Dear Friends,

As you probably know by now Guatemala is suffering immensely from a terrible disaster.  Hurricane Stan generated very heavy rains which brought massive flooding and mudslides.  Some of the areas in which MayaWorks artisans live and work are affected.

Adequate reports are difficult to receive.  Landline phones and cell phones were down for several days and in some areas are still not working.  Mudslides have made transportation impossible, cutting off many areas from relief efforts.

Reports of the number killed and missing vary.  No one can really know for sure the extent of deaths.

Through our staff in Guatemala we were able to contact most of the MayaWorks groups by late Friday afternoon.  We know that our friends in Aquas Calientes, Xetonox, Comalapa and San Antonio Aguas Calientes are safe, although we don't know about any damage to their homes or crops.  Yesterday we finally contacted Diego Chavez in Santiago Atitlan and heard that he and his family are safe. Their part of town (Santiago Atitlan) was not affected by flooding or mudslides. But the situation of the MayaWorks beadworkers and the stole weavers in Santiago Atitlan is still unknown. Diego fears that many of them may have at least lost their homes.  He just doesn't know for sure.   He said the churches in town are filled with people whose homes were washed away or swept away by mud.

We also do not know about the women who live in San Marcos and San Pedro at Lake Atitlan.  No one has been able to make contact with them. The Lake area appears to be the hardest hit by the mudslides. 

Today I will ask our Guatemala staff (Mirian Otzin and Mirna Roquel) to do all they can to find out more about MayaWorks workers in all locations.  We know that support for relief and rebuilding will be needed and will ask Miran and Mirna for their guidance in creating a plan for how we can best respond to the many needs that will be presented.  Once we know the needs we will come back to you with a plan and a request for your help.

For those of who have visited Guatemala and recognize these names here is a brief update: Solola and Xela were hard hit by water and mud, Panajachel had flooding and Tecpan has many deaths.  We do know that David and Susie at the Posada Santiago are safe and are involved in relief efforts.  Many of the workers at the Posada lived in Panabaj, the town that was wiped out by a mudslide.

In the meantime, please keep our Maya friends, their families and their communities in your thoughts.  When we know more we'll share with you.