Mayan Families

Urgent News

Hi everyone from Rainy and wet Guatemala. Days ago the Guatemala experienced major rain and severe flodding from another Tropical Storm. Homes and lives were lost! The village of San Antonio Palopo had a major mudslide through town that took out between 50 to 100 homes, we do not have confirmed numbers but it is a horrific scene! Santa Catarina also lost approximately 30 homes too and other villages are just now reporting in.
\We have not had Internet until just today. Mayan Families is the first and seemingly only Non Profit to respond, bringing a team by boat to San Antonio and handing out food, blankets, clothing and shoes to the people left homeless here in San Antonio and here in Panajachel. Numerous homes have been buried in mud or flooded by nasty water. Stay tuned to the web site for further details! We have noticed some minor news coverage on the BBC and others! If you can, help us spread the word. Donations are welcome and gratefully accepted in the time of emergency! Please make a donation to General, "Where most needed" here on the web site! Thank you all so much!

Natural disaster has devastated Guatemala, and the area served by Mayan Families is among the hardest hit. We need your help now more than ever before.
Tropical Storm Agatha caused significant destruction with flooding and landslides, and the eruption of Volcan Pacaya spewed thick, black ash around the region. Lives have been lost, several hundred injured, homes and possessions destroyed, thousands of victims evacuated to shelters, crops washed away, and livelihoods severely impacted by the reduction in tourism.

You have probably read our reports over the last few weeks and seen stories in the news. Even though this Guatemalan crisis is no longer in the U.S. and international headlines, the disaster continues as many communities are being evacuated and hundreds of families are living in emergency shelters.
Together, we can make a difference! We are determined to help the people of the Lake Atitlan area recover and rebuild. As a friend of Mayan Families, you know our resources were spread thin even before this disaster struck. Thanks to the compassion and generosity of supporters like you, we have been able to supply many communities with food, clothing, blankets and
medical attention. We are doing all we can, but the need here is very great.

Even families that have not lost their homes are suffering because they have lost their jobs. Many of the villages have lost all the crops that they would sell to be able to feed their families in the coming months. Even worse-- many families have gone days without eating.
There is an incredible need for clothing, shoes, and blankets.

We need your help. Please consider supporting the Mayan Families disaster relief effort in Guatemala. There are important ways you can help by donating on our website.
$150 US Feeds a basic diet to a medium size family for a month
$35    US    Large Basket of Food
$90       100 lb of Black Beans
$5         Carton of 30 Eggs
$54       Baby Formula for babies 12 months and under for 1 month
$30       Milk for infants 12 months and older for 1 month
$45       Double Mattress
$170     Bed and Mattress
$110     Wooden Table & Chairs
$110     Sink for Washing
$95/$100    Traditional Clothing
$8         Traditional Belt
$30       Leather Shoes
$5         Plastic Shoes
$6         Umbrella
$18       Extra Large Golf Style Umbrella
$115     Pila-two sided cement wash basin sink for washing
$170     Family Wardrobe
$45       100 lb bag of Corn (This makes tortillas for a family of five, 3 meals a day, for approximately two weeks)
$85      100 blocks to help rebuild.
$25       Per tin sheet for roofing.
$50       Water Filter for clean drinking water.
$160     Give a Fuel Efficient Onil Stove.
$60       Give an Ecomal portable stove.
$20,000 Build a school or add additional school rooms (depends on location, distance and size required) Land not included.
$90      Buy traditional clothing for a child or woman
$20      Buy a blanket
Even a small gift can make a big difference with the Mayan Families response to this urgent disaster. And if you have already given, please consider another donation.
The people of the Lake Atitlan area in Guatemala are counting on you, and they have nowhere else to turn.

Small donations can make a big difference.
It's your time to give hope.
To make a contribution please go to our website
http://mayanfamilies.org/DonateOnline
and go the General Donation section to send a donation. If you would like to nominate a special family or a sponsored student to receive your donation gift please send us their name or student number by e-mail to info@mayanfamilies.org
If you would like to pay by check please send your donation made out to:
Mayan Families
P.O. Box 52
Claremont, N.C. 28610

If you would like to give this gift in honor of someone special, please send us an email at dwight@mayanfamilies.org giving us the details and we will put them on our IN HONOR OF web page. If you would like to include a photo of your "someone special" we will also post their photo. To have an e-mail sent to the person you are honoring – please send us their email address. Thank you for your support.

Best wishes,
Sharon Smart-Poage
MAYAN FAMILIES
Tel: 619-550-2608
www.mayanfamilies.org

ABOUT US:
Mayan Families is a small non-profit group working in the Highlands of
Guatemala. We are a registered 501(c)(3) Non Profit Charity of the Internal Revenue Code. .
Your donation is tax deductible.

Thank you once again for supporting Mayan Families!

Dear friends,
So far no aid from the govt. or any other organization has arrived in the two areas hardest hit ....San Antonio Palopo and Santa Catarina . Saturday we delivered food, clothing and blankets to San Antonio. Today we took out food, clothing, shoes, blankets to Santa Catarina. There are so many people asking for help.
The council there confirmed that they have received no aid. We are the first ones to arrive there ...and as you know we are only a small organization. We are counting every penny as they come in so we know how much food we can buy for tomorrow. ......please spread the word that any amount, no matter how small will help provide food for someone who needs it here in Guatemala.

I am sure that the govt. will send in aid eventually. But this disaster is so wide spread and the roads are so blocked by mudslides that it is difficult for traffic to get through. Today on the t.v. they were advising people to keep off the roads, not to travel unless it was absolutely necessary.

Today we distributed food to Santa Catarina, we had about 15 volunteers go with our staff. All the Vitameal food was broken up into smaller bags so that more families could have it.
Thank you for all you do for the people of Guatemala. You are an amazing group and we are so grateful for your support.
Sharon

Mayan Families is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible.

Student Bio: Humberto

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Student #1448
Name: Humberto
Status: Needs Sponsor
School Level: Junior High School
Sponsorship Fee: $350

Sponsor
This Child

Humberto was born on November 15, 1997.
He is in 7th grade in 2010.

Humberto lives with his father, Fransisco, 45yrs old and his mother, Maria 45yrs old.
He has 2 brothers and one sister.
They are:
Frisly Orlando is 19yrs old. He was born on Oct. 31 , 1991. He is in 12th grade.
He is studying agriculture.
Deibi (student No. 1447) was born in July 11, 1995. He is in 9th grade in 2010.
Hilda is 18yrs old. She is in 7th grade.

The family was devastated by Tropical Storm Agatha in May, 2010.
The family lost a lot of their land and part of their home in the mudslides.
They have one room still standing but it is full of mud.
What remains of their land is very close to the river and they are afraid to return to live on this land again. They will not know till after the wet season whether anything will be left of their land.
They lost all their clothing and possessions.

The father usually works in the fields. He earns $25 US per week. But the father only finds work occassionally now. Many of the fields were destroyed by the Tropical Storm Agatha and it is very difficult to find work.

The mother makes guipile, traditional blouses using a back strap weaving technique. It takes her one month to make a guipil. She earns $26 US for the month's work.

They are now renting one room.
They are paying $40 US per month.
They are sharing the kitchen with 6 other families.
They do not have a stove, they are cooking over an open fire on the ground.
They have one bed made of wooden planks. It doesn't have a mattress.
They were given this bed after the storm. Three people sleep on the
bed, the rest sleep on the floor on a woven straw mat.
They do not have a table.
They have four chairs they were given.
They do not have a closet.
They keep the small amount of possessions they have in cardboard boxes.
They have electricity connected and pay $6 US per month.
They have water connected.
They do not have sufficient food .
They have a water filter.
The family is very concerned that they will not be able to afford to
keep their children in school for the rest of the year.

Student photos (when available)

July 2010.