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"Every person can make a difference. Large or small, every act can create change." -- Vision team member
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| Online Sponsorship |
| You can become a Sponsor online. Click here to choose a student and begin your sponsorship today! |
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Travel to Guatemala in 2009! |
We are currently making reservation for 2009 teams. Contact us to learn more about leading or joining a Vision Team. Call 651-917-0250 or email visionteam@
mn.commonhope.org. |
"The people in Guatemala are so rich in spirit and endurance, and I am richer in spirit for having come here." -- Vision team member
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It's a party!
Mark your calendar now for Common Hope's Holiday Open House! Stop by our office in Saint Paul on December 4th to meet and greet staff, enjoy homemade holiday goodies and do a little shopping to benefit families in Guatemala.
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Update on Guatemala general elections
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September
9 was election day for President, Vice President, Congressional representatives, and municipal council members. After a notably
contentious election season, with violence exacted on a number of political
candidates, election day was relatively peaceful. Since no presidential candidate took 50% of
the vote, the top two contenders, Álvaro Colóm and Otto Pérez Molina
will compete in a run-off election on November 9.
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"This trip brings the poor into focus as real people, who want the same things for their children and who have a lot to teach us." -- Vision team member
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| Help us grow!
Inspire others you know to get involved by joining a team, sponsoring a student, or learning
more about our work. Why not pass along this eNews or send a link to
our website? | |
| Remembering Eswin Gustavo Santizo
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On
Tuesday, September 25, Education staff person Eswin Gustavo Santizo passed away,
leaving a wife and young son. Eswin spent over five years working as a
tutor for secondary students at our Antigua site. He was a well-liked individual and will be dearly missed by staff and students alike.
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Cross cultural creativity |
 Recent volunteers helped add a little color to our youth program. Grupos de Interés
is a program of educational and supportive groups that encourages
students to develop skills in the areas of leadership, self esteem, critical thinking
and trust building. Members of Penny Bartzen's August team brought supplies to make
tie-dye t-shirts and spent an afternoon creating colorful apparel with
the youth. Other teams have had the chance to interact with students
through cooking activities, games and arts projects. |
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The human connection
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Women living at the shelter home near New Hope received a simple but much appreciated gift from m  embers of Katie and Tom Sullivan's team -- human touch. These women, who are in the later stages of life, have outlived or been abandoned by their families and do not receive many visitors. Team members came prepared with scented lotions to give hand massages and bright colored pinwheels to lead relaxing deep breathing exercises. Thank you volunteers for your willingness to share such a personal gift! |
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Work begins in village of San Rafael
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At our new satellite in San Rafael, sponsorship staff have started to affiliate children from the primary school. Rocio Gonz ales, San Rafael Satellite Coordinator, recently conducted an introductory session in the school courtyard, filled with parents eager to learn about Common Hope. One group of mothers was so impressed they asked to fill out applications as soon as Rocio had finished speaking. Since the meeting, over sixty families in the village have chosen to partner with us. Rocio says, "It was very exciting to see the faces of curiosity about what Common Hope does and their hope to receive support." Staff will continue to meet with teachers and parents to learn more about the needs of the community and prepare for the new school year in January. |
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Are you up for a challenge? |
Vision Team members continue to help spread the word about Common Hope, and as we continue to reach out to new communities in Guatemala, this help is needed more than ever! Recent team member Penny Bartzen and teams from Monticello and Buffalo, MN have organized opportunities to share photos and highlights of their experiences with colleagues and members of their church communities.
Team members are often our most compelling storytellers, and if each Vision Team member committed to help set up two presentations, think how many people would hear Common Hope's story! You do not have to be a public speaker to set up a presentation. Help us find a new audience -- at a work place, church or community event -- and we can recruit a volunteer to give the presentation. Call us at 651-917-0243 to talk with a staff person about presentations.
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Ideas for alternative holiday giving
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As your planning for the holidays begins, consider the following ideas to bring smiles to many faces this season:
- Organize an alternative giving event with your faith community, school or civic club.
- Honor your clients with a gift of education, health care, or housing. It may mean more than another box of chocolates or tin of popcorn!
- Host a gathering of friends or family to select gifts that change lives for children and families living in poverty.
Gift catalogs will be mailed in early November. Call 651-917-0917 or send an email to request additional copies.
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Reflections upon returning
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Recent team member Nancy Wagner shares some thoughts about her Vision Team experience.
 What was your motivation for the
trip?
"My husband
and I have two beautiful children who were born in Guatemala. After visiting the country twice,
we came to respect and feel compassion for the Guatemalan people -- especially
those who were the most impoverished. It instilled [in us] a desire to give back to the country that has given us so
much."
What was the most memorable moment of
your time in Guatemala?
"During a
social work visit, a woman shared a painful story about her pregnancy, husband, and
family. As she spoke her tears soon turned to sobbing. Before meeting her, I
thought that Guatemalans must be hardened, maybe even immune to the pain of
their circumstances because hardship is such a normal part of life in Guatemala. What I realized, as I listened to
the pain in her voice and watched her tears flow, is that people are people.
Women are women, mothers are mothers, wives are wives. It doesn't matter where
you live or how much pain you've endured. Hurtful things hurt."
What have you done to stay connected
to your Vision Team experience since returning home?
"One of my
biggest fears upon returning home was that my "real life" would resume as usual
and cause me to lose everything I had gained as a Vision Team member. Thankfully,
I took hundreds and hundreds of photographs while in Guatemala. My favorites are now hanging on the
walls of our home, reminding me of the pride of the Guatemalan people and the
beauty of their country. In addition to the photographs,
I have revisited my journal quite a few times. The words I wrote in the midst of the experience give me compelling
reasons to stay motivated. I'm also volunteering for Common Hope in other ways
to keep me connected to the people and purpose of the organization."
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