Report from Mirian Otzin
(There are new photos in the MayaWorks photo album that accompany this report.)

Before our trip to Santiago we had so many preparations to make, including purchasing everything that we promised to bring to the families.

Thankfully  it was possible to deliver the needed items last Wednesday, November 16.  It was a little exhausting, but it was worth the effort when we saw how happy the families were to receive the help!

Every family is very thankful and expressed their excitement and appreciation in receiving the supplies.  Women, men, and their children helped unload the items from the trucks. I know that this relief effort never would have been possible without the donations from everyone.

I also want to say thank you on my behalf.  Don Diego has also expressed his sincere thanks for the supplies/aide that has been offered to the families, and he is also thankful for the support that MayaWorks has offered to him as a leader of the artisan group.

When we arrived in Santiago, there were a lot of people around, looking at what we were bringing. The police helped out because when we were unloading the items, large cars could not pass so the police helped reroute them to a different area so that we could unload all the things without any problems.

Then we began distributing the goods to each family according to the list that each family submitted during the interviews.  We gave them beds, bedding, clothing, kitchen utensils, tables, chairs, among other items.

From the time we began distributing the items until the time we finished, there was a woman that was not part of the group (but who is a parent of one of the bead workers and who also lost her home and who had not received any aide from any other organization) .  She spoke with Don Diego and said “I am going to wait until you finish unloading, and maybe there will be something left over that you could help me out with”.  This really moved me. I didn’t know that she had said this until the very end.  Fortunately, one of the families said that they had received beds from another organization and so there were 2 beds left over.  So we gave the woman one bed, one set of bedding, and also some of the kitchen utensils that were left over, and some children’s clothing.  There were also sweaters that my mother and brother/sister-in-laws sent.

 BPD (Behrhorst Partners for Development) also sent used clothing which we distributed, primarily it was children’s clothing.

Personally I am very thankful for all the help MayaWorks has offered to the families in Santiago, because I know that not many institutions are able to do this.  I am proud to be part of an institution like ours and I am also thankful for Mirna’s support who also helped make this possible.

Don Diego and I have spoken about the next steps for the families and he thinks that, if possible, it would be good to give a monetary donation to each family, since they do not have a source of regular income.  The majority of the men of the families have left to find alternative work, but it would be good to support/help them with some economic help.

I think it would be good if we could give them, maybe Q500 (about $67) and then also bring more food/supplies as well.

In December I will be traveling again to Santiago to deliver the Christmas Baskets for all of the artisans, and I could take advantage of this trip and bring more supplies and money.  The money and supplies are only for the families that we have helped so far.

Families in Santiago Atitlan Who Have Received Assistance from MayaWorks – November 2005

• Family Esquina Damian:
  • 3 beds
  • 2 sets of clothing for children
  • 3 sets of bedding
  • 1 set of clothing for woman
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 2 towels
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 table
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Family Esquina Ramírez
  • 1 table
  • 1 change of clothing for girl
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 change of clothing for woman
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 2 sets of bedding
  • 2 beds
  • 2 towels
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Family Tziná Chiviliu
  • 1 table
  • 1 change of clothing for woman
  • 4 chairs
  • 3 beds
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 3 sets of bedding
  • 2 towels
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Family Gaspar Tziná
  • 1 table
  • 1 change of clothing for girl
  • 4 chairs
  • 2 changes of clothing for adults
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 3 beds
  • 2 towels
  • 3 sets of bedding


• Ramírez Chiviliu
  • 1 table
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils


• Family Chichom Reanda
  • 1 table
  • 2 sets of girls clothing
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 change of woman’s clothing
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 4 beds
  • 2 towels
  • 4 sets of bedding
  • Waiting for : 4 looms


• Family Calí Tacaxoy
  • 1 table
  • 2 sets of baby clothes
  • 4 chairs
  • 2 sets of clothes for girls
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 1 set of clothing for woman
  • 2 beds
  • 2 towels
  • 2 sets of bedding
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Family Chicajau Chichom
  • 1 table Changes of clothing for baby to be born next month
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 change of woman’s clothing
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 2 changes of men’s clothing
  • 1 bed
  • 1 set of bedding
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Familia Silvestre Chichom
  • 1 table
  • 1 change of woman’s clothing
  • 4 chairs
  • 2 changes of men’s clothing
  • 1 bed
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 1 set of bedding
  • Waiting for: 2 looms


• Familia de Magdalena Petzey
  • 1 table
  • 1 set of woman’s clothing
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 change of girl’s clothing
  • 3 beds
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 3 sets of bedding


• Familia de Diego Reanda
  • 1 table
  • 1 change of woman’s clothing
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 set of girl’s clothing
  • 1 bed
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 1 set of bedding


• Quicain Sisters
  • 1 table
  • 2 changes of clothing
  • 4 chairs
  • 1 set of kitchen utensils
  • 2 beds
  • 2 Sweaters
  • 2 sets of bedding
  • 2 towels
  • 4 pairs of shoes
  • 1 stove
  • 1 check for Q 1,050.00 ($140) which will cover November food costs