Staff Bonding Day

We were really happy to see some of our former staff members come back for another year and to welcome new people to our team for 2009. In fact, almost half the staff is new to the mission due to turnover and the creation of new positions. We thought it would be a good idea then to have some sort of staff bonding activity to create unity as we started the year.

However, we also wanted to have the staff appreciate the work we do at AOJ because a number of the new employees have never worked with such poverty. A number of the staff came from private organizations or well-to-do public schools where they dealt with people from a higher socio-economic background. And what better way to have the staff bond and appreciate the objectives of the mission than to build a house for a needy family! So we all packed into the back of the mission truck (it was amazing that we actually fit more than 20 people in the back!) and we drove to the construction site to start building our house.

You will see from the pictures that the staff really got into it. Everyone worked really hard and did whatever needed to be done...whether it was hammering a nail, lifting a wall, painting the frames, or getting on the top of the house to nail down the roof.

We were really proud of our staff with their efforts and we didn't hear any complaints on how hot the weather was (because it was really hot that day!) or how tired they were. For a lot of our staff, their first exposure to real proverty was a real eye-opener. To see first hand that people actually live on a dirt floor with thin walls and a flimsy roof really affected them. Not only did they get a real sense of what our organization does to help the poor communities in Guatemala, but it made them really appreciate how fortunate they were with the things they have that they might have taken for granted. Simple things like a proper roof, walls to keep out the cold and access to security and privacy are things we enjoy without often thinking about it too much.

It took about 3 hours to complete the house and once the finishing touches were done, it was amazing to stand back and see a brand new house that was beautifully painted.

Then it was time to give a blessing and hand over the keys. It was a very emotional time for everyone as the family was very grateful for receiving a proper home and the staff were very grateful for the opportunity to build it.

Some of the things we heard from the staff at the end of the day (translated from Spanish):

"I didn't know people in my own country actually lived like that. It makes me think before I complain too much."

"This house is so simple and basic, but the kids were really excited to move in. It was touching to see the smiles on their faces!"

"This was the best idea! I have never learned so much about myself and other people through a staff activity. Not only do I feel closer to the staff, but I learned a valuable lesson for myself."

"It was a wonderful experience to share with my colleagues. To give something like this to a child in need".

What a great day for the staff to give the gift of a new home. We couldn't think of a better way to start off 2009!

Building Houses for the Needy

One of the many things AOJ does for the poor is build houses for needy families who otherwise cannot afford one. Below is a photo of a family that will be receiving a new house. Right now, they are standing in front of what they call a "home" - it is made of a patchwork of various materials that do not really protect against the elements and has a dirt floor that can get messy during rainy season. Often times, the family may also live in a corn-stalk house as pictured below and you can see that these living conditions are not good for families, especially to raise children.

The process of finding a home for a needy family starts with our Social Work Department. They send staff into the community looking for families who need homes. Once they find a potential location, they conduct an evaluation that includes: condition of the current home; number of people living in the household; means of income; and, whether the family owns the land. Land ownership is an important detail because if the home is built on rented or disputed land, the family runs the risk of losing it if the land-owner decides to take back the land. Fortunately in Guatemala, land ownership is not as complicated or costly as it is in North America.

Once the Social Work Department identifies a family, the construction staff locate the site two weeks prior to the house construction in order to lay the cement. The family has an important role in this as they are the ones that lay the cement foundation for the house while AOJ staff or volunteer teams actually construct the house. Having the family involved in this way has special symbolic meaning because the act of laying the cement for a strong foundation of the house represents the family being responsible for creating a strong faith that is the foundation for a strong home.

After 2 weeks, the foundation is dry enough to start building. AOJ staff deliver all the necessary materials to the site before the volunteer team begins to build. The walls are made of a cement/dry-wall material that have been pre-assembled by our staff with wooden beams. Since the walls are pre-fabricated, it makes it really easy for our volunteer teams to come and build. You don't need any construction experience or be a handy-person to build these houses! First, the walls are drilled directly into the concrete floor. Once drilled in, the walls are then nailed together through the wooden beams so that there are no spaces between the walls. Since every wall has its own place, it's kind of like putting together a big jigsaw puzzle - just the pieces are a lot heavier!

The good thing about our houses is that it so easy that anyone can do it. We have had people as young as 9 to people who are out there building at the age of 70!

The roof is a simple structure made up of wooden cross beams and a tin roof. The roof we provide is more secure and protective than what the families were used to having before.

Once the roof is nailed in place, it is pretty dark inside the house because there is no light coming in. We need windows for that but the good thing is that they are already built into the walls. All we need to do is punch out the panels designated as the windows and presto... you have light!

The houses we build are very basic. A typical home has two rooms, one for sleeping and the other used as a sitting area. The homes do not have plumbing since all cooking is done outside with firewood, keeping with the tradition of families in this area. Washroom facilities are outside as well. Somes homes have electricity, which they use for lighting or small appliances. Other families may receive gas ovens as gifts from foreigners thinking that it would be better for the families, but sometimes this is cost-prohibitive as the monthly cost for propane can be costly.

Below is a picture of a completed house, freshly painted. The house below is a combination of "chocolate" and "cream", but we also use bright colours such as red and yellow. The majority of the houses we build are painted two-tone in keeping with the colours of the houses found in Guatemala. The whole process on average only takes about 3 hours to build and paint. Although it takes so little time to build and so little money to buy ($1500), a home like this is priceless for the families who receive them. The most touching part of the whole process is at the end when the volunteer team hands over the keys of the house to the new family. We conduct a blessing of the home with the volunteers assisting. Steve usually does an introduction and Sandra translates on behalf of the volunteers on the team who do not speak Spanish. Words are exchanged between both the volunteers and the family receiving the house, which is often a very emotional time. Since we started working in Guatemala in Feb 2008, we have not witnessed a blessing without tears being shed.

In 2008, we coordinated the construction of more than 60 homes for needy families in the rural communities of Paramos, San Luis and Pampay. That means more than 60 families have a clean floor to live on, 4 strong walls and a roof to keep out the elements, and a new start to a life with endless possibilities. AOJ is going to keep busy through 2009 as we already have 26 houses ready to be built at the time of this posting...and we are only in the second week of January!

First Day of School of 2009!

Returning to Guatemala for another year was a difficult decision, only because we just finished spending Christmas holidays with our families and friends. Although we will miss them dearly, it was a blessing to come back to our second "home" and our new extended family in Guatemala! The school year in Guatemala starts in January and January 11 was the first day of school at AOJ - we were anxious to see the kids again! The kids streemed in with beautiful smiles and excited spirits. We were overwhelmed with all the kids running to give us huge hugs and explaining how they missed us during their time off. We found out that one child kept asking her mom almost everyday if "Seno Sandra" was coming back to Guatemala! It was nice to even be remembered by the kids let alone being told numerous times how much we were missed.

The day started off well as the kids filed in through the front door pretty smoothly. Most kids were jumping for joy to be at school (something we're not used to in Canada!) while some, especially the pre-kindergarten children, walked in very shly with their parents in tow.

Before the children were grouped into their grades, we had a welcome ceremony in the outdoor basketball court. We had a large, colourful sign that read BIENVENIDOS (Welcome) and every teacher introduce themselves to the students.

It was really amazing to see more than 200 of our students back and eager to learn. You can see in the photo the large crowd of both parents and students eagerly waiting for school to start - and this was just our morning class! Seeing such a large turnout was really special for us because often in Guatemala it is a challenge to convince families and their children of the value of an education. Sometimes the families do not support their children attending our school because they would prefer that their children work to get money for the family. Sometimes the children start working as young as 5 as there is no law in Guatemala to prevent children from working. To get such a positive response from the families on the first day means that we must be doing something right in helping the families see the long-term benefits of an education.

2009 also marks the first year we will start with pre-kindergarten, which means we just added yet another level of cuteness to our school! These kids are only 3-4 years old and they are so tiny that we have to watch where we step! It is a rare opportunity in Guatemala for kids this young and of a low socio-economic background to get such an opportunity for an education. This has been planned for some time as our philosophy is to try to start educating children at a very young age so that they can easily develop a life-long thirst for learning. To see these little ones walk through our doors was really precious.

The parents seemed as nervous as their little ones as this was the first time in their lives that they will be away from their children. Familial relationships in Guatemala are very important and the bond between mother and child is particularly strong. The parents spent some time with the children in the classrooms so they can get used to the environment. But when it came time for the parents to leave, it was really difficult at first because some children were crying uncontrollably for some time because they didn't want to let go of their parents. However, after some time, we slowly ushered the parents out as the children got more comfortable. It will still get some time for the parents to get used to being away from their children as many still hung around at the front gate wondering if their children were going to be all right.

But it didn't take too long for all the kids to be comfortable being back at school. The kids played games, sang songs, and laughed a lot. After a week of emptiness and silence while we were preparing the school, it was like beautiful music listening to the laughter of children ring through the property again.

The children who come to our school do not get much opportunity to laugh or play outside of our doors. Back in the harsh reality of their community, they face challenges such as miserable living conditions, the need to work to support the family income, and sometimes living in homes with no love or affection. In addition, if these children were to get any education, the families will need to pay for uniforms, administration fees and supplies so that they can attend the local public shool. The families we service cannot afford those things that we often take for granted in Canada. The fact that these children have the opportunity to attend our school and have access to a safe and loving environment, free of charge, is a dream come true for a lot of these families.

The first day was a hectic day in getting everything organized but it was well worth the work. Knowing that we are giving another generation of children the chance to break the cycle of poverty is very rewarding. Once we get through the cultural and economic challenges by getting them through the door is the first step. Now it is up to our excellent staff to do the rest.

Our Teaching Staff

The Directors