Good morning,

Howard has asked me to make sure that you received news of his latest experiences during his travel to Guatemala. He was there helping to launch distributions with our program partners. Notes from Howard's daily experiences, in his own words, are below. Pretty amazing!--Ashley

Greetings from Guatemala!

We arrive in Aldea Estancia Vieja after a ½ hour drive straight uphill from San Raymundo. Nancy Neuman, with our partner organization Refuge International, has organized this visit to meet Julia and Clemente’s family. She mentions when we arrive that it is good Professoras Lilana Camey and Mara Camey have accompanied us. The sisters are the sole teachers in the two local schools (grades 1-6) in this village. Mara teaches Julia and Clemente’s oldest son Erick. They’ve been traveling everyday to Aldea Estancia Vieja from San Raymundo to help teach the local children and are well respected in the community.

A gang member eyes our car as we pull off the road by the path to Julia and Clemente’s home (yes there are gangs in Guatemala – evidenced by men with rifles at almost every convenience store, gas station and hotel we saw). Nancy says that our car will be safe with Eddy (our driver) and Liliana watching it.

The path to Julia, Clemente, and their children’s home is straight down the side of a steep barren hillside. The remains of dried up stalks of corn (the family’s only food along with frijoles and 1 egg a day from their one scrawny chicken) dot either side of the path.

Click here to watch the podcast of Howard’s recent distribution in Guatemala.

After about 25 minutes we arrive at their home, a thrown together shanty of tin, scraps of wood, bamboo poles, and cardboard. Scores of holes poke through the roof and walls. In the rainy season, Clemente tells me that rain water pours through the room where they sleep with their children (Erick, Maricela and Arnulfo Enrique) making the dirt floor a muddy mess.

There is no running water, no electricity, no latrine, and the closest medical help is over an hour away. The family hikes an hour to the other side of the canyon to gather firewood and walks uphill 45 minutes to a well in town for water (drinking, washing, and bathing) every day. Clemente works as a field hand when there is work for 30 Quetzales a day (about $4 US). When there is no work he loads some of the corn they have stored (in 55 gallon drums, also in their ‘bedroom’) into 100 pound sacks and lugs it up the hill to town where he sells it to buy food for his family. Five years ago the family lost their daughter Alissa at 1 ½ years old, due to chronic malnutrition.

I sit in their home playing with the baby, Arnulfo Enrique, and listening as Julia and Clemente tell us about their lives. I ask what they need to help make their lives easier that Julia immediately replies ‘water’.

I ask them what their dreams are for their children. Mara translates for me and I watch as Julia thinks about the answer for awhile, then shrugs her shoulders, gives a slight smile and says she doesn’t know. Afterwards thinking about this I realize that it might be difficult to dream when you are struggling so hard to survive day to day.

Best,

Howard

--
Howard B Schiffer
Founder & President
VITAMIN ANGELS

P.O. Box 42029
Santa Barbara, CA  93140

Ph: 805 564 8400
Fx: 805 564 8499
Web: www.VitaminAngels.org