July 2010
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Para leer las noticias en espa�ol, haga click aqu�.


In This Issue
Heidy Pirir needs a Sponsor
Cooking exchange with a Vision Team
School and teacher supplies needed
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Notes from the field

Check out the latest posts on our blog.

Most Needed Supplies
July

Teacher supplies and classroom incentives

August

School supplies (no notebooks and paper)

See details of supply needs here.
 

In their own words

Several supporters recently wrote reflections on their experiences volunteering and visiting Common Hope. Visit our blog to read them:
The Case for Choosing by Lia Huber and
Finding joy in Guatemala by Debra Des Vignes
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Online writing contest

Do you have stories about your time volunteering in Guatemala? Check out this writing contest. Deadline is August 2.
Greetings!

Please enjoy the latest news on how your support is making a difference for Guatemalans striving for a better life.

Para leer las noticias en espa�ol, haga click aqui.
News from Guatemala
Amidst recovery, deeper impact of tropical storm Agatha remains
San Miguel education promoter Elly Estrada helps a student with homework.
Homework help with Elly
The main streets in the village of San Miguel Escobar are cleared, community members have started work again, and school is back in session. Anyone passing through town would be surprised to learn that just six weeks ago the streets were covered in several feet of mud, rocks, and other debris and all activity in the community was focused on trying to dig out and provide food, water, and medical care to those whose homes had been destroyed.

But inside the homes and within the local public school, many San Miguel residents are still suffering from the aftermath of the storm. Homes still need to be repaired and rebuilt, furniture needs to be replaced, communicable diseases still need to be treated and monitored, and the emotional aftermath is very real. "Some children are very affected, and some haven't come back [to school] yet," says Elly Estrada, Common Hope's Education Promoter for the San Miguel school. The school teachers will no doubt play a significant role in accompanying the children through this ordeal, but many of the teachers themselves were affected by the storm.

Common Hope psychologists began working as soon as possible with San Miguel teachers to provide emotional support so teachers could in turn offer support to their students. To provide this, psychologists held a workshop on "Emotional Closure" for the teachers.

Continue reading...
Heidy Pirir needs a Sponsor
Heidy Pirir, 11, joined Common Hope with her family last December. She lives with her younger siblings and parents in a home made entirely of corrugated steel.

When tropical storm Agatha hit, a mudslide went right by her family's house, but fortunately, theirs was spared. Now that her family is partnering with Common Hope, they can work to earn a stronger foundation for their home.

Heidy's favorite color is red and she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. If you can contribute $1 or $2 per day to see Heidy through school, please click here or contact Jessie at [email protected] or (651) 917-1045.
Supporters in Action
Children take action
Aidan and Brian display the school supplies they collected.
Aidan Luebke and Brian DuVal
For their 9th birthday party on May 15, Aidan Luebke and Brian DuVal gave up their gifts and asked their guests to collect school supplies and games for the children in Guatemala. By the end of their party, they had collected an impressive amount of supplies for Common Hope.

After hearing about tropical storm Agatha, Lettie Thomas, who was adopted from Guatemala when she was six months old, wanted to do something for her home country. She organized a benefit concert this June to raise money for affected families. The concert was a success, raising more than $200 for storm relief. Read more and watch Lettie and her friend Gelsomina play "Luna de Xelaju," a popular Guatemalan waltz, here.
Vision Team does a cooking class swap
Members of the Charlotte, NC Vision Team gather for a cooking exchange.
Cooking exchange
Sally Thomas and members of her Vision Team from Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian in Charlotte, NC enjoyed a cooking exchange with women from Santa In�s. About the experience, Sally writes, "Most cooks know how much fun it is to get into the kitchen with friends, elbow to elbow, and share recipes and cooking skills."

[Read more...]
You Can Help
School and teacher supplies needed
The school supply sales have started already, just in time for our July and August needs of the month, which are school and teacher supplies. You can see our full list of school supply needs here. While you're picking those up, if you see any great teacher supplies like manila folders, dry erase markers, and classroom incentives (fun pencils, stickers, little prizes), those are always helpful and needed too.

Your supply collections help Common Hope to provide opportunities for students and families in Guatemala while saving thousands of dollars that can be directed toward other pressing program needs.

Please help us reach our goal. 
Volunteer physician needed
Common Hope is currently seeking a physician to serve as a full-time, long-term volunteer in our Antigua clinic. The position, ideally a yearlong commitment, includes a stipend for living expenses.

For more information or to apply, visit our website.