Seeds of Help | Non Profit in Guatemala | Volunteer in Guatemala | Columbus Indiana Non Profit » volunter in guatemala http://seedsofhelp.org/blog Seeds of Help Updates Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:31:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Will is alive and well and still teaching English in Japan http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/will-is-alive-and-well-and-still-teaching-english-in-japan/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/will-is-alive-and-well-and-still-teaching-english-in-japan/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:04:12 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=106 Our hearts go out to the people of Japan.  My very first trip after Peace Corps was a tour of temples and shrines all across Japan.  One of Seeds former Peace Corps volunteers has called this beautiful island nation home for the past year while teaching English.  Will Wheeler is safe and unharmed. He says he was well away from any area where there was trouble but he is still nervous and shaken.


The people of Japan have proven time and time again is how resilient they are and how they can bounce back from any obstacle stronger than they started. I am sure this will be no exception. – Walter

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]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/will-is-alive-and-well-and-still-teaching-english-in-japan/feed/ 0 Volunteer in Guatemala: Valerie’s thoughts on week 3 http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-3/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-3/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:50:03 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=84 After working in the Cumbre again last week, we had the chance to venture to Antigua last weekend. We were almost to our bus stop in Chimaltenango (where we were going to change buses), when we came across a “sister” bus headed the opposite direction that had broken down. Fluid was all over the ground, and a group of about twelve Guatemalan men (including, eventually, our bus driver) stood around staring at the engine’s parts. I was suddenly reminded of a bus problem I witnessed on a recent trip to Costa Rica. The bus wouldn’t start, and we were soon startled by a loud sound. The bus driver was hitting the engine with a large wooden stick…

Our Guatemalan bus driver (the ring leader of the attempt to fix the sister bus) toyed with things until the bus started and was turned around. He returned to our bus, announcing that we were switching to the defective bus. We filed off the bus…one passenger took note of our foreign status, saying, “It’s American bus,” in our direction, chuckling at his cleverness. Knowing we were between 2 & 5 kilometers from our stop, we opted to take the trek on foot. It worked out in our favor in the end…we never did see that bus pass by.

Needless to say, Antigua was worth the trek. I know it isn’t “real Guatemala”; it is expensive and more full of foreigners than Guatemalans. But you can walk the whole town, and there seems to be a breath-taking church everywhere you turn. It has cobblestone streets, and a beautiful park (and church) in its center.

As a side note, I almost didn’t make it out of Antigua. I had scheduled a shuttle out of town for 5 a.m.—the only safe way to avoid hiring a private shuttle driver to bring me to my destination. The “night watch” employee at my hotel knocked on my door at 4:30 a.m. to tell me my shuttle had arrived. Turns out we started driving to Guatemala City…we had to turn around.

I am happy to be safe and sound, back with the kiddies….who were happily working on their homework, sprawled out in the dirt after school today. They still ask me to take their picture sometimes—I try to curb this as much as possible to avoid distractions. But they are warming up more each day—they seem to welcome the “guest appearances” of volunteers, and the new energy and faces.

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It started storming in Chiantla yesterday—this is unusual for this time of year, as rainy season (here, the beginning of winter) isn’t expected until May or so. The rain has been nice—it is much-needed, and it makes the roads less dusty. The Cumbre is already turning from brown to green. Although I prefer the brown hue. (I have been known to root for the underdog.)

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]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-3/feed/ 0 Volunteer in Guatemala: Valerie’s thoughts on week 2 http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-2/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-2/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:47:35 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=81 I can’t say these last couple of weeks have been more of the same…no one day here is ever like the next.  At first I saw this as frustrating and unstructured; now it makes me feel free. Two weekends ago I ventured to Panajachel; my “charter bus” driver dropped me off at a major freeway intersection in a town called Los Encuentros, shouting “Panajachel!” in my direction. (He seemed to assume that with my coloring, I couldn’t possibly be headed anywhere but to this tourist town.) As the bus sped away, I surveyed the scene. It didn’t look like the major bus stop I was told could be found in Los Encuentros. (My surroundings included major freeway, a small tienda selling snacks and drinks, an unenclosed area that looked like a bus stop, and an old school bus that people over the average age of students seemed to be getting into without hesitation.) I asked the man standing outside the school bus whether it was headed to Pana. No. Where was it headed? To Sololá. Was there a direct bus from here to Pana? Yes. At what time? At 12-something, in 90 minutes.  I could wait for that bus here. (I surveyed my surroundings again.) If I took this bus to Sololá now, could I catch a bus from Sololá to Pana? Yes. How long was each bus ride? About 25 minutes each. (I got on the bus, confused by the lack of logic in his suggestions.)

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Once I found my hotel in Pana, I relaxed. I found a nice dinner spot, walked around, and bartered for handmade bracelets. This went on until I got scammed by a five-year-old who was trying to sell me unnecessary items. He was relentless, despite my insistence that I didn’t, in fact, NEED a device that would allow me to eat pizza and store my remote control simultaneously (okay—this is a bit of an exaggeration.) I insisted time and time again that though his goods were lovely, I had no need for them. He went in for the kill, telling me he was hungry. (He must have sensed my bleeding heart for small, cute Guatemalan children looking helpless.) I told him again that I didn’t need anything, but that if he was truly hungry, I would buy him some food. He silently marched next to me for the next few blocks….this confused me, until he marched me right up to a local food vendor, mumbling “pollo” under his breath. I sheepishly handed my money over to the vendor, and handed the to-go box full of fried chicken and French fries over to the boy. Naturally, this unusual scene attracted more child vendors—one of whom aggressively demanded I buy her mangoes, and then moved on to demanding pollo. All this eventually lead me back to the safety of my hotel room. I got told by a five-year-old.

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After my trip to Pana, I happily ventured back “home” to the Chiantla/Cuchumatanes region (where the children may stare, but will not call you out). Our group of volunteers was greeted last Thursday with Nuevo Progreso’s students yelling, “Gringos!” in an uproar. We sang songs, played games, and caused general havoc for their teachers. The kids tried to teach us Guatemala’s national anthem, I sang parts of ours for them, and our German friend, Clemen, attempted to teach them Germany’s. We met with a women’s group in the Cumbre last week, where Señora Coni spoke about the importance of self-esteem. We are working with the preschoolers at Escuela Cuchumatanes on their colors, shapes, and numbers, as well as general practice of motor skills to prepare them for primary school. The new preschool teacher is encountering some problems with students with separation anxiety…Cicabel, their original teacher, is out on maternity leave for a few weeks. (This has resulted in behavioral issues in one student in particular, who attempted to lock us in the classroom with a padlock last week. He went on to tell us he was sick, and when we tried to walk him home, he ran away from us. We started to run after him, until we realized that all of his neighbors were staring…and how this must have looked.)

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Part II coming soon…

]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-valeries-thoughts-on-week-2/feed/ 0 Volunteer trip to Guatemala http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-trip-to-guatemala/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-trip-to-guatemala/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:38:10 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=69 Late February 2010, Seeds President, Walter Able left Columbus, Indiana for his semi-annual visit for Seeds of Help. On the trip he met up with our new volunteer Val who will be living with Brenda for 5 weeks.. She will be hosting a guest blog in the coming weeks within the Seeds of Help blog. You can see her first post below this one.
Stacy Able, our roving photographer went along and took photos to help spread the word visually. Below are a few of the many photos. You can see the full gallery at: http://stacyable.com/seedsofhelp2010/index.html

If you would like any more information or to purchase photos you may do so by contacting us at info@seedsofhelp.org and all proceeds go directly towards children’s scholarships.

Girls from a school where Seeds of Help works.

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Girls from a school Seeds of Help volunteers at
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View from the edge of Los Cuchumatanes  the mountain range where Seeds of Help focuses its work.  Most of our women’s groups and schools are located at over 10,000+ feet!
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Seeds of Help has a new volunteer in Guatemala. Her name is Valerie and she will be our guest blogger for these next couple of weeks. Her voice will be the day to day activities of what one volunteer with Seeds of Help experiences. Below is her first weeks thoughts and observations as well a photo of Val with Brenda and two Seeds sponsored girls.  Both girls speak an indigenous language, Mam, and wove their own clothes.  Mirabel (between Brenda and Valerie) will be helping some of our women’s groups by teaching them to weave.

]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteer-trip-to-guatemala/feed/ 0 Volunteer in Guatemala: Week one: Val’s take http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-week-one-vals-take/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-week-one-vals-take/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:52:05 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=58 Seeds of Help has a new volunteer in Guatemala. Her name is Valerie and she will be our guest blogger for these next couple of weeks. Her voice will be the day to day activities of what a volunteer with Seeds of Help experiences. Below is her first weeks thoughts and observations as well aa photo of Val with Brenda and two Guatemalan girls Seeds of Help aids in going to High School.

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Week 1 in Guatemala was a whirlwind. Last week, we visited various schools in the Cumbre, met with women’s groups and Peace Corps volunteers, and spent time with the families whose children are being sponsored by Seeds.

A teachers’ strike has been in effect throughout Guatemala for two months, so many schools have not been in session for a total of four months (two months of vacation, and two months of teachers’ strikes.) The government and the striking teachers finally reached a compromise, so schools are back in session as of this week.

Guatemala experienced a significant earthquake (approximately a 5.6, I believe), but not before Chile’s large scale earthquake last weekend. Almost 450 people in Chile died due to the earthquake; much of central and South America seem to have been in a panic.

I worked at La Escuela Cuchumatanes today–the kids seem similar to American preschoolers in many ways (mischievous, silly, and adorable.) In more ways, though, they are different . Life is hard for them–and not in an “I-didn’t-get-the-toy-I-wanted-for-Christmas” way. Many of them have severe burns on their cheeks from consistent exposure to open flames and smoke in their homes (as this is how many of their families cook.) Some of them are already developing cataracts from the severe conditions in the Cumbre–the wind is strong, and the sun is even stronger.

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Many of them are sick; you can hear it in their voices (which are raspy), or see that their persistently running noses are not so due to the common cold. It is evident that the work ethic and hard labor that they have grown accustomed to are ingrained in them–one of the students picked up a broom nonchalantly today and began sweeping up the scraps of paper that were strewn all over the floor after the students took part in a project. I don’t know a six-year-old in America who would do the same without being asked, and with such a jovial demeanor. (Some of the students, though in preschool, are 5 and 6 years old. It is difficult to tell sometimes, since they are so small for their age.)

It is difficult to teach the students certain things that seem “natural” in America, as the children here have grown up learning to do things differently. Many of them throw their trash on the ground (inside and outside), and don’t understand why they are asked to do otherwise. Some of the boys are accustomed to being physically aggressive, and they think it is curious and funny when you tell them not to push. They don’t understand. One of the preschoolers has asked me for money multiple times, or at least I think that’s what he is asking for. He puts his hand out and demands that I hand it over, and then laughs. I found it funny the first time. But now that I understand, it makes me sad.

This morning on the micro bus, I rode with a woman who threw a piece of trash out the window, and then another a few minutes later. It is hard for me to understand these things…especially when some families here take such pride in their land and their homes that they religiously sweep their dirt floors. A lot of people I have encountered act as though they have never seen an American. They stare relentlessly, or laugh when they hear me speak. It usually only happens with the children. Others act as though I belong.

The pace of life here is so different…I love the way families here take the time to eat together, to speak to one another–they genuinely care about each other; they are so unified. I love the way meals are homemade, and from scratch–and that no one complains about the meals that are prepared. I love that each person takes care of his family in a different way. I love that strangers talk to one another in the street–they say “good morning” or “good afternoon” in passing. I love that people go so far out of their way for one another…just because they care, not because they have a motive. And despite my claims of being a hippie, I love that as an act of celebration, they kill a chicken and, and, later, feast. That’s all for now.

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Val taking a photo of one the schools she’ll be working with

]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/volunteer-in-guatemala-week-one-vals-take/feed/ 0 Volunteers in Guatemala with Seeds of Help http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteers-in-guatemala-with-seeds-of-help/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteers-in-guatemala-with-seeds-of-help/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:47:33 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=55 Through the years we’ve had so many stellar volunteers and peace corp volunteers who have devoted weeks, months, even years helping the Mayan people in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Below are some photos of our volunteers both peace corps and regular. If you’d like to volunteer with Seeds of Help please contact us at info@seedsofhelp.org Generally a basic knowledge of Spanish and vast stores of patience are crucial as Guatemalan time isn’t like American time!

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volunteering-in-guatemala ]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/volunter-in-guatemala/volunteers-in-guatemala-with-seeds-of-help/feed/ 0 Voluntourism Trip Guatemala Sept-October 2010 http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/voluntourism-trip-guatemala-sept-october-2010/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/voluntourism-trip-guatemala-sept-october-2010/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:24:03 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=51 Seeds of Help is planning a humanitarian volunteer trip late September/Early October 2010. We will be building a water tank, shower as well as working with the children at Seeds of Help’s preschool. Also festivities will take place on Dia de Los Ninos (October 1) which is a country wide celebration for the kids. Pinatas are demolished, punch is drank, and lots of fun games are enjoyed by all.

Please contact us by email at info@seedsofhelp.org if you are interested in volunteering with Seeds of Help.

Here are some photos from past trips…

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volunteer-guatemala-seeds-of-help2 ]]> http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/voluntourism-trip-guatemala-sept-october-2010/feed/ 0 Seeds of Help March 2009 Trip http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/seeds-of-help-march-2009-trip/ http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/guatemala/seeds-of-help-march-2009-trip/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:05:13 +0000 Stacy http://seedsofhelp.org/blog/?p=3 Seeds of Help will be hosting a voluntourism cultural trip to Guatemala this March 14-21, 2009. Most people will be

A rare site
Cashew Fruit – A rare site!

flying out of Indianapolis, but if you are in another area and would like to see the real guatemala please contact seedsofhelp@yahoo.com.

Our tentative itinerary is:

March 14th- Fly into Guatemala City Airport (GUA) early afternoon, drive to Panajhel, dinner at the beautiful sunset restaurant over looking the majestic Lake Atitlan

March 15th- In the morning travel to Chichicastenango to explore the largest market in Guatemala.In the afternoon we will drive to the department of Huehuetenango and stay in”the city of “huehue”.

March 16th- Journey up the mountain to visit the areas that Seeds of Help operates. Meet woman’s groups, school children, and participate in a cooking class where Seeds teaches the woman’s groups prepare fresh, local, and economical vegetables, and fruits to create more nutritious meals.

A girl from Seeds Groups

A girl from Seeds Groups

March 17th, 18th, 19th- work in a middle school (Fe y Alegría) in Chiantla with students.Various groups and sessions to teach the students skills they can pass onwards to their family will take place.

March 20th- Drive to Guatemala city (a journey that can take 4-8 hours depending on road blocks) stay in hotel downtown to catch flight home early the next day

March 21st- Fly home

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