Dear Miracles’ Supporter:
Happy Holidays! This year Miracles in Action proudly celebrated
more miracles in our sixth year as a non-profit. Some of our largest
miracles include:
• Opening our 28th school, a Vocational Center
on Lake Atitlan, and our largest project to date,
three years in the making.
• Teaching young adults a trade, with classes in
computer skills, English, sewing/weaving, wood
working, cooking/baking, and metal work.
• Coming soon - a restaurant operated by
students, serving tourists, with a chance to practice English and
generate revenues for the center.
• Installing our largest village water
system to date. Serving over 5,000 people.
Addressing the frightening statistic that 20%
of Guatemalans have no access to running
water, and must walk miles carrying 34-lb
jugs of water on their heads.
• Gifting 1,530 safe vented-stoves using 70%
less wood.
• These stoves will improve the health of
approximately 10,000 people, in a country where excessive
smoke inhalation is the leading cause of death in children under
age five, and results in low birth weight babies.
• We select the poorest families with single mothers living at high
elevation where wood is scarce and conditions are harsh.
• Completing our Teacher Resource Center - serving over 600
rural teachers.
• Inviting teachers to become better teachers via live Internet
training and small workshops focusing on reading, computers,
life-skills, and gardening. Access to supplies not available in their
village - books, educational materials, computers, and copier.
When tropical storms brought heavy rains and mudslides this
year, many families lost their homes and crops, taking away what
little they had. Miracles in Action helped those hit hardest with
repair of their homes, blankets, food and seeds. Additionally, the
storm destroyed the roads to Lake Atitlan, where tourists come to
shop and buy beaded handicrafts. Miracles in Action continued to
purchase these handicrafts, providing work
for the artisans. Tomasa, an artisan, told us,
“Many of our friends don’t have money to buy
food or soap to wash their clothes. Thanks to
Miracles in Action we can still provide for our
family making fair trade wages”.
The proceeds from handicrafts we sell keep paying forward going back to Miracles in Action to fund humanitarian projects
distributing water filters, stoves, school supplies, scholarships,
etc. - going beyond fair trade to see life’s basic needs provided.
To promote this cottage industry, a documentary video will
soon be available online, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how
the handicraft industry is making a vital difference.
By far this year’s most memorable event for me was attending the graduation
ceremony of our first scholarship students, a program started three years
ago with 14 students. Four of the graduates were from my mother, Noreen
Rambacher’s first school. Miracles in Action sponsored their continuing
education, beyond 9th grade, for degrees in teaching and accounting. Over
the past 6 years, I had the opportunity to get to know the students and learn
about the challenges and hardships they surpassed in attending school
instead of working in the fields or earning an income for the family.
I won’t forget this day or my pride in seeing these students - watching
our graduates, with their parents, receive their diplomas, becoming
the first from their village with advanced schooling. Manuel, an
orphan, had the highest grades in his class. Lesvia from School #1
actually completed her student-teaching experience at School #1.
Her photo shows her in an inexpensive, polyester brown suit. I asked
why she was not dressed in her traditional Mayan clothing like the
other graduates, and was told that the family was too poor to buy
a Mayan huipil. Her father is an illiterate farmer who wanted to honor my
mother for giving his children an education, and so he named his new baby
- Noreen. Another touching moment was when Amanda said I was like her
second mother, and her natural mother gave me a giant hug.
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve updated our website and now you
can buy the perfect holiday gift online. Select the gift of your choice and we
can electronically or US mail to you a gift certificate for gift giving. How
meaningful it is to sponsor a hand up instead of just handouts!
• $10 Donation to our Scholarship Fund
• $25 Backpack w/ School Supplies
• $40 Water Filters
• $50 Pigs and Chickens
• $100 Stoves
• $125 Sewing Machines
This holiday season, don’t just give, please help us give back…by
giving a tax-deductible gift that makes a difference!
Miracles in Action wants to THANK YOU for your generosity. Our allvolunteer organization continues to deliver miracles to fulfill our mission to
“help poor people to help themselves”. Thank you all for your generous support,
caring, friendship and bringing six years of miracles to Guatemalan families!
Warmest Holiday Wishes!
Penny
Miracles In Action
241 Countryside Dr.
Naples, FL 34104
(239) 348-0815 PHONE
(360) 272-7500 FAX
E-MAIL [email protected]
WEB SITE www.miraclesinaction.org