Here and There: Day 4: The Offering

Introduction

When one gives whatever one can without restraint,

the barriers of individuality break down.

-Hua Hu Ching

One of the many physical challenges in doing humanitarian work in high altitude is that it can test our physical limitations. Reaching one family, lungs begging for air, leg muscles aching and cramping, shoes slipping and sliding on foreign ground, heart thumping, and the burning sun more than 8000 feet closer than where we live. Finally, in the distance we spot children running toward us curiously inspecting our faces and clothes. As we close the distance between outsider and native to this land we suddenly become one and everything becomes worth the effort.

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Seventh Family: Doña Nohemi

Written by: Franco

Doña Nohemi is an exceptionally hard working single mother whose purpose in life is supporting her son Jona's education and providing him with food. Lack of job opportunities in Sibinal force many men to immigrate to other regions in Guatemala, Mexico, or the US. In Doña Nohemi's case, her husband left to work for two years never to return after starting another family in a different part of Guatemala.

Her mother-in-law allowed Doña Nohemi and Jonas to continue living in the house. Perhaps because of her extraordinary agricultural skills to grow maize, onions, celery, turnips, and radishes. Her mother-in-law is also willing to pass the deed of the house to her grandson as his inheritance. I noticed Jonas scrambling around in the dirt and popping up with two handful of radishes he quickly washed and kindly offered us as a welcoming gesture.

Having the deed to the property is significant. For example, there are a few instances in the past where we have provided humanitarian assistance to families that do not have the deed in their name. The deed is in someone else's name. After we have finished installing a roof or building a stove, the individual holding the deed to their name will remove the tenants and retake ownership of the home.

Our sister team Generacion Magnificat are offering to help families, like Doña Nohemi and her son Jonas obtain the deed to their home. They facilitate the process by talking to the deed holder and the family living in the home. In Doña Nohemi's case both parties came to a mutual agreement, thankfully.

Thanks to your donations, Doña Nohemi and her son will have an all-purpose wash station and a stove. A properly built stove with a chimney for ventilation is helpful in preventing irritation in the eyes, nasal passages, throat and lungs. And, she will have the deed to her house.

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Eight Family: Doña Magali
Written by: Onecimo

The Current Life Situation of Doña Magali

Doña Magali and her five children currently live in an abandoned plot of land her mother temporarily lent her. She longs to live in a small home she has been building little by little over the last few years. However, due to lack of economic resources and basic home services such as water, electricity, latrine, and a kitchen, she cannot move into her own home yet.

Doña Magali’s story is one that is sadly filled with deception. She was tricked by her ex-husband after he told her he did not have a wife. He wooed her and in the end abandoned Doña Magali with four girls and a boy.

After a bitter divorce and a bout of depression, she demanded her ex-husband help her financially and provide food and clothing for their children. In spite of this, he has only helped her with some construction materials to build a small house. From time to time he gives her about 200 Quetzales (about $40 US) which is not enough money to support their five children, much less to improve her house so she and her children have a place to live. Therefore, she lives alone with her children and works washing clothes and cleaning houses to make ends meet.

Even though she lacks almost all basic home services, Doña Magali’s priority is to have her kitchen so she can move in and have a place to cook for her children.

We thank those who can help this family. Your financial donations will be necessary to support her with the construction of her kitchen so that she can have a more stable and happy life with her children. Construction is set to begin December 2018.