Weekend Buckets

An opportunity came up to help out church families in a nearby town that is known to be fairly poor.  With the home fifth graders (Mimi, Yeny, Phillip, Victor, and Brandon (4th)), we worked together to put together food bins, using money that someone had donated to be used here.  Johana helped us out a ton in Chimaltenango's market, negotiating lower prices given the quantity of product we were buying.  We also enjoyed the excitement of a scuffle breaking out four feet from us.  As I shooed the kids to the car to drop off some purchases, I was reminded that high school isn't the only place fights break out.

With $200, we were able to make 26 bins with  a little money left over to give one family whose cow died--the animal was their primary source of income.  Each bin had a pound each of rice, beans, oatmeal, and sugar; soap for the pila; and cooking oil.  Pam and Steve also donated avocados from their trees and maseca, corn flour Guatemalans use to make tortillas.

The kids and I attended the church service last Saturday night and delivered the goods to the church.  The pastors texted the next day to let us know that there were enough bins for each family and that the people walked away with smiles on their faces.

 Brandon

 Measuring out the maseca

Ready to go!