Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala

Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala gives thanks to Emily Jones, a longtime supporter of AAV, for all her hard work in hosting a fundraiser to purchase books for the Adopt-a-Village high school.  The Seattle event, “Dinner with a Doctor,” was sponsored by the University of Washington’s “Hand2Hand” pre-health philanthropy and community-service group, of which Emily is the co-activities coordinator.  Jill Hodges presented our organization’s programs with the acclaimed video she filmed and produced for AAV. The event was attended by 45 of the  university’s students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, as well as medical professionals, including the Chief of Surgery from Harborview Hospital and the Chief of Pediatrics from Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Emily is an enthusiastic AAV volunteer and child sponsor of an eight-year-old girl, Maricela, (see photo) who lives in the remote village of Nuevo San Ildefonso.  Fifteen years ago, young Mam families settled the tiny community, naming it for their home town where land was overworked and in short supply.  They migrated to the only location they could afford to purchase land—a distant and remote area in northwestern Guatemala. Today, Maricela lives with 10 other families where they eke out a living by growing coffee on small plots terraced on the hot, low-lying mountainside.  When the coffee harvest is over, they migrate to the coast in search of seasonal work.

Life in Nuevo San Ildefonso entails daily hardships.  It is a pioneer life in every sense.  Land was cleared by hand and, for 15 years, families had to transport all building materials,  food and supplies on their backs up a long winding trail.  Family homesteads consist of crudely constructed cottages where chickens scratch around and pigs prepare themselves for market.  The village’s only burro is used to transport firewood.  A rustic wooden structure built by fathers serves as the one-room schoolhouse.  When the government refused to send a teacher because the village lacked the obligatory 25 school children, families fought their case and won, an unusual achievement in Guatemala.  Currently, after months of back-breaking labor working with picks and shovels, the village men are nearing the completion of their rough  four-wheel drive road.  

Adopt-a-Village has lent a hand to these hardworking families over the years, supplying rainwater catchment tanks, supplies, materials, and a school library, emergency food, and training in animal husbandry for several village members.

Despite their harsh way of life, the people of Nuevo San Ildefonso have a strong and positive spirit.  They do not give up even in the face of their defeats.  They are an inspirational people, and Adopt-a-Village is proud to call them friends.

Hello everyone!

These past few days have been the most exciting that I can remember in AAV’s history!  Our long-held vision is now a reality–our Mayan Center school is in its second day of operation.  Our students are already immersed in classes and projects.  They arrived on a frigid day, and I trekked to the dormitory area with them, anxious to see their reaction to seeing their little cabins.  There was no assigning cabins, not even time to assign!  They ran from cabin to cabin, deciding which one they preferred.  (They are all identical!)  What was surpising to me is that without a couple of minutes, they had paired themselves off (two to a cabin).  Inside they found the solar lights that had been installed the day before by volunteers from Florida, their cots, small study tables and chair.

The next morning, the sun was shining and their group met outside under the trees.  Thirty-five percent of the students are girls, a much higher percentage than I had hoped for.  And most striking was their ability to voice their thoughts and opinions in the meeting.  They were considerably more vocal than the boys.  Before I arrived to join them, two students had taken the lead in planning their first work project.  (Every student is responsible for two hours a day in maintence, i.e., making tortillas, tending the chickens, cutting firewood).  For each task, there were ready volunteers.

It was a grand first day.  I tried to imagine what they were thinking.  What would I be thinking at the age of 15 to find myself on top of a remote mountain, keeping warm in a small cabin, trekking down the mountainside the rustic kitchen for hot tortillas and beans.  One of the girls related, “I woke up in the morning, not realizing where I was.  I looked outside to see the circle of cabins and to hear the birds singing, and I was so glad to be here!”

–Frances