February 2nd 2019 update

Went to the centre today to try out some activities with the kids and check on things.

The kids from age 4 down to 1 threaded cheerios on a spaghetti a noodle. Even the 1 yr old could do it.

January 28th 2019 Medical clinic a busy day

 In Panyebar, we set up the clinic with the teacher's help and set out activities for the kids who would be waiting to be seen. We also set up one entire classroom with shoes and eyeglasses to be distributed.

       Clinic was to have begun  at 10. At 10:15, the mums and kids were all in place but still not medical team. At 10:20 a loudspeaker announced there was a clinic taking place down in the library in the village. I went down to check and sure enough the team was there starting to examine people from the village and the line was getting longer. Met the doctor who I had arranged this clinic with and he explained that the big team he brought to Panyebar decided they would not be split up but would see all of us together in this other location. What a confusion. But we rallied around, took our families way down there and waited some  more..  There were no tables and little privacy... pretty different from our usual set up.

     By 1 p.m. some 70 members  of our  Saludos Ninos families had been seen, We headed back up to our centre to feed the interpreters and the doctors. Family members left happy with new shoes and glasses.

Then we unpacked 4 barrels sent down  from Canada and divided all the books, toys, Lego, games etc. between the 4 teachers. We cleaned up and headed,out in a crowded tuk tuk for Santa Clara hoping to catch the chicken bus to San Juan. Instead we hopped on the back of a pickup to come down the mountain. We had a bag of eyeglasses with us to take down  to the San Juan Casa por Los Anceanos (seniors residence) I asked, mostly in jest, anyone need EYEGLASSES??  Well, the 4 women in the pickup started trying them on as we tore down the 23 switchbacks toward San Pablo and even a man returning with a massive bag of freshly picked coffee who got in along the way, tried,on glasses and found he could clearly read my 20 Q note!! So, more happy customers receive glasses during their daily commute home. We had a lot of fun  and even managed pictures. I will send along several over the next few days.

Just another crazy day in Guatemala.

Eileen, a volunteer who is with us for 2 weeks from Newfoundland has been a great help and is great to take in stride whatever comes along. But today, we were very tired when we returned to San Juan about 4:30.  More later.  For the blog, please condense to a few photos in a grouping with few words, thanks. Sheila

Everyone gets tested

Time for shoes

donated eyeglasses

Even found white shoes to match her fancy white dress

 Eileen helps fit shoes of all sizes

January 25th 2019 update Newfoundland volunteer

Meeting the children at the centre

 Very proud of his house artwork.

The little girls still love carrying their dolls in the doll wraps Kim made and sent them.

January 20th 2019 update

 Rosario and Sheila sorting packed barrels at Suden then the teachers came down in a pickup to collect them. Next week, we will distribute the school supplies, blankets, toys , shoes and glasses to each classroom .

Now the kids are anxious to start using this fun stuff

New school year in Delores new classroom with all the new supplies.

Teachers at SALUDOS NINOS receive their school supplies to start the 2019 school year.

January 17 2019 update

• Two weavers were in today needing  glasses to continue their trade. The lady on the right has a severely disabled son who must be carried on her back 

Glasses for diabetic - great to have the wrap around sunglasses, too.

2019 January 16th update

• Some of our teachers were anxiously awaiting reading glasses. Here is the result.

Artwork is a part of play time 

•  A little play time outside supervised by Courtney from Rising Minds  who brought her 2 young kids to meet the kids at our centre. Brian doing repairs.

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  An old friend from Rising Minds, Courtney joined us with her two young children.

  Courtney donned a wrap immediately and carried around one little boy who was so overwhelmed

  at being left by his mum.

• Brian preparing the wall to mount a white board in Delores' new classroom. 

January 10 2019 update

Our kitchen is being updated with more containers to hold foodstuff and a fridge.

• We will also add another water filter.

     Following the meeting, Brian and Sheila visited the family of Lucy, whose mother , Dominga ( our former teacher ) died last year suddenly in October. Here is a photo of all the children and their father.

• Due to the generous support of donors for a special fund to raise money for this large family, all 9 children are registered and will be attending school this year.

       Thanks to everyone who helped this become reality in memory of Dominga to whom education was so important.

The first project of the year is to repaint portions of the centre which have seen a lot of ware over the years.