THE QUICHÉ TIMES
VOL. 1 No. 5
The women and
children from the Guardería of Conavigua, Guatemala the land of eternal spring
send their regards and wish you all every success in your work.
RETURN
AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.
I returned to work on the 10th January to find that
the children were not going to return for another week. On the one hand it was
great as it gave me a little time to readjust and to prepare for the beginning
of the school year. Of which there was a lot to do as you can imagine.
Bad News:
On my return one of my friends
informed me that there had been a bad car accident and that one of the children
who was about to start this year had been killed. His name is Pedro Reynaldo
Patzan. It turned out that his grandmother ( Josefa Ixcoy ) , who was a friend
of mine was also killed in the same accident. Reynaldo was born when I first visited house in 1995 which would have
made him four and a half. The grandmother got to know me a little and asked me
to be Godfather which was a great honour for me.
This accident left the oldest son
responsible for the welfare of his two siblings his wife and the other
surviving son. The two siblings are studying still but to meet the cost of
school fees etc. became a huge burden. The couple came to me seeking help. I
was so glad to be in a position to help. I related the sad story to one of my
friends who within a few days came up with the help needed to see this family
through the year. The family really appreciate the help and want to thank everyone
who contributed.
You have made a huge difference to their lives.
At the same time I discovered that the person in
charge had found other work and would no longer be with us. This became a major
problem as it left me the only one caring for the children. At that time of the
year it is really difficult to find teachers so we had to wait a few weeks
until we found someone. So at the end of Feb we found someone who was very qualified in that not only was she
indigenous and spoke Ki' Che the local language but was a qualified teacher and
nurse. What more could we ask for? All was going well until another job came
her way that paid more than what we could offer and with fewer working hours.
She has a very young family so it seemed the right thing for her to do to
accept the other job.
So yet again I was left alone to care for the
children. After another few weeks it was decided to accept the mother of the
child who was killed in the accident as person in charge. She lives with us so
is always there. She and I work well together so I can take time off and know
that someone is caring for the kids.
New
House
It was decided last year to move house to a premises
just a little outside of the city where we were before. This house was built
with the children in mind with a donation from a group in Japan. It is really
wonderful, lots of space for the children to play etc.
There are always downfalls and ours are that we do not
have drainage, so the wonderful toilets and showers that were built are unusable.
Added to the fact that there is no water leaves us a little problem. We have to
buy water a few times a week.
With regards to the toilet we have dug a very deep
hole at the back of the house which is used by all. The worst thing for the
children is that they are very frightened to use it at night. It works for the
moment at least we will have to see what happens when the rains come. Which is
not too far away.
With regards to the showers we have found showers in
the same complex that we can use. It is not perfect but it also works for the
moment.
Lights:
We have also had problems with the lights in that they
stopped working in the dining room and study in January and we have only
repaired them just before Holy Week. God only knows what has happened now but
they are causing a few problems still!
Telephone:
A telephone line has been applied for sometime last
year but so far we have not received a phone. A bit like Ireland many years
ago. I worry about this as being outside the town and not having any means of
transport should anything happen especially at night. Please say a prayer that
they install it soon.
Pick-up:
Each day we have to hire a pick-up to bring the
children to and from school. This is very costly and I am trying to convince
the organisation to invest in a mini-bus. We really need one as we are too far
outside the town to walk. Also for buying the supplies for the house, the women
in the kitchen have to carry food for the 20 children each day. To buy gas and
drinking water is also a problem. It would give us such a wonderful freedom. I
hope they will look at the possibility.
Inauguration:
At the end of January we had the house inaugurated
with a mass celebrated by the Bishop. A
great day was had by all. We got a Marimba band to play all afternoon and
evening and everybody was dancing. It was a wonderful sight to behold mothers
and their children dancing together and having an absolutely wonderful time.
The children did a traditional dance which turned out
really well and I was very proud of them as they had worked very hard to get it
just right.
A
Little Morbid:
When we started in the new house we found a number of
coffins in the room where we study. At first for me it was a little
off-putting. I was a little concerned of the children but they were fine about
it. It turns out that they were left over from one of the exhumations and they
decided to store them in the house until the next one. I have since moved them
into a part of the building that is not used. So out of sight out of mind. That
is the reality of life here.
We did have some funny situations. Some visitors came
to the house and when they went into the room with the coffins some of them
asked the children what the coffins were for. The children looked at them in
total disbelief and said “ when people die we put them in them and bury
them” Not exactly what was meant!
When at home for the Christmas break a very kind
person donated lots of deworming medicine with which I treated the children and
all was well until the end of March when nearly everyone fell ill with a really
bad flu. This same flu has taken some lives here especially those of children,
poor children. The biggest difference is, that I went and got treatment for the
children while the others did not have access to medicine nor money to buy it
to save their children. That is very much part of life here.
It seems like at this time of the year the children
always fall sick just before exams, only this year it fell during the exams
which will reflect in the results. I should get results sometime after Holy
Week.
Last year a very kind local chemist donated some
medicines, mostly cough bottle samples, which I was able to use with this flu
epidemic I went through all the samples and had to buy at least another 10
bottles.
A
Friend in Need....
One of my very good friends came to me a while and
asked if I could help her as she needs an operation and has to find some people
who will donate blood. I of course agreed and am still waiting to do so. I have
helped her out with medicine and some doctors fees as she has six children
living and as you could imagine needs help but is too proud to ask. I feel
great that I am in a position to help her.
Weights
and Measures:
I have started a record of the weights and heights of
all the children. My idea is to have a record of their physical development
over the years here. I hope that in the future some Doctors will visit us and
to have a record like this would help.
Accidents:
We have had a few accidents in the house, as you will
always have where there are children. The first was when the goalpost fell and
split open Abraham one of the boys. Having been a first aider for years I knew
it would need a few stitches. For many reasons that particular day I was the
only adult in the house. By the grace of God a friend dropped in to visit I
promptly handed over Abraham with a handful of money and asked him to take the
Abraham to the local hospital which he did gratefully. Abraham got five
stitches and was very proud of them.
The other was when one of the very small girls(
Juanita ) got pushed as we were boarding a pick-up and got a very nasty cut on
her beautiful little face. This time there were others to call upon to bring
Juanita to the hospital. She also got five stitches and is left with a little
scar just under her eye.
We started the year with 22 children inscribed in the
school. Pedro Reynaldo died RIP and another is living with his mother next to
us. This leaves 20 living in the Guardería - 11 girls and 9 boys. They range
from Juanita 5yoa in Kinder to Petrona and Oscar in 6th class/grade.
All are doing well in school and I have worked very hard to form good relations
with the Sisters who run the school. So when we have a problem with a child
they feel confident enough to talk to me and that it will be dealt with.
School
Supplies:
At the beginning of the year I bought all the school
supplies as we needed them straight away. The women in charge wanted that we
find out prices in different shops and then compare them to the prices in the
Capital. Then to go to the Capital buy all we need and transport it back to the
Guardería. Apart form the fact that I don’t believe it would have been any
cheaper it was a lot of work and a major hassle.
I have continued to supply all the school needs. Most
day some of the children come home and say that for the next day they have to
bring certain things to school the next day. These things include jam jars,
paint, ice pop sticks, all different types and colours of paper, disposable
cups, plates, cotton wool, panes of glass, egg shells, stickers, nails, clothes
pegs, buttons, glitter. The list goes on and on and on….
I have had to think ahead and get things in to have
them for when they need them. Invariably they always ask for things that I
haven’t had the chance to buy yet, but that is life everywhere!
Uniforms:
At the beginning of the year it was a bit of a
struggle to find uniforms for all the children but somehow we managed to do it.
Most of the uniforms were from last year and some showed it. I decided the best
thing to do is to buy new uniforms for everybody. So far I have bought all the
boys new shirts and some a new cardigan, there were some pants left over from
those that I bought last year which I have given to some boys. The girls also
got new blouses and some cardigans. We had to get the blouses made ( as it was
much cheaper ) and the girls had a say as to how they would like them. They all
decided on the same design!
Shoes
and Runners:
Most of the children started the new year with new
footwear. This was a great help to us but most needed tennis – runners. The
women on the committee decided that they would buy everyone a new pair of
runners. So one day after school I took all of the children to the market and bought them their tennis.
I am sure it must have seemed strange to see this white man buying tennis for
all these local children. Some of the locals asked me if I would buy some for
their children. You can imagine my reply!!
Physical
Labour:
A number of weeks ago some of the children came and
said that what they really wanted was a nice garden with flowers and grass etc.
This was something I had been thinking about. As when the rains come we are
going to be covered in muck and if we had grass it would reduce the amount of
muck brought into the house. So we started digging in front of our dormitories.
It was really hard work as the earth was really hard and for children to dig it
was not easy. We could only dig a small part and then we sowed grass seeds and
watered it every day. After 10 days some grass started to come up and I was
thrilled but it was only a small fraction of what we sowed.
We had some visitors from a university in the US. As
part of their studies they have to do some physical labour. They were promptly
put to work to dig. There were 16 of them and they had great difficulty digging
also. There is still a lot of work to be done but at least a lot of the
backbreaking work is over us.
Vegetable
Garden:
In the next few weeks we need to start work on sowing
some crops. We have been allotted a section of land where we plan to have a
little vegetable plot and sow corn in the rest. The corn will need very little
maintenance.
Swimming:
We have gone swimming a few times this year but it is
working out very expensive. I wanted to go at least once a month and we have
gone three times and have planned another trip for next weekend, but each time
I really have to check if the money is there.
The reality is that the children really love to swim.
Some were tell me that they had gone swimming with some family members during
the holidays and were so proud of themselves and their families were very
impressed. This works wonders for their self-esteem, which can only make better
people of them.
Fun
and Games:
As I have said the house is quite big but sometimes it
can get crowded. I have accumulated a good collection of games, which I left in
a big room which we use for study. Very few ever wanted to play with them,
which to me was very strange as last year we always played. Most evenings I
would retire to the office as there is always something to be done. It took a
few days for me to realise why the office was always crowded. The children need
to feel secure as do all children but these more so due to their past history.
Now each evening we all retire to the office and everyone plays something or
other. I have problems when I have to leave the room – all the bodies I have to
climb over to get to the door.
The little ones love to play with flashcard which
cover the floor. They certainly are used well.
Football
and Basketball:
In another part of the house we have a long room in
which I have hung small basketball nets and the children put goals. Many hour
of great fun has been had here. We all play in our bare feet which puts me at a
disadvantage.
This will be really great when the rains come as we
will not be able to play outside due to the muck.
Retreats:
All the children have to go on retreat. I think this is a really good
thing for them. They certainly do not come back saints but it does challenge
them a little. Afterwards they always
have lots of questions. I don’t always have the time to answer them and
sometimes I just don’t have the answers. So I suppose these are good for me
also as they get me thinking!
Bibles Videos etc.:
The children are always looking for bibles so I bought some but there is
never enough. Some have started to read the lives of the Saints and are very
impressed by them. There is a book on the lives of the Saints that I bought
last year that is now getting a lot of reading.
One of the children brought back with him after the Easter holidays a
video about the Virgin of Guadalupe which they love watching. I have encouraged
them a lot by saying that this Virgin is the only Indigenous Virgin. This
really impresses them.
In the middle of April a friend from Ireland came to visit. Some very
kind friends of hers gave her money to buy thing for the children. Among many
things we were treated to a day out. We went to Pachtac where we normally go
swimming. We brought meat which the kitchen staff cooked and I have to say it
was a really treat not only for the children but also for the adults who
accompanied us. The children swam for ages and then we took some to the river
where they spent ages catching fish, well tadpoles really but really big ones.
They have never had such a good a time. They have always wanted to eat
and spend the whole day there. So that dream was fulfilled by the generosity of
friends.
The most expensive part of the day was the hiring of a pick-up to take
us there and to collect us in the evening.
Food:
I have been trying to improve the diet of the children and have been
having some success. Most Saturday mornings I make pancakes with a fruit
cocktail which the children absolutely love and can never get enough of.
During the week I have been known to prepare their lunch. Again the
children love this as I use a little spice. I have also found a meat substitute
which is excellent. I can not tell the difference and neither can the children.
We started as planned a project with eight teenagers (
3 females and 5 males ). The agreement we have
with each family is that they have to provide food and shelter for the
teenagers and our/your project will provide the rest of their needs.
Two brothers have rented a small room very near us.
Two girls live with their families and go to school
locally.
The other girl stays in a small room with her older
brother ( not in the project ) and her cousin.
The other two boys are living with family members
It is very difficult for them. As for years they have
always had someone who could help with homework and their meals were always
handed up to them. Now they have to prepare their own meals and eat it! They
also have to clean up and study with no one to help them. I have to say that
they are generally very self motivated which is an essential quality for a
successful programme.
Responsibility:
At the beginning of the year everything had to be
bought for this group. So I made the individual come shopping with me. Then
after a month of this I thought it would be better if they themselves made
decisions about the things they need and go buy them themselves. So I sat them
all down and explained to them what I expected of them. I then handed them each
a notebook and money. They have to justify all they buy and are accountable for
each penny.
The more I think about it, it is a wonderful
opportunity for these teenagers to learn responsibility and so far they are
doing really well. It also give me more time in that I do not need to go with them when they need to buy
something. It costs a little more but I genuinely feel it is worth it.
Visits:
The older children – teenagers love to visit us in the
Guardería. After all it has been their home for a number of years and they too
are very attached to some of the other children. It must be hard for them after
living with so many to be living with so few. They love to play with the other
children and catch up on their favourite cartoons on TV.
This gives me the opportunity to see how things are
going with them. I am quite surprised that they are adjusting very well with
very few problems. I think it will be successful Thank you.
Reading:
Some of these older ones love to read so when they
visit they nearly always borrow a few books to read at night as they have no
TV. I love them to do this and the books are always returned in the same
condition that they borrow them. The only problem is that they have almost read
all the book for their age group. I will need to find more.
English:
All in this project are learning English in school. I
help them now and then with their homework and have given a few classes. Two
that I worked with got very good results in their exams recently. One got 100%
and the other 95%. I will be helping some more in the future but am thinking of
hiring a local teacher to give them extra classes. This will depend on how much
there is in the kitty.
Computers:
All are fascinated with computers and some have asked
to do a course in it. I agreed to it but they have to do all the running around
finding out prices course length etc.
Two came back with the information needed and have
since enrolled. The rest will follow in the next few weeks. The cost is about
six Irish Punts a month which includes 8 classes of one and a half hours
duration. There can only be 6 students so there is a good possibility that they
will learn a lot.
There is a computer in the house but it is really old
and although I can write a few documents and store some information it really
needs to be put on the scrap heap. I have asked a few people who know a little about computers to look at it and
they all had difficulty with it.
I have started to let the teenagers use it to give
them a little experience. The problem is that the few times they were using it
they/ I forgot to save the information and when the power went they lost a few
hours of work. I am sure that they will remember to save everything in the
future!
Typing:
All in this programme have taken typing classes and
have yet to sit their diploma exam in May. I have started them practising again
and I have every confidence that they will do well.
Uniforms:
All the teenagers got new shirts, cardigans and
blouses. They are very proud of their appearances and so I am trying to encourage
this. Those who live near come every weekend to iron their uniforms, and I must
say they look very smart on Monday morning. During the week their pants and
cardigans look a little dirty so maybe I should think of getting them a
complete second uniform so as they will always be proud of their appearance.
Shoes
and Runners:
Shoes and runners were bought for all in this
programme. As with the smaller children they are growing fast now that their
runners are getting tight and will only last another while. What I really need
to do is to get them another pair before they burst the ones they have and give
them to another smaller child or teenager.
My
Dream for Next Year:
For the teenage group I am quite worried about their
future. I, only with the generous help from your good selves, have set up this
project and although it is under the umbrella of the organisation it still
comes down to me to find the money to keep it going and at the same time to
help out with the smaller children. I hope that later in the year I will get
the opportunity to go to the US to do some fundraising. I went to Texas last
February to give a talk. The parish welcomed what I had to say and were very
supportive not only emotionally and
spiritually but
financially. Most of the money given to
me then I am still waiting to receive due to some political complication there
but with the help of God it will come soon.
What I would like to see for next year is a house
where these teenagers can live together. I have seen where they live now and
all live very basically with two or three living in a small rented room with a
mattress on the ground. I believe that these poor souls deserve a far better
life than this and for my part I will do all in my power to provide this. I can
not do it alone. I need a team of people behind me. To date we have been very
lucky. Your contributions have gone a long way here in making the lives of
these children considerable better and giving them a future which they didn’t
have before. I pray that your generosity
will continue and that you are all blessed in your lives and in your work and
that God will provide for all your needs.
I as always am sending a list of how I have spent your
gifts. If you have any questions please contact me and I will be only too glad to
answer them.
Well I have to admit that the letters certainly have
not been flooding in but there has been a trickle of Emails which are greatly
appreciated. Please don’t be afraid to write me. I love to hear how thing are
with you.
If you have access to Email my address is:
My slow mail
addresses are:
Apdo
Santa Cruz del Quichè
El Quichè
Guatemala C.A.
Saint
Patrick’s Day:
This year St. Paddy’s Day was celebrated very quietly
here. A few of us got together in a local restaurant and had a nice meal with a
few drinks. I was the only Irishman there. My missionary friend Gary from
Texas, my anthropologist friend Dan and a couple of other American friends
celebrated with me. It was nice but the next day I had to return to work so I
could not have a late night, which was probably a good thing!!!
I have broken down the expenditures into two groups.
1. The smaller children and 2. the new teenage programme I started this year.
1 The Smaller Children;
SCHOOL
SUPPLIES
...........................................................................Q 3,043
PERSONAL
......................................................................................Q 1,151
PLAY
................................................................................................Q 1,106
FOOD ...............................................................................................Q 2,089
MEDICINE
........................................................................................Q 535
MISCELENIOUS
................................................................................Q 1,932
_________
TOTAL
.............................................................................................Q12,
639.
2 The Teenage Group.
SCHOOL
SUPPLIES
..........................................................................Q 3,183
INSCRIPTIONS
.................................................................................Q 1,770
UNIFORMS
......................................................................................Q 1,129
PERSONAL ......................................................................................Q 172
MISCELENIOUS
...............................................................................Q 201
________
TOTAL Q 7,920
GRAND TOTAL FOR BOTH GROUP.........................................Q20,559
Clothes includes shoes, runners/tennis, flip flops, washing
of clothes after purchase etc.
School
Supplies includes school books,
photocopies, nails, cloth, compasses, thread, balls, knives, cement, stickers,
rope, needles, glue, imbridery rings, paint etc.
Personal includes hair gel, toothpaste/brush, shoe polish,
cream, haircut, disinfectent, kotex, shampoo, soap etc.
Play
includes videos, trips, footballs,
pick-ups etc.
Food includes pots, spices, fruit, pancake mix, protemas
etc
Medicine includes cough bottles, antibiotics, pick-up to hospital
etc
Miscellanies includes duplicate keys, torches, batteries, travel
fare, mops, brushes, buckets, grass and flower seeds, typewriter ribbon etc.