Thanks to everyone that helped with donations of money, supplies for our trip to Guatemala.
We were high in the mountains so we froze at night and got burnt during the day.

We were facilitating the location of a community centre in a remote town of about 5000 of Saquil Grande people which will provide training for local people plus provide small loans to start businesses.
This program is only for women – they can borrow up to $200 and it has had a 96% success rate in other countries.
This is all initiated by local people and training will be provided in sewing, computers, mechanics and various course.

In this area there is no way of dealing with sewage or garbage and the hydro power is very limited, however they do have reasonable wireless internet due to the location of a tower nearby.

The local schools in this town have dirt floors, walls made of rough wooden boards and very thin tin roofs ( cannot teach when raining – too much noise)
Most of the children coming to school are malnourished and find it difficult to concentrate in class. Before Grade 6 there is a large drop out rate as children are often also expected to work to support the family. During school vacations – even the youngest children work. The only economy is subsistence farming at the moment – growing enough to feed their families.

They are looking to start building the community centre on donated land in late spring. The Micro Finance program will be starting before the end of the year — Over 50 women showed up for a meeting and waited even though we were nearly 2 hours late – Rough, unpaved roads and various delays are common.

We helped build a greenhouse and had a soccer tournament for both boys and girls — The winners got soccer uniforms from Canada and the losers got school supplies. We also fed all participants at the end with a cooked meal of an egg, rice, tortilla and some orange juice —-

There was so much more — but thank you again.

We plan to go back early in 2012 – Martin and Nancy Foster

Examples of supplies needed

• shoes ( max size 7 ) good second and or new
• clothes ( small – medium )
• household items – toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, combs
• medicines – Tylenol, Advil etc

The “vial of life” is for everyone but especially for those who live alone or anyone with special needs.

It should be attached to the inside of your fridge(top,right,front). There is an orange sticker that attaches to the outside of your fridge, which notifies emergency medical personnel that you are a “Vial for Life” participant.

A sheet inside the vial has vital information such as medical problems or special situations(pacemaker,hearing or visual impairment, etc), physician’s name and number, and information to reach at least two contacts.

For more information, call 519 763 1365

This endearvour is sponsored by Health, Safety and Security Committee of MINI LAKES RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION.

We are sorry for this change, but it is almost impossible to get volunteers to deliver them.

Marian Truswell

Nancy with Julio who is blind

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