Guatemala Day 4: Judith, a Mayan on a Mission

Posted on January 4th, 2010 by Keith Ferrazzi

judith kids

(Back in LA now but still getting all the posts up.)

Let me introduce you to Judith. I don’t have pics of her, but here are some pics of her kids, which is a good way to get to know her. Judith is a TOTAL PISTOL who forced me to sit through a one hour Powerpoint presentation with numbers!!!

She decided fifteen years ago to open up her home to the town children whose parents weren't doing the job or just single moms who couldn't watch the kids and still work or the occasional orphan who was possibly being shipped to Guatemala City... Today, Judith, her husband, her mother and father take care of 46 children.  They get a fairly regular contribution from a Canadian family of 850 US twice a year.  But this leaves them tens of thousands short of their need.  Which she begs and borrows from friends and family (and believe me she is persuasive- she could be teaching sales at IBM).

If she really had her way she would operate a $74k annual budget that would include school and teaching materials and uniforms and food for all the children.  She would run more programs to teach accountability by giving all the kids little chicks to take care of until it is a chicken to be eaten or sold.  They were able to do this with ten kids last may and it was a total success!  She teaches life skills like cooking and sewing and brushing their teeth and showering- believe me this is not something they could get practice in at home with no water.

So as I sat there through her whole presentation/lecture, I realized something.  Those 46 kids were waiting just outside the door, totally unattended, and I wasn't hearing a peep out of them!!  I mean – and this may not be that hard to imagine for those who know me – THEY had more patience that I DID!! And just outside, quietly, next to pizzas, 3 pinatas, and a huge cake!! They sat waiting for us!!

judith kids danceWhen the powerpoint was over, I met the kids and gave a little talk of how proud I was and said, "let's eat!!" But was corrected and asked by one lovely shy little girl if I could wait while they performed several skits they had created for us. And THEY did all the choreography themselves!!  Could I wait!?!? Oh my!  Of course. They were so creative!

As I walked home with Judith she told me that kids in this town actually begin to consider suicide at about 6. Judith has never lost one child.  She definitely needs our help.  I had dinner with Judith tonight, and I have to say, she is a Central American Mother Teresa and her husband a saint for dealing with this powerful Mayan on a Mission!

  • To see the rest of my pics of Judith's kids, click here to go to the Facebook album.
  • Donate here.
  • Learn more about Cultural Embrace, the group that organized my "service vacation," here.
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One Response so far | Have Your Say!

  1. Noooo! I live in Guatemala and I just found out about "Never eat alone" and I'm half through it. So after reading a very short bio in wiki I come to this site and notice you were just here! Such a shame that I wasn't able to stalk you as well :( Glad you liked our country though, and hope you come back soon :D

    LQ

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