Archive for the ‘poverty’ Category
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September 7, 2015Life Changing Gift for Families!
April 2, 2015
We are kicking off our 2015 Fundraising Campaign with the goal of raising $25,000 to repair 25 of our artisans homes to help our artisans and their children live in healthier, safer homes.
Most of our artisans live in very simple one or two room homes. Some do not have electricity, many have dirt floors or leaking roofs, others need a new wood burning stove for their kitchen. With a little help from our donors and supporters we will be able to help these families.
Learn more at our website – Education And More.
When Are You Coming Back?
March 19, 2015Yes, that is what we hear from our women’s groups. “When are you coming back again!” We recently began a new mothers and toddler’s Bible study and the women have told us how much they really love the study. This new Christian Bible study has been made possible by a grant from the Lorenz Family Foundation and we are very grateful to have received the grant so that we can bring a Bible study to mothers and their little children.
The women in these groups almost exclusively speak the Mayan language of Kakchiquel so our Bible study presenters must also translate from Spanish into Kakchiquel. Each group gathers together once a month for a Bible study and fun for the little toddlers. They have told Araceli, our Guatemalan Program Coordinator, that they are so grateful to have the opportunity to learn about Jesus. Because they do not have a church close to them, they rarely get to hear God’s Word and learn about His son, Jesus Christ. Of course sometimes the older children are not in school that day and they also come with mama to the Bible study!
Araceli and our presenters reported that the little toddlers had a lot of fun too. The Bible study involves a tomato worm and they all learn about the “Fruit of the Spirit.” There is a lot of interaction among the presenters and the toddlers with puppets, games, crafts and real fruit to emphasize the lesson.
Watch for more information about our Christian outreach programs in Guatemala on our website and also in this blog. If you would like to receive our newsletter you can sign up on our website or also at this link.
Helping Children Smile
February 17, 2015Nicolasa’s mother told us she didn’t want to go to school. She didn’t smile a lot last year when we were visiting at her home.
Then she received a sponsorship and on our last visit to her a few weeks ago there was a tremendous change! She was laughing and smiling a lot and her report card from school showed that her grades had really improved over last year.
The reason she did not want to go to school in previous years was because her family could not afford to buy school supplies or nicer clothes and she felt so bad she didn’t want to be around the other children.
Nicolasa’s sponsor sends her a letter every year in a Christmas card and the gift of caring from her sponsor makes a tremendous difference in Nicolasa’s life. She knows her sponsor is praying for her and cares about her.
Nicolasa speaks the Mayan language K’iche’ and must learn Spanish at school, the official language of Guatemala. It is hard for children to learn a new language and still do their school work and it was much harder for Nicolasa because she didn’t want to go and missed a lot of school in past years. Her parents were not adamant about her attending school each day but that has changed with the sponsorship. All parents sign a contract that states:
- I agree to help my child attend school each day.
- I will send my child to school on time and ready to learn.
- I will give a copy of the grade card each year to Education And More.
- I will help my child understand how an education is important to their future.
The student must sign a similar contract. We feel this make a tremendous difference! The report cards show what a difference it has made in the schoolwork of little Nicolasa.
We have many more students that could use a little help. It costs just $3.46 a week or $15 a month to give a sponsorship to a student and change their life!
Learn more on our website and then choose a child to help!
A Student …… A Future ………… An Education
January 22, 2015School starts in January for students in Guatemala but we met some children on our recent trip that have never been to school.
Meet Alesia and Alicia — twins who have never yet gone to school. They would really like to join their friends and attend the little local school near their village. Their parents do not have sufficient money for the enrollment fees and school supplies.
Visit our website for more information on sponsorship and then let us know if you can help one or both of these precious girls.
Awesome Trip to Guatemala + Learn Backstrap Weaving
January 11, 2015Want to learn how to weave on a backstrap loom? Then it’s time for you to join one of our tours to Guatemala! Our next tour will be in July and it is filling fast so visit our website to get an application soon.
Education and More is now accepting requests for dedicated tours for your group to go to Guatemala to learn backstrap weaving with our expert Mayan artisan weavers. We have a limited number of dates available, so if your guild is interested please contact us. These weaving tours are for 6-8 participants and you will learn all aspects of backstrap weaving the Guatemalan Mayan way.
Visit us at our website and learn more, then contact us for more information.