To read more: http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/mayan-kings-tomb-found-in-guatemala.html

(Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/storm-agatha-hole-guatemala)

“Landslides and flooding triggered by Agatha’s rains killed 74 people and left 24 missing, mostly in western and central Guatemala,” said David de Leon, a spokesman for Guatemala’s national disaster agency. (See link for more. ) More than 70,000 people have been evacuated from their homes across Guatemala, according to Reuters news agency.

Tags: Famine, Hunger, Health, Disease

In Guatemala, education is divided into Pre-Primaria (párvulos and kindergarten), Primaria (Primary school 1st to 6th grade), Secundaria (Secundary school, 3 years known as Básico), and Diversificado (3 years of High School). For the last several years, children who went to middle school and high school had to pay for tuition to go to school and many families simply could not afford it. The current Guatemalan government has made it possible for free education for all children. Globally Minded Works is thrilled for such a move as many more children will have access to education.

Ongoing needs for most of the rural schools in Guatemala include: books, supplies, furniture, computers, and even buildings. With donations from people like you, Globally Minded Works aims to fill this gap.

Not all schools are fully paid for by the government. Some still require parents to pay for tuition, books, and school uniforms. In such cases, in the communities we work, we may provide scholarships so children can go to school.

Join our efforts to support education and other
charitable projects in Guatemala by donating to our work.
Thank you for your kind donation to support the Mayan children in Guatemala.

Tags: free, School Sponsorship, Children, Schools, Water Filters

I first met Bonnie Dilger, author of Blood in the Cornfields, in Guatemala and recently we met up with each other in Marin County, California, when she came to visit her daughter.
How long have you lived in Guatemala and what first brought you there?
I've lived in Guatemala approximately thirty years, intermittently, but on a permanent basis for the last twelve. My first experience in Central America found me in El Salvador. It was 1973, and just a few weeks into my trip, my son David called me from Guatemala with an invitation to join him in the tourist town of Panajachel. The thought of touring the mountains of Guatemala was more appealing than the over-crowded city of San Salvador, so I accepted the invitation. I missed him, my youngest, anyway. I had not originally thought that my visit to Lake Atitlan would culminate in so long a stay, but thirty years later, here we are.
What, if any, political changes have you seen and experienced?
The country has had a succession of civilian presidents, beginning in the mid-eighties until the present and following the military dictatorships of decades (and centuries) past. These political changes have affected many reforms for the better in terms of humane behavior on the part of the government. In addition, before the guerrillas (the opposition party to the military-backed government) would sign the Peace Accords with the civilian administration, they mandated equal rights to health and education, and the right to hold public offices for the indigenous Mayas. When I arrived on my first visit to Guatemala (in early 1973), a mere 2% of the population of Santiago Atitlan could read and write. Tuberculosis, dysentery and other illnesses were rampant due to poor nutrition and the villagers' impoverished conditions. Only half of all children born at the time survived beyond the age of six years. These appalling statistics existed throughout Guatemala among the poor, particularly among the Mayan population. In the past few years, many health and education workers have come to the pueblo in attempt to improve living conditions. According to statistics of the students of the San Carlos University, there has been a quantum leap to 76% literacy among the youths in Santiago Atitlan. I don't have any statistics involving the whole country.
What are some of the most pressing needs facing the Mayan people of the Guatemalan Highlands?
There is an ever-present need for food and clothing, plus health care among the poor. Unemployment is high, and due to the confiscation of property that dates back to the Conquistadores, their property rights having been taken away, leaving them without adequte space even to grow their crops. Many non-profit groups and individuals are attempting to address these needs and though much has been done, much remains undone.
Where do you recommend travelers stay around Lake Atitlan, Guatemala City and Antigua?
There are two very comfortable and attractive hotels in Santiago Atitlan, both with moderate prices when compared with U.S. prices. The names are the Posada de Santiago and the Bamboo. Both are located at the edge of Lake Atitlan, affording a glorious view of the lake. Aldous Huxley once visited this part of the world and named Atitlan as the most beautiful area in the world. There are numerous hotels in Antigua.
Have you ever been worried for your life in Guatemala? If so, why?
During the bloody conflict in the early 80's, which lasted for 16 years, it was necessary for me to flee the area where I was living and helping my son in construction of the hotel -- Posada de Santiago. I actually reported the deaths and disappearances in the pueblo, which were then occurring on a daily basis, to all the wrong people in the government, thereby putting myself at extreme risk. I realized I had to leave when I returned to Santiago Atitlan from a visit to Panajachel and found my home broken into, my possessions destroyed and my little dog stabbed. A neighbor took me out of the pueblo in the family helicopter, enabling me to purchase a ticket back to the States in Guatemala City.
Do you feel safe now?
Yes. The military no longer in power. What worries us now is street crime and break-ins among youthful gangs. Government violence is now rare or non-existent.
Tell me about the schools you support in Santiago Atitlan.
I began my experiences with three schools a matter of five years ago. The founders, who had formed committees with the intention of building schools, came to me asking for my help. At the time, I had no resources to speak of, but I promised solidarity with them anyway. The young students had no school supplies, no desks to balance their books, if indeed they had any, really nothing except the desire to learn. They were also sitting in the mud with no roof over their heads. Much has changed since then. They now have desks, school supplies and, at times, we've been able to provide breakfasts for the children. We have one new school due to the help of theformer first lady, Dona Wendy Berger. She sent us the materials that enabled the fathers of the students to build the school. Presently, the second school has a tereno (piece of property) to begin building. A third has no property with which to build. They are looking to me to fulfill this need. At present, I have no resources available to purchase this property. Also, If possible, I would like to build a simple housing structure for the young volunteers who come to teach or provide other services, such as health care. I have to add that I've mainly been a committe of one, working alone. I keep no money, but all donated funds (primarily from private donors who are friends in the States) go directly to the schools.

What is your hope for the children of the Mayans?
A tall order. I want to help every child in the pueblo study and learn. When these three aforementioned schools can operate without me, I would like to start a scholarship program. Our schools only reach the 6th grade. I recently learned that a couple working in the area has started a scholarship program for higher education for students who will become professionals (such as medical students, studying to become accountants, prospective attorneys, etc.) but in between there is need to bridge the gap, such as funds for high school, college, or trade schools.
What changes have you seen in Guatemala since the signing of the Peace Accords Treaty in 1996?
As mentioned above, the Mayan children are in school for the first time in history. Their elders also hold governmental public offices for the first time. Their voices are being heard. I could compare the changes that have occurred in Guatemala with those of the Civil Rights Movement in the States. Many Mayas have held Martin Luther King's identical convictions and carried them out to facilitate freedom and equal rights for their people so that the chains of virtual slavery that have bound countless individuals since the Spanish Conquest in their grip could be broken.

To learn more about Bonnie Dilger, visit her website here.

Tags: Guatemala, Civil War, Human Rights, Education, Mayans

(Title page of the Popol Vuh manuscript, copied and translated in the early 18th century by friar Francisco Ximénez)

The Popol Vuh is one the of most esteemed ancient piece of literature of the Mayan indigenous culture. The ancient text was found in the Guatemalan Highlands, somewhere around 1550 and thought to have been authored by Quiche royalty, some time during the Spanish conquest. The Popol Vuh is the Mayan creation story and, prior to the creation of man made from corn, the adventures of twin gods, Hunahpu and Xbalanque. One of the fascinating parts of the Mayan creation story is the similarity it shares with the biblical account of creation and the flood (Genesis 1-9).

Buy the Popl Vuh here and the Bible here.

Taken from the Popol Vuh: Part I, Chapter 1
This is the account of how all was in suspense, all calm, in silence; all motionless, still, and the expanse of the sky was empty.

This is the first account, the first narrative. There was neither man, nor animal, birds, fishes, crabs, trees, stones, caves, ravines, grasses, nor forests; there was only the sky.

The surface of the earth had not appeared. There was only the calm sea and the great expanse of the sky.

There was nothing brought together, nothing which could make a noise, nor anything which might move, or tremble, or could make noise in the sky.

There was nothing standing; only the calm water, the placid sea, alone and tranquil. Nothing existed.

There was only immobility and silence in the darkness, in the night. Only the Creator, the Maker, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the Forefathers,* were in the water surrounded with light.** They were hidden under green and blue feathers, and were therefore called Gucumatz. By nature they were great sages and great thinkers. In this manner the sky existed and also the heart of

*E Alom, literally, those who conceive and give birth, e Qaholom, those who beget the children. In order to follow the conciseness of the text here the two terms are translated as the "Forefathers."

**They were in the water because the Quiché associated the name Gucumatz with the liquid element. Bishop Núñiez de la Vega says that Gucumatz is a serpent with feathers, which moves in the water. The Cakchiquel Manuscript says that one of the primitive peoples which migrated to Guatemala was called Gucumatz because their salvation was in the water.

Heaven, which is the name of God and thus He is called.

Then came the word. Tepeu and Gucumatz came together in the darkness, in the night, and Tepeu and Gucumatz talked together. They talked then, discussing and deliberating; they agreed, they united their words and their thoughts.

Then while they meditated, it became clear to them that when dawn would break, man must appear. Then they planned the creation, and the growth of the trees and the thickets and the birth of life and the creation of man. Thus it was arranged in the darkness and in the night by the Heart of Heaven who is called Huracán.

The first is called Caculhá Huracán. The second is ChipiCaculhá. The third is Raxa-Caculhá. And these three are the Heart of Heaven.

Then Tepeu and Gucumatz came together; then they conferred about life and light, what they would do so that there would be light and dawn, who it would be who would provide food and sustenance.

Thus let it be done! Let the emptiness be filled! Let the water recede and make a void, let the earth appear and become solid; let it be done. Thus they spoke. Let there be light, let there be dawn in the sky and on the earth! There shall be neither glory nor grandeur in our creation and formation until the human being is made, man is formed. So they spoke.

Then the earth was created by them. So it was, in truth, that they created the earth. Earth! they said, and instantly it was made.

Like the mist, like a cloud, and like a cloud of dust was the creation, when the mountains appeared from the water; and instantly the mountains grew.

Only by a miracle, only by magic art were the mountains and valleys formed; and instantly the groves of cypresses and pines put forth shoots together on the surface of the earth.

And thus Gucumatz was filled with joy, and exclaimed: "Your coming has been fruitful, Heart of Heaven; and you, Huracán, and you, Chipi-Caculhá, Raxa-Caculhá!"

"Our work, our creation shall be finished," they answered.

First the earth was formed, the mountains and the valleys; the currents of water were divided, the rivulets were running freely between the hills, and the water was separated when the high mountains appeared.

Thus was the earth created, when it was formed by the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth, as they are called who first made it fruitful, when the sky was in suspense, and the earth was submerged in the water.

So it was that they made perfect the work, when they did it after thinking and meditating upon it.

Part I, Chapter 2
Then they made the small wild animals, the guardians of the woods, the spirits of the mountains, the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars, serpents, snakes, vipers, guardians of the thickets.

And the Forefathers asked: "Shall there be only silence and calm under the trees, under the vines? It is well that hereafter there be someone to guard them."

So they said when they meditated and talked. Promptly the deer and the birds were created. Immediately they gave homes to the deer and the birds. "You, deer, shall sleep in the fields by the river bank and in the ravines. Here you shall be amongst the thicket, amongst the pasture; in the woods you shall multiply, you shall walk on four feet and they will support you. Thus be it done!" So it was they spoke.

Then they also assigned homes to the birds big and small. "You shall live in the trees and in the vines. There you shall make your nests; there you shall multiply; there you shall increase in the branches of the trees and in the vines." Thus the deer and the birds were told; they did their duty at once, and all sought their homes and their nests.

And the creation of all the four-footed animals and the birds being finished, they were told by the Creator and the Maker and the Forefathers: "Speak, cry, warble, call, speak each one according to your variety, each, according to your kind." So was it said to the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars, and serpents.

"Speak, then, our names, praise us, your mother, your father. Invoke then, Huracán, Chipi-Caculhá, Raxa-Caculhá, the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth, the Creator, the Maker, the Forefathers; speak, invoke us, adore us," they were told.

But they could not make them speak like men; they only hissed and screamed and cackled; they were unable to make words, and each screamed in a different way.

When the Creator and the Maker saw that it was impossible for them to talk to each other, they said: "It is impossible for them to say our names, the names of us, their Creators and Makers. This is not well," said the Forefathers to each other.

Then they said to them: "Because it has not been possible for you to talk, you shall be changed. We have changed our minds: Your food, your pasture, your homes, and your nests you shall have; they shall be the ravines and the woods, because it has not been possible for you to adore us or invoke us. There shall be those who adore us, we shall make other [beings] who shall be obedient. Accept your destiny: your flesh shall be torn to pieces. So shall it be. This shall be your lot." So they said, when they made known their will to the large and small animals which are on the face of the earth.

They wished to give them another trial; they wished to make another attempt; they wished to make [all living things] adore them.

But they could not understand each other's speech; they could succeed in nothing, and could do nothing. For this reason they were sacrificed, and the animals which were on earth were condemned to be killed and eaten.

For this reason another attempt had to be made to create and make men by the Creator, the Maker, and the Forefathers.

"Let us try again! Already dawn draws near: Let us make him who shall nourish and sustain us! What shall we do to be invoked, in order to be remembered on earth? We have already tried with our first creations, our first creatures; but we could not make them praise and venerate us. So, then, let us try to make obedient, respectful beings who will nourish and sustain us." Thus they spoke.

Then was the creation and the formation. Of earth, of mud, they made [man's] flesh. But they saw that it was not good. It melted away, it was soft, did not move, had no strength, it fell down, it was limp, it could not move its head, its face fell to one side, its sight was blurred, it could not look behind. At first it spoke, but had no mind. Quickly it soaked in the water and could not stand.

And the Creator and the Maker said: "Let us try again because our creatures will not be able to walk nor multiply. Let us consider this," they said.

Then they broke up and destroyed their work and their creation. And they said: "What shall we do to perfect it, in order that our worshipers, our invokers, will be successful?"

Thus they spoke when they conferred again: "Let us say again to Xpiyacoc, Xmucané, Hunahpú-Vuch, Hunahpú-Utiú: 'Cast your lot again. Try to create again.' " In this manner the Creator and the Maker spoke to Xpiyacoc and Xmucané.

Then they spoke to those soothsayers, the Grandmother of the day, the Grandmother of the Dawn, as they were called by the Creator and the Maker, and whose names were Xpiyacoc and Xmucané.

And said Huracán, Tepeu, and Gucumatz when they spoke to the soothsayer, to the Maker, who are the diviners: "You must work together and find the means so that man, whom we shall make, man, whom we are going to make, will nourish and sustain us, invoke and remember us."

"Enter, then, into council, grandmother, grandfather, our grandmother, our grandfather, Xpiyacoc, Xmucané, make light, make dawn, have us invoked, have us adored, have us remembered by created man, by made man, by mortal man. Thus be it done.

"Let your nature be known, Hunahpú-Vuch, Hunahpú-Utiú, twice mother, twice father, Nim-Ac, Nima-Tziís, the master of emeralds, the worker in jewels, the sculptor, the carver, the maker of beautiful plates, the maker of green gourds, the master of resin, the master Toltecat,* grandmother of the sun, grandmother of dawn, as you will be called by our works and our creatures.

*Here the text seems to enumerate the usual occupations of the men of that time. The author calls upon ahqual, who is evidently the one who carves emeralds or green stones; ahyamanic, the jeweler or silversmith; ahchut, engraver or sculptor; ahtzalam, carver or cabinetmaker; ahraxalac, he who fashions green or beautiful plates; ahraxazel, he who makes the beautiful green vases or gourds (called Xicalli in Náhuatl,)--the word raxá has both meanings; ahgol, he who makes the resin or copal; and, finally, ahtoltecat, he who, without doubt, was the silversmith. The Tolteca were in fact, skilled silversmiths who, according to the legend, were taught the art by Quetzalcoatl himself.

"Cast the lot with your grains of corn and the tzité.** Do it thus, and we shall know if we are to make, or carve his mouth and eyes out of wood." Thus the diviners were told.

**Erythrina corallodendron. Tzité, arbol de pito in Guatemala; Tzompanquahuitl in the Mexican language. It is used in both countries to make fences. Its fruit is a pod which contains red grains resembling a bean which the Indians used, as they still do, together with grains of corn, in their fortunetelling and witchcraft. In his Informe contra Idolorum Cultores, Sánchez de Aguilar says that the Maya Indians "cast lots with a large handful of corn." As is seen, the practice which is still observed by the Maya-Quiché is of respectable antiquity.

They went down at once to make their divination, and cast their lots with the corn and the tzité. "Fate! Creature!'' said an old woman and an old man. And this old man was the one who cast the lots with Tzité, the one called Xpiyacoc. And the old woman was the diviner, the maker, called Chiracán Xmucané.

Beginning the divination, they said: "Get together, grasp each other! Speak, that we may hear." They said, "Say if it is well that the wood be got together and that it be carved by the Creator and the Maker, and if this [man of wood] is he who must nourish and sustain us when there is light when it is day!

"Thou, corn; thou, tzité; thou, fate; thou, creature; get together, take each other," they said to the corn, to the tzité, to fate, to the creature. "Come to sacrifice here, Heart of Heaven; do not punish Tepeu and Gucumatz!''

Then they talked and spoke the truth: "Your figures of wood shall come out well; they shall speak and talk on earth."

"So may it be," they answered when they spoke.

And instantly the figures were made of wood. They looked like men, talked like men, and populated the surface of the earth.

They existed and multiplied; they had daughters, they had sons, these wooden figures; but they did not have souls, nor minds, they did not remember their Creator, their Maker; they walked on all fours, aimlessly.

They no longer remembered the Heart of Heaven and therefore they fell out of favor. It was merely a trial, an attempt at man. At first they spoke, but their face was without expression; their feet and hands had no strength; they had no blood, nor substance, nor moisture, nor flesh; their cheeks were dry, their feet and hands were dry, and their flesh was yellow.

Therefore, they no longer thought of their Creator nor their Maker, nor of those who made them and cared for them.

These were the first men who existed in great numbers on the face of the earth.

Part I, Chapter 3
Immediately the wooden figures were annihilated, destroyed, broken up, and killed.

A flood was brought about by the Heart of Heaven; a great flood was formed which fell on the heads of the wooden creatures.

Of tzité, the flesh of man was made, but when woman was fashioned by the Creator and the Maker, her flesh was made of rushes. These were the materials the Creator and the Maker wanted to use in making them.

But those that they had made, that they had created, did not think, did not speak with their Creator, their Maker. And for this reason they were killed, they were deluged. A heavy resin fell from the sky. The one called Xecotcovach came and gouged out their eyes; Camalotz came and cut off their heads; Cotzbalam came and devoured their flesh. Tucumbalam came, too, and broke and mangled their bones and their nerves, and ground and crumbled their bones.

This was to punish them because they had not thought of their mother, nor their father, the Heart of Heaven, called Huracán. And for this reason the face of the earth was darkened and a black rain began to fall, by day and by night.

Then came the small animals and the large animals, and sticks and stones struck their faces. And all began to speak: their earthen jars, their griddles, their plates, their pots, their grinding stones, all rose up and struck their faces.

"You have done us much harm; you ate us, and now we shall kill you," said their dogs and birds of the barnyard.

And the grinding stones said: "We were tormented by you; every day, every day, at night, at dawn, all the time our faces went holi, holi, huqui, huqui, because of you. This was the tribute we paid you. But now that you are no longer men, you shall feel our strength. We shall grind and tear your flesh to pieces," said their grinding stones.

And then their dogs spoke and said: "Why did you give us nothing to eat? You scarcely looked at us, but you chased us and threw us out. You always had a stick ready to strike us while you were eating.

"Thus it was that you treated us. You did not speak to us. Perhaps we shall not kill you now; but why did you not look ahead, why did you not think about yourselves? Now we shall destroy you, now you shall feel the teeth of our mouths; we shall devour you," said the dogs, and then, they destroyed their faces.

And at the same time, their griddles and pots spoke: "Pain and suffering you have caused us. Our mouths and our faces were blackened with soot; we were always put on the fire and you burned us as though we felt no pain. Now you shall feel it, we shall burn you," said their pots, and they all destroyed their [the wooden men's] faces. The stones of the hearth, which were heaped together, hurled themselves straight from the fire against their heads causing them pain.

The desperate ones [the men of wood] ran as quickly as they could; they wanted to climb to the tops of the houses, and the houses fell down and threw them to the ground; they wanted to climb to the treetops, and the trees cast them far away; they wanted to enter the caverns, and the caverns repelled them.

So was the ruin of the men who had been created and formed, the men made to be destroyed and annihilated; the mouths and faces of all of them were mangled.

And it is said that their descendants are the monkeys which now live in the forests; these are all that remain of them because their flesh was made only of wood by the Creator and the Maker.

And therefore the monkey looks like man, and is an example of a generation of men which were created and made but were only wooden figures.

Tags: Mayan, Mayan Indians, Popol Vuh, Creation, Bible, Maya

(This image is a memorial of the Santiago Atitlan massacre.)

Through a fellow Twitterer, Worldstechpod, I found out about an interview he conducted with Guatemalan human rights investigators and Benetech, regarding Guatemala's violent 36-year bitter Civil War. Thousands of archived papers from the 1950's onward were discovered in a warehouse, evidence of a very brutal war that killed thousands of innocent Mayans, suspected to be guerillas, or communists. Because these documents needed to be scanned and digitalized for historical safe-keeping, Benetech stepped in and offered their assistance.

The interview is now online, at FRONTLINE/World. You can see an amazing video about the secret files here.

See the timeline of Guatemalan's violent history (1944 - 2008) here.

The brutal civil war resulted in the deaths or "disappearance" of more than 200,000 Mayans, intellectuals, human rights activists and more. More than 40 villages were wiped off the map. It was a devastating time of Guatemalan history, with the origins closely tied to the US.

Recommended readings:
1. Silence on the Mountain by Daniel Wilkinson
2. Searching for Everado by Jennifer Harbury
3. Unfinished Conquest: The Guatemalan Tragedy by Victor Perera
4. The Art of Political Murder by Francisco Goldman

Tags: Guatemala Civil War, Guerilla, Mayan Indians, Benetech, War, FRONTLINE/World, Human Rights

Once upon a time, I was the American Director for a school in Guatemala. I left knowing I'd continue to be involved with education and helping the Mayans around Lake Atitlan. Globally Minded Works, Inc. was created to help support education through sponsorships of students, teachers and schools. It is my hope that we can raise enough money to support several impoverished schools and families in the Highlands in Guatemala.

The school year in Guatemala is from January to October and young children go to elementary school in the afternoon and older students attend middle school in the afternoon. During November and December, many Mayan children help their parents harvest coffee beans for export. Many Guatemalan Mayans are very poor and struggle greatly to send their older children to middle school as they are responsible for paying tuition and books. Elementary school is compulsory and free, though most schools are in dire need of everything, including school supplies and an adequate building.

Schools around Lake Atitlan are in varying degree of need. Yet, most, if not all, are in need of ongoing support as the communities are poor and the schools don't get enough help (if at all) from the government. Teacher salaries are always in jeopardy and it not uncommon for salaries to be withheld for several months at a time! Globally Minded Works seeks to partner with communities in Guatemala, one child, one teacher, one school at a time.

Bookmark us and come back as our online donation feature is coming soon!

Tags: Education, Guatemala, Child Sponsorship, Globally Minded Works, Teacher Sponsorship, School Sponsorship

Tags: Travel, Mayan ruins

Tags: Joyce Maynard, Books, Lake Atitlan, San Marcos La Laguna, PlanetOutreach

Tags: Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Tags: Education, Sponsorships

Tags: Sponsorships, Donations, Child Sponsorships, Teacher Sponsorships, Schools, Guatemala

We are delighted to share with all of our readers that GLOBALLY MINDED WORKS, INC., just received its 501(c)(3)non-profit organization approval. We are now accepting donations for student, teacher and school sponsorships! We invite you to get the word out about GMW to your family, friends, church and colleagues. We need your support to make a visible and lasting difference in the communities around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

Updates to our website and blog will soon provide more information and stories, as well as the ability for you to donate online.

Give a child an education and you can help to transform a nation; one child, one teacher, and one school at a time. Get involved with us today!

Tags: tax exemption, Guatemala, Sponsorships, Education, Donations

Globally Minded is a fair trade, eco-friendly jewelry business. The company supports artisans in the Highlands of Guatemala and is committed to giving 15% of its profits to Globally Minded Works, to support charitable and educational projects around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Globally Minded partners with Amazon to market and fulfill all of its sales. In addition, Amazon purchases are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping when you buy more than $25.00 worth of products. Start shopping here and read the Globally Minded blog here.

Tags: Globally Minded, Jewelry, Artisans, Guatemala

According to an editorial in the LA Times, The Adoption Quandry by Elizabeth Larsen, there is much concern over the ethics of Guatemalan adoptions:

The larger ethical issue has been the role of buscadoras, recruiters hired by Guatemalan adoption lawyers to search for pregnant women willing to relinquish babies, in some cases offering them money. As the demand for babies has grown, so has the power of the buscadoras; to connect a lawyer to a pregnant mother, they demand up to $8,000. Meanwhile, Guatemalan children who have no living parents, who aren't infants or who have special needs constitute only a tiny fraction of completed adoptions.

1. Family preservation - It is considered best for the child to remain with their own family.
2. Extended family adoptions - Every attempt should be made to keep the children within the extended family, if staying with biological family is impossible.
3. Adoption within Guatemala - Inter-country adoption is the next preferred step in the adoption process.
4. International adoption - Foreign adoptions are considered a last resort.

Tags: Children, Child Adoptions, Child, Child Sponsorship, Education, Guatemala, Child-Trafficking

Education is fundamental to empowering the poor in Guatemala, as well as other countries around this small globe. In time, we will post stories and information about the villages and schools we support on our website, through the kind and generous donations of people like you. Once we obtain our tax exemption status, we will seek donors and invite them to get to know their sponsored student, teacher and community in Guatemala. We won't twist arms about it, as we know people are busy, but at least the option and opportunity is available for donors to get more involved.

Clean drinking water and fuel efficient stoves are two other initiatives we seek to provide for the Mayan families around Lake Atitlan. We are looking for partners to make this a reality, including donors and in-kind donations. Clean water is a necessity for all people yet many around these communities can't afford clean water. Many have to walk long distances to get bottled water, if they can afford it, while many continue to drink water that is polluted and toxic. As a result, many have intestinal and stomach problems. Fuel efficient stoves are warranted as the traditional open fires cause serious respiratory problems as well as require a large amount of wood. Please consider helping us with these initiatives and projects.

We have trusted partners and volunteers on the ground to help us support schools and communities. In addition, we work with the local leaders to support our initiatives, knowing that their buy-in is critical to our success in each community.

We incorporated Globally Minded Works in April 2007 and are waiting for our official 501c3 tax exemption approval from the IRS. Meanwhile, will you consider placing our banner on your website and promoting our work on your blog or website? Tell you friends, colleagues, and church about Globally Minded Works and consider joining us as we impact the lives of children and communities in Guatemala.

Tags: Education, Children, Guatemala, Sponsorship, Child Sponsorship, Lake Atitlan, Schools

Tags: tax exemption

Tags: Poverty, Fair Trade

Happy New Year to all my readers!

May this year be filled with more
love, compassion, joy and goodness
in your life. Thank you for your heart and interest
to help the poor in Guatemala and beyond.

He [the Lord] will have compassion on the poor and needy,
And the lives of the needy he will save.(Psalm 72:13)

Flowers from me to you!

When you go to Starbucks and buy your grande cup of Guatemalan coffee, do you ever wonder how it got from Guatemala to your local Starbucks ? I did some research while living and working there and found some interesting information. The area around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is a coffee grower's dream. Surrounded by three volcanoes and lots of vegetation, coffee beans are shade grown and abundant. Connie, a Mayan woman from San Pedro La Laguna, worked in the internet cafe and her husband's family sold its coffee beans to Anacafe. Sadly, they only received $80 per 100-pound coffee beans. Think about it. The profit margin is substantial, even with the cost to export and sell.

From October until January, coffee season is at its prime and entire Mayan families spend the morning picking coffee beans. It is quite common to see small Mayan girls carrying their baby sibling on their backs, while Mom and Dad pick the coffee beans for their survival. Often barefoot, toothless, dirty and hungry, coffee farmers work hard and long to harvest the coffee, earning a pittance for their labor while Americans sip Guatemalan coffee at $1.75 a cup, without a care for the hands that picked the beans.

Tags: Guatemalan Coffee, Guatemala, Coffee, Lake Atitlan, Starbucks

Merry Christmas!

May all have a loving, spectacular and meaningful Christmas with family and loved ones. Take great pleasure in the giving and receiving the greatest of ALL gifts:

LOVE!
We love because He first loved us (I John 4:19)
FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

Innocent Voices is a compelling documentary about the brutal Civil War in El Salvador, seen through the eyes of Oscar Torres, an 11 year old boy, who miraculously survived to tell his story. The film could easily be set in Guatemala, a neighboring country, as they endured a similar violent Civil War. You can listen to an NPR podcast about "Innocent Voices" here.

During the 1980's, El Salvador's armed forces were recruiting twelve year old boys, abducting them from schools, homes, villages and streets. Chava, the main character, is an 11 year old boy and the "man" of his household, after his father escaped to the United States. Chava has only one year of innocence left before he will be forced to train and fight against his own people, or "guerillas", of the FMLN. The movie follows Chava's journey in this worn torn country, where we see him escape the perils of death at the hands of the military and survive violent gun fire in his village. His story, poignant and touching, is a story worth seeing.

Here is my question: How can a country (or world!) justify the kidnapping and training of children for war? It is absolutely repugnant to me; I grieve over the innocence lost. We must stop this now.

Go rent the movie today.

Tags: Foreign Film, Documentary, El Salvador, Central America, Guatemala, Civil War, War

(Source of images: ClinicasMaya.org)
Cindy Waterman, a midwife and nurse by training, moved to Guatemala in the late 1990's and settled into San Pedro La Laguna to fulfill a passion to help Mayan women struggling in poverty. Cindy made a decision to wear the traditional Mayan women clothing in order to bridge the differing cultures and establish connection with the local women. We met in 2001, when I moved to the same village to launch the internet cafe. Cindy's dream: to build a midwifery clinic for Mayan women on "this part of the Lake Atitlan", including the villlages of San Pedro, San Juan, San Pablo, San Marcos, and Tzunana.

Cindy moved to San Marcos La Laguna to run the Clinica Naturalista, a holistic medical clinic serving locals, travelers and expats. Through determination, hard work and sacrifice, Cindy has built a legacy for herself: today, a midwifery clinic is in full bloom. Cindy continues to work tirelessly tending to the needs of the sick and the poor and helping out with various medical clinics around Lake Atitlan. Thankfully, as a result of Cindy's training of local midwives, fewer mothers and babies die during child birth and people are getting treatment for their ailments. Indeed,the combination of Cindy's service, compassion, training and holistic and western medicine work together to make life better for the Mayan people.

I've partnered with Cindy to provide medical supplies to her clinic, every time I travel to Guatemala. Rotaries, churches, and friends have all given medical donations to me to help her clinic thrive. Gathering donations is always on the front of Cindy's mind, as well as donations and long-term, bilingual medical volunteers who can hit the ground running.

Do you want` to help? Contact us!

Tags: Medical, Health, Medical Clinic, Poverty, Guatemala, San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlan

Microcredit has been an interest of mine ever since my first trip to a developing country and seeing the dire plight of the poor. Microcredit is the extension of small loans ($50-100) to entrepreneurs struggling in poverty. Muhammed Yunus, the founder of Microcredit, recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, for empowering the poor through this type of model. Microcredit is now a global tool used to help the developing poor out of the bondages of poverty, equipping them with the resources to start and grow their enterprises.

Here are two interesting and encouraging statistics about the effectiveness of microcredit in the developing world:
1. Loan repayment rate is 97-98%
2. 90% of borrowers report increased incomes as a result of loan

There are several microcredit organizations around the world, doing great work and changing communities, one loan at at time. Kiva is one of the most novel microcredit organizations out there. They have a peer-to-peer lending model and a donor can easily track their "investment" online, while developing a relationship with the entrepreneur. NamasteDirect, a US-based organization, is another microlending organization, supporting rural entrepreneurs in Guatemala. Last Spring, I volunteered some of my time in Guatemala with NamasteDirect, investigating their programs, while also writing a couple of articles for them.

In closing, make a life changing difference, empower the poor through these innovative programs. Click on one of the banners below to get going.

Tags: Microcredit, Poverty, Guatemala, Entrepreneurs

Guatemala is a land of contrasts, a land tragically beautiful yet ravaged by the effects of extreme poverty. Poverty is paramount everywhere you look in Guatemala: adobe homes, aluminum lean-to's, barefoot Mayans carrying wood on their backs or baskets of vegetation on their heads, trash laden streets and river beds, old diesel cars omitting black filth from the exhaust, and dirty toothless faces of the struggling poor. In the midst of the poverty, breathtaking beauty of rolling hills, valleys, waterfalls, vegetation and volcanoes capture one's senses. It is a country where people come and are forever changed.

In 1999, I accepted an invitation with a humanitarian organization to visit families living in the trash dumps of Guatemala City. I didn't really understand what this meant until we got there. Men, women and children were scavaging the trash for food and items to sell and use and thousands of aluminum homes lined the ridge of the vast dump. It was astounding and humbling for me to see people living in such plight. We visited numerous homes, checking the health of many and giving beans, rice and powdered milk as needed.

I left that day knowing that I would help the Guatemalan poor through business and education, two powerful tools to empower the poor out of poverty. Today, I am walking this out.

Will you join Globally Minded Work to help the poor through education?

Tags: Guatemala, Poverty, Mayan, Education, Trash Dumps, Poor

It's official! Globally Minded Works is now a member of Co-op America's Green Business Network! We received our approval letter yesterday: "Your application to the Co-op America Business Network (CABN) has been approved. You are among CABN’s year 2008 progressive business leaders who are solving today’s tough social and environmental problems."

Thanks for joining us to make life better for all. Remember, the holidays are around the corner, so please remember to be globally minded and buy fair trade and socially responsible gifts for your loved ones from our partner organization, Globally Minded.

If you are interested in joining Co-op America as an individual, you can do so here.

Tags: Green Living, Socially Conscious

I returned to the world of software sales with a burning desire to return to Guatemala. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of those struggling in poverty. Within a year, I returned to Guatemala on my own and volunteered for Common Hope in Antigua. I lived with a local family in the beautiful colonial city of Antigua, studied Spanish in the morning and volunteered every afternoon. Eventually, I returned to the states and then returned again in 2001-2003, to launch the first ever satellite internet cafe in San Pedro La Laguna on the shores of lovely Lake Atitlan. Seven months later, I returned and directed a middle school in San Marcos La Laguna. Returning once again to the US, I obtained my MBA, launched Globally Minded and recently formed Globally Minded Works. I am passionate about helping the poor through business and education.

We are looking for people who are like minded, who desire to make a difference in the Land of Eternal Spring. Interested? Contact us! We'd love to hear from you.

Tags: Guatemala, Lake Atitlan, Business, Education, Technology, Social Enterprise

Tags: Books, Schools, Education, Children, Literacy

Tags: Poverty, Education

Tags: Green Living

Tags: Green Living, Technology, Education