Mayan Families Family Aid Program

Isabela is only 15 years old and has a tumor in her ovary

2012-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Antonio and Manuela are the parents of 5 children, they live in a small village about an hour and a half from Panajachel. Their small house is made of cement blocks and dirt floor, the roof is made of tin sheets and they cook on an open fire.

But, despite the difficulties, until recently the little money that Antonio and Manuela were making was enough to meet their basic needs. However, 8 months ago, their daughter Isabela was diagnosed with a tumor in her ovary.

Isabela is only 15, and since 4 years ago she had been complaining about abdominal pain, but the family thought it was just a simple stomachache and treated her with natural herbs as is the custom here. It was only 8 months ago that the pain became more intense and they took Isabela to the hospital.

Since then, the family is spending around $270 per month in medicine, money that they had to borrow from family members. They have been trying the best they can, but now Isabela needs to have some tests done and probably needs a more serious treatment and the family has no means to afford that.

Antonio came to us with a document from the hospital with a list of tests that Isabela needs and he asked for help to pay for it. He is very worried that if she doesn't do it soon, it might be too late for his daughter. Today some of our staff members went to the hospital in Solola to see Isabela and they confirmed the diagnosis with the doctor.

The tests Isabela needs cost $200, after that the doctors will determine the best treatment for her and at this point we cannot estimate how much it will cost. If you can help Isabela to have the tests done, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA211 Medical".

Any amount will be of great help!

Thank you so much!

Carlos is trying to support himself

2012-02-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

Carlos has been part of Mayan Families for several years now. He's wheelchair bound and lives with his grandparents in Panajachel, who try to help care for him although they themselves are very poor.

Several years ago Carlos was cutting down a limb from a tree and his machete touched a live wire. He was badly electrocuted and fell 8 meters to the ground. After 18 days in a coma, he woke up to the realization he would never walk again. He's paralyzed from the chest down. A few months later his wife left him and he now lives with his grandparents.

But he does maintain movement in his arms and he is determined to find a way to support himself. About a year ago he started to learn how to sew from his sister-in-law. He's worked hard to perfect his trade and he now sews pillow cases and wall decorations. He then goes out onto the streets and tries to sell them for an income.

Carlos sells his work for $9. If you would be interested in supporting him and his creative efforts, we would love to help you purchase something from him. Or if you would like to design something specific, he can make things to order. Or if you have any ideas of a way to employ him using his trade, we welcome any suggestions! Perhaps you know of a group or class that needs something sewn? We want to support Carlos and help him help himself. Please let us know if you'd like to purchase something from him or if you have any ideas for him. Contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

To purchase one of his sewings or make a donation for him, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA46 Carlos". Thank you so much!

Urgent Medical Needs

2012-02-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

Wendy who is only a year and a half, cannot walk, chew or speak and she doesn't behave like the other children that are her same age. Esperanza, the mother, is very worried, but cannot afford to take her to a neurologist in Guatemala City.
The trip to the capital and the appointment with the specialist will cost $250.

Eligia has been in severe pain for months. She is 53 year old and has 7 children. Because of the pain in her back she cannot work and sometimes her husband cannot either, because he needs to take care of her. She needs to go to a private doctor to get proper care, however the family cannot afford it.
It costs $50 to send her to a doctor and have some tests done.

Catarina has chronic asthma and lately she has been taken to the public hospital often because she cannot breath. The doctors say that she needs to go to Guatemala City to be seen by a specialist, but the family cannot afford it, so they keep her at home, as comfortable as possible, but they are very concerned that she won't make it much longer if she doesn't find proper medical care.
The medicine prescribed by the doctors cost $73 and an exam by the doctor in Guatemala City costs $200.

Flabio is very young and is dealing with kidney failure. He needs help to go through with his medical treatment. The family has been struggling to make sure that he receives the best medical care possible, however they are afraid that Flabio's condition will worsen if they don't get some financial help for his treatment.
For the moment, Flabio needs $109.

If you would like to donate for any of these patients, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write:
FA189 - Medical, for Wendy
FA210 - Medical, for Eligia
FA19 - Medical, for Catarina
#2273 - Medical, for Flabio

Thank you very much!! Without your help these patients might never get the proper help they need!

If you have any question please contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Wendy is only a year and a half and needs to see a neurologist

2012-02-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

You might remember Esperanza, she is FA189 of our Family Aid Program (click here to read the original post). She came to our office a few times to ask for help to feed her children, who are very malnourished, and we also put her baby in our Milk Program.

But this week she came to the office with another concern. She told us that her baby Wendy, who is only a year and a half, cannot walk, chew or speak and she doesn't behave like the other children that are her same age.

We took Esperanza and her baby to the private clinic here in Panajachel and the doctor said that she might have autism or some kind of brain damage that was probably caused by a problem she had when giving birth. Wendy needs to see a specialist in Guatemala City who can do some exams, diagnose her properly and recommend the right treatment.

Esperanza cannot afford the cost of a trip to the capital nor the medical appointment as she was recently abandoned by her husband and has 5 small children to care for.

It will cost $250 to take little Wendy to a neurologist in Guatemala City and have some tests done. After that we will know better what the diagnose is and what treatment she needs.

If you can help Esperanza and Wendy to have proper medical care, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA189 Wendy medical".

Thank you!

Medical Updates

2012-02-16T08:15:00.002-08:00

Walter went to the doctor and had an ultrasound. He has gastritis and and ulcers in his intestine. The doctors gave him medicine and prescribed a special diet, and he needs to go back in a month. For the moment he is doing fine, and he says that the medicine is already working and he feels much better already!
Thank you to everyone who donated funds to make his treatment possible!

Jose Gabriel had an appointment with the other specialist that was recommended to him. Apparently he doesn't need surgery, but he has a very serious problem with blood vessels that are making his eyes red and swollen. He has another appointment in Guatemala City at the end of the month, but before that he needs to have some exams in Solola.
Jose Gabriel is very happy and asked us to thank everyone that made this possible for him!

Guillermo is healing really well. We took him to the doctor in Guatemala City last Friday and they are still impressed with his recovery process. His mother told us that before she had to hold his hand all the time because his eye sight was so poor, he couldn´t see almost anything. Now he can run by himself. He still has to avoid bright sunlight and bright lights, but his sight is almost normal.
Guillermo needs to go to Guatemala City a few more times, until he is completely healed. The family cannot afford these trips to the capital, so Guillermo needs some more help with the transportation expenses. Each trip costs around $100. He will need to go there at least 4 more times.

Virginia has chronic arthritis and needs ongoing treatment. She had an appointment with the doctor, and they were really concerned because she was taking big amounts of strong medicine without a prescription, which was making her condition even worse. For the moment, they have given her the right medicine but by the end of the month, she will need to go back for a follow up appointment. Then we will know how much her treatment will cost. Virginia is walking and moving her arms now, and is very thankful to everyone who helped her to get medical attention.

Crecencia had her surgery in Zacapa. The doctors were able to remove most of her tumor, however her cancer is already in an advanced stage and spread into her organs. Unfortunately they were not able to remove it all. The doctors also said that at this point, there is no treatment that would help her.
We informed the family and they decided that they won't tell Crecencia or her children. She has been feeling much better since the surgery, and they believe that she might get better.
The best way to help Crecencia at this point is by helping her to feed her children. Soon we will speak with her family about what to do with the children if the worst happens.

If you want to donate for Guillermo, Virginia or Crecencia, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write:
#1604 - Medical, for Guillermo
FA207 - Medical, for Virginia
FA182 - Food, for Crecencia

Thank you very much!! Without your help those patients might never get the proper help they need!

If you have any question please contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Eligia is in severe pain

2012-02-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Eligia has had intense pain for 8 months. Her head and back are almost constantly hurting her. She is 53 years old and has had fairly good health her entire life. So when she began to have this acute pain, she was worried and went to the public health clinic. They prescribed her several exams and medicine, but she can't afford any of it. When her pain started her husband spent all of his time taking care of her and wasn't able to work. So now they don't have the money to pay for her medicine.

Eligia and her husband, Secundino, live in a home made of corrugated aluminum. The floor is dirt and they cook over an open fire. They have 7 children. They are very thankful for their children, because they receive help from them. The children have limited resources themselves, but they try to help their parents as much as possible with small meals here and there.

It cost $50 to send Eligia to a doctor and have her diagnosed, at this point we cannot estimate how much her treatment will cost. To help Eligia with her medical expenses, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA210 Medical".

Catarina needs urgent medical treatment

2012-02-14T10:34:00.009-08:00

Catarina is 53 years old and has been suffering from chronic asthma for many years now.

She has been to the doctor several times and they keep saying that her problem cannot be cured but it is possible to keep it under control if she takes her medicine regularly.

However, last week she got worse and had to be rushed to the hospital in Solola. At the hospital they told her that her lungs were starting to fail and that she had to be transferred to Guatemala City immediately. The family argued that they didn't have money to take Catarina to the capital and keep her there, so the doctors prescribed some medicine to relieve her pain and she was taken home.

We visited her last Friday and the situation is worrisome. She cannot lay down because of the pain in her chest and she can hardly breathe. She cannot speak most of the time. We got the prescription the doctors gave her and luckily we had the inhaler she needed, but we did not have the other medicines and the family cannot afford to buy them.

Catarina needs to go to the hospital in Guatemala City as soon as possible. The family is very concerned that she won't be able to breathe for much longer and they are afraid she might die because they cannot afford her treatment.

The medicine prescribed by the doctors cost $73 and an exam by the doctor in Guatemala City costs $200. After being seen by a doctor she will probably need further treatment but we cannot estimate how much that will cost yet.

To help Catarina, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA19 Catarina Medical". Any amount will be of great help!

Thank you! Questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Single mother needs help

2012-02-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

Lamberta is a single mother who makes beaded jewelry to sell on the street. She never got past second grade in school, so it's very difficult for her to find a good-paying job. She and her nine-year old daughter, Nora, live in a one-room home with a dirt floor. They share one bed without a mattress.

For almost two years now Nora has been having problems with her eyes. Sometimes her eyes get really red and swollen and tear up easily. This usually happens when she's doing a lot of reading and writing. Nora has never been to a doctor to be examined because they can't afford it.
Their greatest need right now is food. She came to us asking if there was anything we could give them. A food basket costs $35 or a 100lb bag of black beans cost $80. Nora also needs to go to an eye doctor, which costs $20. To help Lamberta and Nora, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA208 Family Aid" and specify what you would like your donation to go to.
Thank you so much for caring for Lamberta and Nora! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Flabio has kidney failure and needs a school sponsor

2012-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

Flabio is 17 years old and has kidney problems. He has been to several doctors who tell him that one of his kidneys is failing. He has an appointment on February 20 with a nefrologist in the capital and he needs $109 to go to the capital and have his appointment.

Flabio's parents, Maria and Jose, have three children. Jose works in a supermarket and Maria stays at home to care for the family. They try their best to provide for their children, but Jose's wages have not been enough to care for the family and pay for Flabio's medical expenses. Flabio's doctor visits have strained the family's budget and they are really struggling.

Amidst Flabio's medical troubles, he still earnestly wants to stay in school. However, given his medical bills he is afraid that he may have to drop out because his family can't afford both medical bills and school payments. Flabio needs a school sponsor for 10th grade, which costs $490 for the entire year.

To help Flabio receive the medical attention he needs, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "2273 Medical". He needs $109.
To help Flabio stay in school despite his medical bills, please go to Donate Now and enter $490 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2273 in the "Student ID#" box. You can pay monthly if you prefer.

Thank you so much for helping Flabio!

Mayan Families' first cooking class!

2012-02-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we launched the first of a series of services we want to provide to tourists and visitors here in Panajachel. The aim is to give employment to women in our Family Aid Program as well as raise awareness of the organization and the Mayan culture among the people that come to visit Guatemala.

The classes will take place every Thursday at the Marti (same place as where the Elderly Care program happens). For the first class we had Maria, the mother of one of our sponsored students, teach four participants on how to make Chuchitos, Tortillas, Guacamole, Chirmol, and Rosa Jamaica.

The class costs Q190 ($25) and includes 3 hours of class, an apron made by the ladies in our sewing program, a cook book with the recipes, and a delicious meal at the end!

We had 4 students in our first class, it was a lot of fun and the food was really delicious!

Most urgent medical needs

2012-02-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

Maria and Jose live in the coast, they have 8 children, and both of them are seriously ill.
Jose has a tumor on the side of his neck that needs to be removed immediately and his wife Maria, apart from being extremely malnourished, has a very serious degenerative disease that needs to be treated in order to keep her alive. They both are suffering from acute pain and haven't been able to work much.
They need $300 for the initial doctor's appointments and treatment, at this point we cannot estimate how much more they will need.

Virginia was recently diagnosed with chronic arthritis. Due to an accident two years ago, her husband cannot work and she is the only bread winner in the family. If she doesn't follow through with her treatment she might lose the movements in her arms and legs and won't be able to support her family anymore.
She needs $200 to go to the doctor and initiate her treatment.

Silvia Lucrecia suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and is dependent on oxygen supplementation. Her treatment is very expensive and the family cannot afford it. Their house is in very bad condition and the dust is very bad for her health.
Her treatment costs $152 per month.

Jose Gabriel is at risk of losing his sight. We took him to an eye clinic last week and they recommended another doctor. He needs to go to Guatemala City as soon as possible to see this other doctor and it is very likely that he will need surgery afterwards.
He needs $150 to go to the capital and see the specialist, after the appointment we will know what else he needs to treat his problem and keep his sight.

If you want to donate for Maria and Jose, Virginia, Silvia, or Jose Gabriel, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write:
#1115 - Medical, for Maria and Jose
FA207 - Medical, for Virginia
FA203 - Medical, for Silvia
#895 - Medical, for Jose Gabriel

Any amount will make a huge difference for these families. Thank you!

If you want more details about any of the patients, please feel free to contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Jose Gabriel could lose his sight

2012-02-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

Jose Gabriel is one of our sponsored students in our scholarship program, he started 8th grade this year.
About 4 years ago he started having problems with his eyes, it started as an allergy but it got worse really quickly. We took him to an eye clinic to be examined and the doctor gave him some eye drops and a prescription for glasses. However, by the end of last year his problem got worse and his eyes are always red and often very swollen.
He complains about pain and he told us that he is starting to lose his sight. Last week we took him to an eye specialist in Guatemala City and the doctors were very concerned. They want him to be seen by another doctor, because they couldn't diagnose exactly what he has, but they believe he will need surgery.
Jose Gabriel lives with his mother, his father and two siblings. His mother works washing clothes by hand, but due to some health problems, she cannot work much. His father works in the fields, but he has an alcohol problem and does not support his family. Jose Gabriel's mother cannot afford his treatment and she is very worried that if he goes blind he will lose work opportunities and will have a hard time supporting himself when he grows older.
They need $150 to go to Guatemala City to be seen by this specialist that was recommend by the other doctors. There will probably be more costs for the treatment and possibly for a surgery, but at this point we cannot estimate how much it will be.
If you want to help Jose Gabriel please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "895 Medical". Any amount will be of great help for the family! Thank you so much!

Parents of 8 very ill

2012-02-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Maria and Jose have 8 children. They've had a hard life, unable to find consistent jobs and having to move to the coast in order to try to find work. They live in a very poor, crumbling home several hours from Panajachel. They try to take care of their large family, but it is increasingly difficult to find ways to provide for them and feed them all. One of their children is so malnourished that she was unable to walk and had to be carried everywhere.

On top of these financial difficulties, Maria and Jose have recently been hit very hard by physical illnesses. Maria has been feeling ill for months. She hardly leaves bed. She has gallstones and this causes her great pain. She is chronically malnourished and she also has an intestinal infection. But worst, and scariest, of all she has recently been diagnosed with a serious degenerative disease. She needs treatment and it will be very expensive.

Jose has a tumor on the side of his neck. It has been getting larger and larger, and doctors tell him it needs to be removed immediately. However, due to the size and location of the tumor it is exremely risky to remove it. The surgery only has a 50% survive rate. If Jose does survive the surgery, there is a further risk that he may lose his voice and/or neck movements. Jose has to sign legal documentation saying that his family won't press charges against the surgeon in case of any problem. It's a scary place to be, but Jose has bravely told us he knows he needs to have the surgery in order to take care of his family.

Jose and Maria are both in need of extensive operations and treatment. They could barely take care of their 8 children before, and now adding these health issues makes their troubles seem insurmountable. Jose and Maria are both facing life-threatening illnesses and they are, understandably, afraid. They have no one else to turn to and have come to us desperate for help.

We are asking for an initial $300 to pay for their beginning consults, tests, treatments, and to prepare them for surgery. They will need ongoing help as they have and recover from their surgeries. We will also use part of this money to buy food for this malnourished family. To help them, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "1115 Medical". Thank you so much!

Virginia needs Medical Care to keep supporting her family

2012-02-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

Virginia was brought to the office by a neighbor, as a last attempt to try to get help for her and for her family.

Virginia is 44 years old and has been suffering from chronic arthritis for the last 6 years. She always struggled with the disease and tried to work as much as she could to support her family, but last week she just lost all of her movements. Her legs and arms contracted in a way that she couldn't stretch them anymore and she couldn't even walk alone to the office.

She is responsible for most of the house expenses because her husband had an accident two years ago and hit his head. Now he suffers from acute pain, memory loss, and constant fainting.

They have 6 kids and only the eldest, who is 18, works and helps Virginia to care for the youngest ones.

When she lost her movements the first thing she thought about was her kids and how she would support them. They have no other family members around to help them, so Virginia needs to keep working to support her family.

Virginia needs $200 to go to the doctor and begin an effective treatment. The doctor believes that he can help her with pain medication and a new treatment. After that, the doctor will re-evaluate her and see what needs to be done next. If you can help Virginia to get back to work and support her family, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA207". Any amount will make a big difference! Thank you!

Mirna wants to stay in school

2012-01-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

Update:

GREAT NEWS! Mirna has been sponsored and will be able to go to school for 2012! Thank you so much to her sponsor!!!

Mirna Teresa is only 14 years old but has already experienced much grief. She was abandoned by her mother when she was only 5 years old. Her father passed away 2 years ago after battling cancer. She recently found her birth mother in an attempt to reconnect with her, but her mother said that Mirna was dead to her and wanted nothing to do with her. Mirna has no parents to care for her, so she lives with her single aunt and cousins. Mirna and her aunt make tortillas to sell on the street. It's their only income.

Mirna really enjoys school and wants to continue, but it's just not possible on the small salary she and her aunt make selling tortillas. Mirna helps out with raising her cousins as best she can, and she fears that she'll have to drop out of school to help the family financially if she doesn't find a sponsor.

Mirna is in 8th grade. Sponsoring her for the year and giving her the opportunity to continue her education costs $390 total. To help Mirna stay in school please go to Donate Now and enter $390 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2349 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Mirna. Your gift to her will be life-changing. Thank you so much!

House at risk of falling down

2012-01-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

Maria Rosario and her husband, Augustin, have 3 girls who are sponsored by Mayan Families. They live in San Jorge La Laguna. Augustin works as a day laborer, but he can't always find work. Maria Rosario sells newspapers on the street to try to make some extra money for the family.

The family owns their home, however last year during the rainy season, part of the land in front of the house was washed away and now their kitchen is on the edge of a cliff. They are afraid that the house won't survive the next rainy season that is coming in few months, so they want to build a retaining wall. Our construction staff visited the house and confirmed that without the wall the house will probably fall off the cliff.

The family will provide the labor, however, they cannot afford to buy the material, so they came to us for help. The material to build the wall cost $840.

If you can help Maria Rosario and her family to keep her house safe, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "#206 - Wall". Any amount will make a big difference! Thank you!

Update: Orphans Wendy and Alexander

2012-01-25T14:31:00.000-08:00

We are very sorry to inform you that Wendy and Alexander, students #2091 and #2092, are no longer part of our Orphan Program.

They were living with their grandmother and some extended family. We posted their story and so many hearts were touched that they immediately received stoves, food, school sponsorship, and many other items and they were thrilled to start school and get all the gifts that were given to them. However, due to a personal problem, the family decided to move away from Solola, where they were living.

They informed us that they were moving but they didn't tell us where they were moving to. They thanked us and all the donors for all the wonderful gifts that were given to them.

All the donors will be contacted by email as well, and we will suggest that the money goes to another family in need, as we have so many that were not as lucky as they were to receive everything they did.

We are very sad for not being able to help these kids anymore, but as we always do, we have to respect the families' wishes.

Thank you very much!

Medical Updates of the month

2012-01-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

This has been a very busy month for our Medical Team, and once again, thanks to our very generous donors, many people were treated, operated on, or at least had the chance to see a specialist.

Guillermo, had his eye surgery and according to the doctors it was a success! If he wouldn't have had the surgery he would have lost his sight within months and even with the surgery there was a risk that he would go blind. However it is been 2 weeks since the surgery and the doctors are very optimistic! We are taking Guillermo to Guatemala City once a week to have his eyes checked and he is showing a great improvement, the doctors believe that soon he will have a normal sight with no consequences from the disease he had or the surgery!

Cristobalina spent Christmas and New Years at home. She is improving quickly and her mother told us that she is even playing soccer with her nieces and nephews!! On Tuesday she went back to Guatemala City to have her arms measured, so the doctors can have a prosthesis made for her. However, she needs to have physiotherapy sessions once a week here in Panajachel and the family cannot afford the transportation costs, she already missed 2 sessions. Cristobalina has gone so far and we don't want to see her getting worse because she cannot go to her physiotherapy sessions. It would cost $10 per week for Cristobalina and one of her parents to come to Pana to have her physiotherapy.

The surgeries in Zacapa were a success!
Darly, the 19 year old from San Andres, had a lump removed from her breast. It was not a tumor and she is doing fine. She was released from the hospital 2 days after the surgery.
Marta had a mass removed from her abdomen area and is recovering well.
Crecencia had most of her tumor removed, however the doctors could not remove it all, so she will probably need chemotherapy. We will know more details once they are back in Pana.
Unfortunately Santa, the lady with what we believe are gallstones could not be operated on because the doctors didn't have time. She showed up late on Friday morning just before the group was leaving and she knew there was a chance she wouldn't have the surgery.

Yoni and his mother Juana were able to see a doctor. Yoni has a problem with his tonsils, but his mother doesn't want him to have them removed because her sister did that surgery and it didn't go well, so he is being treated and is fine for the moment. Juana is going to the doctor today.

Silvia is still in need of help, she has pulmonary fibrosis and needs monthly treatment. She needs $67 per month for her medicine and $85 per month for her treatment. But any amount you can help with will be a great relief for the family.

Walter and his grandmother came to the office to ask for medical help last year and they came back yesterday. The mother abandoned Walter and the grandmother was the only one working to pay for his medical care, however she was recently hit by a truck and now she cannot walk. Walter needs $30 to go to the doctor and have some tests done.

There are other patients with appointments scheduled for next week, we will keep you updated on their progress!

If you want to donate for Cristobalina, Crecencia, Guillermo or Silvia to continue their treatment, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write:
FA81 - Medical, for Cristobalina
#1604 - Medical, for Guillermo
FA182 - Medical, for Crecencia
FA203 - Medical, for Silvia
FA179 - Medical, for Walter

If you have any question, please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Thank you!

Walter still needs medical help

2012-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

Walter is 11 years old and has several health problems, including ulcers and intestinal infections. Walter's mother abandoned him and he now lives with his grandmother, Hermelinda. They came to us back in September asking for medical help for Walter. You can read the original post here. We didn't receive any funds for Walter and he hasn't gotten better. They returned to our office again, asking for help for Walter. He really needs to go to a private doctor and be examinued thoroughly, which includes having an ultrasound done.

To help Walter receive his exams and consultation will cost $30. After his doctor's visit, we will know more about what treatments he may need. If you would like to help pay for Walter's medical expenses, please go to Donate Now and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA-179 Medical".

Family in need of food

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Pedro and Carmelita need help. They are both bead-workers who never passed 2nd grade. Pedro had a terrible car accident several years ago that has left him unable to walk and in a wheelchair. They have a two year old child named Ingrid and can only give her tortillas to eat. They came to us out of desperation for help with food.

The family lives in San Jorge in a very simple one-room home with a dirt floor. They cook over an open fire in the ground because they don't have any type of stove. They don't have a pila or a shower or a table to sit at. They all share one bed with no mattress. They have many needs, but what they need most is food, especially for their little girl.
If you would like to make a one-time donation to help this family, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA205 Family Aid".

Thank you so much! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Father robbed and wounded

2012-01-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

Francisca and Aparisio have been through a lot. Aparisio works on a farm, but struggles to find consistent work. They were barely making it on his small salary, but at least they had a safe home in which to raise their children. Tragically, their home was recently robbed and the family has suffered greatly. Aparisio was shot and wounded and everything in their home was stolen. The family is afraid for their safety and now they are in desperate need of food and clothing. But even more urgent, Aparisio may need surgery on his arm. He needs to go to a specialist in the capital. The transportation and visit will cost $100.

To help this struggling family, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA206 Medical". Thank you so much!

Juana & Yoni both need to go to a doctor

2012-01-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: We're very happy to report that we've received enough money to send Yoni to the doctor on Monday! Thank you so much! However, we are still looking for donations for Juana!

A few weeks ago Juana came to us very concerned about her son, Yoni. Yoni recoverd; however, he recently became very ill again. We sent Yoni to the doctor, who put him on a new treatment plan that includes an antibiotic and another medicine. The doctor would like Yoni to be on this treatment for 4 days and then have a urine exam done. Juana and Yoni will return to our office on Monday to see how he's doing and to see if we've raised enough money to allow Yoni to return to the doctor for his much-needed urine exam.

To make the situation even worse, Juana has had severe pain in her left breast and under her arm for several days now. There is also a fluid that sometimes oozes out of her breast. Juana is very afraid of what these symptoms might mean, so she went to the free health clinic in town. They told her that she needed several exams, but she can't afford any of them. She came to us and asked if there was any way we could find her help.

We would like to send Juana to the only private doctor in town who has ultrasound equipment so that we can better understand what's wrong with her. The visit and exams will cost $50. We would also like to send Yoni back to the doctor on Monday so that he can be further examined. This exam and visit will cost $20. Please consider helping Juana and Yoni receive these tests. To donate, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA199 Medical".

Any questions can be emailed to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org Thank you so much!

Esperanza needs help to feed her children

2012-01-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

Esperanza has returned to our office out of desperation once more. Her husband has been mistreating her and is not supporting the family financially at all. Esperanza came to us a few months ago asking for food for her 5 children. You can read the original post here. But her situation has gotten worse since then due to her husband and she doesn't know where to turn. Please consider giving to Esperanza and helping her through this difficult time.

To help Esperanza and her children, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA189 Food". Thank you so much!

10-day old Julia needs a medical exam

2012-01-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

Manuela had a high-risk pregnancy and just recently gave birth prematurely to little Julia. Julia is only 10 days old, she is very underweight, and she has jaundice. Manuela came to our office very concerned about Julia, who is still in the hospital. She needs an exam of her bilirubin which costs $34.

Manuela is a single mother of two and cannot afford this medical cost. She lives with her sister-in-law in a poor home with no electricity and a dirt floor. Manuela asked us for any help that we could find. She needs clothing for little Julia and also asked for diapers. But her biggest priority is medical attention for her daughter.

To help little Julia, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA204 Medical". Email us with any questions at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Help these 3 women get their surgeries!

2012-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to report that Crecencia (FA182), Marta (FA201), and Matea (a member of our elderly care program) all have the opportunity to have free surgeries! Thanks to a great medical team coming from the U.S., these three women have a chance to fight for their lives.

Marta

Crecencia

Crecencia has suffered through her husband's death, the death of four of her children, major debt, and now she has cancer. Marta has a large tumor in her uterus and was told that she needed immediate surgery. Matea has a large hernia and is in severe pain every day. These three women came to us and asked for help and we were overwhelmed with the costs of their surgeries. Amazingly, the medical team is coming at the end of the month and has graciously agreed to conduct all three surgeries for free! We are so relieved, as are these women!!!

However, the women need help getting to Zacapa where the medical team will be. It's almost 125 miles away and we want the women and their family members to travel safely and securely. The women don't speak Spanish well (they're fluent in Kaqchiquel) and rarely leave their home towns, so they are afraid to travel so far. So we're sending male and female Mayan Families staff members who speak Spanish and Kaqchiquel fluently to help the women as they travel, as they go through their pre-op exams, and as they recover from their surgeries. Costs for transportation, lodging, and food add up and we need $240 for each woman. With this money we can send the women in safe transportation and provide them with our staff to translate for them and help them feel secure while traveling so far.

Finally, Crecencia will have to leave her four children alone for almost one week. We are worried about the children having food while their mother is away. The eldest daughter will leave her job to take care of her siblings, but they have no money for food. Please also consider giving $65 to feed Crecencia's children while she is gone and while she is recovering from her surgery.

We are so grateful that these women can have these major operations done, but there are a few obstacles in the way before the women can actually have their surgeries. Please consider helping us get these women to and from their surgeries safely! Please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "Zacapa Surgeries". Thank you!

Silvia has pulmonary fibrosis

2012-01-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Silvia has suffered for 5 years from pulmonary fibrosis. As a result, she is dependent on oxygen supplementation. This is a very expensive treatment, costing $85 for just one month. In addition, Silvia also takes medication daily which costs $67 each month. This is a huge sum of money for a family of limited resources.

Silvia's husband, Jose, came to our office asking for help. He is trying to take care of his wife the best he can, but he is a brick-layer assistant and only makes about $40 a week. Silvia can't work because of her health; therefore, they try to survive on Jose's small salary but it is nearly impossible for them. As you can see, they live in a small, delapitaded home and have very few resources. Jose is afraid that if he doesn't receive some help, his wife's medical treatments may suffer.

Please consider helping Jose and Silvia as they pay these medical expenses. To give, go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA203 Medical". Thank you so much!

Any questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Mayan Families' Orphan Program

2012-01-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

Orphans that come to Mayan Families in need are placed under the Family Aid Program; however, we now have 24 families of orphans. Thus, the Orphan Program was initiated to give special attention to orphaned indigenous children. If it is difficult for indigenous families to make their living in Guatemala, it is especially difficult when children have to support themselves.

The orphan families were interviewed and now we have a blog exclusively to highlight these wonderful children. The blog is being managed by Shannon, one of our sponsors and contributors in the US!! Click here to see our Orphan's Blog.

We are hoping that our orphan children will get extra help and will have access to education, satisfactory living conditions, medical aid and food.
Due to the lack of support from relatives, many of the children rely on their eldest sibling (who in some cases is only 14 years old) to work and provide for the family. We want to help orphans have the chance of moving on without their parents and the possibility of a better future.

Thanks to many generous donors, in 2011 many orphans received stoves, water filters, beds and mattresses, wardrobes, food and medical care. Better yet, almost all of them are sponsored!
We have 24 families in our orphan program, which is a total of 116 children. Of the children, 68 are attending school and only 5 do not have sponsors yet!

We really want all of our orphans of school age to be able to attend school, so if you can spread the word to your friends or sponsor one of the orphans yourself, please do. Let's give the gift of education to these children!!!!
The orphans that need sponsorship are:

- Luisa (FA66). Click here to read her story.

- Jose Gabriel (FA176). Click here to read his story.

- Karina, Yoni and Fabiola (FA196). Click here to read their story.

If you want to give them the wonderful gift of education, please go to Donate Now, and:

enter $490 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #1957 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Jose Gabriel (17yo) in High School;
enter $390 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #763 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Luisa (16yo) in Junior High;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2097 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Carla (14yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2098 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Yoni (12yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2099 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Fabiola (9yo) in Elementary School;

If you cannot sponsor a student but you want to help one of the families with food, furniture, medical aid or anything else, please go to our Orphan's Blog or contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Let's spread the word and help our orphans to have a great 2012!!!

Two children abandoned by their parents

2012-01-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

Wendy and Alexander are only 9 and 7 years old and they are already learning to be adults.

Seven years ago their father abandoned the family to live with another woman. He has never returned. Just one year later their mother left for the coast and Wendy and Alexander never heard of their parents again.

Since then, they have been living with their grandmother and some aunts and uncles in a family compound. However, the aunts and uncles have formed their own families with kids and extended family members, leaving the grandmother alone with the two of them.

She came to our office to tell us that she loves the children very much and it breaks her heart to not be able to provide for them. She is elderly and cannot work to make enough money to support them.

The children are clearly malnourished and they complain of constant headaches and fainting due to lack of food because very often they only have tortillas with salt to eat.

Their most urgent need is school sponsorship for the children, a stove (they are currently cooking on an open fire) and food.

A stove costs $170 and one month of food costs $150. If you can help with any of those items, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write #2092 and the item you want to donate.

To give these kids the chance to go to school in 2012 by sponsoring them, please go to Donate Now and:

enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2091 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Wendy (9yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2092 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Alexander (7yo) in Elementary School;

Thank you!

Good news for the three orphans!!!

2012-01-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to very generous donors, Julia, Walter and Milton will be able to attend school in 2012. The three of them have a sponsor!!
They also received some food for this month, an onil stove and money to build a very small kitchen to keep their stove safe from the rain and wind. They are thrilled to receive it all!
They still lack many things but they want to thank to everyone that helped them!!

You still have a chance to help them to get the following items:
- One month of food - $150;
- Traditional clothing for Julia, who has always worn second hand clothes - $150;
- New clothes for the boys - $45 each;
- Water Filter - $63
- Doors for the 2 bedrooms - $200 each door
- To re-wire the electricity - $535
If you want to help, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write FA 202 and the item you want to donate.

Thank you!!!

_________________________________________________
Three orphans struggling to survive

Julia, Walter, and Milton are three sweet kids from Panajachel who had the misfortune of losing their mother nine years ago, after facing a very difficult time watching their mother suffer from cancer.

After their mother's death, the father soon found a new wife and moved in with her and her family. After a while he stopped visiting the children and finally he left his mother in charge of the kids. Since then, they have been living with their grandmother that has always done her best to support and feed them.

Sadly, two months ago the grandmother passed away and the kids were left alone once again. Their aunt, the only family member they have left, decided she could not leave them alone and so she took them in, however, she has her own family to care for and having three more kids with her is becoming very difficult.

The aunt loves the children very much and she is very worried that she won't be able to feed them properly or send them to school next year.

The kids want to be with their aunt, but they fear that because of the lack of resources, she will ask them to leave and they have nowhere else to go.

If you want to help these orphans with any of the following items, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write FA 202 and the item you want to donate.
- One month of food - $150;
- Traditional clothing for Julia, who has always worn second hand clothes - $150;
- New clothes for the boys - $45 each;
- Water Filter - $63
- Doors for the 2 bedrooms - $200 each door
- To re-wire the electricity - $535
- They also need help to build a small kitchen and a small bathroom..

Milton #2164

Walter #2163

Julia #2162

To give this kids the chance to go to school in 2012, by sponsoring them, please go to Donate Now and:

enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2162 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Julia (14yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2163 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Walter (12yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2164 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Milton (10yo) in Elementary School;

Thank you!!

Happy and Sad news for Crecencia

2012-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

We posted Crecencia's story here on the blog in September. She is a single mother who lost 4 of her kids in a terrible accident and was left with a $3000 debt to pay in order to keep her house (to read the original post, please Click Here).

Thanks to our extremely generous donors, we were able to fund raise enough money to pay for Crecencia's debt and allow her to keep her house, the only possession she has.

Just before Christmas we called her here at the office to tell her the good news. She was thrilled, she couldn't believe that such a good thing could happen to her and she gave thanks to every person that helped her with that! On that same day she told us that she had been suffering from an acute pain in her abdomen area and since she was here in Panajachel, we sent her to the doctor right away.

She came back hours later, crying in desperation. The doctor had done an ultrasound and found a big mass in her cervical spine that he diagnosed as cancer. He told Crecencia that the cancer was so advanced that there was no hope for her and he wouldn't be able to treat or operate on her.

We collected her test results and sent them to another doctor that often works with us and he confirmed that it is cancer, but he said that it is too soon to say that it cannot be treated, and that she needs a colposcopy and a biopsy and only with those results the doctor will be able to say if her cancer is treatable.

Unfortunately, we had to tell Crecencia that we had the exact money to pay for her debt and we wouldn't be able to pay for it and help with her medical care. Without thinking twice, she told us that she prefers to have her house and immediately transferred the deed to her children, because she wants to leave something for them in case she dies.

We respected her wish and paid for the debt, but would like to help her go to Guatemala City and have her tests done and hopefully there will be a treatment for her.

It will cost $500 to send her to Guatemala City to have the colposcopy and the biopsy done. Further expenses will depend on the results and we cannot estimate the costs at this point. If you can help Crecencia with her medical treatment, please go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA182-Medical". Any amount will be highly appreciated!!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Thank you!

Three orphans struggling to survive

2012-01-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

The aunt loves the children very much and she is very worried that she won't be able to feed them properly or send them to school next year. The kids want to be with their aunt, but they fear that because of the lack of resources, she will ask them to leave and they have nowhere else to go.

If you want to help these orphans with any of the following items, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write FA 202 and the item you want to donate.
- One month of food - $150;
- A onil stove - $170;
- Traditional clothing for Julia, who has always worn second hand clothes - $150;
- New clothes for the boys - $45 each;
- Water Filter - $63
- Doors for the 2 bedrooms - $200 each door
- To re-wire the electricity - $535
- They also need help to build a small kitchen and a small bathroom..

Milton #2164

Walter #2163

Julia #2162

To give this kids the chance to go to school in 2012, by sponsoring them, please go to Donate Now and:

enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2162 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Julia (14yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2163 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Walter (12yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2164 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Milton (10yo) in Elementary School;

Thank you!!

4-year old very ill

2011-12-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

Juana came to us very concerned about her 4-year old son, Yoni. Since he was born, Yoni has become sick a lot with throat pain, vomiting, fever, even pneumonia. About 6 months ago, Yoni became very ill and was sent to the hospital where they ran exams and determined that he had a blood infection. He was put on a penicillin treatment for 6 months, which helped him. However, after the treatment ended he became ill again.

Juana came to us in desperation because for the past 3 days Yoni has been very ill and vomiting. We were very concerned for Yoni and sent him to the doctor immediately, where he received some medicine to alleviate the vomiting. However, the doctor wants to run several tests to determine what type of infection Yoni has and how to best treat it.

The costs for Yoni's doctor's appointment, medicine, and exams are $30. If you would like to help Yoni get the medical treatment that he needs, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA199 Medical". Thank you so much for helping this sick little boy! Please email any questions to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Urgent help needed for Marta!

2011-12-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

Marta has a severe health problem. For almost three years she's had pain in her lower abdomen. However, in the past 6 months the pain has gotten much worse and is now almost constant. Sometimes the pain is so severe that she can't sleep or eat.

Marta went to the public health clinic, but the doctors said there was nothing they could do for her. Marta and her family decided that she should go to a private doctor, although it was very difficult for them to afford. Marta was examined, had an ultrasound, and was given various blood tests by a private doctor. The doctor determined that she has a large tumor in her uterus and it's growing quite rapidly. The tumor is causing so much pain that the pain is spreading to her back and affecting her kidneys. The doctor was so concerned about Marta and her large tumor that he wanted to operate on her immediately on the same day and said it was urgent. However, the surgery costs $1,333 and there is no way the family can afford it.

While interviewing the family, we talked about the possibility of going to a public hospital for a cheaper surgery, but the family is very afraid to go to the public hospital. They have heard horror stories of friends going to the public hospital and coming out worse than they were before. The parents will do whatever they need for the health of their daughter, and they just want her to get the best care possible.

We know that this amount of money is a huge sum. But Marta and her parents have no other options. They know that her health is very delicate right now and they are afraid. They have no where else to turn, so they have come to us and asked if there is anything we can do to help. Please consider helping this young woman get the surgery that she desperately needs. Any amount you give will help them pay for this much-needed surgery.

To donate for Marta, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA201 Medical". Thank you so much.

Five orphans want to put their life together

2011-12-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Karina is only 14 years old and she already has the huge responsibility of taking care of her 4 younger siblings.

Their father passed away 2 years ago due to drinking problems. Their mother is an alcoholic and is rarely at home. Last November she came home drunk and kicked her own children out of the house.

Not knowing what to do, the five kids were left to sleep in a corn field. The next day Karina begged for money until she had enough for herself and her siblings to take a public bus to San Jorge where they have family.
The kids are now living with their grandparents and some aunts and uncles. The grandfather decided he will take responsibility for the five of them and he told us that he is already preparing the paperwork.
Although the children are feeling safe now with their family, they are lonely and sad. And as much as the grandfather wants to help, he has his own family to support and is finding it hard to make enough money to feed five more mouths.
Apart from food, the orphans need 2 beds and 2 mattresses. The ones they are sleeping on were borrowed from a neighbor but soon they will have to give them back.

We also would like to send all of them to a doctor. They have not been to a doctor in a long time and Karina, the eldest, told us that they constantly suffer from headaches and fever. She also related some symptoms that are very likely to be parasites, and Yoni has a dislocated shoulder that has never been treated.

The children really want to attend school and they need a sponsor to make that happen. The youngest one, Cristian, is extremely malnourished and it would be great if he could find a sponsor for the milk program.

If you can help this family of orphans to be more comfortable by giving them a bed with a mattress, each bed and mattress costs $170. To provide them with food for a month, it costs $200. To send all of them to see a doctor, it costs $100. If you can help with any of these items, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write FA 196 and the item you want to donate.

Karina #2097

If you want to give them the wonderful gift of education, please go to Donate Now, and:

enter $390 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2097 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Karina (14yo) in Junior High;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2098 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Yoni (12yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2099 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Fabiola (9yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2100 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Carla (7yo) in Elementary School;
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2101 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Cristian (4yo) in Elementary School;

Yoni #2098

Fabiola #2099

Carla #2100

And if you want to help Cristian to be part of our milk program, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter $30 in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write L-125

Cristian #2101

These kids have suffered a lot already and they are in great need of help, any amount you donate towards them will make a huge difference in their lives!!
Thank you very much!

Great News!

2011-12-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the care and generosity of our donors, Carlos (#2035) and Anayeli (#2036) have both been sponsored for 2012! Thank you so much! These children are so grateful to be able to go to school for another year. If you'd like to help this family of orphans in another way, they are still in need of food donations. You can read their full story here.

If you're interested in sponsoring a child, we still have many, many kids waiting for a sponsor. Please send an email to education@mayanfamilies.org to get more information about sponsoring a child in need. Sponsorship really does make a world of difference for children and families. Thank you so much!

Diabetic suffering from health problems

2011-12-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Benancio has had diabetes for 6 years. When she was first diagnosed she went to the public health clinic and was told she had to change her diet and eat less sugar. Unfortunately, she wasn't given any medication. Sadly, her change in diet was not enough to control her diabetes.

Today she is completely blind, she has high blood pressure, she has a kidney infection, she needs dialysis, and she has several secondary problems from diabetes that need treated.

Her greatest concern is dialysis. She needs to go the capital twice a week to have dialysis. Luckily, she can receive the dialysis free of charge, but she has to pay for the transportation. It costs $109 for her transportation fees to go to the city and come back. This is a huge expense for Benancio. She and her daughters have sold almost everything they own to try to pay for Benancio's medical treatment, but they simply do not have enough money.

Benancio also has several secondary problems due to her diabetes, including high blood pressure and skin problems and lesions. Thankfully, she can be treated for these problems in Panajachel and it costs much less, only $20 a week.

Benancio with her daughters

If you would like to help Benancio go to the capital to receive dialysis, it costs $218 a week. If you'd like to help her receive her treatment in Panajachel, it costs $20 a week. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA200 Medical". Thank you for caring for this woman and for your willingness to help her live with this difficult disease!

Questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Family's home is falling apart

2011-12-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

Lucia lives in Solola with her husband and four children. Recently, Lucia came to us with a heavy heart and asked for help. She and her family live in an adobe home that is one large room, but they've divided it into three smaller rooms. The adobe was not built well and the walls are beginning to crumble and the house is literally falling apart. It's not safe for the family to live in these conditions. We've spoken with our construction manager and he can rebuild their home using block, which will last longer and be much more sturdy. To build them a two-room block home costs $5,000.

The deed to the home is in the name of the husband, but Lucia would like to change it over to the children's names. The father has not been treating the family well. He is gone a lot because he has a girlfriend and he often beats Lucia. For these reasons, Lucia wants the deed to the house to be in the name of the children so they will always have a place of their own, no matter what their father does. It costs $256 to change the name of the deed over to the children.

We know that these are expensive requests, but we would only ask for this help if we thought it was really necessary. If you would like to help Lucia and her children have a safe home that can't be taken away from them, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "648 Family Aid". Thank you so much for your care and generosity!

1-year old sick with pneumonia

2011-12-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

Martina and her husband, Juan, have seven children. Their youngest child, Angel, is only 1 year old. He became very ill so his parents rushed him to the hospital. He stayed in the hospital for two weeks, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. Angel was doing slightly better so the doctors gave the family a prescription for medicine and sent him home.
Unfortunately, Angel's parents were unable to buy him his medicine and within a few days he became very ill again, so his mother came to us for help. We immediately sent two staff members to see the baby and they were quite worried after seeing Angel's condition. We bought his medicine right away because it was an urgent situation and Angel couldn't wait any longer. We also sent Angel to a private doctor to make sure he is getting better and taking the correct medicine.

This family is very poor. Juan is a day laborer and work is hard to find and doesn't pay much. They live in a one-room home with no stove, no pila, no shower, and they all share one bed with no mattress, leaving many to sleep on the floor. The parents struggle to feed their large family and many times they only eat herbs and tortillas. They cook over an open fire on the ground.

This family needs medical help for their baby and they need food for their large family. Angel's medicine costs $73. To feed the family for one month costs $200. Any amount that you can give will help this poor family immensely. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA198 Medical". Thank you so much!

Amazing news!! Cristobalina is walking!!!

2011-12-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

Cristobalina proved to be a very strong girl. Despite all the pain and suffering she never lost hope and faced everything with a smile. And now she has been rewarded with an amazing recovery.

Only three months ago Cristobalina was in a wheelchair and couldn't even stretch her legs and now she is walking with no help!

We want to thank all of you who have donated to Cristobalina allowing her to be treated and we want to share our amazement with you! To see her walking click here.

She went home for two weeks to be with her family and rest and now she is back at the hospital for more therapy and hopefully the doctors will give her a prosthesis for her arms.

To read Cristobalina's story please click here.

There is still a long way to go and Cristobalina will need all the help she can get. If you can help Cristobalina on her journey, please go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the 'Other' box, with "FA81 medical care" in the 'details box'.

Thank you!!

Gillermo and his family need a new house!

2011-12-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

Gillermo, 32 years old and his wife, Yolanda Zapeta Ajucúm Trinidad, live in a small community called Aldea Patanatic in the mountainside above Panajachel. After having three miscarriages, they are now 4 months pregnant and hoping for the best with their first child.

As a self-made electrician, Gillermo started building his house in 2001, with a vision of living there happily with his wife. While earning only small amounts of money here and there, Gillermo could only build small piece by piece. Gillermo took out a loan from the nearby cooperative to help build, and finally on September 27^th, 2011, his dream was realized and the house was finished.

Everything changed on Wednesday, October 12, 2011, as Tropical Storm E-12 descended upon Guatemala. At 5:30 am, Gillermo and Yolanda were woken up by a terrible cracking sound, and got out just in time as an enormous landslide came thundering down the mountain, destroying their home and all of their belongings. They are grateful to be alive, but heartbroken to see their dreams demolished. They still owe the bank for the mortgage on the house that is destroyed, and bad economic times mean that there is little income to begin with, and Yolanda must be very careful with her high-risk pregnancy. Gillermo feels shame for still owing the $2,400 loan and not being able to provide for his family. His brother has graciously given them a room in his house for them to live, and if he can find the funds, his sister has donated part of her property for him to try to rebuild a small house. Gillermo’s and his brothers have volunteered to build a home themselves, if they can only find a way to raise money for the materials.

Gillermo and Yolanda keep their faith in God and hope for help. You can be part of that hope for Gillermo and Yolanda.

If would cost about $4500 to build this family a new house. It is a large amount of money but from small donations we can get them started. If you want to donate for this family please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA195 House". Any amount will be of great value!

Thank you!

Please help baby Mario

2011-12-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

Esther's baby boy, Mario, is sick and she's worried about him. Mario is only 40 days old, but already suffers from health problems. In an attempt to find him help, Esther took him to the public health center here in town. The doctor there told her that Mario needs an ultrasound to determine what his illness is, and that it could be serious. Esther has no way of paying for this expensive medical exam, so she came to us for help. We would like to send baby Mario to a private doctor for a thorough check-up and assessment to determine what medical exams he may need.

To be seen by a private doctor and pay for the initial medical exams costs $35.

If you would like to make a one-time donation to help Mario, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA136 Medical".

Thank you so much! Please send any questions you may have to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Please help a family of 6 orphans!

2011-12-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

A 19-year old girl, Olga, bravely traveled to our office with her younger siblings and asked us for help. Eight days ago the mother of these children died, leaving them all as orphans. The father passed away several years ago. There are six children now, left with no one to care for them. There are two grandparents still living, but they don't help the children or take interest in them. It's a very difficult situation, and these children are now the only family they have.

The mother suffered from uterine cancer for five years. Times were difficult while she was sick, but at least the children had a mother who loved them and cared for them. Now the weight of raising all of the children rests on Olga. She held the youngest, 4-year old Esbin, close to her while she told us the story of her mother's passing and explained that only two of the six children have been able to attend school due to lack of finances.

The orphans now live in their mother's home alone. They don't have any windows or doors in the home. The ground is dirt and they barely have any furniture. They don't have a table, chairs, stove, or closet. They share one bed, leaving many to sleep on the dirt floor. They do not have any electricity and their bathroom consists of an outhouse made of nylon plastic.

The needs for this family are great. Their most urgent need is food. It costs $200/month to feed the entire family. If you would like to donate for these orphans please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA194 Family Aid".

The younger children would like to continue in their education, but it appears nearly impossible for Olga to be able to make enough money for their school fees. If you would like to sponsor one of the children so that they can go to school in 2012, please go to Donate Now, and:

enter $390 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2035 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Carlos or
enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #2036 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Anayeli

Thank you so much for your compassion and generosity! Any questions can be emailed to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Great news for Yovani!

2011-11-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

We are so happy to share with you that Yovani and his grandmother have received their brand new bed! You can read their original post here. As you can see from the picture, the grandmother is so thrilled to receive this bed. Thank you so much to all of the donors who gave. This gift is a great example of how small donations add up to a large amount. Many of you collaborated together and every little bit helped! Thank you so much for caring for this family!

Family suffering from many health problems

2011-11-25T15:13:00.000-08:00

Every so often we have families that come to us with multiple medical needs. It's sometimes hard to believe the many enfermities that one family has, but if a family is living in poverty then it's very difficult to stay healthy.

Ana and her husband have five children and four of them are in need of medical help. Anabely has a cyst on her ovary. She probably needs surgery, but the family has no means of providing her with the finances to be seen by a doctor. She also has spasms in her lower back which are very painful for her and prevent her from being able to move and work normally.

Irma has a cataract in one of her eyes. She is young, only 18, for this condition. But her outdoor work and frequent sun exposure has caused great damage to her eyesight. Now she is no longer able to see out of one of her eyes. She has not been to an eye doctor due to lack of money.

Three months ago, 16-year old Carmen had to have emergency surgery on her appendix. She is still recovering from this surgery and the family is left with great debt from her medical costs.
Claudia is only 13 years old, and she suffers from a severe skin problem. She breaks out in rashes all over her body, including her face. The public health clinic has told her it's an allergy problem, but the cream that they recommend is over $30, and it only lasts 1-2 weeks. The family cannot afford this expense, and the cream really only helps a little bit. We believe Claudia needs to be seen by a dermatologist to better understand what is really going on. We desperately want to find relief for Claudia as she is really suffering from these rashes.
Ana's husband owns a small store and tries to provide for his five children by selling things. It's a very small business and the family often does not have enough money for food, much less medical expenses. Any and all help you could give to this family would bring them much relief as they are afflicted with so many health problems.

To donate to this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA193 Medical". Thank you so, so much!
Questions? Email us familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Little Yovani left to sleep on the floor

2011-11-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

Little Yovani is 4 years old and has been abandoned by his mother. His mother has taken Yovani's three siblings and moved in with another man. She left little Yovani in the care of her aging mother, Julia. Julia struggles financially, but at least she can offer Yovani a loving home.

About one week ago, Yovani's mother came to Julia's house to take Julia and Yovani's bed, stating that the bed belonged to her. Julia wouldn't allow her to take the bed, but was later issued a court order to determine who the bed belonged to. Julia and Yovani came to our office to ask for help. Julia can barely afford to buy food for Yovani, now she is facing court fees and losing their one and only bed.

Yesterday we found out that the court sided against Julia and Yovani, giving the bed to Yovani's mother. They now sleep on the floor. Please consider donating a bed or food to Julia and Yovani. They have suffered greatly from family disputes and have no way of buying a new bed for themselves.

If you would like to buy them a bed, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter "$170" in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA146 Family Aid - Bed".

Or if you would like to give them food, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA146 Family Aid - Food".

Thank you so much for caring for Julia and Yovani!

Two sisters left alone grieving loss of grandmother

2011-11-15T09:24:00.000-08:00

Hildy (11 years old) and Glendy (6 years old) are sisters who have experienced much pain in their lives. When they were very young their father abandoned the family, and shortly after that the mother left the girls in the care of their aging grandparents. Their mother soon married another man and started another family, clearly expressing that she wants nothing to do with Hildy and Glendy.

So these two sweet girls have been raised by their grandparents. It has been difficult for them and often there is not enough money to cover their basic necessities. But at least the girls had a home and family to care for them.

Tragically, the grandmother passed away a few days ago and the two girls now have no where to turn. The grandfather feels that he is too old and too poor to raise the girls alone. He is asking us what will now happen to the girls. We don't have an easy answer.

The girls' most urgent need right now is the funeral costs of their grandmother. Normally, a coffin and burial plot are bought and a meal is given to all who are grieving. The total cost for the funeral is $300. If you could help these sisters in any way, they would be so grateful.

If you would like to make a one-time donation, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "297 Family Aid".

The future of these girls appears uncertain, but we will do everything we can to make sure they find a loving home where they can finish their schooling. Thank you so much for caring for these girls and for all of your help! Questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

World Diabetes Day

2011-11-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

Today is World's Dibetes Day. In honor of this day and in an effort to edcuate the local population, we held our monthly Diabetes Club today. Sixty-two people came to the club. The meeting began at 8:30 and we gave free blood exams, physical exams, and each person received a one-on-one consultation with a doctor and nutritionist. Medical staff led three discussions about neuropathy, diet, and exercise. At the end of the club, we handed out pamphlets explaining how to control your diabetes and the right foods to eat, and then we gave everyone a healhty lunch. People came from all over the lake-region, some came from far away, even across the lake.

When measuring blood sugar levels, we were shocked with what we saw. Keep in mind that a normal measurement is 100 and below. However, in our club today we had 21 people with measurements above 200, and 3 people had measurements above 400! We gave them shots of insulin right away, knowing that they were in great danger with such high blood sugar levels. This shows how dangerous diabetes is among Guatemalans and how desperate our Club is needed to help educate people.

Diabetes is a serious illness that effects many people all over the world. The poverty and lack of education that is so prevalent in Guatemala often makes diabetes invisible and deadly. Please consider making a donation to our Diabetes Club so we can continue our efforts in educating people and helping individuals live with diabetes in a healthy way.

Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "Diabetes Club". Thank you so much!

Parents struggling to feed their children

2011-11-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Florinda came to our office asking for help. She and her husband, Miguel, have six children and they can barely feed them all each day. As parents, they feel helpless and are afraid for the health of their children.

Florinda is frequently ill and very weak. She has gone to a public doctor, and the doctor told her that she has anemia, she's malnourished, and needs vitamins. However, Florinda can't even think of buying vitamins for herself and taking money away from feeding her children. Therefore she lives with her condition and tries to find the strength to care for her family.

The family's greatest need is food. If you could give any amount, they would be so grateful. Some options include: a large food basket for $35, a 100 lb. bag of corn for $50, or enough food to feed the entire family for one month for $200.

If you would like to make a one-time donation for this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA191 Family Aid - Food".

Questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org. Thank you so much!

Single mother unable to feed her children

2011-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

Marta is a single mother of 6. Her husband had a terrible temper problem and beat her often. A few years ago he abandoned the family, and now she is left alone to care for their children. Marta is also caring for two grandchildren who were abandoned and have no where else to go.

Marta cannot provide for her children. Sometimes they have nothing to eat. All 9 of them share a one-room home with a dirt floor. They cook over an open fire outside. They only own two beds for nine people, leaving many to sleep on the ground.

The family is really struggling right now and are in great need of food. Please consider donating to feed them. Any amount will be a huge help to them. A large food basket costs $35, or you can feed the entire family for a month for $200.

To donate to this family, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 192 Family Aid". Thank you so much!

Please feel free to email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org with any questions.

Family struggling to pay for medicine and food

2011-11-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

Little Javier has a lot of respiratory problems. Last year doctors removed his tonsils, but two months later he had a severe attack where he couldn't breathe. His parents took him to the hospital in Solola where they gave him a nebulizer treatment. The following month they took him to a private doctor where he was diagnosed with asthma.

Javier has been to many clinics and seen by many doctors. He's been on various types of treatments to help him breathe better. All of this costs a lot of money and has consumed the majority of the parents' earnings. To make things worse, after spending so much money the past year on Javier's breathing problems, he still isn't much better today.
As a result of their ongoing medical costs, the family has come to our office to ask for help with food. It is just too difficult to pay for both Javier's medical needs and provide food for all five people in the family. We fear that if the family doesn't get assistance with food, they may be forced to choose between giving medicine to one child or feeding all three. It is a very difficult place to be as a parent.

We have many options for giving food donations that range from $35 to $200. You can see a list of common donations here. Please consider giving to this family. Any amount will be a huge help.
To donate to this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 188 Family Aid - Food". Thank you so much!

Family being kicked out of their house

2011-11-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Petrolina is a mother of 6 children who is facing a serious problem.

The family is currently living in a house that belonged to Petrolina's parents. Before they died they said they would leave a piece of land and a small house for each one of their children; however, they didn't have time to do that and one of Petrolina's brothers now owns the land and the houses.

Despite that, the family continued living there for a little while. However, now the brother wants them off of his land as soon as possible and they have nowhere to go. They cannot go to Petrolina's husband's family for help. They already tried but the family does not have the means to help.

They went to an organization that builds house in this region. This organization will help them to build a house, however they need a piece of land to build on. The couple is very worried because they cannot afford to buy the land and build the house and they have nowhere to go.

Petrolina's husband and their sons work in the fields. If they had their own piece of land they would be able to grow onions and some vegetables and make a little more money.

It costs around $2600 to buy a plot of land in the area where they live and they definitely cannot afford to pay for the whole amount, especially because they are trying to save money to build the house.

If you can help this family to buy a piece of land, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "#535 Land". Any amount will be highly appreciated!

Thank you so much for your care and generosity! Feel free to email any questions to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Family struggling and children are very malnourished

2011-11-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Esperanza came to our office very worried about her malnourished children. Esperanza and her husband, Efrain, have five children and they are really struggling to feed everyone. Efrain works as a day laborer, but he doesn't earn very much and he often spends too much of his earnings on alcohol. As a result, Esperanza feels helpless to provide for her children alone. The poor family usually only eats tortillas with salt. They cook over an open fire on the ground. They have beds, but no mattresses. The family's greatest need is food. A large basket of food costs $35, or a 100lb. bag of black beans costs $80. Any amount that you can give to this family will be greatly appreciated and will feed these malnourished children. Also, little Sandra is 4 years old, but she is very small for her age due to malnutrition. Little Wendy is only 10 months old and is also very malnourished. Both these little girls are in desperate need of milk sponsors.

To help these little girls and become a monthly milk sponsor, please go to Donate Monthly and enter your donation in the "Other Program" box. Under "Description" write "L-121 Milk Program" to sponsor Sandra or write "L-122 Milk Program" to sponsor Wendy. It costs $30/month to sponsor Sandra and $54/month to sponsor Wendy.

To donate food to this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA189 Family Aid - Food".

Thank you so much for your care and generosity! Feel free to email any questions to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Vote for M.F. on the "Chase Community Giving" Contest.

2011-11-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Now is your chance to show support for Mayan Families and help us win $25,000 or more! That's right, we could receive a donation from the Chase Community Giving Facebook App, for free. Vote now...just follow these steps:

On the web, go to: http://bit.ly/rFKYZE

Click “Like” for the Chase Community Giving App, then you will be granted 10 votes.

Then find the search bar to type in a charity name (ie Mayan Families).

Once you’ve located your desired charity, click “Vote and Share”.

You will be prompted to “Allow” your personal information to be gathered by the Chase Community Giving App. You must “Allow”.

You can only vote for one charity one time, so it forces you to spread your votes out evenly.

Thank you for taking the time to follow these steps to move us one step closer to being a winner of the Chase donations…we could win $25,000-$250,000.

Vote ends on November 22nd! Hurry...contact us if you have questions...contest is in session!

Single mother of 8 struggling to feed her children

2011-11-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Rosa is a single mother of eight. Yes, eight children. Her husband left her and their children about six years ago and ever since then Rosa has been washing laundry to try to feed all of her kids. She makes about $3.30 per day washing laundry. Her meager earnings often result in hungry children becasue she can't afford enough food.

All 9 of them share a one-room home with a dirt floor. They have two beds, but no mattresses. Three people sleep in each bed and the rest sleep on the floor. It is a very poor, very difficult life for this family.

The family's greatest need is food. If you would like to donate a monthly food basket for this family, please go to Donate Monthly and enter your donation in the "Other Program" box. Under "Description" write "FA190 Family Aid - Monthly Food" and specify how much you'd like to donate per month for food. A large food basket costs $35 or you can feed the entire family for one month for $200.

You can also make a one-time donation to feed this family. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA190 Family Aid - Food". Thank you so much!

Family in need: debt, cancer, and school sponsorships

2011-11-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Angelica traveled to Panajachel from the coast, where she lives, to come to us and tell her story. She and her husband, Pedro, have five children who they are struggling to provide for. Pedro works as a day laborer, but work is never consistent and there are many mouths to feed.

To make things even more difficult, Angelica has had ovarian cancer for three years. She is in a lot of pain from her growing cancer, but she is unable to afford regular pain medicine. It is quite probable that she will need surgery, but she can't afford to go to a doctor so she has just lived with the cancer and the pain. We feel that three years is much too long to be living with ovarian cancer and she needs to be examined. It will cost $50 for Angelica to see a doctor and be tested. We can't predict if she will have future medical costs, but for now we're raising funds for the first step.

The family is also behind on their rent payment and are concerned that they may get kicked out, with no where to go. Their rent debt is $167 and they would appreciate any/all help to get caught up on their payments.

The family is very poor and usually only eat rice, beans, and herbs. They have no stove and cook over an open fire. Furthermore, they also take care of their diabetic grandfather who doesn't work. Life is very hard for this family and they don't know where to turn.

Three of their five children need school sponsors to be able to stay in school next year. Maria Amarilis is 11 years old and in 4th grade, her student number is #2015. Maria Antonia is 9 years old and is in 2nd grade, her student number is #2016. Ericka Dayana is 6 years old and isn't in school yet, her student number is #2017.

If you would like to help this family in need, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 187 Family Aid" and designate what you would like to pay for (Angelica's medical costs, rent payments, food, etc).

If you would like to sponsor one of their daughters to be able to go to school for the 2012 school year, please go to Donate Now and enter $190 in the "Student Sponsorship box $". Then in the "Student ID#" box enter:

#2015 to sponsor Maria Amarilis
#2016 to sponsor Maria Antonia
#2017 to sponsor Ericka Dayana

Thank you so much! Questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Single mother possibly giving up child for adoption

2011-10-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Angela is a single mother of three. She's had some complications with her ex-husband and he now has custody of the two older children, but only because he is more financially stable than Angela. Angela is the sole provider for her youngest child, 6 year old Merlyn. The other two children live with the ex-husband and his new wife. Angela is worried about her two children because they have told her that they are not treated well by their new stepmother. Angela loves her children and wants the best for them, but she is struggling so much financially that she's not sure what to do.

Angela has worked many different jobs, whatever is available to her. However, it's very difficult in Panajachel right now to find consistent work. Angela is really struggling and is having so much trouble providing for Merlyn that Angela is considering the unthinkable: giving up little Merlyn for adoption. It must be a pain-staking realization to know that someone else can provide for your child better than you can so perhaps you should leave your child. Angela wants to be with all three of her children, but there is no way she can provide for them financially, so she's forced to find other options. If she cannot find work soon she will leave for the capital city to find work. We're not sure what will happen to little Merlyn if her mother leaves.

Angela believes that she could provide for her children if only she had a little help starting up a food business. She would like to cook food and sell it on the street, and she is quite confident that she can make enough profit from this endeavor to stay in Panajachel and keep Merlyn, and maybe even get back her two other children in the future. Angela needs $160 to start up her business. If you would be willing to help her begin this endeavor, you would be helping a single mother provide for her family, and hopefully this family could stay together.

To help Angela, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "1573 Family Aid". Thank you so much!

If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Orphans need repairs on their home

2011-10-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

You may remember Maria Isabel (read her full story here). She and her 2 year old brother, Miguel, were recently orphaned when their seemingly healthy mother died within 15 days of becoming ill. They are now living with their grandma in her one-room home. The grandmother does not work due to her age and frailty. The grandfather has a terrible drinking problem and does not support the family at all. We posted Maria Isabel and Miguel's story on the blog and many of you responded very generously. Thanks to your help, Maria Isabel is now sponsored so she can stay in school, and the family is receiving food for several months. They are so, so grateful for your help. You have truly changed their lives in so many ways.

We recently went to visit Maria Isabel and Miguel in the home of their grandmother. The home is very simple and old, and it consists of only one large room. The roof leaks and will need to be fixed. The windows in the home do not have glass; only pieces of damp wood cover the window openings. This makes the home damp and very dark. Finally, we would like to build a wall inside their home to create two separate rooms. Due to their financial limitations, this will probably be the children's home for the rest of their lives; therefore, we think it's important to create two rooms so that they can have some privacy as they grow older.

To construct the wall, fix the roof, and repair the windows will be a big undertaking and it will cost a lot, around $1800. But we think it is worth it to give these two orphans a safe and secure home for their future. Someday their grandmother will pass, so we are currently working on transferring the deed to the home to Maria Isabel. This way we can ensure that the children will always have a home. For this reason, we think it's crucial that it is a safe and secure home.

We know this is a large amount of money, but we're posting it on the blog to see if many people can give, even a small amount. To donate, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA185 Family Aid". Thank you so, so much!

Excellent News!! Cristobalina can stand up!!!!

2011-10-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

Update October, 2011

After a painful post surgery recovery, we are very happy to inform you that Cristobalina is no longer experiencing leg pain!!! She told us that she is so happy she already forgot how painful the recovery was.

She also told us that she is having physiotherapy and now she can stand by herself and with the help of two nurses today she was able to take a few steps!!!

It is a small improvement, but for Cristobalina it's the realization of a dream. Six months ago she thought she would never be able to leave her house again, and now she is on her way to walking!!
That is only possible because of some generous donors that are supporting Cristobalina through this long and hard journey. But there is still a long way to go and Cristobalina will need all the help she can get. If you can help Cristobalina on her journey, please go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the 'Other' box, with "FA81 medical care" in the 'details box'.

If you have any questions please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org
__________________________________________________________________________________
Update September, 29th 2011

We are thrilled to inform you that Cristobalina had a second surgery, this time on her right leg. She is recovering well and now she can stretch both of her legs.

She will have to stay in the hospital for about 2 months to recover While she is hospitalized the doctors will start physiotherapy sessions, and it is very possible that Cristobalina will be able to leave the hospital walking!!

We are all very happy and hopeful that Cristobalina will be able to have a better future. However, after leaving the hospital she will need more physiotherapy sessions both on her legs and arms, so if you want to keep supporting her please go to Donate Now, and enter your donation in the "Other" box, with "FA81 medical care" in the 'details box'.

If you have any questions please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Sad news about baby Liliana

2011-10-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

We are very sorry to inform you that baby Liliana could not endure any longer and passed away last Friday.

She was born with hydrocephaly. Her first surgery was a success but the second shunt surgery began to fail about 6 weeks ago.
The child died peacefully at home and we are sure that she is in a better place now.

To read the full story, please click here.

Good news about Ponciana!!

2011-10-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

Update October 2011

We are thrilled to inform you that after a few months of chemotherapy Ponciana is finally getting better!!! The doctors at Wuku Kawoq who are working with us on Ponciana's case did a restaging imaging on her last week, and it showed that she has only one lung metastasis now, whereas she had dozens before.
Thank you to all of you that supported and are still supporting Ponciana!!!
To read Ponciana's full story, please click here.

Update June 2nd 2011
Ponciana is currently having lots of tests done to ascertain exactly what caused the tumor that required the amputation of her leg. The wonderful doctors at Wuku Kawoq have taken on her case to ensure she gets the right tests done and the right treatment according to those results. This has taken a lot of time to organize but we know it is important that she get a correct diagnosis in order to get the right treatment. The necessary tests cost $533 and there will be many more costs involved once the actual treatment commences. Thank you to everyone who has already donated to Ponciana, she is a lovely person who is really appreciative of all the assistance she has received. If you would like to assist Ponciana get the treatment she needs or to assist her family with any food donations please go to Donate Now, and enter your donation in the Family Aid section and enter the family name as FA115.

Thank you for assisting Ponciana and her family move forward! Read below for the rest of her story.

Mother of 4 lost her home in storm, now has no where to go

2011-10-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

As many of you have heard, the tropical storm that hit Panajachel last week has created devastation for several families. Ana Elizabeth and her four children lived in a home close to the river, and have had to evacuate their home as a precautionary act. The storm washed away much of the river banks, and their home is now dangerously close to the edge of the river. As a result, the family has had to move out of their home and leave everything behind.

To make matters more difficult, Ana's husband left 2 years ago to find work and has left the family in the care of his wife. The father now lives very far away as he tries to find work, but the family does not receive consistent money from him. Sometimes he makes enough money to send some to his wife and children, but many times he does not send any help. They haven't seen him in 2 years. Ana cooks corn and sells it on the street, but her small salary is not enough to raise a family of four children.

And now the family has no place to go, because their home is at great risk of being washed away in the river. Ana came to our office desperately asking for help. The family needs food and help to find a new place to stay.

If you would like to make a one-time donation to this family, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA186 Family Aid". Any amount that you could give would help this family tremendously as they are really struggling right now!

Thank you! Any questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Tropical Storm Update

2011-10-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

Things here have been very chaotic lately. While the rains have lessened in severity, they have continued for almost a week now. We have only had small pockets of sunshine these past seven days, so everything continues to stay wet. While the storms have not been as severe as last week, the continued rains make it very difficult for families to reconstruct or fix their homes.

And the rains are making it very difficult for people to work their normal jobs. The river is still very fast, so laborers are forced to find other jobs. Because the roads are still very dangerous, there are not many tourists coming in, so shop keepers, restaurants, and venders of jewelry are struggling. It's an odd feeling to walk down the main street and see so many stalls empty and the streets so quiet.

Despite the many power outages (including a fallen cable-line yesterday in front of our office), Mayan Families has remained open through everything. Several families have come to us asking for food and help as they have been forced to leave their homes. We have been handing out our reserves of food and emergency aid relief to try to help through this difficult time.

However, many families are unable to travel to our office due to the threats of mudslides and rockslides. Today, we went again to the emergency shelter in the gymnasium and passed out dry clothes, shoes, and diapers. We know that there are still many families struggling, and there will be larger projects needed to reconstruct homes once the rain subsides.

While we are very hopeful that the worst is behind us, we know that more needs will come to our attention as families try to put back together their homes and find more consistent work. Thank you to all of you who have so generously responded to the many suffering families here. We certainly would not be able to help them without your care and generosity.

We will try to keep the blog updated as much as possible. Thank you!

Tropical Storm hits Panajachel

2011-10-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Today was a really sad day for Mayan Families as many of our clients lost their homes or, as a precaution, had to empty their houses and take everything they could to neighbor or family members houses.

The rainy season this year was pretty mild compared to last year until yesterday, when Panajachel was hit by a tropical storm. This morning we came to the office to find the city flooded and the water level rising dramatically in the river.

We are working on emergency relief, trying to get people to the local gymnasium and trying to provide them with as much food, clean water and medical care as we can. However, the situation is chaotic, all the roads out of Panajachel have been closed and there is a fear that the city doesn't have enough provisions of food, gas, and clean water. We are also very worried about some of our staff members that have already lost their homes or are in risk of losing them.

Some of our staff members were driving around town evaluating the situation, when they ran into an alleyway that was being washed away by the river. The fireman and neighbors were trying to evacuate people, especially the elderly and the children, when our staff saw one of our clients asking for help to save the little things that were left in her home.

During this week and next, we will be writing blog posts and telling the stories about those people that lost their homes, but at this difficult moment, all the help you can give is highly appreciated.

If you want to donate for the emergency aid fund, please go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "emergency aid".

If you have any questions or want more information, please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Thank you!

Family of 8 needs a proper home

2011-10-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Baby Ilda and her brother became ill last year and were taken to the public hospital. Soon after, her brother died and we sent Ilda to a private doctor for immediate treatment, fearing that whatever killed her brother might also kill her. Thanks to the quick treatment of a private doctor, Ilda is alive today. However, she has severe neurological disabilities and is unable to move or talk. Read her full story here.

Ilda is one of six children, and her parents are very poor. Her father works as a day laborer and her mother sells bracelets. Baby Ilda is in our milk program and is doing well despite her neurological condition. However, this family of 8 live in a very poor home that is not contstructed well, and they don't have the money to fix it.
Basically the entire home is one room and almost everything is open. There are a few simple pieces of wood propped up around the bed, but these thin sheets hardly make a wall. While they have an indoor latrine, it is not closed off in any way, so the stench and contamination of raw sewage easily permeates into the entire home, including the open kitchen. As you can see from the picture, their home is built on the edge of a stone wall and there is a large drop-off that is dangerous for children. Three of the outside walls of their home are little more than wooden sticks bundled together. If a strong storm comes through, there will be very little to protect the family and we fear their entire home will be blown off the stone wall and crash below.

This delapited home is dangerous for children and creates a great risk for compromised health for the entire family. It is very difficult to remain healthy in such living conditions, and it is very expensive to get medical treatment once sick. It is a viscious cycle that affects many impoverished families.

We would like to reconstruct the 3 outside walls of the home so that the family is better protected. We would also like to enclose the latrine so that there is no fear of sewage contaminating the home. And finally, we'd like to enclose the bed to create a bedroom. This requires some extensive construction and cost, but will protect this family and help them to live healthier and happier lives. The cost for construction is $3,240. We know this is a huge amount of money, but if several people could give even a small amount, it would add up and go a long way. This is a very sweet family who have already been through so much. The parents desperately want to protect their children from future harm and sickness, but they cannot do it alone. They need your help.

To donate to this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA75 Family Aid". Thank you so much!

Any questions? Email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Silvia is struggling to keep her home

2011-10-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Silvia is a mother of 6 who came to us desperately needing help to pay for her home. Silvia had 3 children with her husband, but then he passed away. She later remarried and has 3 more children with her second husband. However, about 2 years ago, her husband began to treat her badly. He cheated on her, spent almost all of their money on alcohol, and is barely at home or with his family. He does not help at all with any expenses, so Silvia is practically left alone to provide for her children.

Silvia works as a domestic helper. She cleans and does laundry and cooks whenever she can find a job, but it has been difficult lately for her to find work. The little that she makes is not nearly enough for her large family. Yesterday, Silivia came to us out of desperation, in fear of losing her home. Silvia owes 9 months of rent on her home. She pays Q500 a month, which means she owes 4500Q ($600). On top of that, she owes Q500 ($66) to one fo her son's schools. Because of this debt to the school, her son cannot receive his certificate of completion.

As you can see, Silvia has been through a lot, but she is now focused on providing for her family as best as she can. If she could pay her debts, then the money she makes can be used to feed her children, who mostly only eat tortillas with salt. If you could help in any way, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "517 Family Aid".

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Walter still needs to see a neurologist!

2011-10-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Five year old Walter became ill when he was only one. He started having convulsions, so his family took him to the hospital where he was prescribed medications to help control the convulsions. Walter is now five years old and he is still having convulsions daily. Walter's family is very poor, so we have been helping with the costs for medicine; however, Walter really needs to see a neurologist to better understand why he has been convulsing for 5 years and how to possibly stop them.

Walter's condition is very debilitating, and it is very difficult for his family to care for him. Walter's mom has to watch him 24 hours a day, because his convulsions often make him fall on the floor and he can easily be injured. Walter desperately needs to be seen by a neurologist in the capital city. To see a neurologist, have medical exams, and transport him costs $440.

Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA95 Medical". Any amount will be a huge help! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org Thank you so much!

Read Walter's full story here.

Update: Maria Isabel is sponsored!

2011-10-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

UPDATE October 3, 2011:
We're so happy to post that Maria Isabel has been sponsored! This 11-year old was recently orphaned (read the full story here). But thanks to very generous donations, her school is paid for and the family has also received money to fix their home and money for food for the next 10 months! Thank you so, so much for hearing this story and being moved to help! This family is in great need of help, and you have made a significant difference for them!

Two orphans are left with their grandmother and are struggling

2011-09-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

Maria with her mother who passed away
and with her grandmother. This photo was taken
several years ago.

Eleven year old Maria Isabel lost her mother 3 months ago. She has never known her father, so she is now an orphan and lives with her grandmother. She has a 2 year old brother who she helps take care of. Maria is mourning the loss of her mother, and now she may be forced to drop out of school.

Three months ago Maria's mother, Catarina, started to feel sick with headaches. She went to the hospital in San Lucas and was told that she has anemia. However, she became worse so she went to the hospital in Solola. At this hospital, they told her that she had leukemia and it was very advanced. So she was immediately rushed to the hospital in the capital, and there she died soon after. All of this happened within 15 days. As you can imagine, the family is heart broken that a seemingly healthy 25 year old died so quickly and unexpectedly.

So now Maria and her baby brother Miguel live with their grandparents. Their grandma, also named Catarina, is 65 years old and very weak. She used to wash clothes for a living, but she can't work anymore due to her advanced age and frailty. To add to her poor health, Catarina is diabetic, but can't afford her medicine so she goes without, thus making her health even worse.

Catarina's husband does not help her or provide for the family. He has a drinking problem, and any money that he makes he spends on alcohol. Catarina cannot depend on him for anything. They live in a small one-room home that leaks when it rains. They have no water or no place to bathe. They do all of their washing and bathing in the lake.

So Maria and Miguel are left with their 65 year old grandmother who can barely provide for herself. If you would like to help them, their greatest needs right now are food and a school sponsor for Maria so that she can stay in school. It costs $150 to feed a family for one month. If you would like to donate to this family, any amount would make a huge difference for them. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA185".

It costs $180 to sponsor Maria for one year. If you would like to sponsor Maria and give her the opportunity for an education, please go to Donate Now, and enter $180 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #1973 in the "Student ID#" box.

Thank you so much for caring for these orphans and their grandmother! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Good News: Cristobalina can stretch both of her legs!

2011-09-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Update September, 29th 2011

We are thrilled to inform you that Cristobalina had a second surgery, this time on her right leg. She is recovering well and now she can stretch both of her legs.

She will have to stay in the hospital for about 2 months to recover While she is hospitalized the doctors will start physiotherapy sessions, and it is very possible that Cristobalina will be able to leave the hospital walking!!

We are all very happy and hopeful that Cristobalina will be able to have a better future. However, after leaving the hospital she will need more physiotherapy sessions both on her legs and arms, so if you want to keep supporting her please go to Donate Now, and enter your donation in the "Other" box, with "FA81 medical care" in the 'details box'.

If you have any questions please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org
___________________________________________________________

Update September, 12th 2011

Last week we called the hospital to ask about Cristobalina and they told us that they can no longer give information about patients over the phone. Luckily, we were able to lend a cell phone to Cristobalina's mother so we can be in touch with them.

Cristobalina is recovering well from her first surgery and next week she will have the second one, they will cut the scar tissue behind her knee from her right leg and hopefully she will be able to stretch both of her legs.

She told us that she is doing great, she met some other kids that are staying at the hospital and she is making a lot of drawings. She said she wants to give her drawings to us, but the doctors keep taking them to show the other patients and to hang them on the walls.

The doctors also told her that they will try to find a prosthesis for her arm, so she will be able to do small things by herself, such as brush her teeth and comb her hair.

Unfortunately she cannot have visitors, so we were not able to take new pictures of her, but she sounded excited about everything that is happening to her and she thanked everyone that is making this possible.

Thanks to all of you who are helping Cristobalina on her journey!

She will need continuous medical care and physiotherapy, if you want to keep supporting her please go to Donate Now, and enter your donation in the "Other" box, with "FA81 medical care" in the 'details box'.

If you have any questions please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org
_________________________________

Update August 2011

Last Thursday Cristobalina had her first surgery.

The doctors cut the scar tissue behind her left knee and now, for the first time since last November when she had her accident, she is able to stretch her leg. She still has a long way to go and will need 4 or 5 additional surgeries, but it is still a great start!

The doctors don't know yet when she will have her next surgery, but we will keep the blog updated.

Thanks to everyone who made this possible for Cristobalina!
_________________________________

To read Cristobalina's story click here.

Update on Elmer

2011-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

UPDATE September 29, 2011:
We're so happy to report that Elmer has received the money he needed to go see a proper pediatrician! Thank you to everyone who donated! Elmer has an acute form of asthma and is on a new medication. He has another appointment next week, so we will update the blog if he has further needs (more medicine, different treatment, etc.). Again, thank you so much for helping this little baby! His family is so relieved and so grateful for your support!

Elmer's original post can be found here.

Update on Juan Carlos

2011-09-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

UPDATE September 28, 2011:

We are very sad to report that baby Juan Carlos passed away. He was being treated for pneumonia in the hospital in Solola, but his condition never improved, and then he took a turn for the worse. The family is grieving his loss, but are grateful that Juan Carlos was given a fighting chance thanks to your donations and help.
____________________
Original Post:

Baby Juan Carlos is in urgent need of Medical Care

Baby Juan Carlos is only 11 months old, but has been sick since he was three months old.

He comes from a very poor family in Santa Catarina. Since he was 3 month old, he has been suffering from fever and other flu-like symptoms. The family took him to the doctor a few times, but they kept saying that he just needed antibiotics and rest.

However, a week ago Juan Carlos' symptoms intensified and he was rushed to the hospital in Solola. After some tests, the doctors diagnosed a very strong pneumonia that was worsened by the fact that he had not been treated earlier.

He had to stay in the hospital for a few days and then he was sent home. Then on Monday he began having seizures and the family took him back to the hospital.

The doctors are very concerned about Baby Juan Carlos and asked his family to take him to the capital to have a brain tomography, electroencephalogram and an electrocardiogram.

It will cost $248 to take him to the capital and pay for the tests. The family is very poor and they don't have the money.

If you can help, please click donate now and scroll down to the other box and enter FA171 - Medical Care. Any amount would be of great value to save this baby's life.

Maria Helena is eager to get her business going again

2011-09-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Maria Helena is the mother of two of our sponsored children, Yesica and Blanca. She also has two more children that had to quit school and now work to help support the family.

Like many of the indigenous women here in Guatemala, Maria didn't have the chance to attend school and now she has few opportunities to find a well paid job. Fortunately, she learned how to sew from her mother and she has the chance to work by making typical Guatemalan fabric and that's what she has been doing for many years.

However, recently the family had an emergency and she had to spend the money she had saved to buy material. So now she cannot afford to buy more material. Maria's husband works as a day laborer and takes whatever work he can find, but the little money he makes is not enough to pay for the family expenses and now without Maria's income they are struggling to feed their children.

Maria needs $260 to buy material and get her business going again.

If you can help Maria get back on track, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "#522 - fabric". Any amount you can give will be highly appreciated!

If you have any question please send an email to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Thank you!

Update on Carlos

2011-09-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 28, 2011:
We are so, so excited to report that Carlos has received a very generous donation and he will be able to have his surgery! This will make a huge difference in his life, and he will finally be relieved of his on-going pain. Thank you so, so much!

______________________
Original Post:

Carlos is only 6 years old, but he looks more like a 3 year old. He has several medical concerns that need immediate attention. First of all, Carlos has a lot of pain in his mouth because of the alignment of his teeth. It's a rare problem, but little Carlos suffers greatly from it. We have sent him to a specialist to get an estimate of how to fix this problem and relieve Carlos of his constant pain. Carlos will need to have surgery and basically have all of his teeth removed. This is an extensive procedure and will cost $350. If you could help with any of this expense, it would make a huge difference for little Carlos so that he isn't in constant pain.

Also, Carlos was in an accident when he was young and has had cerebral problems ever since. He cannot move his body, and he is 6 years old. His mother has never sent him to a neurologist because they are very poor and just assumed any problems were irreversible. However, we believe that this little boy should at least have the chance to be seen by a doctor and given a proper medical diagnosis. Only then, will we be able to understand what is really wrong with him and if his cerebral problems can be helped. At this time, we can't say how much a neurologist will cost, and Carlos won't be able to make an appointment until after his dental surgery.

Carlos's father has abandoned the family and wants nothing to do with him. So Carlos's mother is trying to help relieve him of his pain alone. She has already made the appointment for Carlos to have his surgery, but she cannot afford all of it, so is asking for any help you might be able to give. If you would like to help relieve this little boy of his pain, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA184 Medical".

Thank you so much for caring for little Carlos! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

The Hernandez family is really struggling

2011-09-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Hernandez family has been through a lot. The father, Juan Pablo, has suffered greatly from physical ailments and medical malpractice, they have been robbed, and their house has been washed away by Storm Agatha (read their complete story here). But amidst so many devastating struggles, the family perseveres on and is doing everything they can to stay together. Two of their 3 daughters are sponsored through our school program, and they are so grateful for your help!

Today, this family is trying to live peacefully in Panajachel, but Juan Pablo and his wife, Nardy, are having trouble finding work. Because of Juan Pablo's health problems, he has to take medicine every day and is unable to work any strenuous jobs. So he tries to help his family by making candies that Nardy sells from a basket on the street. They do not make very much money doing this, and they are in desperate need of money to pay for their home (which they rent) and for food. The small home they have is run-down and the roof leaks. The owner of the house doesn't take care of it, and the yard and roof are infested with insects and animals (such as snakes). They pay Q500 ($67) each month for rent and electricity. Plus they have to pay for Juan Pablo's medicine which costs Q403 ($54) every 3 weeks. As a result, there isn't enough money for food or rent.

If you could help the Hernandez family pay for their rent or medicine that would help them enormously. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA62" and then write rent or medicine depending on what you want your donation to go to.

Thank you so much! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Baby Elmer can barely breathe

2011-09-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Last night a family in desperation reached out to one of our Mayan Family staff and asked for help. The staff went to the hospital to see this family and to better understand what the needs were. Upon entering the public hospital in Pana, a screaming baby could be heard. Little Elmer is 11 months old and last night he had a severe attack and could not breathe. He was crying and screaming and gasping for breath. It was very difficult to watch. The limited equipment at the public hospital was not adequate, but they did treat him with a nebulizer. After a few minutes with the nebulizer, the nurse said that there was nothing more she could do. Elmer eventually calmed down, but continued to cough and it was apparent that he was still having difficulty breathing.

The public hospital here cannot offer anything more for little Elmer. He has had three severe attacks in the past 10 days where he cannot breathe, and each attack is getting worse. With each attack, the family takes Elmer to the public hospital (it is all they can afford) and each nurse or doctor tells them to buy a different medication. The family showed us several different medications that they have bought, each one is expensive and cost this poor family a lot. They are doing everything that the doctors tell them to do, but each medicine they buy is expensive and is not helping little Elmer.

With tears in her eyes, Elmer's mother told us that she's afraid that the next attack will last even longer, and eventually the attacks will not end. Elmer desperately needs to see a special pediatrician so that he can receive proper medical attention. We have hope that if Elmer could see a proper doctor his attacks may lessen, or even be cured.

Elmer is one of five children. Two children in this family have school sponsors, but the mother and father are still having trouble providing for their family. They live in a small two-bedroom home with a brother-in-law. The mother quit her job to stay home with Elmer, and the father is struggling to make money as a tuk-tuk driver. The father is surprisingly involved with his family and it is obvious that both parents are very concerned about their son.

We would like to send Elmer to a hospital here in Panajachel, and it would cost $55. If you could help with any of this amount, the family would be so relieved to finally see their little boy get proper attention. Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA107 Medical".

Thank you so much for helping little Elmer! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Carlos is in constant pain...and he's only 6

2011-09-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

Carlos is only 6 years old, but he looks more like a 3 year old. He has several medical concerns that need immediate attention. First of all, Carlos has a lot of pain in his mouth because of the alignment of his teeth. It's a rare problem, but little Carlos suffers greatly from it. We have sent him to a specialist to get an estimate of how to fix this problem and relieve Carlos of his constant pain. Carlos will need to have surgery and basically have all of his teeth removed. This is an extensive procedure and will cost $350. If you could help with any of this expense, it would make a huge difference for little Carlos so that he isn't in constant pain.

Also, Carlos was in an accident when he was young and has had cerebral problems ever since. He cannot move his body, and he is 6 years old. His mother has never sent him to a neurologist because they are very poor and just assumed any problems were irreversible. However, we believe that this little boy should at least have the chance to be seen by a doctor and given a proper medical diagnosis. Only then, will we be able to understand what is really wrong with him and if his cerebral problems can be helped. At this time, we can't say how much a neurologist will cost, and Carlos won't be able to make an appointment until after his dental surgery.

Carlos's father has abandoned the family and wants nothing to do with him. So Carlos's mother is trying to help relieve him of his pain alone. She has already made the appointment for Carlos to have his surgery, but she cannot afford all of it, so is asking for any help you might be able to give. If you would like to help relieve this little boy of his pain, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA184 Medical".

Thank you so much for caring for little Carlos! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Crecencia lost her husband and four of her children

2011-09-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

Crecencia is not even 40 years old yet and she has already been through a lot in her life. This year has been especially tragic for her.

Nicolas, Crecencia's husband was diabetic and the family didn't have enough money to give him proper medical care. He was rushed to the hospital many times in the last few years and they contracted a huge debt to pay for his treatment, but unfortunately, last February he passed away at home, leaving his wife with 8 kids to raise by herself.

While still grieving for her husband, Crecencia was struggling to support her 8 kids and herself. Out of desperatation and the need to make some extra money, she sent 4 of her kids to work with a neighbor in the fields. On their way back home, the truck they were in had an accident and fell of a cliff and all of her 4 kids, aged between 9 and 12 years old, died.

That would be enough to make someone give up on life, but Crecencia couldn't stop thinking about her 4 other children that she had to care for. While persisting through these horrible tragedies, she also had to worry about the money her husband had borrowed and that she was now responsible to pay back. In a desperate pusuit of help, she made an agreement with her brothers-in-law that they would pay for the debts and in exchange she would give them the deed to her house until she could pay them back. Now, in order to get the deed to the house back, she has to pay her debt.

She is now living with her mother in a small house in San Jorge La Laguna. There are 9 people living in the house. Between them they share 3 beds without mattresses . They don't have a stove, they cook on the floor inside the bedroom. The kids don't have enough clothes or shoes and most of them have never attended school.

The family's most urgent need is to pay for her debt and get her house back. They also are in desperate need for food and sponsors for the children to attend school.

The total amount of her debt is $3,000, but any amount will be of great help so Crecencia can start paying off her debts. It would cost $150 to feed the family for a month and three of her kids need a sponsor. If you'd like to help Crecencia to pay her debt or give them a gift of food, please go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA182".

If you want to help these children be able to go to school for one year, go to Donate Now, and enter $180 in the "Student Sponsorship box" and put the child's student number in the "Student ID#" box. Enter #1968 to sponsor 8 year old Yulisa or #1969 to sponsor 7 year old Jose Guadalupe.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Widow left alone with 5 children

2011-09-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

Rufina is a mother of 5 who is struggling to raise her children by herself.

She came to our office in March to ask for help with her pregnancy. She was malnourished and the baby was at risk. She had her treatment and was doing fine; however, yesterday she came to tell us that her husband died tragically two months before her baby was born.

She told us that her husband was a good man and always did everything he could to support the family, but in a moment of difficulty he borrowed money from someone to feed his children. In February, he was found dead in the river, and he left his debt to his wife.

She was left alone with 4 children and pregnant with a new baby. She couldn't work because of her pregnancy and because of her other baby, who was only 1 year old. So the only option she had was to move back to her parents house. They gladly took her in; however, another son and his family were already living in the house. Now there are 12 people living in one house. Rufina's parents are very worried about her and her children because they cannot afford to support a family of 6 and support themselves.

Her mother told us that they own the land they live on and she wants to give a piece of that land to Rufina. However, she knows that for now they won't be able to build her a house.

Rufina's most urgent needs are food and sponsors to put her 2 babies in our milk program. Two of her children also need sponsors to go to school. It would cost $150 to feed Rufina's family for a month, if you can help please go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA181-Food".

If you want to sponsor one of her babies in our milk program, please go to Donate Monthly. To sponsor little Pedro Jose, 2 months old, write L-117 in the "Family Name" box and $54 for the amount. If you want to sponsor Karla Beatriz, 1.5 years old, write L-118 and $30 for the amount.

To sponsor one of her kids to go to school for one year please go to Donate Now, and enter $180 in the "Student Sponsorship box". To sponsor Rafael, 7 years old, put #1970 in the "Student ID#" box or #1971 to sponsor Mercedes, 5 years old.

Thank you very much!

If you have any question please send a message to familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Blog Format Adjustments

2011-09-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Please notice the recent adjustments made on this blog's format. Use the "Family Index" tab on the header of the page to search for blog results identifying a specific "label" (i.e. Sponsorship ID's, Names, etc).

We hope these adjustments are user-friendly. Thank you for your support of the Family Aid Program at Mayan Families. Please let us know if you experience difficulty while browsing this blog, or comment to give us suggestions.

We hope you are moved by the stories in this blog and are motivated to join in these families' journeys!

Little Sebastiana needs to see a neurologist

2011-09-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Little Sebastiana is still having "attacks" or convulsions and needs to see a neurologist for a proper diagnosis (read her story below). Sebastiana is too young to be experiencing so many health problems, so it's important that she receives adequate medical care as soon as possible. The cost of going to the capital and seeing the specialist and receiving medical exams will be $440. We know this is a large amount of money, but Sebastiana's family is very poor and already have one child in our Child School Sponsor Program. They simply cannot afford the added medical costs.

If you could help this family, please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA113 Medical". Thank you so much!

If you have any questions, contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org
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Original Post in February 2011:

14 month old Sebastiana needs help to stop her convulsions

Griselda's parents, Teresa and Antonio, came to the office today with Griselda's 14 month old sister, Sebastiana. Since Sebastiana was 7 months old, she has suffered from 'attacks' in which the muscles in her hands and feet contract violently. Her mother thought that these attacks were normal, but a few days ago they became much worse and more frequent. They took Sebastiana to the free health clinic, and were sent to a series of hospitals from there. Doctors told them that Sebastiana is probably epileptic, and she needs to have an EEG and a CAT scan, which can only be had in Xela or in the capital. Unfortunately, Antonio's salary as a tuk tuk driver is hardly even enough to pay the family's rent and keep the bare minimum of food on the table, much less to cover the expense of traveling to Xela or Guatemala City, getting the tests, and then buying the necessary medicines.

Sebastiana with her parents

Doctors have already prescribed anti-seizure medicine to minimise the symptoms until a proper diagnosis is achieved via the tests. They also prescribed folic acid, as well as a cough syrup (Sebastiana also has a cough), which her family can't afford to buy. Altogether the costs of the medicines, the transportation to the capital and the tests will cost $502. If you can assist with a donation, any amount will be a wonderful gift to this family. Please go to the Donate Now page, scroll down to the other box and enter FA 113. Thank you!

Walter is still having convulsions

2011-09-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Six-year old Walter is in need of serious medical attention. Walter's mother came to us in January (read post below) very concerned about her son because he has convulsions several times every day. We did not receive any donations for Walter back in January so we offered to pay for his medication, which he takes daily. However, Walter is not improving. He still cannot speak and he is still convulsing every day. It is definitely time for Walter to see a specialist in Guatemala City and receive a proper medical diagnosis.
The total cost for Walter to go to a neurologist in the capital and receive the proper tests and sufficient medication will be $440. This family is very poor and cannot afford Walter's medical treatment. Any money that you could donate toward his needs would be greatly appreciated!

Please go to Donate Now, and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA95 Medical". If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org Thank you so much!

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Original Post in January 2011:

Walter was one year old when he came down with a terrible fever. As the fever progressed he started to have convulsions. His family took him to the hospital in Sololá where he remained for one week. The doctors concluded that they could do nothing for him and that his family would have to take him to the hospital in the Guatemala City. He remained there for one month. They performed some neurological exams and they prescribed some medications to treat the convulsions. Walter is now five years old. He still suffers from convulsions two or three times a day so it is impossible to know if the medications he is taking are assisting or not. His mother Lucia came to the Mayan Families office several years ago asking for assistance to pay for Walter´s medications. Lucia and the family are very poor. Her husband José works when he can in whatever work is available. However, frequently there is no work to be found. The family simply hasn't been able to afford to take Walter to the doctor to perform more exams or check that the medications he are the best for his current condition.

Since Lucia came in Mayan Families has been able to pay for Walter's medications thanks to generous donations, but his family and us here at the office believe it is time he went for a check up to see if he is taking the right medication and to find out if there is some other treatment or therapy he could benefit from. At the age of five he is still not talking and his family have to watch him carefully and constantly because his body moves around alot. When he has a fit he is prone to his head falling forward and if it happens to be in a moment he is not attended to he often hits his head. I´m sure any parent can understand it simply isn't possible to hold your child, especially a child of five, in your arms 24 hours a day 7 days a week and Walter oftens bumps his head and falls over and hits things when his arms and legs lash out in a fit.

It will cost $65 just for the consultation with the neurologist in Guatemala City and for the transport costs of Lucia and Walter. We do not know how much more will need to be spent. If they have to get some more tests done this could also be quite expensive (perhaps between $60-$130) and then there will almost certainly be a cost for medications also.

If you are able to assist please go to the Donate Now page scroll down to the other box and enter FA 95. Thank you

Blanca's family is in need

2011-09-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Blanca Leon de Paz and her husband, Elder, are having trouble providing for their family. They have two children and they want more than anything to be able to keep their eldest in school and make sure that their youngest has a chance to go to school next year. Elder works in a nearby city installing cable lines and Blanca cleans homes. Together they try to provide for their family as best they can, but it is difficult to find consistent work in Guatemala right now, and this family is really struggling.

Mario is 15 years old and is attending school, but there is always a fear that if the family cannot make enough money then the eldest child must quit school and work full time. Blanca desperately wants Mario to be able to contine going to school, so we are asking for a school sponsor for him. Only with your help would we be able to ensure that Mario can stay in school regardless of his family's financial circumstances.

If you would like to sponsor Mario so that he can continue going to school, then go to Donate Now and and enter $380 in the "Student Sponsorship box $" and #1966 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Mario.

Or if you would like to help this family pay their bills and essential costs, go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA180".

Thank you so much for your generosity! Any amount that you give will make a difference for this family! If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Concern for Brenda

2011-09-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

We have just received news regarding Brenda. She has undergone some post-pregnancy complications and is in the hospital (read her full story below). The doctors are concerned for her health. We wanted to give you this update as soon as possible to keep you informed of Brenda's circumstances. As you can see, Brenda and her family are going through a lot right now, so any way that you could help them would be greatly appreciated.

To be relieved of her pregnancy debt and pay back her loan costs $83. The costs of a coffin and funeral for her baby are $250. If you could help Brenda with any part of this cost, she would be very grateful. Just go to Donate Now and and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 173". Any amount you can give would be a huge help!

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Old Post:

Update September 14, 2011:

If you remember Brenda's story, she was using contraceptives in the form of injections to prevent pregnancy. However, she began hemorrhaging and went to the doctor. Much to her surprise, the doctor told her that she was four months pregnant. The use of the contraceptives during those first four months put the baby in great danger of developmental problems and premature birth. We posted Brenda's story in the blog and asked for help in paying for medicine prescribed by the doctor to try to prevent premature birth. While she received some help, it was not enough. So Mayan Families gave Brenda a micro-loan to help her pay for her high-risk pregnancy.

Yesterday, Brenda had her baby and we are very sad to report that the baby was born dead. Of course this is very difficult for Brenda and her family. They are grieving this loss and are very upset. On top of the pain of losing a child, Brenda is now left with the debt from her micro-loan and the added costs of having a funeral. As you can imagine, the financial stress on top of the emotional pain is almost unbearable.

If you would like to help Brenda with her financial needs, we know that it would mean so much to her as she is experiencing so much pain right now. To be relieved of her debt and pay back her loan costs $83. The costs of a coffin and funeral are $250. If you could help Brenda with any part of this cost, she would be very grateful. Just go to Donate Now and and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 173". Any amount you can give would be a huge help.

If you have any questions, email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org
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Original Post:

Brenda Lopez is seven months pregnant and is terrified for her baby's health.
Brenda was using birth control in the form of injections, and somehow still became pregnant. For the first four months of her pregnancy, she had no idea she was pregnant and continued with the injections. She began hemorrhaging and went to see a doctor, who shocked her with the news that she was pregnant.
This was devastating to Brenda because the continued use of the contraceptives during her unknown pregnancy had caused serious developmental problems in her baby's lungs. At seven months pregnant, Brenda and her doctors are now in fear of a premature birth, which would be extremely dangerous for a baby that already has developmental deficiencies. Brenda's doctors need to give her U$93 worth of medicine to help keep her healthy and prevent a premature birth, but Brenda and her family cannot afford the costs anymore.
Brenda is in desperate need of help. If you can help them with her medical costs, please click donate now to make a one time donation. Scroll down to the other box and enter FA173. It would cost U$93 to pay for her medication.

If you have any questions please send an email to dina@mayanfamilies.org.
Thank you so much!

Maynor has a severe injury that needs medical attention

2011-09-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

Maynor is only 9 years old and already he has faced so much. At two years old, there was an accident in his home and Maynor's bed caught on fire. His left leg was severely burned and he lost most of his left foot. He was taken to a public hospital in the capital city and was treated for 8 months. Maynor's mother died 4 years later, leaving Maynor and his 5 siblings with only their father. The father has since remarried, but Maynor's new step-mother is not fond of him and the added trouble his disability brings to their family.

Maynor and his family live in another city, but on Fridays and Sundays Maynor's dad brings him to Panajachel. Showing off his scarred leg and burnt foot, Maynor's father forces him to beg for money.

A couple found Maynor begging on the street and brought him to Mayan Families. Maynor does speak some Spanish, but he speaks Kaqchiquel more fluently. So one of our Guatemalan staff translated for him as he told us his story. He cannot walk or even stand easily because it hurts him anytime he tries to step on the ground. It appears that his burnt foot is infected, with flies swarming around scabs. It has been 7 years since a doctor has looked at Maynor's burns.

We were eventually able to contact his father and ask if he would approve for us to take Maynor to the capital to see a specialist. After a few days, we still hadn't heard from Maynor's dad so we called him again. Finally, he gave his support saying that we could make an appointment with a specialist, but that he himself could not stay in the capital with Maynor. Regardless, we are so happy that we can try to help Maynor and maybe even find a way for him to walk with a special prosthetic.

So we are sharing Maynor's story with you to see if you are able to help him in any way. We'd like to take him to a specialist in the capital, and the transportation and doctor fees will cost $100. We're not sure what type of treatment or medicine he may need. It's possible that he may even need surgery. So it's hard to say what his long-term medical costs might be. But if you could help us get him to the specialist then we hope to give him more opportunities for his future than just begging on the street.

Any amount that you could give for Maynor will be greatly appreciated! You can go to Donate Now and scroll down. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA 177 Medical". We can't thank you enough for helping Maynor!

Pedrina needs financial assistance

2011-09-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Pedrina is a single mother of four. Her husband passed away years ago and she has been struggling to provide for her children alone. Her two eldest children help as they can for the family, but only because they dropped out of school to do so. Pedrina came to us yesterday very concerned about possibly being evicted from the room they rent and not being able to keep her two youngest in school. She is very worried.

Pedrina is trying to pay for Andrea Anai and Damazio to go to school, but it is very difficult. If you would like to help ensure that these two children stay in school, neither of them have sponsors and you could make a huge difference!

Andrea Anai

Damazio

Andrea Anai is six years old and Damazio is 13 years old. If you want to help these children be able to go to school for one year, go to Donate Now, and enter $180 in the "Student Sponsorship box" and #1938 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Andrea or $380 and #1937 to sponsor Damazio. Or if you'd like to help Pedrina pay for rent, go to Donate Now and enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA79". If you have any questions, contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

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Older Post:

Update July 2011

Pedrina, Selvin's mother, came to the office today to ask for some help. She was desperate.

She is the mother of 4 children and her husband died a few years ago in an accident while he was working in a construction site. She doesn't have any close relatives to help her and her children so the two eldest ones, Selvin, 18 years old and Maria Ines, 16 years old, had to drop school and start working in order to help Pedrina with the house expenses.

Her two other kids, Damazio, 13 years old and Andrea Anai, 6 years old, are in school, but if they don't get sponsored they will probably have to drop out because the family cannot afford the school fees and extra expenses.

Apart from that, Pedrina has been trying to find a steady job that would give her family some financial security, but the situation at the moment is very difficult and the only work she can find is washing clothes by hands or cooking for other families. These jobs do not pay enough and are not steady, therefore she does not know when she's going to earn money. The money that Selvin and Maria Ines make help to only meet the most basic need of the family, but it is not enough to pay their rent and they are at risk of being evicted from the little room they are living in.

Pedrina pays U$64 for the room and she couldn't pay this month rent yet, the landlord is threatening to evict them if she doesn't pay it in a week.

Damazio

Andrea Anai

If you want to help Pedrina to pay July's rent, please go to Donate Now, and enter the amount of U$ 64 in the "Other" box and enter "FA79" in the "description" box. If you want to help the kids to keep going to school enter U$180 in the "Student Sponsorship box" and #1938 in the "Student ID#" box to sponsor Andrea Ines or U$380 and #1937 to sponsor Damazio.

Walter Isaac needs more medicine

2011-09-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hermelinda came to us yesterday to tell us about the health of her grandson, Walter Isaac, who is 10 years old. Walter Isaac lives with his grandma because his father abandoned the family when Walter was 5 years old and now his mother wants nothing to do with him. Therefore, Walter Isaac is left with his grandmother who lives off of her late husband's small retirement pension.

Walter started to become very ill whenever he ate anything. Hermelinda took him to the doctor where he was diagnosed with ulcers and some type of intestinal infection. The doctor prescribed medicine for his ulcers and told him to take the medicine for 6 months. Walter has been taking this medicine for 5 months and it has helped him a lot, but he needs one more month's supply and Hermelinda can't afford it. Walter also needs several medical examinations, including an ultrasound, to better understand what his ongoing health problems are.

The cost for one more month of his medicine and for his doctor appointments is $50. After his doctor's visit, we will know more about his condition and what treatments he may need. If you would like to help pay for Walter's medical expenses, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA-179 Medical".

Justa and her family need medical attention

2011-09-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Meet Justa and her family:
Justa is a 49 year old single mother of two. Her husband left the family 15 years ago, leaving Justa to care for the children alone. The family lives in a rented house made of adobe, where they pay Q800 each month for rent and Q175 each month for electricity. This equates to around $130 per month total. They all share one bed.

Justa came to us yesterday concerned about her two sons. She would like to take them to a doctor, but cannot afford it because of her monthly payments for shelter and food.

Alex Benjamin is 15 years old and has a problem in his groin and it bothers him a lot. Yonatan Gerardo is 11 years old and has trouble with his eyesight. He's had these problems since he was one year old, but Justa never had the resources to help him. Both boys need to undergo examinations by a doctor. Yonatan will most likely need glasses.

Justa is also having health concerns. She is still young, but is going through menopause because of her malnutrition. She also needs to see a doctor concerning her health so that she can stay healthy and care for her children.

To take Alex Benjamin to a proper doctor will cost $50. If you would like to help pay for Alex Benjamin's medical needs, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA-178 Alex Benjamin Medical".

Yonatan Gerardo will need to see an eye doctor and probably also need glasses, which will cost a total of $60. If you would like to help pay for Yonatan Gerardo's medical expenses, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA-178 Yonatan Gerardo Medical".

Justa will also need to see a doctor for $50. If you would like to help pay for Justa's medical needs, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA-178 Justa Medical".

If you'd like to help sponsor this whole family, the total cost is $160. In the "Details" box, write "FA-178 Family Medical".

Any amount that you could give to help this family would be greatly appreciated! Justa will be very relieved to know that her children can go to a doctor and be properly examined. Thank you!

Jordan still needs medical support!

2011-09-12T15:22:00.001-07:00

Update September 12, 2011:

Little Jordan needs serious medical attention. The possibility that he has brain damage appears to be more and more serious. We need support for him, as we know his condition will require prolonged medical attention. We don't have the medical services he needs here in Panajachel, which means he needs to go to the capital for the best service. If you could help, in any way, it would make a huge difference for this family. Once we know more about his condition, we can work to treat him and try to give him the best opportunities possible.

If you would like to make a one-time donation to help Jordan, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA174 Medical".

Thank you so much for caring and for making a difference in this family's life.

If you have any questions, please contact us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

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Original Post:

Jordan is 15 months and has already suffered a great tragedy. When he was only 3 months old his mother was concerned about his health and took him to the hospital. In the hospital, the doctors put Jordan in an incubator, but the mother didn't know why. After they left the hospital and went home Jordan started having seizures. His mom took him to a local doctor but the doctor said he only needed vitamins and physical therapy. However, the mother felt that Jordan had more severe problems. Today Jordan cannot walk or speak or hold things with his hands; he has no strength in his muscles. We sent Jordan and his mother to a neurologist in the capital yesterday and the neurologist said he needs to run several tests and scans, but that he probably has brain damage and it's most likely due to the incubation he received at 3 months. It's heartbreaking that Jordan may have irreversible brain damage because of improper medical care. It's been a year now that he's been having seizures and lack of muscle ability, and he hasn't been treated or seen a proper doctor because of financial limitations. Jordan's parents are very poor and have few resources to help Jordan or treat him.

We know that this is an expensive treatment for Jordan, so we are posting this on our blog to see if there are several people who can contribute. The neurologist appointments, transportation, scans/tests, and seizure medicine cost a total of $440. Any way that you could help would go a long way in diagnosing Jordan and giving the family the knowledge they need to better care for their son.

If you would like to make a one-time donation to help Jordan, please go to Donate Now, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enter your donation in the "Other $" box. In the "Details" box, write "FA174 Medical". Thank you so much for your generosity and care!

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at familyaid@mayanfamilies.org

Deborah's Joy

2011-09-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

We're very happy to report that Deborah has been given a great gift! Her story is very sad, but you have helped to bring her joy! Deborah's parents were given a very difficult decision at her birth. The doctors told the parents that Deborah's head was going to grow very, very large or they could cut her spinal cord and she'd have a normal size head but wouldn't be able to walk. After much grief, the parents decided to cut her spinal cord in hopes that she could live a more normal life. Deborah is now 9 years old and cannot walk, but is still a very joyful little girl.

Deborah's mother is very involved in her care, and soon realized how much Deborah enjoys to be outside and especially to swim. Deborah's mother began to pay for her to take swimming lessons, but the family of 8 could not afford the classes for long. That's where your donations came in and have helped Deborah to continue taking these classes that she loves so much. Thanks to your generous support, Deborah goes to swimming class twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays. The swimming has been very good for her health and is being used as her physiotherapy.

Not only does Deborah love to swim, but she's also very good at it! She has been to several competitions and has even won some medals. She has told us with great pride that she has even competed with kids who don't have disabilities and she has won such competitions! We're very proud of Deborah and her persistence to find joy despite the barriers she faces. We are so happy to share her story with you and that you are helping to give this young girl a great happiness that her family couldn't provide for her.

Thank you for impacting her life!!!