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Our original involvement in Guatemala was to help a young, gifted student, Jorge Soto, stay in school. As that need ended, we became involved with and continue to support indigenous people and human rights programs in rural Guatemala through an international organization, Rights Action. Recently I brought two suitcases full of school supplies, personal care items, and a financial donation to a traditional village school in the mountains. A young Guatemalan man, Julio, who had seen the need for a totally free school for the least fortunate of the indigenous children, has founded this school in Santa Maria de Jesus. While education is free in theory, parents still need to provide basic school supplies and uniforms for their children to attend public school. For some families, this is impossible. Currently approximately 100 children ranging in age from 5 to 16 attend daily classes many for the first time in their lives learning basic skills and having a nutritious, high protein snack. With our bi-yearly trips to Guatemala, we have a firsthand view of the tremendous needs of this beautiful country and the compassion of people such as Julio.
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