On a recent, morning flight home from Guatemala I noticed the way bright clouds caught the first rays of sunshine and surrounded dark mountains and valleys still in the shadows. The stark contrast of light and darkness was impressive: the lush vegetation versus barren, black volcanic rock, the way the gentle, fluffy clouds softened the rough edges and peaks. It reminded me of how the hope-filled leaders we empower brighten the day for the children they serve.
Recently, political tension over the Guatemalan presidential election created challenges to transportation, food supply chains, and the academic centers we support. Despite these challenges, children and families are still being served effectively, and the opportunity to serve even more communities by empowering local leaders has only grown. While some organizations assist a wide variety of international ministries, I want to share with you how Lemonade’s unique model of developing key, urban partners is shaping the next generation of Guatemalans, and what is to come in 2024.
What we accomplished together in 2023…
What began as a step of faith became a hope that was realized – we sought new partners and found them. Through our partnership with Asociación Comunitaria Alcance, our work expanded to reach the growing, marginalized community of Santa Catarina Pinula on the southeast side of Guatemala City. Nearly 1,000 children in four academic centers received nutritious meals, academic support, and character development there this year. The generous support of sponsors and donors helped address medical and hygiene needs through improved facilities, toothbrushes and toothpaste for dental needs, and training for staff and families in a trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children.
We also provided better technology and organizational development tools to our partners, allowing them to go further, faster. Alcance raised 82% of the needed funding for year-end projects from in-country donations, and this past October for Día del Niño (“Day of the Child”), over 700 children received toys donated by Guatemalans for Guatemalans. Your support strengthened indigenous leaders, reflecting God’s love for many children in Guatemala City!
Your ongoing support matters because political unrest stretches the government thin. This tension creates movement, potentially displacing vulnerable families, giving us all the more reason to step into the gap. God’s perfect timing of expanding our footprint this year allowed us to reach more people in more places. This is what Lemonade International does in good times and bad – whether political tension, gang violence, tropical storms or volcanoes – we are doing what matters, when it matters. The hope we share brings gentle strength and outshines the darkness.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5 NIV)
Partnering together for 2024…
Our team in Guatemala has BIG plans to see us reach more children with the hope of Jesus! We have more new partners coming – both in La Limonada and in other marginalized neighborhoods. And we are choosing to follow their lead in 2024, doing more development work, helping with infrastructure, technology, empowering leaders, and entrusting their teams to respond quickly to on-the-ground needs such as gang violence and community instability.
This year our goal is to provide shoes, school supplies, nutritious meals, and vitamins for all of the academic centers we support. We also want to provide care for families through home visits, stable wages for staff, better facilities, and scholarships for teenagers to finish high school. And we want to reach more neighborhoods with emotional health training, stronger relationships with public schools, and partnerships with more local leaders – and we need your help!
Families in Guatemala City are particularly vulnerable, and your continued support helps bring hope. If you are among those who are able to partner financially, would you please click here and give a gift of any amount? In 2024, let’s give joy, hope, and peace to leaders in Guatemala City as they brighten the day for the children they serve.
