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Last minute preparations are underway for our return trip to Guatemala at the end of next week. I am looking forward to seeing the impact of our work in the winter and working toward making an even greater impact on the lives of these deserving people.
What we are doing is made possible by the generous donations that have been made by friends and supporters like you. I wish I could name you all individually, but know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart, as do the families who are benefiting from your help.
I do want to acknowledge one special donor. Sarah Thomas identified one of our Big Task Foundation kids to receive donations in her mothers' name, Gill Thomas. These donations will fund Abner's education until he graduates.
Sarah writes:
"Gill Thomas was born on 6th October 1939 in England and passed away after losing her battle with cancer on 15th February 2012, leaving behind her husband Eric, daughter Sarah and son, Simon. Gill was a lifelong teacher with a passion for education, the English language and reading. She taught both her children to read and ignited a lifelong passion for books in both of them. Gill taught primary school children during her career as well as English as a foreign language and adult reading classes. She loved learning and inspiring others. One of the most touching tributes on her passing came from a former pupil from the very first class she taught after graduating from college who simply thanked Gill for giving her such a happy childhood.
Rather than asking people to send flowers to mark Gill’s passing, as a family we thought it was a much more fitting tribute to remember her in a positive way – by giving a child an education and a future that they may not otherwise have had. Everyone who knew Gill commented how fitting it was and we are thrilled that through the Big Task Foundation we will be able to help her memory live on by enabling someone else to learn, be inspired and to achieve their dreams through education. We are all looking forward to meeting (virtually) the child we sponsor and through Keith and his team, helping him develop a passion for learning and open up new opportunities for himself and his family."
The child they are sponsoring, Abner, is 10 years old and a 4th-grade student at San Miguel Milpas Altas. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and brothers in a small tin house with a cement floor.
Abner wrote a letter to thank the Thomas family (translated from Spanish):
Thank the support you give me, I'm happy to have you in my life as you know I am in in good health and my family too I would like to know more of you and that you know more about me. I always ask God to watch over and protect you. I want to tell you that I did my first two months of classes and I got a good degrees. You are my second family because I have only my mother and my brothers and my grandmother. my mother is a single mother to come forward with us when I grow up I want to be an expert accountant after working very hard. And support my family and people.
The educational support coming from the Thomas family will completely change the direction of Abner's life. An amazing legacy for Gill Thomas, I think she would approve.
Any donations of any size to support our work are welcome - you can donate via Paypal through the link here. Stay tuned over the next weeks for updates from the trip.
You may remember that I spent the time between Christmas and New Year’s in Guatemala, working with orphanages, local organizations, and social entrepreneurs to improve the circumstances of underprivileged children. We were happy to have the chance to follow up with some children we had met during our first trip in 2009.
Telma is looking forward to giving the kids in her village better access to education.
Kids like Telma, a 17-year-old who is working toward becoming a teacher and looking forward to supporting education in her village. And Maribel, who feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to continue her studies and dreams of becoming an advocate to defend the rights of women in her community. Maribel says that her two sisters and three brothers give her the courage to move forward so that she can help them fulfill their dreams.
We also caught up with Jose, also 17, who completed secondary school and is working toward his degree in Computer Science. Jose's dream is to speak English very well, help his community, and make his father proud.
Because of the donations from our community and the work accomplished during our trips, these kids and many others have the chance to break out of the cycle of poverty that keeps so many from achieving their dreams.
I was thrilled to have a great group of individuals and families join us and share this intimate experience in service. Now, I would like to identify the group of people to join the next trip.
Jose wants to make his father proud. I think he already is.
On May 25th, we will depart again for Antigua. Our group will spend 4 days revisiting the groups we have already started to work with, finding out what needs to be done next to create an on-going, sustainable support system to make a difference in the lives of these deserving kids and families.
Each day we will embark on service trips to a local orphanage, school, or other site that needs assistance. We will continue our work with the local organizations that assist the non-profits of the 22 communities of Sacatepequez, the state where Antigua is located.
Will you join us? Details of the trip (including costs) are available via the link below. We will need to receive applications from interested parties by Friday, April 6th. (Sorry, short notice, I know!)
You can read more about our work in Guatemala here - and see blog posts from members of the group who went on the trip in December.
I hope you will consider joining us. Spending time with these kids will change the way you think about your life and your priorities. This is the ultimate chance to share generosity with people who truly appreciate your efforts.
I am just back from my second trip to Guatemala, and am feeling more committed than ever to weaving volunteerism and service into corporate America’s culture. There are so many in need, and I believe that as in all real relationships, the benefits are mutual – we receive as much or more than we give.
This year, it wasn’t just “my” trip. I traveled to Antigua, one of Guatemala’s poorest regions, with a group of 11 others, all of whom not only volunteered but also made donations (along with some of you via Paypal!). Together these donations will send 25 of the brightest, most promising children to school and pay for food and health care. Thank you to the Livecchi Family, the Lim Family, Gold, Jordan, and those who donated online!
Media entrepreneur Joe Livecchi wrote a trip diary and shared the story of a moment that I think is a strong metaphor for the entire experience. After spraining his ankle and having to sit out some of the day’s fun activities, he wrote: “One of the boys I had talked to earlier came over to check on me. He offers me a piece of the candy he retrieved from the piñata to try and ease my pain… That's when it hit me. I had flown thousands of miles to help these kids and I was the one being comforted by an eight-year-old child who has almost nothing.”
Again, we get more than we give. In fellow traveler Max Lyons’ words, “The transformational impact we're seeking to have in the lives of these children is being returned to me just as much, if not more so.”
Joe’s daughter, Sophie, age 12, wrote her own blog. My favorite line from it: “I suddenly just figured out this whole new world of poverty. Nobody on the other side realizes this world. If everyone could get the experience that I got to come here... The other half would be more grateful, and this half could get more help.”
As I wrote on the blog, I went intending to fund 10 children. I finished the trip with a total of 41 names. Together, between my donations, those of everyone on the trip, plus Paypal, we now have enough money to support 25. That means we’re looking for donations to support 16 more. For $200, these kids can go to school and have their basic needs paid for. I mean it when I say no donation is too small: If everyone who reads this email donates just ONE dollar, we’ll more than cover the $3200 we need for those children, and be able to support several more projects in those villages through Cultural Exchange.
Click here to contribute. I will follow up next week and let you know whether we hit the target!
Thanks for reading – and I look forward to some of you coming on a future trip!
P.S. Check out Mark Goulston's Usable Insight mailings at: http://markgoulston.com and sign up at the NEWSLETTER SIGNUP window. I've been a subscriber for several years!
Sophia is the 12-year-old daughter of my friend, Joe Livecchi. She and her family joined us on our service trip during the holidays and it was incredible to see the experience through the eyes of an American child. Here is her blog.
My first day in Guatemala was great!
First we went to a Guatemalan school. The kids were so nice! We were playing soccer and my dad sprained his ankle, and he went to go sit down. All of the children started gathering around him and offered him help.
After I got to know the kids better. They were all so nice! Most people had 5 or 6 siblings in their family. I showed some of the girls my iPod touch, and they were fascinated. Their eyes lit up like stars. They took pictures, looked at my pictures, and played games. They had never seen something so magical like this before. With no electricity and power for these children, they have never seen an electronic device in their whole life.
Afterwards our group put up a piñata, the kids went crazy!! They loved the excitement of the happiness in the air... and the candy! I was so happy seeing them happy. Some kids have never even had candy in their whole life - this was their first time. Some girls went over to my dad and offered him candy, because they felt really bad about his ankle. We gave them pizza and soda.
Next, all of the children lined up, and we handed out plastic toothbrushes. You should have seen the look on their small faces, they were overjoyed.
After the piñata, all of the kids said goodbye to us and said thank you and walked home. I started cleaning up the trash from the candy wrappers and piñata shreds, when the cutest 3-year-old boy came up to me with a handful of trash. Together, we cleaned up the grounds of the school. The best part was, the whole time when he was cleaning up the trash, he did it with a big smile on his face.
As we were leaving the school the little boy waved to me. He was all-alone. I wondered if he had a place to go. I wonder if he had family.
I often go home thinking about all of the flaws in my life. They seem big to me, but really, they are nothing compared to the kids here and still, they are so happy. Why can't I be like them and see life with a positive view all the time when I have everything and they have nothing? I don't even think about a toothbrush, I just receive it. I would never be overjoyed to get a toothbrush, yet they are grateful to receive anything, even if it's small. Now whenever I think about a flaw in my life, I will think about these kids. No parents, so poor, no food... I hope I can become grateful for everything I receive, grateful for my life, and keep an open mind to my problems.
On our second day we visited a really poor community center. We got such an amazing welcome! All 400 people stood around us in a circle shouting "bienevidos". I couldn't believe how many children were there. I got to know a lot of the kids, who were very nice.
There was this one girl who really touched my heart. She told me that she had no mother or father, and she lived with her sister who is my age, but sometimes her grandmother comes over also. Even though she has lost her parents, she has not lost her happiness. She is a beautiful girl who deserves a better life.
Grace, my sister also met a little girl her age named Jocelyn. They didn't understand what they were saying to each other, but they were inseparable. Always holding hands and laughing.
We fed the kids snacks and they were so happy! We ran out at the end because apparently kids who are living on the streets who were starving came in the community center.
Gosh... I suddenly just figured out this whole new world of poverty. Nobody on the other side realizes this world. If everyone could get the experience that I got to come here... The other half would be more grateful, and this half could get more help.
Afterwards we went to visit Jocelyn's home. They didn't let us see most of their house. They showed us their roof and backyard. They had a cute bunny and cat and dog :) They were moving out of their house into a smaller house because Jocelyn did not have a father anymore.
We needed to go, so my parents finally told Jocelyn and her grandmother the big news. My family was paying for Jocelyn's school tuition!! They were very happy! They walked us to our bus and Jocelyn gave me and Grace a gift. She said "remember me by this" hugged us, and started walking back to her house.
I watched her and her grandmother and her sister walk back to their house. I wanted to cry for them. A girl with nothing gave us a gift. She is a beautiful caring girl. Hopefully now she will get an education and experience the world.
Finally we went to a school with 62 kids. When we got in, they told us to line up. All 62 kids came and gave our group hugs! It was too sweet. Afterwards we got a tour of the school and I donated $70 in Guatemala money to help get the school more teachers. I hope that my donation will help them.
If you want to help - like Sophia did - please donate and help us help more kids!
Joe Livecchi, a media entrepreneur, is a friend. Joe's family was an incredible addition to our trip. Here is his account of the experience.
December 26th 2:30am, Jamaica, NY
The alarm clock is especially cruel this morning. I jostle my wife and two young kids (Sophia 12, Grace 8) to wake up for our 5:30am flight en route to our immersive mission trip in Guatemala. On paper, the trip sounds amazing. Daily mission trips to orphanages, schools, shantytowns and impoverished villages where we will put into practice the philosophy of Serve and Grow. Serve others and grow individually and together as a family in the process. Right now, that doesn’t mean much to my family. They are tired, worried about our safety and getting sick abroad.
We have a handful of sustainable growth projects we are hoping to accomplish on the trip. There is also time for some play, nice meals out, and opportunities to mix with the locals. We drop our bags at our hotel Casa Santo Domingo in Antigua. It’s a former monastery converted into a beautiful historically rich hotel. The expansive grounds are dotted with tremendous art, foliage, exotic birds and several stand alone museums. The staff wear traditional Mayan garb and speak little or no English. Massive volcanoes, ancient ruins and centuries old cobblestone streets surround the city of Antigua. Almost instantly we are transported to another time and place.
Our mission group is an eclectic mix of families and individuals. Students. Physicians. Authors. Executives. Children. I'm not sure why but I'm surprised the group is so friendly and warm.
Still sluggish from the travel, we accept an invitation to visit a renowned coffee plantation in Antigua. Our gracious hosts treat us like family and provide us with lunch and show us the process of harvesting beans for coffee. The quality beans will be sold to Starbucks in the U.S. The locals in Guatemala City will sell the lower quality beans for consumption.
Here, there is no minimum wage and coffee pickers work for as little as a few dollars a day. I cant help but wonder what life is like for the women we see balancing 30 or 40 pound sacks of coffee beans on their head as they retreat from the miles of lush green sun dappled fields. Beauty and poverty sitting so close together. This is the story of Guatemala.
Max Lyons is an alumni of the myGreenlight program who was part of my group in Guatemala last week. Max sponsored one year of education and healthcare for Liza (pictured) at a cost of $200. We have several other children we are seeking to sponsor, so please donate here if you or someone you know would like to sponsor a child.
Keith and I met just over a year ago through myGreenlight. After a brief conversation about his prior trips to Guatemala and Cambodia/Thailand, Keith invited me to join a return effort to Guatemala.
Having not met anyone else on the trip, I flew down here with a sense that I was stepping into the unknown. Our group spent the past week partnering with local organizations, working with children, and dreaming about the unlocked potential lying dormant within the lives of these little ones. After the first few days here in Antigua, I discovered two core things through my involvement:
1. Our contributions are catalyzing substantial long-term change: In my time in Guatemala, I was able to see what has transpired since the last visit Keith made. During the previous trip a local couple was discovered who opened up their small house to provide free schooling for kids in their village. Once limited by special restrictions, the couple is now able to provide schooling to over 60 children thanks to recent construction.
In another village, a young boy, who had met Keith two years prior, showed up to greet Keith with a huge smile and a Spanish version of Never Eat Alone. It blew me away to think about how much the previous visit must have meant to this boy for him to purchase the book and show up two years later to see his old friend. The relational and educational components have gained considerable traction here.
2. The transformational impact we're seeking to have in the lives of these children is being returned to me just as much, if not more so: I’ve come to a strong belief that my experiences here will allow me to become much more successful in my career. Two days ago, I met a young boy and his family inside a series of rural slums. This little one had almost no clothes, was covered in dirt, and his sandals had been eaten through completely. His mom has to walk 3 hours roundtrip for work where she makes tortillas and brings home $3 a day in wages.
Encounters like this have helped me grow in humility and gain a different perspective on the value of human beings. This has given me a clearer view of how I want to live my life which will enable me to become a better worker, manager, and leader. Participating in these trips going forward will be vital toward moving me closer to the person I long to become.
Two years ago we visited Carlos' school which was running out of funding and couldn't pay the rent or salaries for the teachers. A major problem in Guatemala is the economic disincentive for kids to go to school. Either you can pay for tuition and books from money a family doesn't have, or send your child into the fields to make money for food. Carlos was a rare advocate for an alternative solution. His was the only daycare and school option in this small village, preventing these kids, some as young as 6, from having to go to the coffee fields. But he was running out of money.
However, Carlos had a vision. A vision of sustainability for his school. What if he could create something that he could sell and fund his school? Like any entrepreneur, he had his false starts. A sewing program to make clothes for the kids and also sell them locally. A program where the kids could make jewelry from materials found locally and sell that. None panned out.
Then Carlos came across a soy milk machine. He could make milk, have milk for his kids, sell the extra to local schools, and make enough money to pay teachers with the profits! We had to give the guy credit for trying.
The last piece his venture needed was a refrigeration system to preserve the milk. It seemed like a long shot, but I wanted to reward his philanthropic zeal, so I asked our community for help and one of our followers stepped up with a $500 donation to help complete Carlos' project.
Unfortunately we didn't hear anything from him after that. I knew the communication infrastructure was scarce, so I wasn't offended. But after repeatedly asking others in the community how the soy milk project was doing and not hearing reports, I wrote off my expectations for that particular investment. Oh well, one out of all the projects here, no sweat.
Then last night we threw a "Big Task" dinner for all the project leaders we have been funding and invited a number of the local business leaders and larger NGOs, like the Peace Corps, hoping to advance new relationships and gain some greater collaborative action among these local groups. My desire was to create collaborative support among the non-profit community and to extend and accelerate their network, not only among each other, but up to the larger NGOs and the major money and business leaders in the region.
I walked in and there was Carlos. He had the biggest smile, walked over and gave me a hug. Through translation we discovered that indeed our investment paid off. His soy works are in full force. He now feeds the kids a soy milk snack rich in nutrients and also sells the milk to other school, making enough profit to pay his teachers!
So, the obvious next question for a successful entrepreneur, what's next? What can I fund that would give the highest return?
I got two answers. For $500 I could fund recyclable glass jars, so he could package the product better and save on containers. Done. I funded that. He also said that a $3500 investment would fund higher grade production that would allow him to sell to commercial entities like McDonalds. I said I'd consider it and solicit our community for support and perhaps get back on that one. Anyone interested in investing in this project?
Then I had an idea. I brought Carlos over to a woman who oversees projects for nearly 10 villages. "Lilian, I'd like to purchase $500 worth of soy milk for your kids." The idea of bringing Carlos a new 500 dollar client seemed like a big deal, and perhaps I would seed the idea with Lilian to become an ongoing client of Carlos. She was so shocked and excited. She said, "One of my dreams for the coming year was to find a way to provide a nutritious daily snack for our kids who sometimes eat only a small ration of tortillas." Collaborative action comes to life in Guatemala!
When we started www.BigTask.org and Big Task Weekend, we had the vision of bringing the most powerful companies TOGETHER to collaborate on key social reform and societal issues like health care reform, American wellness, education reform... And now the same principles were playing out for mutual benefit and societal gain in Guatemala! Mission advanced!!
Anyone want to help Carlos up his manufacturing standards for the big commercial projects? Any contribution, I'll match. If we raise half of the $3500 needed for Carlos to get to the next level, I'll contribute the rest!
Recently I asked the following question on Twitter and Facebook:
If someone gave you $100,000 and told you to go do something generous with it - what would you do?
I loved reading through the variety of answers that came back. There are clearly so many ways to show generosity and so many needs in the world. I wanted to share some of my favorites (and trust me, it was hard to leave any of them out!)
Some of you wanted to keep it local:
Invest in the education of someone whom I know who has the potential to really help others. – John Lim via FB
I would give $500 to 200 people and ask them to share their story of "the power of gift" and what it meant to them, on a website for others to read. – Jeremiah Prigge via FB
Assist people that I constantly see having to leave a prescription drug due to their not having the money to pay for it. – Rex Kinnison via FB
I'd find single moms who want to be with their kids and help them fund their new entrepreneurial biz. – @Susan_Wilkinson
Others wanted to go where the greatest needs are:
Start literacy programs in rural Indian cities to empower future generations. – Meeta Vyas via FB
I would take the square foot garden guy (Mel Bartholomew) to Haiti and back him for all the materials he'd need to educate the locals on his growing methods. – Elizabeth Puglise via FB
Give it to the people in Joplin, MO. – Sue Henry via FB
I will go with a planeload of food, water and medicines to Somalia right now! – @vrajamani
There were tons of ideas for how you would help Specific Causes that are near and dear to you:
I would give it to the incredible people at Lighthouse Voc-Ed Center who are doing bleeding edge, groundbreaking work with people with autism. – Joy Johnson via Facebook
Straight to the animal shelter. – Suzy Wilson via FB
Reach out to the many men that suffer from the devastating and long lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse. – Rhett Hackett via FB
I would help the Leukemia and Lymphoma society do more research on blood diseases!!! – @Heubergermotors
I especially love that you want to work your networks to make the impact as big as possible:
Plan and Organize a Charity-Network Party with Keith and other Network specialists to collect much more then the $100,000 and donate it THEN. – Ramo Karahasan via FB
I'd get one of those extreme couponing people to help me shop for all kinds of nonperishable food items and toiletries. I'd than make 1,000's of care boxes and just start handing them out to people on the streets as well as in shelters. – Christina Cordier via FB
Mastermind with some amazing conscious capitalists to get some feedback on leveraging the impact of the 100k first. – @ThomasMangum
And finally – kudos to those who would start something new!
I would create a social network to connect people with local charities that need help. – Bobbie Schaeperkoetter via FB
Use it to seed a charity for teachers to buy school supplies so they aren't spending their own money. – Christopher Banas via FB
I would set up a sustainable trust that would be designated for individuals with severe mental illness, living in the community, who have no prescription coverage and are being sampled their medications. – Danielle Birdeau via FB
Start something up in Detroit that employs locals to create something from unused/recyclable materials that would grow to include resources to encourage others to do the same. – Kassandra Frost via FB
Start the Carol's House foundation in honor of my sister providing housing/support for adult children with disabilities. – @ScottVann
Thanks to all who contributed ideas – I wish I had $100,000 to fund each of you. But don’t let lack of funds slow you down – now that you have your vision out there, find whatever ways you can to move closer to making an impact. Tap your network, see what resources you CAN contribute – time, talents.
The child they are sponsoring, Abner, is 10 years old and a 4th-grade student at San Miguel Milpas Altas. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and brothers in a small tin house with a cement floor.
1. Our contributions are catalyzing substantial long-term change: In my time in Guatemala, I was able to see what has transpired since the last visit Keith made. During the previous trip a local couple was discovered who opened up their small house to provide free schooling for kids in their village. Once limited by special restrictions, the couple is now able to provide schooling to over 60 children thanks to recent construction.
2. The transformational impact we're seeking to have in the lives of these children is being returned to me just as much, if not more so: I’ve come to a strong belief that my experiences here will allow me to become much more successful in my career. Two days ago, I met a young boy and his family inside a series of rural slums. This little one had almost no clothes, was covered in dirt, and his sandals had been eaten through completely. His mom has to walk 3 hours roundtrip for work where she makes tortillas and brings home $3 a day in wages.
