Searching For Value

This is a boy who attends one of our schools in La Limonada. He is just 8 or 9 years old. He spends hours in the ravine searching for scrap metals that will earn him about 0.20Q per pound (equal to about 3¢). The ravine in La Limonada is filled with trash and sewage.

He does this just to have some food at home.

He is faithful in his attendance at school. He loves hugs and is very intelligent. He's one of the older children in his class and is a natural leader.

He earned 12Q ($1.50) yesterday from what he found in the ravine. He was so proud of the money he'd earned.

TEN2END Tuesday - An Inspiring Young Lady

There is just one week left in our our TEN2END Campaign... that leaves us with 7 days to reach our goal of having 200 people give TEN dollars a month to help END poverty, injustice, hunger, hopelessness and despair in La Limonada.

Here's the story of one young lady who found a way to help...

A couple weeks ago we received an email from a high school student from Michigan. In her email she shared her desire to join the TEN2END Campaign. She could not foresee a way she would be able to give $10 a month in a traditional way, so she got creative and came up with a way she could make it work. Here is her email...

Hello,

I am a High School student in Michigan who visited La Limonada 2 summers ago and I can't seem to forget about that place. I really wanted to sponsor a little girl named Astrid but I found it was too much for me to commit to. It makes me happy to see that she is sponsored by someone now though.

Anyway, I really would like to join your "ten2end" campaign. The only thing is, I only work during the summer. I also don't have a credit card or anything like that for online payment. I was wondering if every month this summer I could somehow mail $40 and then be covered until next year. Just let me know if this is a possibility.

My Dad lost his job a few months ago and so we are still struggling through that. I have seen so many people give seemingly small gifts to my parents over the last months that have meant so much. A little really goes a long way....

H

We received her first $40 donation this past week. This is a high school student who has found a way to give $120 of her summer job income to help transform people's lives in La Limonada.

She is truly an inspiring young lady!

If you would like to join her, you can go to www.TEN2END.org today to get started.

Playing Like A Child - A "Holy Moment"

The other day I was on the phone with Tita as the children were playing in the soccer field in La Limonada. While we were talking, Tita began to scream with excitement. She said, "I wish you could see this! There is a homeless woman from the ghetto who always sniffs glue and she is running around playing with a ball with the children. She is running and smiling and having fun! This is a holy moment."

I told Tita she needed to send me some photos of this moment. She sent some photos and this is what she had to say...

"I have no words to explain about this moment... we were at the soccer field in the Ghetto and the kids were playing with a group of "Gringos" and we were talking with Bill on the phone... then, I saw "R" playing like a little girl!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!

She is homeless, she sniffs glue and drinks cheap alcohol. She has gone many years with no shower or bath. Her shoes have no laces.

She was just running after the ball. She was laughing, smiling and playing like a little girl. Who knows the last time she had such a good time?

I tried to capture the moment by taking many pictures... but I have no idea if you can capture the true holiness and beauty of this unique moment.

From Tita - Thank You To All Child Sponsors

Cincinnati Occupational Therapy Team

This past week Deb & Mike from COTI in Cincinnati came back to La Limonada for the second time this year, and this time brought an awesome team with them. Since they are occupational therapists and specialize in helping those with developmental challenges, illness, injury and behavioral problems, having them come to the schools in La Limonada seemed like the perfect fit.

They spent the week observing classrooms, doing hands-on activities with the students to help them learn with all of their senses, and teaching the team different techniques and tactics for their classrooms. Not only was this extremely helpful and encouraging for the teachers, I know the students had a blast with all the new things they learned this week.

Their team left supplies so the teachers can continue these activities in their classroom, as well as 3 therapeutic swings for each school that were so graciously donated. A big muchas gracias to all of you!!!

TEN2END Tuesday

With just two weeks left in our TEN2END Campaign... we have 47 people who have pledged to give TEN dollars a month to help us fight poverty and injustice in the La Limonada community of Guatemala City.

Over the course of one year that is a total of $5,640 raised simply by asking individuals and families to give $10 each month. Our goal is to have 200 TEN2END members by June 30... which would provide a total of $24,000 over the course of a year.

By joining you can help us move our work forward as we seek to educate and feed children living in poverty, provide vocational training for young adults who need options for sustainable living and to care for the poor and those who have no hope in a forgotten community.

If you are a current donor who would like to increase your monthly donation by $10 you may contact us at info@lemonadeinternational.org to let us know and we will make the adjustment to your monthly amount.

If you would like to become a supporter of Lemonade International through TEN2END you can go to www.TEN2END.org today to get started today.

An Update on Viejito

You may have read about Viejito and his wife from a blog post in May. Both he and his wife suffered from falls at different times that left them in a lot of pain. His wife passed away a few days after Tita prayed with her about a month ago. She had been telling Tita she was ready to go so they prayed for her to be released into God's hands.

Yesterday a prayer for Viejito was answered, a doctor braved the ravine called La Limonada and came down to see how he could help. What seemed like a simple check-up was monumental in showing this man (and his neighbors that are caring for him) that they are valued and cared about. After the exam and instructions on how to take the pain medicine for his knee we spent some time to praying with Viejito.

I watched him weep silently as we prayed. His tears were possibly for his physical pain... possibly for the pain of losing his wife... or possibly for the relief and comfort of someone coming to pray with him. I left feeling a bit heavier for this man's burden, but I think he felt a bit lighter since someone was carrying this burden with him. That is my prayer for him... that the burden and pain he feels would be lifted... and that he would sense peace from God.

Meet Andi

Last year Tita contacted a Latin Link to pursue having an intern who would work with her and her team at the schools in La Limonada. After months of waiting she was contacted by the organization in February and told that her intern arrived from his home in Switzerland and was in Antigua brushing up on his Spanish and would be ready to serve in La Limonada for the next five months.

On March 20 Andi moved into Tita's home and became part of the family. He quickly adjusted to life in the home and to the work of serving in the schools in La Limonada. He has become a close friend to Tita, Monica, Leah and Kate. Here are some things they have said about him...

• A beautiful heart has come from Suiza to help us.
  
• He takes time to sit and eat with the kids and share with them at that time. They miss him so much when he is not there.
• He plays with them at playtime just like a little kid! He is teachable, caring, loving and takes such good care of the kids.
• He is a good example for the young boys what a godly man is
• He does things with excellence
• He helps at home with anything that needs to be done.
• He knows how to say "no" with such a grace!
• He loves to read the Bible during his free time and play his guitar and sing.
• He takes good care of Nathan. He shares his room with him... and they call it "the boys room".
• He helps with baby Grace and she loves him so much.
• He is a good music teacher at school
• He is a good friend to Ronald and all the teachers.
• He seems to love pillow fights, water fights and kicking our butts at Scrabble!

Tita says, "How are we going to make it without him? He will be leaving at the end of August and we are going to miss him, but at the same time we are so thankful for the time he has been with us.

Thank you so much, Andi, for investing this time in your life in La Limonada... and thanks to Latin Link for providing Tita and her team with such a great person!

The Slum Documentary Film Project

In recent weeks the crew of The Slum Documentary Film Project spent significant time filming in La Limonada and learning about the community. They were there to capture footage for the upcoming production and release of their documentary film project that will "shine the light on the huge issue" of extreme poverty in the slums of the world.

Here is what Mark Volkers, leader of the project, has to say...

How do you wrap your mind around one billion (that's one in six of us) living in slums? How do you begin to comprehend that in less than 20 years, according to the United Nations, two in six of us--or maybe even more--will be living in slums?

The Slum Documentary Film Project hopes to help people do just that by tracking three families in three slums on three continents.

The film crew will not only be filming 1 billion people, but individuals who happen to live in slums. Through their stories, we can begin to understand the masses.

Filming has already been completed with a family that lives under a bridge in Manila, the Philippines. Jose and Elvie Alquino and their six children sleep under a busy highway and spend their days digging through the city's garbage, looking for anything to recycle. It's a dirty, dangerous existence, yet through it all, this family has dreams and aspiration for their children and the future.

Tanya lives in La Limonada, Guatemala City. This dangerous slum of more than 60,000 people is not a friendly place for someone paralyzed from the waist down, yet somehow, Tanya manages to survive by begging at a busy street corner in the city.

The final shoot will be in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Volkers hopes to release the documentary in mid-2010. Follow the film's progress through their blog or by becoming a fan on Facebook.

You will be hearing more about the project through Lemonade International in the months to come.

TEN2END Tuesday

We are three weeks away from the completion of our TEN2END Campaign... and at this point we have 40 people who have signed on to help us in our effort to END poverty, injustice, hopelessness, hunger and despair in La Limonada by taking action and giving TEN dollars a month. Our goal is to have 200 join the campaign by June 30... so as of today we are looking for 160 more.

Your gift of $10 each month is eqivalent to one specialty cup of coffee per week... or about four gallons of gas.... or one movie ticket (without enough left over for a small popcorn).

But $10 is also equivalent to what it takes to feed two children at the schools in La Limonada for the entire month.

Would you help us in our work among the children of La Limonada? Here are some ways you can help...

• Join the TEN2END Campaign if you haven't already - www.TEN2END.org
• Pass this email along to your friends
• Post the following as your Facebook and/or Twitter status: Join TEN2END today and help transform the lives of children in the urban slums of La Limonada in Guatemala City - http://TEN2END.org

Thanks for your love, compassion and support for the people of La Limonada!

- The Lemonade International Team

A Family Being Restored

The day after Mother's Day Leah posted "A Mother's Day Story From La Limonada". She shared about sisters "C" (7 years old) and "M" (4 years old) and their mother (Ana) whose fingers were cut off by her abusive husband who is now in jail.

In just a few weeks it is so evident that Ana and her girls are being restored through God's love and the hope that is provided through the relationships she has with the incredible people who are serving in La Limonada.

Tita and others spent some quality time with Ana the other day and she shared with them about the gratitude she has in her heart for everyone at the school and how they were there for her and her girls during such a difficult time in her life. The look on her face is completely different. She says she has so much joy and she wants to share it with everybody!

She said she really feels like it is a new life that she has been given. She is so thankful that her girls were taken care of at Tita's house (as well as at the home of another teacher from the school) while she was recovering from such a horrifying experience.

For the past month Ana has been working at Escuelita Limón doing whatever she can with one hand while her arm continues to heal. She is working in the 7-8 year-old classroom helping with activities and assisting the children with their homework. Every day she arrives with a smile and a thankful heart... ready to do whatever is needed.

Ana is recovering in spirit, soul and body and her children are back at home with her. A family is being restored.

A La Limonada Address

What is your address? It seems like a simple question. How many times do you fill out forms that include your address? You probably respond to the question without thinking twice.

What would life be like for you if your real address was a sure guarantee that you could not get a legitimate job?

That is the case of every resident of La Limonada.

A La Limonada address is a sure guarantee that you will not be hired in Guatemala City because of the stigma of poverty, violence and drugs that are attached to the community.

The only way around this for people is for them to lie about their address.

The big open space in the map pictured above represents La Limonada. The "streets" in La Limonada don't even make it onto the map of Guatemala City, but somehow there are addresses there. But they are addresses people are ashamed of and addresses they will not list on a job application.

It is injustices like this that lead us to be passionate about community development and micro-finance in La Limonada. We are exploring ways we can help individuals who live in La Limonada obtain small micro-loans to start or expand small business that will help provide a viable means of support for their families.

More on this in the months to come...

Father In Jail... Family Suffers

The boy and the girl above are brother and sister. They both attend one of the schools in La Limonada (they have another sister who also attends).

Their father is in jail. He has confessed to killing many people and has acknowledged the pain he has caused their families... and the pain he has caused his family.

He has caused them pain and suffering. The children live with their mom and grandmother in a tiny room with no windows. They suffer from extreme poverty and hunger. The meal the children receive at school is their only meal of the day.

There is hope because of the care and food that is provided and God's unconditional love that is shared through the words and actions of the loving teachers at the school. There is hope because of your prayers and support.

Tita asks, "Please pray for this family, that God would provide for their needs, that He would comfort their hearts and be their strength."

A Day in La Limonada

This is the stove of a family in La Limonada. They often have to burn plastic bottles when there is no wood for the fire.
The people of La Limonada value the beauty of God's creation too....

Carrying "masa" to make tortillas to sell to provide for her family...

A grandmother caring for her grandchild...

A beautiful little girl... with better opportunities then others. She is attending one of our schools.

The La Limonada "River:...

TEN2END Tuesday

We are three weeks into our TEN2END Campaign... and 27 people have committed to give TEN dollars a month to help us END poverty... injustice... hopelessness... hunger... and despair in the La Limonada community of Guatemala City.

So many exciting things have been developing over the past few weeks. The renovations on the Escuelita Mandarina building are moving along which will help provide a place for more than 250 additional children to be loved, fed and educated. We have had meetings with a micro-finance organization in Guatemala City who is willing to pursue a pilot program to provide small loans to people in La Limonada who want to start or expand a small business. We are looking at homes in Guatemala City that would serve as a missions training center as well as a family-style foster home for children in La Limonada in crisis situations.

Check out the three previous blog posts for real-life examples of what we are doing or what we can do in La Limonada with your help.

You can help all of these things move forward by joining TEN2END today.

Go to www.TEN2END.org and register as one of 200 people who are helping transform lives in this forgotten community.

Nathy

"Nathy's" mom is in jail. She used to have a very rough life. And Nathy was just one more mouth to feed. One more child to take care of. He was moved from house to house to live with various relatives.

When his mom was arrested and taken to jail about three months ago there was no one to care for him. He was staying with his older sister who has her own children, but she couldn't care for nor provide for him.

Tita and her extended "family" (a house of eight already) prayed together about taking him into their home and caring for him... knowing it could be a long-term commitment. Nathy has been part of the family since.

He is a lively little four-year-old boy who is a faithful friend. He loves to color, to do puzzles and to ride his bike. He is quick to help others. But there is so much that needs to be healed in his heart and mind.

Last Wednesday, Tita and Kate went to visit Nathy's mom in prison. Tita called it a "holy moment". When she saw Tita she hugged her very tightly and cried in her arms. Tita said, "I felt Jesus in my arms and just tangibly saw the Scripture from Hebrews 10:34 ("You suffered along with those in prison...")."

A mother's love never ends and Nathy's mother's love has only grown as a result of the distance between her and her son. She has so much pain in her heart, but so much relief to know her little one is safe. She asked Tita if she could come and live with her when she gets out of jail because she does not want to return to her life in La Limonada. She wants a better life for Nathy.

During their visit, Nathy's mom also introduced Kate and Tita to two other inmates who have become her friends in prison. They are 24 and 21 and have been in prison for two years and are both serving a 38 year sentence. They both have children with them in prison, but those children are allowed to be with them in jail until they turn four years old.

One of them was crying because she has no place for her son to go when he turns four. He will most likely be turned over to the foster care system which is very corrupt in Guatemala. Tita offered to care for him... and she began sobbing.

Following their visit to the prison, Kate said, "I’m not sure what I thought these women were supposed to look like or were supposed to be, but they aren’t any different that I am. They have hopes and dreams and hurts and fears just like me. Throughout our conversation, all three women cried on and off. Sitting there I was struck by how much God loves them and that His grace really is enough. It doesn’t matter how big the crime or how big the sin, Jesus died for it on the cross and God’s grace is enough to cover it. Whatever these women did, God loves them more than they could ever know."

Pray for "J"

Tita has known "J" since she was a little girl. Now at 19 she calms her pain by sniffing glue (the drug of choice in La Limonada because it is cheap and easy to get). She does this to numb herself from the pain she is devastated by.

J was raised by her grandmother. Her grandmother was a drug dealer who had been gang-raped years ago. So she grew up seeing a life of gangs, drugs and robbery as normal.

Recently, J's grandmother passed away from colon cancer. She is now by herself and lives with the horrible pain that has followed her since childhood.

Tita offered to take her to a drug rehab, but she refused to go at this time.

After Tita talked to her one day this past week she walked away and continued to sniff glue from a small plastic container.

Please pray that her life will be redeemed and restored.

Tita's Time With "M"

Last week a desperate mother called Tita and let her know that her 12 year old son, "M", has been going out regularly at night stealing from people with three other boys (ages 10, 18 & 19). This is not uncommon for boys from La Limonada, but this mother was distraught because now it was her son who was involved in this activity.

Tita asked the mother to bring M to Escuelita Limon so she could spend some time with him. They sat and talked in one of the classrooms for awhile. As they talked M opened his heart to Tita and began to cry uncontrollably on her shoulder. He shared about his fear of his step-father who he thinks is in a gang because of his tatoos. He let Tita know that his mom beats him and that his uncle hits his mom. She asked him what hurts more when he gets beat, his body or his heart. M said, "Both."

Tita said, "M shared some deep things with me that day. I let him know that he has some choices to make, but sometimes I get frustrated (maybe most of the time) because it just hurts so much to know there is not anything I can do. There are so many kids and adults with so many needs. There is a small part that we play. We do what we can, but we need to trust God to do what only He can do in their lives."

Just taking the time to talk to M, to pray with him and care for him made a huge impact on his life. It's rare for a child in La Limonada like M to have someone take the time to let him know he is loved and valued. I am sure for him that it made all the difference in the world that day.