Vilma's new backpack

Vilma got a new backpack! Thanks to her sister's sponsors, Vilma got a new backpack and food for her family

Sweet Vilma from Tierra Linda

When I went to Tierra Linda with some volunteers, I was looking forward to seeing some of the children I have gotten to know these past years. Some I had met in person and some others I had only seen them in photos but I felt like I knew them well. What I did not expect was to see a young girl that I had never met and immediately feel like I had to do something for her. Her name was Vilma. There were many kids around that were in a similar situation but I could not stop looking at her. Maybe it was her eyes, or her sweet smile, or her feet, or seeing the backpack that she was carrying. People told me she was the sister of a girl that was already in the Mayan Families Sponsorship Program and I was able to relax, knowing I would be able to do something for her in the future.

Vilma and her older sister Florinda

I wanted to visit her house but I could not move from the preschool. We were waiting for the pediatric nurse to finish examining the children and then we were going to deliver a hope chest that Rhonda Gamble and her family had donated for their sponsored student Petrona. There were many children around, all excited to see us and looking at the hope chest. Petrona was beaming and I felt so happy to be there, delivering such a special gift to her. Vilma just stayed by my side.

When we were ready to go, they told me that Vilma and Petrona were neighbors and we were able to walk together to their homes!

Starting to walk towards Petrona's home

Petrona and Vilma


Unfortunately, I did not get to see Petrona's house because Vilma's house was right before hers and I went inside to meet Vilma's mother and her siblings. Her mother was at the kitchen making tortillas for their lunch. It was very dark inside. They had an Onil stove and thankfully there was no smoke in the room. Then they showed me their bedroom and I took pictures of their beds. There were 3 beds. One where the parents slept with the baby, another one where the 3 other boys slept and one where Vilma and her 2 sisters slept. They bed did not have a mattress and I felt so bad for them.

The entrance to Vilma's house
Candelaria was all smiles!

Happy see they had an Onil stove!

Their bedroom was made of mud brick and it had a dirt floor. The windows were covered with plastic. They had a tin sheeting roof.

I had to go but I was happy to have had the opportunity to visit their home and take some pictures. Our group had decided to walk down the mountain using the path that the local people use to go to Panajachel. Oswaldo had taken us in the van earlier but we told him he could go back without us. It was a beautiful day and we felt so blessed to be up there in the mountain looking at such beautiful scenery. The path was very narrow once we started going down. We had to think every step we took because the rocks were loose in many places. We had to cross a couple of scary spots where mudslides had taken down the path but people had had to cross them and they had made some fresh paths. We passed some people that were going up with huge bundles in their heads or backs. I felt so helpless, wishing I could do something for them but all I could do was to give them some water. I was not able to take many pictures because we could not really stop. We were glad to be on the ground again when we reached Pana.

I know Chabeli and Micaela go up the mountain every day after a long day at work, and then go to their one room homes that have not electricity and then they have to take the path once again, very early in the morning so their children can get to school in time. It makes me so sad to think of that.

When I got home I contacted the sponsors of Vilma's sister Candelaria and shared the pictures with them. They are very nice people. Shelley told me she wanted to do something for Candelaria and her family and she got her aunt to donate a mattress and some food for the family. Today I saw the pictures posted on Candelaria's page and it made my heart so happy to know the girls are sleeping on a mattress and not on bare wood boards.

I am so thankful to Shelley and her family and to Mayan Families for allowing us to help people like Vilma and Candelaria. Today I went shopping and I got some things for them. I can't wait to send them in the next box!