed to me that the most important thing is family and the relationships we have with the people we love. That in the end, nothing else matters. Not what grades I got or what title I have at work or where I´ve traveled or done or how many people I´ve helped. What really matters and what really lasts is how I treat my family and the people around me and that I always have time for the most important thing. It was a really beautiful experience.
One of the children in the orphanage, Guillermo said when she arrived she was almost dead. The doctors gave her one week to live. Guillermo said all he could do was love her, and he did, and now she´s a healthy screaming toddler. (Man, can she scream!) Another girl, the toddler´s older sister, actually, when she came, the entire side of her face was burned and even now her hair is still growing back. Anyway, so these children come from very difficult backgrounds, and to be taught such a profound lesson about family by one of them way very humbling

Thursday, October 16, 2008

New Contacts

This week we were contacted by a Mother-Daughter pair who are very interested in helping us with a fundraiser for the orphanage. The daughter would like to volunteer in Guatemala, and her mother would like to organize a drive with the Stake Young Womens, and make this their annual service project! This stake consists of about 150 girls, and could really make an impact on the orphanage! She is also a pre-school teacher, and has been speaking with our educational director, Ken Mangum, about what we need. We're so grateful for her enthusiasm, and it's a blessing that she finally found us. She told me she had scoured the internet for weeks trying to find my contact information. Then at 2am, Monday morning, she found my blog. I find it interesting because it's relatively easy to find our info through a google search, but she didn't make contact until right AFTER we had all come together, assigned responsibilies, and had a clear direction. If she had called 4 days earlier, it would have been disorganized, and she most likely would have been put on some type of contact list for later. I'm finding that things just seem to work out, and it humbles me.

Ken Mangum also gave a presentation to Sun First Bank, and they would like to do a fundraiser with their employees. It's so exciting to see other people get excited about something you're passionate about! Great job Ken!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Coming Together


Saturday October 11, 2008 was the first official meeting for the volunteers of the Guatemala Children's Project. It's been a long time coming, and it was time that we all come together to unite our efforts and start making progress as a group. The meeting began at 8am, and finished at almost 2pm. We made some very important decisions, and I know that we will really start to see progress now. It was wonderful to finally meet everyone face to face, and bring our knowledge and ideas to the table. Tasks and assignments were delegated and everyone has a direction in which they are now clear. We've eliminated the excess tasks, and streamlined processes.
We also were blessed to have Guillermo here from Guatemala to attend the meeting. We are grateful for his example, and know he loves the children and takes great care if their needs. It's excited to be working with such wonderful individuals, and know that much good will come out of this small group of volunteers.

Guatemala Children's Project Board of Directors:


  • President: Kevin Callahan
  • Vice President/ Educational Director: Ken Mangum
  • Field Office Coordinator: Doug
  • Fundraising Director: Marta Tyler
  • Marketing/ P.R.: Emily Reynolds
  • Volunteer Coordinator: Debbie Clark
  • Executive Secretary: Candice Chandler
  • Executive Director: Guillermo Rangel
  • On-Site Coordinator/ Nursery Director: Mandy Brooks
  • I.T. Specialist: Mike Mangum


Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Mayerly (Post by Mandy 1OCT08)

On Monday one of Guillermo´s kids, Mayerly, went back home to her family. It was so sad but good at the same time. She seemed happier. I know what Guillermo means when he says that you can tell when a family has changed. As soon as I saw Mayerly´s dad put his arms around her, I felt the spirit so strong and I felt so good about them. I am so glad she will have the chance to have a better life with her family.
Next week, one of my babies, Paola, goes back to her family with her brother Estuardo and her sister Diana. I will miss them so much but it really is better for them to be with their family than in an orphanage if their family treats them well.
Jose Daniel has changed since his first day here. He is a lot more calm and we have gotten him to start eating a little. He doesn´t cry as much anymore. I was worried about him with his head injury but he seems to be getting better.

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Monday, September 29, 2008

BUSY (Posted by Mandy on 27 Sept 08

Things have been busy around here, as usual. I got a new baby yesterday, his name is Jose Daniel and he is 6 months old. The police brought him because he was being abused and he had a fractured skull. He has not stopped crying since he got here. I think the head injury just barely happened and the reason he keeps crying is because his head hurts.I have 6 babies now, Jose Daniel, Levi, Alejandra, Paola, Jose, and Brandon. Besides Jose Daniel, they are all doing great. Levi is a month old now and he is growing so fast. Alejandra started to smile and laugh this week, and it is adorable. I love to tickle her because her laugh is so cute. Paola and Jose are still as much fun as ever, they love to dance and give kisses to everyone. Brandon is a little older and we just started trying to potty train him this week...we´ll see how that goes. I got a call from the government 2 days ago and they asked me to take in a baby that was born that day. I told them to bring him over, but they still haven´t brought him so I´m not sure what´s going on with that. They might be waiting until he is a few days older or something.We have been working non stop to find out where all the kids from the orphanage that shut down went to. It seems like we have been to government buildings here in Chimaltenango and in Guatemala City almost every day. But yesterday we FINALLY found the papers for a couple of the kids so we could put in the request with the government to have them come to our orphanage. So hopefully we will hear something about that soon.The cargo box finally came yesterday. It took two months to get here. We are sure it took such a long time because the guy who was in charge of the shipping here in Guatemala got more money for every day it was in the port. Every day he told us it would be leaving the port the next day. But then he would call with another charge and we ended up paying A LOT of money for it. But we went to the company yesterday and asked to talk to this guy´s boss and we told him everything that had been happening, how much money we had spent and how long it had taken to get the shipment. He was really apologetic about it, and he said he didn´t know why it had taken so long or what any of the charges had been for. He told us if we come back on Monday he will do something about all the payments we have had to make. Anyway, it was awesome to finally get it! I saw it before I came here but I forgot how many donations were in it. There were enough supplies to last us for probably a year or more, plus clothes and a car and two clothes dryers, along with some other things. Guillermo and I are both so thankful for everything that everyone donated.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Received!

Kevin called me yesterday with the official news that the cargo box full of donations has been received!!! It has been quite the ordeal getting it released, and thanks to the stake president there in Chimalt, he took action out of frustration and got the wheels turning. It has Officially been released, and received by the orphanage!! I cannot put into words the relief felt by all after this frustrating experience. They will now all have their supplies, 4-Runner, and household goods. When we arrive in January, the volunteers will have the opportunity to organize, and distribute everything to it's proper place. We are so grateful to finally have it in our possession, and look forward to replenishing their chronically low stock of supplies. This will undoubtedly change their lives, at least for a little while.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Plane Tickets

Plane Tickets

Plane tickets are currently being purchased by those individuals who are traveling to Guatemala for the next volunteer trip. Volunteers can go from January 9th - 16th, 2009. We are so excited to finally be able to start planning the next project, and we can't wait to get down there and see the kids again!!

Kevin has officially leased a building for which the volunteers will stay at during their trips. This will help alleviate some of the stress and work that is required of Martita when large groups come to the orphanage. I know it must be so hard for her cooking 3 times a day for so many people. She literally spends the entire day in the kitchen and doing laundry. It will also help us divide the work into shifts easier, giving each volunteer a break, and better set schedule.

Great strides are being made for the welfare of these children, but the financial burden is getting heavy. We are needing to find individuals who can help sponsor, and help raise money. There are so many good people who want to help these children, and we know once we gather all the information, compile it, and distribute to those willing to help......we can really get the ball rolling.
We'll try and keep everyone as informed as possible in the upcoming months.

Monday, September 15, 2008

News

Entry from Mandy on Sept 13, 2008


I got some interesting news yesterday. I learned that the orphanage that I worked in here in Guatemala in December, the one with the terrible conditions, was closed down. Apparantly the police had been investigating them for months. I had written a letter in December right when I got home from that orphanage talking about the living conditions, and distributed it to as many organizations as I could in the States. It hadn´t made any difference. But I had sent a copy to Guillermo as well, and he distributed it to organizations here in Guatemala causing the police to go into that orphanage several times to view the conditions and the way that the employees treated the children. The other day a baby girl died there because of neglect, and this made the police investigate even further and finally they found that the orphanage was illegal and not authorized to be here, and that they had been taking in children and adopting them out illegally. The first thing I was concerned about was where all the children would go. There are 40 children there and I know that I know most of them. Guillermo and I spent all day yesterday trying to find out where they got sent to. We have been talking to the government and we are hopefully going to be able to take in all the babies and a few of the older children.

Levi

Entry from Mandy on Sept 10, 2008


Well, I love the kids more and more every day. I wish I could be here forever. Yesterday Levi´s mom came. She wanted to take him away to sell him, and since that was her intent we refused to let her take him. After she found out that she couldn´t take him she decided that she wanted to put him up for adoption. She clearly only wants money for him, and she says that she can´t take care of him which is sad when she has four other children that she can´t bring herself to leave in an orphanage. I guess the good thing about this all is that we were there to take Levi instead of another orphanage, because I hate to think what would have happened to him if someone else had taken him. I am sure, from what I have experienced and seen in other orphanages here, that other places would have been willing to sell him as well for a cut of the money and who knows what would have happened to him after he was sold. Thank goodness he came to us. The other kids are doing great. Alejandra has become much more calm since she got here, and the two older babies are a ton of fun as always. We blessed all the babies on Sunday and that was a great experience.

New Kids

This is an entry from Mandy's blog on Sept 5, 2008


It has been a long time since I´ve written anything, since things have been so busy! I have been back in Guatemala since the beginning of August. I finally got the last of the legal work done and I now have four babies in the nursery. Levi was the first baby I recieved, and he was 7 days old when I got him. He is about 3 weeks old now. His mom had an affair while her husband was in the States working, and she had Levi. Now her husband is coming back and she doesn´t want him to find out so she gave Levi up. He is about the cutest thing I have ever seen.Alejandra is 3 months old. She is a fatty but she is cute too. She had an older brother and 3 cousins come here with her, who live downstairs. Their story is a little scary. Both of their families were living in the same house together, and all of their parents were part of a gang. I read in the newspaper about the gang, and what they do is they kidnap people and then they tie them up and negotiate with them how they want to die. Within the next 48 hours they kill them and leave them in public places for everyone to see. So the parents had kidnapped this little 3 year old girl, and they were keeping her hostage in the house for money from her family. Last Thursday the police broke into their house and killed all of the parents, in order to rescue the little girl. The scary thing was that all their kids were in the house and saw their parents die. The good thing is that I don´t think the kids know what their parents were doing.Paola is about 1 year old (we´re not sure) and her dad was a gang leader. One day her brother and sister were left alone at home with her, and I´m not sure how it happened but their house caught on fire. Their parents never came home for them and the older brother took care of her and her sister on the streets for a few months before the police found them and brought them here. Her brother and sister live downstairs. Jose is about 1 year old as well. His dad beat him so badly that when we found him he was in the hospital with broken ribs. He still has dark bruises all over his back, and he has been here for almost a month. There were 2 other newborn babies. They died last week. One of them was premature and the other was really sick. That was really hard. I am still so sad about it. But one of the hard things about this is that we never know what kind of condition the babies are going to be in. There are a lot of sad things that we have to deal with, but I still love it here. It is worth everything to be able to take care of the babies and the kids that have been abandoned and to give them the love they deserve. Since I´ve gotten here we also hired someone to be the caregiver for the babies while I am gone. She has started already and she has been awesome. I know she will do a great job.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Home

Well...it's 6:30 on a Saturday morning and I can't sleep. I've been tossing and turning for a while now. I can't stop thinking about the kids in the orphanage and it's been a week since I've returned home. I just received an email from Mandy last night. They were supposed to receive 3 newborns this week. Unfortunately, 2 of them have already died. I feel so sad that they left this earth without the opportunity to be loved...every infant deserves at least that. However, I also feel grateful that they have been blessed and will avoid the inevitable heartache and pain that is present in so many of these orphans lives.
The orphanage also received another little girl yesterday. We don't know how old she is, but the guesstimate is around 6 years. She is frightened and totally out of her element. Her dad died, and her alcoholic mom abandoned her. There is also a 2 month old sibling, they're working on getting her too.
Jaquelyn arrived absolutely filthy, and with a horrible case of head lice. So bad that they have started to burrow themselves into her scalp. They immediately applied the lice medicine, but it isn't helping. They had to go get her hair cut, and we're hoping they with more treatments it will go away.
It kills me to hear about these kids and not be there to hug and love them. I am considering going back to the orphanage in December. I NEED to go back. I love every single one of them and all the worldly cares go away when I'm helping them. When I'm there, it's not about me, I don't even care about things as gross as lice!! They have helped show me what's truly important. I'm also so much more aware of how blessed I am, and I'm so grateful for the good in my life. I have so much to be grateful for.
Mandy said Levi is sick. I'm a little worried about him. They don't have good healthcare there, and I hope he can just get better on his own. That's the hard part about being an inexperienced mom, you're not really sure when to let the kids ride out an illness and when they need to see a doctor. I hope he starts feeling better soon.

As for me...I'm finally starting to feel better. I got sick on the last day of my trip, and I've spent most of my week home in bed. From what I've heard, every single person went home sick....so I'm not alone in the sicky department. That might be another reason why I'm struggling to get back into my life again...I haven't been able to get back into my routine. Hopefully next week will be a more productive and normal week.

Update: The new girl Jaquelyn ran away from the orphanage. No one has seen or heard from her since. We are all worried about her, and hope she is okay. We will keep looking for her.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Love Notes












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I received a couple hand written notes from the kids. Some were hidden, and tucked away for me to find later. They are so cute, and special...I thought I'd post them so I can always see them.



I also received an email from Alejandra. It made me cry, and I wish I could adopt her...even if she is 14. She is an incredibly good girl...and is amazing in so many ways.

hola! martita
espero que estes bien quiero que sepas que te quiero mucho y que nunca te voy ha
olvidar tueres una persona muy especial para mi y para el hogar espero que regreses muy pronto
porque te bamos estar esperando te quiero mucho muchooooooooooooooooooooooooo
eres una buena amiga para mi y espero que tengas exito en tu vida y que tus beibis esten bien
I miss you and I am sad for you because you is very especial and I am happy with you
thanks for your hep in the orphanege


ale

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Journal: Day 8

Last night was our final evening. We made hot dogs and nachos for all the kids. They all thought it was awesome! We even planned on roasting smores over a campfire, but it started pouring rain as soon as it was time. We took one final group picture, and happily played for the rest of the eve ning.
Before bedtime, Guillermo gathered everyone together
in the kitchen for one last meeting. H e wanted to let everyone know how much he appreciated all the work and support we've been able to give. He also said that he knew we would go back home and tell our family and friends about our experiences here, and that they would be inspired to help through our enthusiasm. He said that the support of the volunteers is what helps the m keep going each day. He then asked if some of the volunteers would say a few words about the experiences they've had. I offered to speak first and I asked Mari yah to translate for me. I told them I loved them I didn't exactly know why I was here, because I've never done anything like this before. I felt lead by the spirit to help, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the experience. I was nervous when I arrived, b ut I was welcomed with su ch friendship and love. I told each of the children that I love them, and that being a part of their lives has deeply affected me, and changed who I am. I told them I will never forget the m, and I will continue to be a part of their lives.
It was a very emotional meeting,
and everyone held it together until Ken spoke. He is an incredible guy, and showed such love for both volunteers and children. By the time he finished, not o nly were the adults all in tears....so were all the children. Some of the kids wanted to say something to all of us....but could not get any words out b ecause they were crying so hard. The genuine sadness of the children literally broke my heart.
After the meeting was
over I hugged Alejandra, and we cried for a few minutes. T hen Abigail, Mayerlli , Jennifer, and Deanna all hu gged me at the same time and were sobbing, telling me they loved me, and asking me not to forget them. I was especially surprised to see Abigail showing such emotion. She is so emotionall y closed off from everyone, and I d idn't think we had really connected. Wh at I learned was that we connected, but she attac hes herself to others in a different way. She doesn't verbally communicate with me, but she watches, sees, and feels everything. All I could do was tell them over and over "I love You" while we hugged and cried. We lef t the house at 4:00 am to m ake it to the airport on time. It's going to be an extremely long flight, and I'm dreading it a lready. I can't believe I'm going to be home in my own bed tonight. I miss the kids already, and I'm worried I'll never see them again. How am I going to make this experience s omethi ng more than just another event in a scrapbook? I must ponder this week extensively over the next coup le days.

Sadly, the cargo box never arrived. It was finally released on Thursday fro m the port, but not in time for us. Friday is a capitol holiday, and Saturday and Sunday they are closed. So....it's being del ivered on Monday. I'm so sad I wasn't able to help receive it, b ut regardless it's going to help them tremend ously. I hope I can communicate to eve ryone w ho helped donate items and supplies h ow appreciated a nd desperately needed t hey are. The beds a nd sheets we slept on w ere horrible! We had NO extra sh eets, pillow, or blankets. We were especially pa ranoid with the lice incident....but there wasn't anything we co uld do about it. The toilet paper was basically sand paper, and the towels never felt clean. Everyo ne is so excited for the supplies to arrive becaus e everything is in shortage there. Most importantly....NONE of the volunteers got lice. Go Marta and Mandy!!!!

I'm on the plane finally, heading to Miami. I won't arrive home until about 10 pm. All I want to do it sleep. Kevin is still feeling terrible and probably will need to see a doctor when he gets home. I'm so grateful for the chance to travel with him and get to know him better. His heart is huge, and he makes so many sacrifices. He is changing the lives of these kids, and helping to provide them a life full of opportunity. I can't believe it's over.......

Final Group Photo

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Journal: Day 7



Eating Lunch at Pana

The kids are doing great. They are starting to realize that we leave soon, and are so sad. I can't even think about saying goodbye to them. Last night we had a dinner at the church with all the members of their ward. The food was incredible, and everyone had tons of f un. The Stake President is an awesome guy, and has helped Kevin out so much. We're really grateful for all his suppor t. On the way home, the president gave all of us a ride in the ba ck of his truck. Kids and all. It was one dangerous ride, b ut the kids had a blast and were laughing and screaming all the way home.
Kevin got sick. He looks and feels awful. I don't know how he's goin g to make it all the way home on Sunday. He can hardly stand, and can't eat any food. I gave him so medicine, and ken gave him his antibiotics. I really hope it helps him, because as of right now he's pretty nonfunctional. If you know Kevin, then you know that it really must be bad. I've never seen a more dedicated person who selflessly gives so much.
Today a wo
man from the capitol called to check on Baby Levi. She also told us the real reason his mother gave him up. Apparently she does indeed have a husband, and they even ha ve 4 children together. Her husband has been living and working in the United States for the past 2 years. While he's been away, she had an affair, and got pregnant. L evi was the result of that affair. She didn't want her husband to find out, so she decided to give him up and force her other 4 children to kee p the secret. The orphanage has also been asked by the capitol to receive 5 more newborns!! We don't have the room, s o we can only accept 3 of the infants. They will arrive early next week, and I'm so excited for them !




Today we went to see what they say are the 'Waters Of Mormon'. It's absolutely beautiful, and sooo big! We got l ucky with a beautiful clear day, so we were able to see everything. On the way there we were all dying from the winding mountainous r oads, not to mention the gargantuan pot holes and crazy driving ala bus driver. We even had to pull over to let Lindsay and Skylar throw up multiple times. It was not pretty, and we w ere all grateful there were no accidents in the car. We also went shopping in Pana. I got myself a few little things. Jewelry, bags, bini, stuff like that. It was fun but felt really strange about leavi ng on our last day so we could go sightse eing. I feel like maybe I should have just stayed home with the kids. However, I do think it's been a long week, and I needed a little break. The kids missed us tons and greeted us at the door with hugs and kisses. It's amazing how attached they've gotten to us. They are amazing kids.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Journal: Day 5










It's been a busy day. Mandy and I rearranged th e nursery, playroom, nanny bedroom, and the boys rooms. I am exhausted! That was a huge project, but I think everyone's happy with the resu lts.
We got horrible
news about the cargo box. It's still being released from the port and we will NOT receive it before the time we leave on Sunday. I'm just sick about it, and Kevin feels worse. When we were talking about it, I could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check. He's done everything, a nd anything he can possibly do, and still...no success. At this point, we just have to let it go, and continue to look at the bigge r picture. It will undoubtedly be released into possession of the orphanage.....just not while we're here to help. Ah....it makes me sick. I guess when you're trying so hard to do something good, you have to know that there will always be o pposition in all things.
I gave little Jo se a bath today. He was absolutely filthy, and we had so much fun! I lathered him up, was hed his hair, and I eve n let little Paula help. She was so excited! Then I noticed the bruises up and down his back from earlier physical ab use. I love that little boy. His mother came to visit a little bit ago, and when she tried to pic k him up, he started to cry and was scared of her. He has this heartbreaking look on his fa ce when he is scared or thinks he is in trouble. It is a face of GENUINE fear. How could a parent beat a child? I pray that he is too y oung to r emember what his life was like.
I a lso l ear ned that Mayerlli was left in an outdoor market, and her moth er told her to forget she ha s a family. She was left to fend for herself like a stray dog. Today she is sweet, and gentle, and loves an y one who will love her back. She has suc h a wonderful disposition, and seems genuinely h appy at the orphanage. I love her smile a nd how she radiates when she laughs!!
I have observ
ed so much aggression in some of the kids. Paula actually bit Deanna on the arm today making her bleed and bruise. It's obv ious where this behavior is learned because t hey tell us that t h eir parents used to beat them all the tim e. When they love, they love with their wh ole heart. When they're angry, it's aggressive a nd mean. Esduardo , Deanna, and Paula are such great k ids and it makes me sick that they've had such adversity in their lives. I'm so glad they have each other for support. I love them all.

It's been a little bit of a strange day for me . I've felt very emotional and had to put my feeling in check more than once to keep my emotions under control. At dinner tonight, I found myself tearing up as I was watching how happy and well t aken care of they are here. They are so lucky to have a person like Kevin in their lives. I t's so cute how they love him. Every single child calls him Papa Oso which in english means Papa Bear. He h as more lov e for them than they will ever comprehend. Ken has also been an awesome support to these kids. He is sooo good
w
ith them a nd he is such a good example. I c an see that they really look up to him.
M
artita made tamales for Ken tonight. I love that little lady! She takes such good care of everyone, an d she was so excited to make a special dinner. She spent all day preparin g them, and then cook ing them over a fire in the backyard. She even dressed up for th e occasion. Martita is AWESOME!





The chicken coop is done!! I can't be lieve what an incredible job Ken and Kevin have done. They practically the whole thing themselves. It's more of an chicken mansion!! It will house up to 5 0 chickens, and they have every luxury any chicken would like! It's actually nicer than some people's house s that I saw there!
I can't believe it's Friday tomorrow. Where has the week gone? I love hanging out with Mandy. We get along so well, and both are Nazi's. I'm also getting to know Lindsay as well too. She's a really sweet person, and has been awes ome about helping with the kids. I really appreciate her willingness to help with the kids! I'm so tired all the time, and it's hard work....surprisingly hard. I'm sooo tired of washing dishes , and cleaning the kitchen. It's a NEVER ENDING PROCESS! I have no idea how thes e women live like this their entire lives!!I truly am so blessed!!!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Journal: Day 4



It's been an overwhelming 2 days. We received our first infant yesterday. We got him from the capitol when Guillermo and Mandy went to drop off more paperwork. The mother had just arrived and was in the next office ready to hand over the baby. When Mandy went in the room to take her baby she said that the Mother was crying and so were the other ch ildren she had brought with her. She said she was a single mother, and already had 3 children to care for. She said that it would be impossible to keep him. Her son is 8 days old , and his name is Levi. He is soo tiny, so sweet, and he never cries. Late last night as I was rocking him, I was overwhelmed by the situation. I couldn't imagine how it must feel to sit at home with empty arms, wondering what would become o f my child. Here I am, with HER baby in MY arms, wondering how in the world I got here. Levi will never know his mother and father. Levi may very will spend the rest of his young life in an orphanage. My heart aches for the things they will never know or have.
I don't have a clue about how to care for an 8 day old baby. He has so many needs, but he's unbelievably good. The majority of responsibility falls on Mandy, and she's doing an awesome job with him. I help her out a lot because I think I'm the only one she trusts him with, and we wor k really well as a team . I think sharing the responsibilty of Levi makes it not so scar y. The kids love him, and always want to touch him. We have to remind them that they're not allowed to touch him with their hands, but Mandy lets them give him kisses. They love showing him love.


I just have to make a quick vent and then I'm done. I am deeply disappointed with some o f the other volunteers that are here. They have proved to be more of a burden than an asset to the orphanage. I'm embarrassed by their lack of work ethic, and respect for what is being done here. It should not be treated as a vacation or sightseeing trip. I am trying no t to let their laziness affect me, but I'm so frustrated with their lack of respect and consideration for other people. It's made me realize how much I've grown up in the last couple years, and reminded me of why I'm so selective with friends. I just have to focus on the children, and I'm reminded why I'm here. Volunteering isn't glamorous....it's REALLY hard work!! It shouldn't be treated as this 'token' humanitarian effort, where you make it look like you really did something great, but then the minute the picture's taken... you're done. ANYWAY...that's it... I'm done...I've said my piece.....back to the good stuff.
The cargo box should arrive tomorrow with all the donations. I can't wait, and we have so much work to do when it arrives. I hope there aren't any more problems.


Monday, August 11, 2008

Journal: Day 3

It's been a very long and busy day for me. I started off the day with a delicious breakfast of beans and eggs. The cook Martita is back, and she is awesome!! I pig out on her food, and she loves me for it. I'm determined to get her black bean recipe, and pancake recipe!!

The Baby Nursery


Mandy and I organized the nursery today. It took about 3-4 hours, and I'm really pleased with our progress. We're very meticulous about how we do it, so it doesn't create more work in the long run. Still....there's so much work to be done.
We discovered one of the little girls has lice....only to discover ALL the girls have lic e....only to discover that the entire place is covered in them! We took each of the children and applied, set, washed, and combed their hair. Mandy and I did almost every step. We were even the lucky ones to comb out the lice. It was actually pretty horrific. I couldn't believe how big they were, and so many!!! It took 4 long hours, and I'm still not sure we got rid of them. I have a feeling they may have come from one of the new arrivals that were living on the streets. Hers was one of the worst. By the time we finished, my skin was crawling, BUT...I could feel their gratitude. It made me feel good to do something that no one else wanted to do. They kept hugging me and saying "Thank You" with their faces pressed to my stomach. I'm so attached to them, even when they're being naughty, and sometimes I start to tear up with I think about having to say goodbye. How will I ever do it??
I had a wonderful opportunity for the first time to have some one-on-one time with Erica and Alejandra. These are beautiful and amazing girls. Alejandra is 14 and wants to be a surgeon. She graduates from high school next year when she turns 15, and will apply to her intermediate school right away. Erica is 19 and has one year left of her bilingual secretarial program. She spends so many hours at school, and t hen has lots of homework. Then she spends the rest of the day cooking and cleaning for everyone. She is amazing and I have soooo much respect for both of them. I have promised before the week is over to pay for all their school supplies to get them through the next school year. As the 2 oldest children, I really want to see them succeed and make their own way. I have also promised to keep in touch with them by email, and asked that they let me know if they are in need of anything. Education is soo important for these girls, and they deserve the opportunity.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Journal: Day 2



We arrived late last night. Guillermo rented a van to pick us up, along with our luggage. Some of the kids were waiting for us to arrive, they were all very excited. There are also an additional 4 volunteers here that we weren't expect ing, nor were they expecting us! It was a little awkward, and took a little while to sort through the confusion, but we have united and combined our efforts.
I only got ab out 5 hours sleep last night, and then we woke up ea rly, got ready, ate breakfast, and walked to church. The children are adorable, and it was my opportunity to get to know them a little better. I carried little J ose in my arms the entire way with Jennifer holding my other hand. The children are so loving, and only want to be hugged, and loved by us. All during Sacrament Meeting I had about 3 kids glued to my side. It amazes me how quickly they trust and attach themselves to us.
The orphanage building itself is wonderful. This is an amazing and safe place for them. They truly are s
o lucky to have t he opportunity to live here. They all seem genuinely happy to be here.


There are now 10 children here. Jose is the newest of the bunch. He is about 1 1/2 years old, and arrived about 2 week s ago. H is Step Father was physically abusing him, and in the process broke his ribs and c racked his skull. He was brought here by the pol ice. I cannot comprehend how things like this occur to children.


Brian, another new boy, was adopted out by a Guatemalan couple because they believed they c ouldn't have children of their own. The woman eventually conceiv ed a child with her husband, and th ey promptly put him back in the system. They adopted him when he was 3, and kept him for 4 years!!! (He's now 7) Brian is adapting well, but you see his sadness when he thinks no one is looking. He's desperate to please, and find loving acceptance. He's a wonderful littl e boy and his intelligence level surprises me. He's got lots of potential.
Esduardo , Deanna, and Paula are all siblings. The youngest, Paula, was only given 3 days to live due to malnutr ition. She has thrived at the orphanage because of the love and care that has been given. Her mother was a prostitute and would leave the children unattended for days on end, eventually abandoning them leaving Esduardo (7) to care for his younger sisters Deanna(4) and Paula(1 1/2). There was a fire in the home and it burned down their house, and left Deanna with her hair burned off on one side of her head. It's still growing back. This left the children homele ss. Esduardo cared for his 2 sist ers for 3 months on the streets before being found. Th e police brought them to the
orphanage. Esduardo , is one of the most affectionate boys I've ever met. He just glows when given one-on-one time, and needs so much to be hugged. You can literally feel him melting u
nder the embrace of a simple hug. I think he's still understandably dealing with residual emotional and anger issues from their past, but is learning to work through them the best that they can. They are sweet children and all 3 have a very close bond with each other.
Every single one of the kids
has a story. All of them are ones ful l of heartache and disappointments , but in spite of it all they display an incredible amount of strength and trus t. I can't wait to get to know them better and observe them a little more.



*Cargo box is still at the Port, with no official release date. We MUST have it by Wednesday. Kevin and ken are going first thing in the morning to bribe them at the dock so we can expedite the already delayed shipment. I guess that's just how they roll here in Guatemala.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Journal: Day 1







I'm sitting on the airplane flying high above the clouds, and I'm finally on my way. We will arrive in Guatemala City in about an hou r. I'm already exhausted, but anticipating our adventure. I'm traveling with Kevin, Mandy, and Mariyah . Kevin is President of the organization, and has a bigger heart than anyone I know. He's incredibly devoted to this organization, and the children. It motivates me to do more. Mandy is the girl who originally got this all started. She is an incredibly sweet girl and I enjoy getting to know her. I hope that we can grow together this week, and have s ome fun experiences together. Mariyah is the other volunteer. She just returned from a mission in Guatemala, and is very excited to return to the city and people she loves so much. She 's really outgoing and we hit it off immediately. I'm glad she laughs and jokes a lot with us.
My voice is raw because the 4 of us have essentially been talking for the last 12 hours. We have been brainstorming ideas to he
lp the children from long term goals to short term goals. Education opportunities....fundraising ideas...anything you can think of..we've discussed. I think we may have come up with some really great ideas and we'll just have to do some research and analysis. There's still so much that has to be done, it's overwhelming, but in the end can help make their lives better.
The steel box with the donations, and the 4-Runner had some delays at the port. We won't receive it until the middle of next week. That means...I'm not entirely sure how we're getting to the orphanage. I heard something about a truck, and sitting in back with the luggage. I'm not sure. I'm only hope it's not true. Either way, from what I hear about the suicidal driving that goes on, it should be 45 minutes of white knuckling fun!! Lets get this started!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

IT"S DONE!!!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

I am overwhelmed by the generosity and service received during this collection for the Gozo Orphanage in Guatemala. Every single tube of toothpaste, bar of soap, blanket, and pillow will be received by those children who call the orphanage home. The items that all of you so willingly gave will change their lives and provide for them the basic necessities that we all crave.
I will be staying at this same orphanage for 8 days in August to receive the shipment. I will let them know that these items were sent with love and generosity. I will give them hugs and kisses, sing songs, and play games with them for all who would like to, but cannot be a part of this trip. I know they will feel your love, and everyday their lives will be a little bit easier because of your donations. Thanks again, and below is a rough count of everything that was collected in the
Las Vegas area.


We ended up with about 30 boxes FULL of supplies.

Twin Sheet Sets: 65

Queen Sheet Sets: 9

Crib Sheets: 24

Blankets: 24
Brand New Comforter Sets: 7

Pillows: 15

Crib liners: 12

Towels: 110

Hand Towels: 50

Wash Cloths: 100

Shampoo: 70

Soap: 120

Toothpaste: 100

Baby Powder: 20
Baby Shampoo: 50

Baby Oil: 35

Diaper Rash Ointment: 40
Tons of Diaper Wipes

Monetary Donations: $365.00

We also received enough medicine that should last about 8-12 months!!!!!

I'm also grateful for all the Misc. items we received like hair brushes, portable cribs, craft items, receiving blankets, etc...

This Exceeded nearly ALL goals set for the collection. You guys are awesome and would not have been possible without your willingness to serve!!!!



A special thanks goes out to Kari Nash and Maggie Goebel who were an integral part of the success!! Thank you for opening your hearts and time to this project!!! I love you guys!!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

I'm So Grateful!




This is Kari and I at the Dollar store spending the money donated to the orphanage, we had $125 dollars and we used every last cent!! It was alot of fun, and got a TON for the money!! I'm so gra teful to those who have supported this project!!

There are about 15 boxed FULL of items sitting around us....not all are visible....but it's a full house!!!

For the past couple weeks Kari and I have been collecting items for an orphanage in Guatemala. I contacted everyone I know, and asking for a small donation to help these children. Wow...I'm blown away by the generosity that I have received from people. I'm so amazed that people I hardly know, or have never met...have been giving so generously just because I asked them to. I had goals for each of the items that I need, and I've either exceeded, or expecting to exceed that goal by Sunday!!! I don't know when it happened, but the items just seemed to be multiplying! I can't wait to get everything down there and set it up. Last night I spoke with kevin, (he's the one coordinating the cargo box) and he's given me an extra motivation to get supplies.

I thought that the babies would not be arriving at the orphanage until after we had flown back to the states. I found out last night that one of our main goals upon arrival in Guatemala....is to pick up at least 3 babies that we'll begin caring for. I was completely overwhelmed by this knowledge, and very humbled to think that I'll get to be a part of that experience. To be honest, I'm nervous about it all. I'm sure it'll be very emotional, because we can only take 3, and there will be hundreds to choose from. I hope the decisions will already be made by the time we get there. I could NOT choose a baby when there are so many. It would be unfair. With this knowledge and anticipation, I am going to do whatever it takes to get the nursery ready. This responsibility is unreal, and not likely one I'll ever experience again. I'm ready to dive in and help. Even if that means late night baby soothing, and diaper duty. Neither of which am I particularly good at, but I'm sure anything is better than what they're used to!!

Thanks again to everyone who has donated, and I promise to reportback as soon as I return!!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Have you ever heard about something, and known immediately that you needed to be a part of it? Last week I had just this experience. A friend of ours recently returned from a trip as a volunteer in an orphanage. As I was hearing about it, my heart just opened up. The more I learned, the more I felt compelled to help.

The orphanage in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, was started by an LDS return missionary Guillermo Rangel, and a 21 year old SUU student, Mandy Brooks. Both saw a country full of children in desperate need of help, and they knew they couldn't ignore it. Adoption has been banned by the government in Guatemala. Horrible things were happening to these children. Things I don't even want to talk about. Things NO CHILD should ever have to endure. Instead of reworking the adoption laws to protect these children, the government decided it would just be better to ban it altogether. Due to the new law, that leaves an estimated 4,000 babies homeless each year. Many come from abusive homes, drug addicted parents, or just simply parents that can't or don't want to take care of them anymore. Infants are left in the streets, and in hospitals. There's nowhere for them to go.

That's how this project all started. Guillermo and Mandy's orphanage is called Gozo, which means "Joy", in Spanish. That's exactly what they give them every day. They've changed the lives of these children who are fortunate enough to live at this orphanage. They are given love and the basic necessities. Things some have never experienced before. Gozo currently houses 6 children ages 1-14. In October they will be receiving 6 more infants, ages 0-6 months.
I know that as their organization grows, so will her ability to help more children.
I really admire their strength and bravery it takes to start a project like this. When I heard their story, I knew I had to help. In August I will be flying to Guatemala along with a couple other volunteers to the orphanage. At that time we will work to get the facility in better running condition, and help prepare the nursery to receive the infants.

If you would like to hear Guillermo Ranger's story read HERE .If you would like to hear Mandy Brook's story read HERE .

To help Mandy and Guillermo in their endeavors, Kari Nash and I are organizing a collection for items that will be sent to Guatemala by boat.
If you would like more information about donating, please leave a comment, or send me an email at martatyler81@yahoo.com

100% of donations go to orphanage and children!!!

Note: Kari has been an unbelievable help to me. When I first spoke to her about it, she didn't even hesitate to jump on board and help organize this project. I appreciate her willingness to serve, and her BIG HEART!! I could NOT have taken on this huge task without her!!