Greetings from Norman, where I have been for more than two years, as the Director and Chief Curator to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at University of Oklahoma. It is a challenging and exciting job, which allows me to use my logistical and managerial capacities as well as my creativity toward the development of Education. We started building the new extension to the Museum to welcome a new Collection (opening March 2011) and I have still to raise the money for the endowment and secure the future of the Museum.I will keep you posted on the developments of these projects.

I hope that all of you are well.

As you remembered my "THANK YOU" email from May 2009, we have exceeded our goal last year with $30,000 which had helped more than 12,000 children and families.


ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

But of course, we have to start again each year.

This past summer has been rough for me as I lost two of my strongest supporters to the ADF. My dear nephew, Louis Lebel, who tragically passed away in an accident last May and my dear friend, Franz Schnass, last September. Franz has been designing the ADF fund raising letters and the blog for the last three years.

Thank you again for all of your nice messages of sympathies and your gifts to the ADF.

I WOULD LIKE TO AGKNOWLEDGE BOTH OF THEM AND DEDICATE THIS 2009/2010 CAMPAIGN TO BOTH OF THEM.

This is the information letter for the Alix Donation Fund (ADF) Christmas Project 2009/2010, which I promised to send you every year before the Holidays. Once again we will help Guatemalan's through THE GOD'S CHILD Project and Project ECOFILTRO. However, this year brings something new; a project in the US, and more precisely in Norman, Oklahoma: FOOD 4 KIDS. Although it may sound surprising to add a project in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the US is also a land of contrasts and there is great poverty, especially in Oklahoma. You would be surprised to learn that 20% of children there suffer from hunger. Yes, you read me correctly: 20% of children haven't enough to eat on a daily basis in the land of McDonald's.

There is also a technical innovation this year in the sense that I will ask you to make contributions directly to the project(s) you want to support OR for European donations please see instructions at the end of this email.

To the extent of your generosity, the Alix Donation Fund (ADF) will finance each of these three projects, as much as possible pending your donation. Of course, my dream would be that together we could cover them completely!

Let's try to make this Christmas, more memorable and enjoyable. Please remember that any donation you can give makes a real difference!

In advance, thank you very much for your help, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. (Ghislain@dhumieres.org [Ghislain@dhumieres,org] ; or cell number: +1 405 250 9006)

After looking at several projects in Guatemala, I took again the decision to select 2 projects this year, which you have already been supporting previously, BUT I truly think that they are worthwhile and deserve again your favor.

[http://alixdonationfund.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html]

IF you are keen on this project, please send donations to:

The God's Child Project
Post Office Box 1573
721 Memorial Highways
Bismarck, ND 58502-1573

Please write your check payable to "The God's Child Project"

BUT WRITE IN MEMO: ADF

OR use this link to pay online.

Project 1:

Special Education Students in Antigua & Surrounding Communities of Handicapped Students



For the first three years, the ADF has been supporting the Hermano Pedro Special Education School (EEHP) by sponsoring the annual salaries of three professional teachers, as well as providing school supplies for the students. This project, which I had personally visited, is incredible and extremely well run. Last year we have sponsored 5 teachers. After reviewing and visiting the project, I have decided to focus on a better teaching and select four teachers with a better training and educative knowledge for special programs. The school will be able to welcome around 100 physically, mentally, intellectually and emotionally handicapped children from January to October 2010.

The annual salary for 4 teachers and part of the school supplies is around $12,500.



When you click on the above link you are going to see some of these 100 special need children as they excitedly start out their new school year... thanks to you!

IF you are keen on this project, please send donations to:

Family of the Americas Foundation

5929 Talbot Rd,

Lothian, MD 20711

Please make your check payable to "Family of the Americas Foundation"

BUT WRITE in MEMO: ADF/Ecofiltro

OR use this link to pay online.

Project 2:

Following Hurricane Stan, Replacement of Water Filters in 4 Villages as well as Distribution of New Filters


This project is done through the organization Eco Filtro:(www.ecofiltro.com)

 This initiative is quite unique given the big difference that the affected villages' municipalities are thoroughly aware of the health risks of unfiltered water. They have taken responsibility for their population's well being by contributing, quite significantly, to the purchase of the replacement filters. Due to severe droughts, and after my visit to check on the filters, we realized that the capacity to provide clean water is down to 5 to 7 people in each familly instead of 10. This may change next year, as the upcoming winter should be better.


The City halls of some of these municipalities will contribute as follows:

* Joya Grande y Rincon, Grande Chimaltenango will pay 20% of their filters or replacements (Usuarios de AFA): 50 filters for $1,400 and 50 replacements for $850.


* Aldea Cojol Juyu, San Juan Comalapa (Chimaltenango) will pay 20% of their filters (Consejo Comunitario de Desarrollo): 50 filters for $1, 400.

* Zacapa Centro (Usuarios "Corredor Seco" Oriente Guatemala) will receive 100 filters for $3,500 


* Gualan, Zacapa (Usuarios "Corredor Seco" Oriente Guatemala) will receive 100 filters for $3,500

* Hermanas de La Caridad de la Madre Teresa needs 100 filters in Escuintla for $3,500

Also, we will still be supporting Casa Jackson and give them 40 replacement filters and 50 new filters in order to guarantee that the malnourished infants will have pure water. This project will cost $2,710.

For a total of 550 families and malnourished children (around 3,000 people) we will need a total of $16,860.

IF you are keen on this project, please send donations to:

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma


PO Box 270968

Oklahoma City, OK 73137-0968
USA

Please make your check payable to "Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma"

BUT WRITE in MEMO:ADF F4K-Norman

OR use this link to pay online.

Project 3:

Norman Oklahoma (USA) Food Bank project Help children to get enough food everyday

You may be surprised to learn that one in five children in Oklahoma struggle with hunger on a daily basis. Fortunately, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma's Food 4 Kids program provides chronically hungry elementary school children in Norman with a backpack of kid-friendly, nutritious food every weekend and holiday throughout the school year. Last school year, 482 children in 15 elementary schools in Norman benefited from the Food 4 Kids program. Before joining Food 4 Kids, these children had very little, or nothing, to eat between their free/reduced price school lunch on Friday and school breakfast on Monday.

Please consider a gift to Food 4 Kids-Norman. $200 will provide a backpack of food for an entire school year for one child. Your help is vital to the lives of these children.

This year, the ADF is trying to raise $10,000 in order to help at least 50 kids.

The GOAL of the 2010 ALIX DONATION FUND (ADF)

The campaign in Guatemala is to raise a minimum of $29,360 in order TO HELP more than 3,500 adults and children.This means that with $8.4 per year you can make a huge difference in the life of someone.

In campaign in Norman Oklahoma is to raise $10,000 in order to help at least 50 kids.

TIMING:

For logistical reasons, I will ask that you please send your donation as soon as possible, as the need is huge as usual and the situation really difficult.

My Father is kind enough to receive your gift and will deposit it to my account, from which I will transfer it to the GOD'S CHILD Project, ECOFILTRO or the FOODBANK directly! Shortly after your gift, you will receive a "thank you note" from them, and later on I will send you a Thank You email with photos and details about each of the projects to help those less fortunate that we were able to undertake. Thank you once again for your love and support for the poor. You can't imagine how much I appreciate your kindness and consideration with this.

DONATIONS:

Please use the payment link for each project as it is easier and faster, or send check in USD directly at one of each charitable organization.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO MEMO YOUR CHECK ADF

OR, for EEC residents and Euro bank account:



TRANSFER TO MY BANK:


Societe Generale
compte: Ghislain d'Humieres


IBAN: FR76 30003 00190 00058150815 27

OR

SEND A CHECK:


Please write check payable to "Ghislain d'Humieres" and send it to my Father:


General Septime d'Humieres 
Chateau de Marcoles

15220, Marcoles

France

2009/10 God's Child Project Donation

Thank you for your generous donation
to the ADF God's Child Project.

Please click below to donate.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING GUATEMALA IN 2008

Dear Friends,
First of All, I need to share with you the tragic and sad news about the accidental death of my dear nephew Louis Lebel. He was the Godson of my late sister Alix (whose name was given to the ADF/ Alix Donations Fund), and was a strong supporter of our fund raising. He was planning to join forces with me and extended the impact of the ADF toward other countries in the World. He will be so dearly missed. Please do keep my family in your mind and prayers as we are going through this tough moments. Thank you again

Greetings from Norman, OK, where the University semester is ending and students are getting ready to attend graduation and then go on vacation. I am still very busy raising the money for our Museum addition and we have already started construction (Opening in Oct 2011). July will see me at the Getty Museum for an intense training program, then on vacation in France until Mid-August, when I will need to be back in Norman as the University semester will start again.

Sorry for the delay, as I was waiting for the final photos from the 3 projects you have been supporting this year. CONGRATULATION, we raised $30,000 ( a little more than my goal) and managed(even in these difficult financial times) to help more than 10,000 people (families, children etc...).

ONCE AGAIN and for now 6 years in the row, thank you , thank you and thank you for your support, generosity and friendship.
please look at the following photos and details about each projects which you had helped and I hope that you will enjoy this report.

Also, once again, Thank you to my dear friend Franz Schnaas who helped me designing the email and managing the campaign.

Louis - Alix Donation Fund Project 2008/09

Chers Amis de Louis
(See english version following this message)

Merci du fond du coeur de m'avoir contacté pour faire un don au "Alix Donations Fund (ADF)" en mémoire de mon neveu Louis. Le ADF a été fondé en 2003 en mémoire de ma soeur Alix, décédée Il y a 23 ans. Elle était la marraine de Louis.

Le ADF récolte des dons chaque année avant Noel, afin d'aider les enfants de la rue et les familles du Guatemala (enfants handicapés sans soutien, scolarite des enfants de la rue et distribution des filtres d'eau qui sauvent la vie de nombreuses familles.

Louis soutenait cette mission et nous parlions depuis un an de passer au niveau superieur, car Il voulait s'associer à ce projet et le developper en Europe afin d'aider d'autres pays comme le Sri Lanka et l'Egypte.

Je suis très touché d'avance de vos dons. Connaissant le soucis d'éfficacité de Louis, vos dons seront integralement consacrés à l'achat de filtres d'eau, qui seront ensuite transmis aux Soeurs de Mère Theresa au Guatemala. Celles-ci connaissent exactement le besoin des plus défavorisés; Ces filtres d'eau (see website: www.ecofiltro.com) permettent de purifier chaque jour assez d'eau pour une famille de 7 à 10 personnes et réduisent de 50% la mortalité infantile. Les familles à qui l'on donne ces filtres reçoivent également une formation d'hygiène et d'entretien.

POUR Faire parvenir les dons:

Residents Européens et Comptes bancaires en euro

Transfert sur mon compte Bancaire
Société Générale
compte: Ghislain d'Humieres
IBAN: FR76 30003 00190 00058150815 27

Chèque au nom de: Ghislain d'Humieres
à envoyer au Général Septime d'Humieres
Chateau de Marcoles
15220 Marcoles

Residents Americain et Comptes bancaires en US$
(deductible des impots pour residents americains)

Chèque au nom de :Family of the Americas Foundation (MEMO: Ecofiltro/ADF)
à envoyer à Family of the Americas Foundation
5929 Talbot Rd
Lothian, Maryland 20711
USA

Direct PAYPAL
(IMPORTANT: PREVENEZ MOI PAR EMAIL DU MONTANT QUE VOUS ENVERREZ)
allez sur le site: http://www.ecofiltro.com


Merci encore de votre générosité et soutien; tenez moi au courant de vos dons afin que je puisse vous remercier et tenir ma famille au courant.

Amicalement

Ghislain d'Humières

English:

Dear Friends of Louis

Thank you again so much for your kindness and generosity if you had decided to support one of Louis's foundation.
ADF was created in the memory of my late sister, Alix, who was also Louis'Godmother, and helps street children and extremely poor family in Guatemala (see blog: www.alixdonationfund.blogspot.com)
Louis was getting more involved with this project and as a matter of fact, was going to developp it in Europe in order to help other countries (like Egypt and Sri Lanka..) and join me to raise more funds for underpriviledged people from around the world.

I know that Louis was very keen on the Eco filter project and I would like to direct your gifts in his memory to send filters to the sisters of Mother Theresa in Guatemala who know exactly who is in desperate need. (see website: www.ecofiltro.com)

How to Donate: (pending your location)

EEC residents and euro bank account:
transfert to my bank
Societe Generale
compte: Ghislain d'Humieres
IBAN: FR76 30003 00190 00058150815 27

Or send a check Payable to: Ghislain d'Humieres and MEMO: ADF
and mail it to General Septime d'Humieres
Chateau de Marcoles
15220 Marcoles
France

U.S. residents and USD$ bank account (this is tax deductible)
Send a check Payable to: Family of the Americas Foundation and MEMO: ADF
and mail it to Family of the Americas Foundation
5929 Talbot Rd
Lothian, Maryland 20711

or use the Ecofiltro Paypal directly, which you will find on their website www.ecofiltro.com (please notify me, if you are using this way of payment)

Thank you again and do not hesitate to ask me any further questions.Make sure to keep me posted on your gift as i would like to make sure to send you a thank you note and keep Louis' familly posted.

Sincerely Yours

Ghislain

Alix Donation Fund Christmas Project 2008/09

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Norman, where I have been for more than a year, as the Director and Chief Curator to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at University of Oklahoma. It is a challenging and exciting job, which allows me to use my logistical and managerial capacities as well as my creativity toward the development of Education. We are starting building the new extension to the Museum to welcome a new Collection next March, I have still to raise the money for the endowment and secure the future of the Museum and finally, I have been developing an international program of exhibitions, starting with China and at the moment with Russia. All the things I love!!

I will keep you posted on the developments of these projects.

I hope that all of you are well.

This is the information letter for the Alix Donation Fund (ADF) Christmas Project 2008/2009, which I promised to send you every year before the Holidays. Once again we will help Guatemalans through THE GOD'S CHILD Project and Project ECOFILTRO.

As you remembered my “THANK YOU’ email from May 2008, we have exceeded our goal last year with $40,000 which had helped more than 15,000 children and families.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

Thank you again for your help two years ago, which has been a very difficult one due to the Hurricane Stan. We managed to make a difference and I would like to carry on this year.

I went to Guatemala in September to check on the different projects the ADF is supporting and I took the decision to select 3 projects again this year, which you have already been supporting previously, BUT I truly think that they are worthwhile and deserve again your favor.

To the extent of your generosity, the Alix Donation Fund (ADF) will finance each of these 3 projects, as much as possible pending your donation. Of course, my dream would be that together we could cover them completely!

Let's try to make this Christmas, more memorable and enjoyable. Please remember that any donation you can give makes a real difference! (...even $25!)

In advance, thank you very much for your help, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Ghislain d'Humieres

2007 Fundraising Report

Dear Friends,

This has been a great year for the ADF, as we have exceeded our goal (more than $40,000 which will help more than 15,500 children and families).May I thank all of you again for your wonderful generosity.

The success is also due to some major donors, one of them being generous every year and we would not be able to do it without her.

One also, Anonymous from Switzerland, who I would like to thank in particular with this message!!

Finally, Thank you to my friend Franz Schnaas, who gave me so much of his time to design these web pages which made such a huge difference in the fund raising.

As usual, please find below some small reports and photos on each project together with an additional one done with the extra money.

Sincerely Yours,

Ghislain

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Each year we struggle to provide our thousands of children with their needed books, pencils, and pens. With the opening of The Scheel Center, a school for dropouts wishing a second chance to escape the cruelty of the streets, the demand for school supplies has increased. ADF family and friends rose to the challenge and helped supply all these children with the tools necessary to learn.

In the slideshow, you can see the appreciation and creativity that these simple, and yet so vital, items have brought to so many children. They have enabled hundreds of children to expand their minds for another year.

Additional Project: Resident Nurse

One year salary for a resident nurse at the Dreamer center

"Like any nurse in any clinic around the world, her main job is to get patients ready to see the doctor. This often includes doing an initial evaluation, checking vitals and performing minor investigations of the patient's aliments. However, her job is even more critical and complicated than most because of the unusually high volume of ill patients we treat, for the sole doctor assigned on duty."

The remainder of the money will be earmarked to provide school supplies for an additional 30 street children, through the God's Child Project program.

WATER FILTER FOR 6 MUNICIPALITIES THROUGH THE FOUNDATION: FAMILIA DE LAS AMERICAS

With the additional financial support of Alix Donation Fund, Ecofiltro is in the process of distributing within various rural communities, a total of 1,187 water filters in the following areas of Guatemala:

Escuintla, Suchitepéquez, Ojer Kaibal Chimaltenango, Joya Grande, Chimaltenango, Zaragoza Chimaltenango, Tecpán Guatemala

With this support, Asociación Familia de las Americas, the institution which manufactures in the Ecofiltro, will provide these Guatemalan homes a safe and practical tool to purify water. These poor families who live in extreme poverty, were affected by Hurricane Stan in 2005 and to date have struggled to recover economically. This help comes at a timely moment since filters expired after one year of using.

Each family averages 7 members, so we estimate that thanks to ADF donations, 8,309 people have been benefited by improving their health prospects and thus, quality of life.

An important part of this process is community participation, as each household contributes a percentage of the cost of replacements parts that are delivered to their homes. The families are very thankful to receive their waterfilters and they plan to keep replacing them every year, since they have seen the correlation between clean water and their children no longer having diarrhea and other stomach illness due to drinking polluted water.

HEALTHY MINDS (WATER FILTERS)

HEALTHY MINDS (WATER FILTERS)

Without good health, though, all of the education in the world is meaningless. This year, once again you enabled the purchase of hundreds of water filter units, and the specialized health education training that comes with them. The dozens of schools in need, poor families, and abandoned or widowed mothers who struggle to raise their children as best they can, can count on these fundamental staple we give for granted: potable water.
With dignified gratitude the mothers and school-teachers, picked up their ADF filters and filter replacements, as you will see on this links:

ADF FOR THE CHILDREN OF GUATEMALA 2006

Dear Friends

I hope this will find you well.
Due to my busy year with Heritage Auction in Texas and the many interviews with Museums, I have been very late to send you my annual, detailed email, and sharing with the results from the ADF for the Children of Guatemala.
Once again, I want to thank you so much, as this would have not been possible without your kindness. This year, we were able to raise $26,297 which help more than 3,500 children.

Please look at the email below from Patrick Atkinson from the God’s Child project and do take the time to look at the slide shows embedded in Patrick's letter bellow.

This year, I will be in Guatemala at the end of August to check on the progress of our work and start the selection of projects for our next campaign.

I will keep you posted.

Again, my deepest appreciation for your support and friendship.

Most of you know that I have been appointed Director to the University of Oklahoma Museum of Art. I am thrilled and it is going to be a busy year for me BUT, I will most definitely continue my work with the ADF for the Guatemalan Children.

Thank you.

Sincerely Yours,

Ghislain

************************************

Message from Patrick:

Dear Ghislain,

Thank You!

Your love and concern for the homeless, orphaned, and abandoned children of Guatemala has once again worked miracles. Though your ADF charitable drive this past Christmas and in the early months of 2007, you, your wonderful friends, and family continue to help us forever impact the lives of these poor people.

There's no way you can ever know the depth of their love and appreciation for all that you have done for them.

I hope you can find a few minutes to look through the following four short slide shows showing some of the thoroughly, appreciative faces of these boys, girls, widowed and abandoned mothers –sometimes entire families, that you are helping through your ADF efforts.


SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS AND SUPPLIES

When you learned at the beginning of this current school year that our orphanage did not have the funds to buy school supplies for the thousands of children who depend on our help, you rallied your friends and family to become involved through ADF.

Without your help, most of these boys and girls would not received the school supplies,
Books, and other financial costs, let alone meet the school enrolment fees that the Guatemalan government imposes even to its poorest students at the start of each new school year.

Though the links bellow you will see are just a few of the many happy –and thankful children, for whom you made it possible to go to school this current school year....




HERMANO PEDRO SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL

One of our most special educational programs is, of course, the Hermano Pedro Special Education School, where we teach children afflicted by Down syndrome, Shaken-Baby Syndrome, Alcohol-Fetal Syndrome, and other forms of general mental retardation. Last year you sponsored the salaries for three special education teachers at this school, and this year, you, through ADF, are doing it again. The following photos catch a glimpse of the wonderful education that these 85 otherwise academically-deprived children are receiving thanks to your help...



HEALTHY MINDS (WATER FILTERS)

Without good health, though, all of the education in the world is meaningless. This year, once again you enabled the purchase of hundreds of water filter units, and the specialized health education training that comes with them. The dozens of schools in need, poor families, and abandoned or widowed mothers who struggle to raise their children as best they can, can count on these fundamental staple we give for granted: potable water.
With dignified gratitude the mothers and school-teachers, picked up their ADF filters and filter replacements, as you will see on this links:




Ghislain, you, your family, and your friends are incredibly special people. You care about others, and you shared both time commitments and financial resources to help those in need who you may not ever meet in person. These are God's very special children. Thank you for providing a greater outlook for their futures.



With our very best regards,

Patrick Atkinson

Founder, Executive Director
The GOD'S CHILD Project

Come visit with the children at:
www.GCPNC.org

www.GCPSC.org
www.ITEMP.org
www.GodsChild.org
www.Albergue.org
www.ANA.org.gt
www.The-Dream-Maker.com

THE GOD'S CHILD PROJECT CHRISTMAS 2004

Dear Benefactors to the Alix Donation Fund, Ghislain, and Friends,

Thank you for being so wonderful!

Your leadership and participation in the Christmas 2004 Alix Donation Fund and GOD'S CHILD Project Action Efforts brought Christmas joy and happiness to hundreds of extremely poor children in Guatemala, Central America, and affected the lives of thousands of abandoned mothers and their children.

These six separate and distinct Christmas actions for the Alix Donation Fund were accepted, encouraged and led by ANA volunteer Ghislain d'Humieres, to whom we are extremely grateful.


1st Activity: December 15th - Roosevelt Hospital Pediatric Ward, Guatemala City
# of poor children assisted: 225
Cost: $ 2,587

After obtaining special permission from national authorities from the Guatemalan Ministry of Public Health, on Wednesday, December 15th, GOD'S CHILD Project and Nuestros Ahijados volunteers went to the Pediatrics Ward of Guatemala City's Roosevelt public hospital and held a Christmas party for 225 poor and possibly orphaned children interned there. Gifts were given to each child, and the bedridden children in the Intensive Care and Children's HIV-Positive sections were visited, talked with, and made to laugh by project volunteers. Gifts were given to, or left with, each hospitalized child.

One of the girls who was a patient at the Roosevelt hospital the day our volunteers were there was the survivor from a recent drug-related massacre where her entire family died. She had spent four days sitting next to her dead mother's body before she was discovered by police. As you can imagine, this small girl's happiness in meeting our volunteers, singing Christmas songs with them, and receiving a gift and a warm Merry Christmas hug, was overwhelming.

As we were limited to the size of gift each child could receive, we also used a portion of your donations to purchase additional blankets and sheets for the beds these children sleep in.

The volunteers left the Roosevelt public hospital with precious memories of the profound happiness they saw on the faces of the hospitalized children they had brought Christmas to that day. Some of these children hadn't had visitors in weeks, if at all. Even though they might have been ill or in pain, the childrens' smiles and spirit-filled words, as they ate their sweets and held your gift in their hands, were perfect reasons for the Alix Donation Fund to have made this day happen.

Get ready. When you click on this link (or copy and paste it into your browser), you are going to see some of the photographs that were taken this day as we shared your Christmas love, gifts and goodwill with the children in Guatemala City's Roosevelt Hospital.



2nd Activity: December 16th - FIDESMA, San Andrés Itzapa
# of poor children assisted: 200
Cost: $ 2,600

The 2nd activity that you, as benefactors to the Alix Donation Fund, did for the poor children of Guatemala, Central America, this Christmas through The GOD'S CHILD Project was that on Thursday December, 16th, you provided an exciting Christmas party with candy and toys for 200 extremely poor children in the Mayan Indian villages that surround San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango. These children live in desperate situations where their families marginally live through the harvesting of small annual crops of corn and beans from tiny pieces of land. With your Christmas party, food and gifts, you gave these children happiness and the pleasure of receiving their own Christmas gift; something most of them had never before experienced.

Most of the children, and many of their mothers, who were at this Alix Donation Fund Christmas Party also said this had been the only Christmas party these boys and girls had ever received. We are sure they will never forget this party, their gift, and the day's songs, hugs and "Merry Christmas" words.

By clicking on the following link (or copying and pasting this link into your browser), you can see some of the many happy faces you and the Alix Donation Fund brought this year to these 200 very poor children in FIDESMA and San Andres Itzapa, Chimaltenango.



3rd Activity: December 17th - San Bartolomé Milpas Altas and El Hato
# of poor families assisted: 222
Cost: $ 2,670

The 3rd Christmas activity you through the Alix Donation Fund made possible for the impoverished children and families of Guatemala this Holiday Season was the Friday, December 17th, delivery of 222 Christmas baskets to abandoned and abused mothers in the Mayan Indian villages of San Bartolomé Milpas Altas and El Hato. These rural villages are outside of Antigua Guatemala and, due to the disappearances and the violence that occurred during Guatemala's recent 37-year civil war, and the more contemporary problems of unemployment and alcoholism, both villages have high proportions of single, abandoned and abused mothers.

Prior to December 17th, GOD'S CHILD Project volunteers purchased necessary basic-utility foods, household supplies, and specially-chosen "Christmas Sweets" and prepared them into 222 food baskets. Early in the morning on December 17th, project volunteers and staff members loaded these food baskets into our own and rented vehicles and drove them to San Bartolomé Milpas Altas and El Hato, where over two hundred single and abandoned mothers were excitedly waiting for us... many with children in hand. In these villages we held a wonderful Christmas party, holiday songs were sung, and all of your Christmas baskets distributed to these poor mothers and their children.

The women repeatedly expressed their appreciation to us... to YOU... and countless times gave you their blessings and deeply sincere words. Some of them mentioned that they had never before received a Christmas gift, much less one as practical and beautiful as the Christmas basket we gave them in your name through the Alix Donation Fund. This day's activity ended with sincere hugs for everyone and the heart-felt words, "Merry Christmas".

Thank you for contributing the funds to the Alix Donation Fund to make this special activity possible. By clicking on this link (or copying and pasting this link into your browser) you'll be taken to a slide show of photographs that were taken this day.

From the women, their children, and all of us, ¡GRACIAS!



4th Activity: January 6th - San Miguel Dueñas and Ciudad Vieja
# of poor family households assisted: 100
Cost: $ 2,815

The 4th Christmas activity you did for the poor families of Guatemala this year through the Alix Donation Fund was the distribution of 100 no-maintenance water filters to 100 families (527 individuals) in two impoverished communities located 10 and 20 minutes outside of Antigua Guatemala. 80% of the population in these communities depend on small-field crops as their sole source of income for their families, and they are very poor people. Since they lack the basic resources to buy even the necessary amounts of food, they particularly don't have the resources to buy purified or treated water. As a result, they drink the untreated water that comes from field pipelines or directly from contaminated streams and wells dug for plant irrigation.

These water filters were delivered to these 100 poor families on January 6th, The Feast of Three Kings. The 100 mothers who received these water filters from you expressed their absolute appreciation for this gift, since the treated water that comes from these life-saving Eco Water Filters will immediately reduce, if not eliminate, parasitic stomach infections in themselves and their children. By clicking on the following link (or copying and pasting this link into your browser), you can see some of the happy women and children you have helped with your gift of these water filters; people you will continue to help for months and years to come.



5th Activity: Special Education Students in Antigua & Surrounding Communities
# of handicapped students assisted: 65
Cost: $ 6,375

The 5th Christmas Activity you did through the Alix Donation Fund is to enable 65 physically, mentally, intellectually and emotionally handicapped children to study in school for the entire 2005 school year (January - October). This education is made possible through your financial sponsorship of new school year start-up funds and the salaries of two professional teachers for the Hermano Pedro Special Education School (EEHP); an elementary school for handicapped and special needs I co-founded in 1991 to provide part of a "safety net" to help the project's very poor children who just aren't "little geniuses who live in cardboard houses".

When the Hermano Pedro Special Educational School (EEHP) began in 1991, it was an informal educational effort staffed entirely by constantly-changing volunteers. You'll be glad to know it is now recognized by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education as an accredited special education school, and seeks to employ certified, special education educators. The children who attend this school have problems of Down Syndrome, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Alcohol and Drug-Related Fetal Syndrome, physical disabilities, mental ability challenges and severe learning disorders.

When you click on this link (or copy and paste it into your browser), you are going to see some of these 65 special needs children as they excitedly start out their new school year.... thanks to you!



6th Activity: New School Year for The GOD'S CHILD Project's Guatemalan children
# of poor children assisted: 1,450
Cost: $ 16,933

Last December we told the project's 2,586 boys and girls to NOT expect any new school year start-up financial help (enrollment fees, uniforms) from the project in January 2005, simply because we didn't believe there would be any funds to help them with.

As you can imagine, we were ALL worried about how we... and particularly the children... were going to start the new school year this January without any funds.

The 6th Christmas Action done for the poor children of Guatemala through the Alix Donation Fund benefactors was to collect the necessary funds needed to enable The GOD'S CHILD Project-sponsored Guatemalan charities to pay the school enrollments for 1,450 very poor boys and girls, and/or to purchase for these children the basic school uniforms each individual school requires. Those of you who have been to Guatemala and who have visited the project have personally met many of these boys and girls, and now, when they really needed you... you responded with your love and your financial help!!

By clicking on this link (or copying and pasting this link into your browser), you, as Alix Donation Fund benefactors worldwide, will see the smiles and excitement of some of the hundreds of children who were in the project's office last week, picking up school enrollment checks needed to study at any of the 87 schools nationwide that the project's children are enrolled in.


In addition, your support as Alix Donation Fund benefactors, paid for new school year expenses at our Colegio San Bernardino for Mayan Indian Children in Chimaltenango, and at the Open Heart School in Chiquimulia for orphaned, abandoned, and neglected sons and daughters of Guatemala's coastal migrant workers.

You can only imagine how grateful all of these children and families are to you, our Alix Donation Fund benefactors, for making all of these wonderful, educational, and life-saving activities possible this year.

Thank you!

Patrick Atkinson
Founder, Executive Director
The GOD'S CHILD Project
Asociación Nuestros Ahijados de Guatemala, ONG

WATER FILTER DISTRIBUTION

THANK YOU!

Thank you for your generous contribution!

GdH

THE GOD'S CHILD PROJECT: FINAL REPORT CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

THE GOD’S CHILD PROJECT
FINAL REPORT OF CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

CHRISTMAS IN THE PEDIATRICS AREA OF ROOSEVELTH HOSPITAL


On Wednesday, December 15th of this year, the activity of Christmas gifts in the Pediatrics of Roosevelth hospital delivery was made, counting with 150 children, patients of that hospital.

Different pediatrics areas were visited:

∑ General Medicine
∑ Intensive Care
∑ HIV positive Children’s area

The activity was during the morning and we have precious moments of happiness when we saw all those children smiling with the toys in their hands, even when they felt a little pain, reason why they were there.

We were surprised when we met the girl who survived from a massacre, where all her family died. This little girl was in recovery because she was four days on top of her dead mother’s body inside their house. This girl demonstrated a lot of happiness of meeting us and also because we brought her a present and a lovely Merry Christmas hug.


CHRISTMAS IN FIDESMA, SAN ANDRÉS ITZAPA


On Thursday December, 16th of this year the activity of toys delivery for 200 children, took place in the villages of San Andrés Itzapa. This children live extremely poor and their families live with of the annual crops from the small pieces of land of their parents, which sine times are not of their own. On Christmas Eve, which are very important, we couldn’t stop celebrating it to them, so they could feel the emotion and happiness of having a Christmas gift in their hands.

This activity was coordinated with Fidesma, a small institution that helps and trains the children’s mothers with different kinds of workshops.

The children and mothers expressed that they never had a Christmas gift like the one that we gave them on that time, and we are sure it was the only Christmas party they had, and we are also sure that they will never forget this kind detail, this party, this gift, the hug and the “Merry Christmas” words.



CHRISTMAS BASKETS IN SAN BARTOLOMÉ MILPAS ALTAS
AND EL HATO VILLAGE


On Friday, December 17th of this year, the delivery of 200 Christmas baskets to abandoned and abused mothers in San Bartolomé Milpas Altas and el Hato Village, was made. This places are far away and tend to have a lot of single mothers and abused mothers as well, the attendance of mothers was 80% indigenes.


This women showed us their appreciation with their blessings and deeply words, since some of them mentioned that they never had received a Christmas gift and that they were far from receiving such a pretty Christmas basket as the one we gave them.

With this activity the warm feeling of this very important season was felt and the best of all was that the feeling was because of the sincere hug and the soft words saying: “Merry Christmas”

DELIVERY OF 100 FILTERS IN SAN MIGUEL DUEÑAS
AND CIUDAD VIEJA

The purifying water filters delivery took place in two communities located at 20 and 25 minutes from Antigua Guatemala, the 80% of the population of this communities depend from their crops as a survival resource for the families. They don’t have access to buy purified water, which is of vital importance for them, and they drink the water that comes from the pipelines and this water is not completely purified, also they drink the water from the wells the families had built to take out water. The mothers expressed that this filter was such a big help for all the people since stomach infections, caused from drinking that water, are very common there.

This delivery that became in a very special season, the Three Wise Men’s Day, and be able to drink purified water from now on, was a big gift for the families, so in this way they will have a good health.

The mothers expressed their appreciation for this kind of help, since nobody else has get there and give them a help for improving their lives or their health, they said that was the best thing they ever had in a three wise men’s day and that they will never stop to say “Thank You” for this.




HERMANO PEDRO SPECIAL SCHOOL

This Special School was founded in January 29th, 1996 by a group of parents and teachers. The idea became through seeing the need of many poor parents of special children that didn't have the opportunity or resources to take their children to a Special School in Guatemala City. And the Pro-Foundation Committee of New Hermano Pedro Special School became. This institution was a private school from 1996 through 1998, and was inspired from brother Peter's Charisma.

This school counts with qualified educators, specialized in Special Education. The children who attend this school have problems as; physical disabilities, deafness, mental disabilities and learning problems.

Thanks to the support of Education Minister, this institution became official on June 16th, 1999, and because of this, it has been of great help to the community of boys and girls from Sacatepéquez with special educative needs.

And with the help of The GOD'S Child Project this Special School is able to help all the children to attend their classes there.

FUNDRAISING LETTER 2004

Dear Friends

Thank you to all of you who had supported me during my year in Guatemala, and thank you in advance to all of you who will continue to help the Street kids and poor families of Guatemala.

After this year as a volunteer helping Street kids to give up on Drugs and Prostitution, as well as raising money in order to buy Water Filters to give pure water to extremely poor families, I realize that I was in the position to help and with YOU, we could make a difference!!

Therefore, with the logistical support of Patrick Atkinson from the God’s child project, I am creating the Alix Donation Fund (in memory of my late sister). This fund will be receiving your donations in order to finance one (or two) project(s) a year (up to your generosity), specifically to help Guatemalan children or extremely poor Mother of families.

Through my permanent contact in Guatemala, I will pick up several ideas of “actions” around Christmas 2004, structure the project, send you an Information email and call to your generosity. Donation will be done through the God Child project’s headquarter in Bismarck (North Dakota), where upon receiving your check, you will get a thank you letter as well as a tax deductible form.
Then, we will accomplish the “project” and send you back a news letter with Photos, to thank you and show you the result of your kindness.!

In advance, I want to thank you deeply for your confidence and I assure you that, even a small gift from you, COULD make a difference in Guatemala.

I have worked last year very closely with Patrick Atkinson, who founded the God’s Child project, and I personally guarantee the integrity of their management.
I have the assurance, that any donation done to the ADF (Alix Donation Fund), will be entirely use for our project (no administration fees!!). Thank you Patrick.

The GOD'S CHILD Project is a wonderful charity for poor and orphaned children, and abandoned mothers with young children at home, I had the opportunity to volunteer with while I was in Guatemala, Central America. What attracted me to this project, above all the other projects and charities I saw while I was in Central America, is how successful, positive, and dedicated The GOD'S CHILD Project is to use every donation they receive to its fullest benefit. As Patrick (founder and director) told me, 'We are surrounded by so many needs and so much poverty; we can't afford to waste a single penny.'

Right now, there are 2,583 boys and girls cared for and educated through The GOD'S CHILD Project. Whenever it is possible, these young children are placed with family members or close relatives who will raise them. When this is not possible, The GOD'S CHILD Project finds and supervises good foster families who then raise these children 'as if they were hijos propios: children of their own flesh and blood.' Without this help, most of these children would be living on the streets and engaged in stealing, drugs, street gang activity, and prostitution. Many would be dead.

The project also works with 8,500 abandoned mothers and very sick people, through the program's clinics, schools, legal advocacy program, and women's support and development groups. It was to these terribly poor women and their children I was able to arrange for you the purchase of 600 very much needed water filters earlier this year, when I volunteered with the program.

The GOD'S CHILD Project is run mostly by volunteers who come to help from around the world. Many of these volunteers come back year after year. All funds donated to the program are externally audited and independently accounted for, and these audits state that 97% of all donations go straight to help the poor that need this help so much.

Therefore, you will be receiving an email, beginning of October 2004, to explain in detail our Christmas 2004 project and give you the information for your potential donation.

Thank you again very much for your attention and your support and I am looking forward to being in touch with you.

Sincerely Yours

Ghislain d’Humieres

Newsletter From Guatemala, May 2004

May 2004-06-21

Dear Friends

Time has been flying by and I am already packing. I will be leaving Guatemala on May 27th.
I will be traveling throughout June, to go to job interviews and therefore will be in LA from May 27th to May 31st, New York ( June 1st to 5th), Geneva ( June 7th to 12th), Paris (June 13th to 19th), a week at my Parents’place in Auvergne, and back to LA on June 28th. I hope that I will be able to see many of you during this trip!!

But let me give you the latest news since the end of March.

First of all, Thank you to many of you, for your generosity with the Water Filter project. Those who had participated are going to receive a separate email with photos, BUT just to let you know, we have been able to help 600 families!! (instead of 500). THAT IS FANTASTIC!! Thank you.

Many of you, still, have been asking how to help the children from Guatemala. After reflection and getting advice, I have decided to create the Alix Donation Fund (in memory of my late sister). You will all receive another detailed email about it, but this fund, under my direct supervision, will be collecting donations for Children and poor mothers from Guatemala. This money will be used for a targeted action, around the time of Christmas, and I will personally keep you posted.

Remember!!, that through your help this year, we were able to give:
A Christmas party and presents to 110 Streets Kids (Casa Alianza)
350 Christmas presents to the sick children from the Roosevelt Hospital of Guatemala City
1 year scholarship for a 12 years old girl
600 Water filters to give purified water to extremely poor families.
NOT BAD!!!
Thank you in advance for your help and together we are going to break the chain of poverty, and make a difference.

News from the kids:
Even though I have stopped working with Casa Alianza, I am still in touch with them and also with some of the kids who went back to the street. They managed to find me and I take that as a wonderful proof of trust and confidence.
The great news is about Daniel, the blind kid. After finding him in Guatemala City, I convinced him to move to Antigua, which is smaller and safer. With the help of Patrick Atkinson from the God’s Child project, we found a job and a place for Daniel to live. You cannot imagine his happiness. One of my Friends, generously, gave him a guitar, which is one of the rare pleasures this blind kid still has. Again, he was overwhelmed with joy and gratefulness.
Benjamin, Eddy and Mauricio are still in the program of Casa Alianza, but Conradino and Jaime left. Again very frustating and sad.
I have found Jaime, back in the street, doing drugs again (after 2 years with Casa Alianza). He is a great kid, but the only thing I was able to do was to spend time with him, to treat him to lunch and give him the feeling that I am considering him as an adult!!
I also finaly found Victor, who left before Christmas. He went for three months to jail for stealing Q20 ($3). Again, nothing more than my friendship and a lunch, as any other kind of help will go directly to drugs!
Through the hermano Jesus (Religious Brother from the order of the Marist), who is taking care of the spiritual aspect of Casa Alianza, I will be able to keep in touch with the kids within the program, as well as those who left.
At least I will get some news and maybe, will be able to help.

With the Water Filter project and through the God’s Child project, I was able to discover another image of extreme poverty. After the distribution of the filters, I went several times to spontanouisly visit some of the families who had received them. In the slums around Guatemala City and Antigua, I have seen “houses”where families up to 10 people are living in the same room. Even after my 10 months experience “in the Street”, I was not ready to see so much need!
Nevertheless, these families with nothing, will always welcome you with joy and warmness. They force your respect by their dignity and education. This is one of the reasons I want, with your support, to continue helping them.

Other highlight of April, was Semana Sancta (Holy Week), which is extremely important in Guatemala, but espacially in Antigua.
More than a half million visitors, from Wenesday to Easter day walk through the city, praying in the churches, and above all, watching the penitent processions coming through the streets. The penitents (around 50) are carrying a huge platform surmounted by a life size statue of Christ with the Cross. It is so heavy that the penitents have to change every 15 min, and the procession goes for 12 hours! The streets are decorated by amazing Alfombras (Carpets), made from flowers, fruits and colored sawdust. For the Guatemalan, it is a form of penitence to offer hours of work, in order to make these temporary works of art, which are going to be destroyed in a minute by the penitent procession, stepping on it. The whole city smells of burning incense and resonnates the music of funeral bands (very much like the Godfather...the movie!). This is the typical way in Guatemala to celebrate Easter.

I had the joy of welcoming both my parents for 2 weeks and with them, I discovered new part of the country. The natural water pools of Chemuc Shanpey, with turquoise water so transparent, where the forest was reflecting. The caves of Candelaria, with 30 km of corridors and under-ground rivers. Back to Tikal, which is so impressive every time, and so on and so on.
At the risk of repeating myself, Guatemala is an amazingly beautiful country, where you find any kind of vegetation, climate, relief and tradition. Colorful flowers match the colorful mayas’clothing, with a background of a thousand shades of green from the luxurious vegetation.
Whoever wants to travel in Guatemala, please makes sure to contact me.

Sadly comes the time to say good bye to the people I have met during this year. I had a great talk with Padre Richard (The rapper priest I mentioned in a previous message), before he flew to Chicago for a big concert!
I will not be able to mention everybody, but each of them had made my time in Guatemala very special and anonymously, this email is dedicated to all of them as a testimony of my respect and my gratitude.

Once again, from the monastery, where I am doing my last retreat, I want to thank all of you and I am looking forward to hearing from you, or even better, to seeing you very soon, if possible.

Sincerely Yours

Ghislain d’Humieres

PS: Together with the coming up email about the donation fund, you will find a web link with a lot of photos from my time in Guatemala. I hope that you will enjoy them.

Newsletter From Guatemala, March 2004

March 2004-04-06

Dear Friends,

It is already 6 weeks since my last newsletter. Thank you to many of you for your kind and supportive replies. I felt surrounded by your friendship and that is great.

Thank you again for those who are helping me with the water Filter project. I still need some donations in order to reach the amount of money sufficient to give a filter to 500 families. Do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to help!

February has been extremely intense. I was working in the streets 3 or 4 times a week, keeping the Wenesday and Friday afternoon, which are the days of Spiritual activities, with the kids of level II.

As usual, some good and some bad news. Benjamin, who has an amazing memory for geography, passed to level III, and studies very seriously at school. But Daniel, who is nearly blind, and has been with Casa Alianza for several years, left without any explanation. Again, a very frustating experience, as I had spent a lot of time talking and teaching him. He lost his parents and has only two brothers, who are not able to help him. It took me a month to find out where he was, and I will be trying next week, to see him and find what may be done to help him. But the toughest is that they all are very proud and often refuse to be helped!

For St. Valentine’s day, Casa Alianza organised “the Friendship’s race”, with all the boys and girls, including the educators and volunteers. A very friendly moment, with different categories based on age. For the first time in my life, I found myself in the Senior group (35 to 50). Tough reality of life...I am not so young anymore. I nevertheless managed to win the silver (fake) medal!
We had another 15 year old birthday party for Heidi, which was similar to the one I described in my first email. It has the importance of a “debutante” ball in Guatemala. Starting with a Mass, followed by Speeches, lunch, cake and a lot of dancing. It was great fun.

On the “Street” side, we worked a lot on the Zona 6 and 1 (around the market, the bus terminal and some prostitution areas). In one of the abandoned gas stations, we met a young 16 year old mother with a 2 year old baby, in a condition of extremely poor hygiene, on the point of being expelled by a private militia. We interfered and negotiated for her to stay one more day. When we went to pick her up the day after, she was gone! Instead, the place was occupied by 3 kids (around 12 years old) who , after a lot of talking, came with us. Two days after, 2 of them were already back to the street!

One morning, I received an urgent call from Oscar ( Street’s educator) who told me that 4 girls from the program had not come back the night before. One of them, was the lovely Marie Sol, 11 years old, usually very quiet and nice. We had only one day to find them, in order to be able to reintegrate them in the program. We went around the whole city, asking other homeless, and after 5 hours, we found them in the Parque Central. It then took 2 hours to convince them to come back with us. They are ultra sensitive, and a simple argument or disagreement could make them leave Casa Alianza, preferring to be in the street!
It surprises me sometimes how “ prima dona” these kids can be, when they have nothing else, and receive a lot from us. But it takes a lot of patience and understanding to realise that they never received attention or love, and that they often react on first impression.
We also help another group of educators, with the “mobile school”, which consists of a nice minivan containing all pedagogical possibilities and large boards, in order to teach kids in the streets. We went with them several times to the most dangerous Zone of Guatemala City (zona 18), in the colonia (district) Lemon. These are some of my best and brightest memories of all.
When we arrived in the central square of the colonia, between 50 to 70 kids, from 2 to 14 years old, joined us from everywhere, with huge smiles and laughing eyes. We separated them into groups, and each of us started teaching alphabetisation, mathematics, ect... After 45 minutes, we played with them, then we set up the puppet theater, in order to performe a small play about hygiene or an education program. We usualy finished with a distribution of juices and cookies.
The amount of joy and smiles make you feel that all this work is worthwhile. I miss them already.

I could continue for a long time telling you about my experiences with the children of Guatemala, but I will keep some stories for each of you, when I next see you face to face.

I miss them also, because, as I mentioned in my previous email, I decided to stop my volunteer job with the kids. After 7 months, I realized that I was completly occupied, with no time for myself. I will therefore devote more time to the water filter project, in order to finish it before the end of May, and keep some time for myself to think about my future.
I will be looking for a job in the Art world, of course, in the USA or Europe, but also will look into posibilities of professional fund raising or management positions in International N.G.O.s or private foundations.

I am spending a little bit of time to discover this amazing and beautiful country. Last week, I was in Rio Dulce, which is the carabean part of Guatemala. Completly different from the rest, with wild forests of Mangrove trees, rivers and swamps and beautiful white sand beaches. The population is an interesting mixt of maya culture and black creole. Not far from there, next to lake Izabal, I swan in the most enchanting hot water waterfall, surrounded by lush vegetation. The way I imagine the Garden of Eden!

I will try to travel a little bit more and will keep you posted by end of May for where I will be going next.

Once again, an amazing experience, which opened my heart and my mind about the reality of the world. Wonderfully nice and warm people, extremely diverse culture and civilisation. I fell in love with Guatemala, which will stay for ever in my heart, and I hope that I will be able to visit it regurlarly.

Thank you again all, for your moral and financial support. You have made my time in Guatemala helping the kids possible!!!

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely Yours,

Ghislain

Newsletter From Guatemala, January 2004

Dear Friends,

First of all, may I wish you all (and late) a very Happy New Year, which will bring you all the happiness you may deserve.

Then, May I thank all those who had responded to my Christmas’call, in order to help some of the different projects, I have been involved in Guatemala.

A particular and grateful thank you, to my ex-colleagues from Christie’s again. I hope you enjoyed the email and the photos.

Another thank you, to those who had participated to the Water filter project, which consist in buying water filter and give them to the poorest families in Guatemala. You will be receiving soon a Thank you email with Photos. You are giving a chance to a family to have pure water for several years, and save baby and children’s life (reduction of illness due to bacteria).

This is my on-going project until my departure (May 2004). We had already collected $6,500 and I am hoping to reach $10,000, which means 500 filters. Do not hesitate to participate. Send me back an email and up to the country where you live (tax deductible for US residents), I will give you information for sending your donation. It is a great cause, and I personally supervise it. THANK YOU very much in advance.

But enough about fund raising and let me give you some news about the last two months, which have been very busy.

I am still working with the children from the level 2. I have to get use to kids’ departure without explanation, and sometime, they showed up, back to the house, 1 or 2 weeks later, in terrible physical condition, dirty and smelly, under drugs and asking for help. I admired the opened-mind and kindness of the educators, who welcomed them with patience and understanding.
I never had any news from Selvin, but before Christmas, I received a call from Victor, who finally found a job and seems to do fine. On Christmas’day, I met Mardoguedo, in the street, in terrible condition and completely “stone”. He nevertheless recognized me. We went for a quick snack and I gave him food for the next two days….at least, he is still alive.

I have also been working in the street on a more regular base (twice a week), and it is the same, perpetual vision of poverty, drug, sex and violence. But, at least, we are welcomed with a smile and a happy face. They know that we will be giving clothes and first aids treatment. Last week, we had a tough day, as we entered a “squat” which we are visiting regularly, disgusting and smelly beyond believes. Five kids were there (usually there are around 20), three of them with the face completely hurt and still bleeding. We asked what did happen and it seems that another gang of kids, came the same morning, tried to rape one of the girls. The three boys tried to defend her and were severely beaten up. We took them, as well of the girl (who had been raped) to Medecin Sans Frontieres. Sorry to be so crude, but that is a daily kind of event, we have to deal with.
I am amazed, how the children keep on living and find the energy to still smile and laugh!

For Christmas, with he financial help of my friends from Christie’s, the five other volunteers and myself had organized a “Christmas ‘fiesta”. Thank to their generosity, we were able to buy a lot of electrical decorations, some huge cakes and a Watch for each kid! It could seem superficial, but they already received from Casa Alianza, food and clothes, BUT they would never dreamed to receive a present like this. It is a prove that we consider them as adult. They were so happy.
We did 2 parties, separately for the girls and the boys (as they lives in different premises). With the girls, we had a lot of singing and dancing. For many of them, it was their first piece of costume jewellery.
For the boys, it was also a very nice and happy time. I brought them another surprise, in the persona of Father Richard (34years old priest from Panama) who I have met two months ago in Antigua. Above the fact of being a priest who had grown up in the street, he is an international star as a rap singer! He has the groove and a great voice and he sings about drugs, street children, hope, family etc. Then he helped us to distribute the presents.

I had the pleasure to organize another Christmas’action (Thanks again to Christie’s generosity), as we had some money left over. Through the God’s Child project, run by Patrick Arkinson, we were able to distribute 300 Christmas’ presents to the kids, sick from AIDS and cancer, from the Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala City. You should have seen the smile and happiness of these kids. Many of them came from the centre of the country and never received a toy (doll, car, ball etc.)

That is it for Christmas.

Few weeks before Christmas, I went with some friends to Lake Atitlan. It is one of the most beautiful and amazing landscapes I have ever seen. It is a very clear and clean lake, surrounded by volcanoes, with small villages, only reachable by boat. The local people are very sweet and welcoming. Supposedly, Saint Exupery wrote a part of “The Little Prince” there. It was a real break from the dirty and polluted streets of the capital.

Christmas’ eve, I went back to Antigua and saw an amazing show. The whole city is bursting in Fire at midnight, between fireworks, firecrackers and boom fire. It was an explosion of laugh, joy, light and of course, music, as every occasion is good for dancing! I was certainly not the last one to join the crowd!
It was a very special and unique atmosphere and a lot of fun.

For New Year, I went back to LA, in order to check on my apartment, take care of technical issues (bank, doctor, etc.), see friends and I came back, to Antigua, beginning of January.

I took the opportunity of being in the States, to approach and consult some friends and contacts about another project I am getting involved with. Related to the water filter, which had stayed a very local action, I am trying to help the inventor and Mrs Wilson (who has been supporting the production and distribution of these filters), to put together a proposal in order to built an International Centre for Safe Water (improving the production, centralizing it, quality control with the supervision of MIT) and above all, a training centre for local or international persona who care to learn and promote this invention. This means cheap access to pure water in many countries around the world, which could save million of lives. It is a fabulous project and with my previous experience, I am trying to help them to put together a very professional proposal and sending it to potential donors.
If any of you have suggestion, DO Not Hesitate.
I will keep you posted on this long-term project too.

Back to the boys’ community, I saw with sadness that the house of level 2 burned to ground on January 1st. Thank to God, it was during lunch time, and none of the kids has been hurt. But they lost all their personal belongings, which mean a lot to them. The building being insured, it will be renovated, but that will take 8 months! During this period, they are “piled” into a smaller house and we tried to make it as comfortable as possible.
The second sad news was the departure of Jaime Tecu, director of the boys’ house, who will be working for Unicef. It was a wonderful and charismatic 27 years old man, married with two kids. I felt honoured to have had the opportunity to work with him.

As several of you knows, I had some serious doubts about Casa Alianza in Guatemala. The way it is managed and a lot of internal politics in the administration, are very frustrating issues. But I guess, it is the same anywhere. I will be thinking about it, during February, but I will maybe leave them next month and devote more time to the Water Filter Project and to some other projects with poor families, helping them in fund raising and controlling of activities.

Otherwise, I manage to save a little bit of time, and had the pleasure to start watercolour lessons and develop my skills in “Latino fever” dance (salsa, merengue and punta).

The cultural life is quite small, but I had the chance to go to a photo exhibition, of a wonderful young artist, Andreas Asturias, who uses his skills to protest against injustice and poverty. Each photo is a composition with models and local background, protesting against hunger, poverty, prostitution, corruption, gang, etc…but in such artistic way, that they are real work of art!

I also went to an opening, showing modern design furniture made from Mangrove trees (unique, as this tree is protected…. they have the only worldwide license). Extremely stylish and creative…my heart of Furniture specialist was jumping!

As you could see, I have a quite active and busy life. I will nevertheless try to take it easy in March, as I realize that my sabbatical will be ending in May, and I need to take some time for me. I will be starting looking for a job (ideally for September 2004), primarily in the USA or in Europe, in antique furniture, jewellery or maybe humanitarian fund raising and management.

I am blessed to encountered wonderful people; to learn a new language, discover a new culture and way of life, in a beautiful country. I am learning to prioritise and “relativise”. I am relearning how to live and enjoy simple things. But certainly, this experience in Guatemala will have a great impact on me.
Thank you all again for your support, morale and financial. It is always great to receive news from you.

As usual, I am writing to you from the Monastery, where I am doing another retreat in silence. Still very cold but peaceful and beautiful.

I will keep you all in my thought and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Amities
Ghislain