WE'RE HALFWAY THERE!

This is just an update to say that we have hit the half-way point on our fundraiser. We received another generous, firm $200 donation, so we are now at $1,500 firm and are awaiting a $100 pledge.

Thank your for your generosity! You know who you are!

You'll get a personal thank you also, of course.

Gabriel says Thank You, too!

FUNDRAISER UPDATE

I'm happy to announce that of the $3,000 we hoped to send to our Guatemalan family for materials for their new house, we've received $1,300 firm and have a pledge for $100 that hasn't yet arrived.

Thank you all for your generosity!

But I have to plead: we're not yet half way there. We did, however, receive an email from Vivi yesterday. We sent an advance of $1,000 based on what was generated through Wednesday. Vivi wrote to say that her family is incredibly grateful and overjoyed at being able to build a new, bigger place that's safer for their family.

I recall the last time we were there, they had a rat problem (the cheeky rodents scurried across the roof, visibly, while we ate dinner). I imagine it hasn't gotten much better in the meantime. But that didn't stop them from being gracious hosts to us while we visited Guatemala City.

Hopefully this weekend we'll have some photos of their family on-line so everyone can see who we're helping and learn a little about life in Guatemala.

Thank you all again! You know who you are!

And if you haven't already, please consider donating to help this very brave and warm Guatemalan family we've been privelaged to know for more than ten years now. Just click the Paypal button to the left and a secure credit card transaction/purchase can be set up if you don't have a Paypal account already.

GUATEMALAN FAMILY FUNDRAISER ALMOST UNDERWAY

As you can see in the margin to the left, I have added a Paypal Donate button. We are in the early stages of raising funds for our Guatemalan family, the Rucuch Quila's in Guatemala City (Villa Nueva, actually).

Vivi wrote Jill to say that their ramshackle home is finally about to give out and they desperately need to build a new home. As many of you know, their current home is made up of corrugated metal, cardboard, 2x4s, blue tarps and some cinderblock masonry they've managed to put together over the past few years. We have sent them money occasionally over the years, but its mostly been for other big expenses, including emergency medical care and college tuition for Vivi.

We hope to post more extensively about Vivi and her family, many of whom still work for CONAVIGUA, a human rights organization of Guatemalan civil war widows. In the meantime, we invite anyone and everyone so inclined to help us with our goal of $3,000. That's all that's required to build a home big enough for 5-6 people where they live. Vivi insists on an interest-free loan, but we'd really rather just send them the money as a lump-sum gift.

You can donate by clicking the Paypal button to the left - it's secure.. EBay owns it and uses it - or you can contact me directly with questions and/or further instructions.

Thank you for your time and generosity!