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7 years in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

The Santa Cruz, Guatemala Project is in its seventh year. When our organization (RWC SIFE) began working in this remote village of approximately 2,000 residents, the poverty level was off the charts. The 30 year-long civil war had just ended about seven years earlier and the Guatemalan economy was still in shambles. The outlying indigenous people suffered the most. The people of Santa Cruz, being of Mayan descent, were in this negatively impacted population.

                          This is the Santa Cruz we met on 
                             that first trip seven years ago:

There were only about 100 students in the public school, which taught grades 1-6. The upper grades had very small classes because many students had to drop out in order to work to help support their families. There was no education past grade 6 in the village. If families could afford to send their children to middle school, the students had to walk 4 miles each way to the neighboring village. It was a very dangerous walk for a child and not many students continued on to middle school. For students to attend high school, they have to leave the village entirely and the cost is prohibitive. There were no village children in high school.

The majority of the adults in the village, though hardworking, were illiterate. This was one of the greatest contributing factors to the lifestyle of poverty experienced in the village. The adults just didn't have the education necessary to make their families' situations better. Many worked in nearby farms for little money. The children were destined to join them in the fields when they were physically able.

At the time we began our work in Santa Cruz, the mortality rate from intestinal and respiratory illnesses was high. The water supply was tainted with agricultural run-off, homes were contructed of rough hewn planks leaving the occupants exposed to the elements, there were no toilets, and the walls and ceilings were coated with creasote from the unvented fire pits used to cook indoors. Small children routinely suffered burns from these open fires and the smoke-filled environment contributed to lung diseases. Additionally, family members had to spend a lot of time scavenging for fire wood to feed the inefficient fires, as local supplies were already used up.

As dire as the situation was for these precious people, we found many positives in play, as well:

The biggest thing our team noticed was that the children were happy! Like kids anywhere, they loved to play and have fun, but they were also content - far beyond what we Westerners experience! And the adults were the hardest working people we had ever met. They jumped in with everything we were doing for them - they were invested - and we were able to do far more than we could have done without their help.

As much as the adults and children of Santa Cruz needed what we had to offer, we needed what they had to offer, as well. To work in a village such as this with the amazing residents we encountered was life-changing for our team members. 
 
As you can see from the narrative so far, the main issues of village life were education, health, and economics. These are the three areas which we have addressed over the years. I'm excited to tell you about some of the strides we (our team and the villagers) have made!
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The people are K'eckchi of Mayan descent. K'eckchi means 'shadow people' because they existed before there was light.
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A typical home in Santa Cruz
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An open cooking fire on the dirt floor of a home
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So many children...so much need...so much potential...so much love
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Tell me these kids don't steal your heart!
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Clara and I...Clara was my supervisor while installing new stoves. (read about it on the Health page.)