Frank Deaver Peace Editorials

     Friends come in all sizes.  And the little ones are very special.  They haven’t yet learned to be skeptical, or prejudiced, or deceitful.  They tend to accept us “big people” at face value, and instinctively they respect us and trust us.

     In a recent visit to Guatemala, I visited for the second time what might be called a “village of little people.”  Casa Guatemala is home for children ages two to sixteen without a family or a place to live.  They commonly arrive suffering from malnutrition or physical abuse, but in this new home they find love and acceptance as well as physical care and education.

     Since 1985, Casa Guatemala has developed a remote location on Rio Dulce, a broad river flowing through jungle lowlands to the Gulf of Honduras.  It’s on a peninsula that can be reached only by boat, providing an environment isolated from city temptations. 

     What I witnessed was inspiring.  Director Angelina Galdamez (“call me Angie”) explained that the goal is not only to provide for the children’s needs, but also to be “as near self-sufficient as possible.”  There are chickens and pigs and fish ponds; banana, pineapple and papaya orchards; vegetable gardens and greenhouses; even a hydroponics hothouse.  Virtually all of their food is home-grown.

     In one of the gardens, I met a school teacher who was creatively teaching botany while leading a young class in transplanting plants from greenhouse to garden.  The children were simultaneously learning (enjoying it, too!) and producing their own food.

     Yes, the children work.  They develop an admirable work ethic at a very young age.  Even the youngest learn at age two or three to pick up and straighten up.  Older children feed the animals, gather eggs, sweep floors, serve in the cafeteria, and work in the gardens.  Everyone has a job.

     And they go to school.  From kindergarten through sixth grade, they are taught on the premises, and above sixth grade they go by “school-boat” to a nearby village school.  At age sixteen, they are assisted in finding employment or continuing with advanced education.

     They even have an on-site clinic, staffed by a volunteer doctor who provides basic care but who can also refer a patient to a hospital as needed.

     Yes, Casa Guatemala introduced me to many new “little friends” among their more than 150 residents.  And yes, they are largely self-sufficient, but Angie pointed out areas in which Rotarians had helped.  Clubs from as far as California, German, and Canada have assisted in drilling a well and building a water tower, providing the children potable water. 

     And in spite of the determination to be largely self-sufficient, there are still needs to be satisfied from benefactors.  Other Rotary Clubs could help!  Even a small club could provide important assistance.  There are many possibilities, but here are some.

     They need diesel for the generator, which provides electric lights from dusk to bedtime, and from early kitchen needs to sunup.  Otherwise, there’s no electricity.  They also need gas for their boats.  A small club could pledge a monthly amount, payable to an oil company, for delivery of fuel as needed.

     They have no refrigeration.  A larger club could donate a commercial refrigerator/freezer, but that would then require a larger generator and more diesel—an ongoing commitment for fuel.

     They recently lost one of their school rooms when a windstorm toppled a tree across the building.  Some reconstruction (as well as new construction) could be provided, either by cash donation or by a visiting work crew.

     Imagine this — a Rotary Club could “adopt” a Casa Guatemala project, and organize a visit by its members.  It could be combined with a fabulous vacation trip to an exotic destination, and oversee a project as well.  And the club would qualify for Rotary’s international project credit, as well as make new “friends around the world.”