Archive for Guatemalan adoption
Erupting Volcano, Floods and Earthquakes, What a Week!
Posted by: | CommentsI am sure that most of you know that Guatemala was hit hard last week when Volcan de Pacaya erupted. However just a few days later tropical storm Agatha blew in and has devastated Guatemala. We had four small earthquakes, two the day Pacaya erupted and two the following day.
Tropical storm Agatha did horrendous damage to many parts of Guatemala. Many bridges have been destroyed, leaving people isolated and unable to get supplies and medical care. People died, many disappeared and many more lost everything including their homes. At Semillas de Amor we lost large sections of our security wall when trees on the other side of our land came crashing down, hit our electric poles and then our wall. We were without electricity or running water for four days. Our biggest concern, when the security walls came down, was that someone would come onto our land, to rob the children’s home, which would put all of our staff and our kids at jeopardy. We have an armed guard, however, to be safe we brought in another guard. Although there were suspicious people walking around in the middle of the night the armed guards were enough to keep them away.
I drove up to the children’s village on Sunday, the day after the storm, and have included photos of the damage we sustained. We were fortunate that there was not more damage and that we were able to get everything fixed so quickly.
As always, we are grateful your your generosity and donations to Semillas de Amor via Seeds of Love. To continue to help us keep the children’s home open please click on Semillas de Amor which will take you to the page to donate. Thank you!
Washington DC March for the Guatemala900 Kids!
Posted by: | CommentsMark your calendars for May 6th in Washington DC! There are over 500 children, who were suppose to be covered under the grandfather clause and allowed to go home with their adoptive parents, still left in Guatemala. Many children have US visas, many children have their adoptions finalized and still they wait, institutionalized. These children were promised by both the United States and Guatemalan governments that their adoptions would be completed. And now, over two years later, lots of unfulfilled promises, children’s precious years robbed from them by government bureaucracies, families have been emotionally and financially devastated. The Guatemala900 is serious, we want the children to go home to their families now. Please join us in the march to help the children get home. Semillas de Amor is home to 16 of the 500+ children. If you can’t attend the march, please contact the Guatemala900 website below and see what you can do to help these children be heard. The only voices they have are yours.
Summer Arrives at Semillas de Amor
Posted by: | CommentsIn Guatemala we only have a short summer season. Our weather in Parramos is spring like weather, all year long, even though we are at an altitude of 5500 feet. Our growing season is year long. Summer brings hotter and drier weather and leads us into the rainy season which last six months of the year.
We hope you enjoy the slideshow, it is a celebration of summer.
Cutting hair for 34 kids,and only one stylist, is quite a job. But Laura, and adoptive mom from Semillas de Amor, came for a visit with her husband and son and cut all the kids’ hair. They all sported new, summer styles. And look just adorable. Keeping up on haircuts for 34 kids can be a bit overwhelming, so we are so grateful to Laura.
Down the dirt road from us is macadamia nut farm. The kids went for a visit and were welcomed with a great tour of the farm and all the farm animals. The kids saw turkeys, chickens, horses and perigueyes. Perigueyes look somewhat like sheep, but aren’t. And, of course, the kids sampled the macadamia nuts.
It can’t be summer without a dip in the swimming pool. We have two new pools, thank you Laura and Jason, so the kids are spending lots of time in the pools. I think a built in pool is in our future someday. Kids love to swim and it is such good exercise for them. We will add the built in pool to our wish list.
Rarely, will you see our kids without the dogs. Dooney is a favorite with the littlest ones. He is so big but has the patience of a saint. And he loves to be loved on. A perfect combination. Kids + Dogs= Happiness.
For most of our blog readers, it is just becoming spring time. But in Guatemala we are getting ready for the rainy season. Our neighbors are planting corn and other crops as they wait for the rain. Last year we had a terrible drought, the worst in over 30 years so we are really looking forward to the rain.
Happy Spring time from all of us at Semillas de Amor!
To make a donation to keep our children at Semillas de Amor thriving, please click HERE. We appreciate your on-going support and generosity.
