Sponsorships are $270 per year, or a half sponsorship is $135.00. The sponsorships give the elders 3 meals a week with a take home meal for the following day and medical care.

You can donate on line or send a check to Sharing the Dream in Guatemala 10 W. Main St. Vermillion, SD 57069

http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/unl-grad-reaches-out-to-those-in-third-world/article_30d25ebd-de18-5eda-9f50-ad767d54ee8b.html

Have a Blessed Holiday and again, thank you for being a Dreamer.

Diane Nesselhuf
Founder/Director Sharing the Dream in Guatemala

Guatemala 2011: Reflections

“My favorite part of the trip was the home visits with the elders in Santiago Atitlan. It was an amazing privilege to be let into the homes of strangers with very different cultural values than us. Not knowing who we were as physical therapists or what we did, they still trusted us to serve them. A mutual respect and a strong bond was formed with each and every family and I will never forget that.” -Danielle Reiss

“My experience with Sharing the Dream was so incredibly rich and offered a multitude of opportunities to experience different aspects of life and culture in Guatemala. Working with the different populations, from children to elderly, was a great way to learn about the health disparities and daily lives of Guatemalans across the lifespan. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Elder Center in Santiago Atitlan, as well as participating in the wheelchair distribution at Hope Haven in Antigua. I look forward to returning to Guatemala in the future to continue to provide services to all the fabulous people we met!” -Jennifer Levy

“I enjoyed the home visits with the elders best. Going into these people’s homes, seeing and hearing firsthand everything they overcame, what they still have to overcome daily… I don’t think I can even describe it; it’s just something you have to witness for yourself. Sometimes, the solution was as simple as a sturdier chair, or a higher bed.  Other times it was trickier. Either way, I don’t believe we would have been able to truly get through to these wonderful people or to understand what makes them tick had we not had the opportunity to visit them in their own environments. There is just something about being welcomed into a stranger’s home like that, some whose ways are so foreign and alien to you and vice verse, and coming together to achieve one common goal, …It is a bond that will never be broken.”- Danielle Parisi

“My favorite parts of the trip were the wheel chair distribution with Hope Haven and the home visits with the Elder Center in Santiago Atitlan.  I felt that these moments were important in my education because it was my first exposure to wheel chair fitting and my first time running a real patient evaluation.  I was also amazed by how quickly personal and emotional ties were made with the people we were serving, even despite my lack of Spanish skills.” – Vanessa Lazar

“My favorite part of the trip was learning about a whole new culture and witness how strong the people in Guatemala are. Everyone had a unique story, but no matter what they had gone through, they were some of the most kind-hearted people I had ever met. It was great to see how something that may be considered a simple physical therapy intervention, could help tremendously improve someone’s quality of life”. –Andrea Wood

“It is so difficult to pick a favorite when living a life transforming experience but watching the faces of children in Hope Haven as that sat upright to see the world for the first time in a new perspective lives in my heart” –Dr. Sliwinski

?

Columbia University’s program in physical therapy’s trip exceeded all of our expectations. Sharing the Dream in Guatemala really helped all the students and physical therapists learn about a new culture and country. Along with providing a cultural learning experience, they also worked hard to provide information and transportation to sites for us to network with and perform needs assessments for future trips. Our group leaders Diana and Miguel were very welcoming and always did their best to teach us about Guatemala and keep us safe throughout the trip.
Service that we participated in included home visits to Dona Lubia’s house where we were able to provide her information on proper lifting mechanics, along with exercises and proper chair seating for her daughters. At the organizations, Fundabiem and ADISA, we got to tour both the physical therapy facilities for kids with disabilities. Through ADISA, we performed several home visits to children with special needs where the students were able to watch therapists perform skills and practice some on their own. Additionally, the group did a wheelchair distribution with Hope Haven. Students and therapists were paired up with other physical therapy students from Guatemala and Hope Haven volunteers to help build wheelchairs for children with special needs. In Santiago Atitilan, our group worked at the elder center where we participated in meals on sandals, and did several home visits to the elders. The group was able to hear many of the elders’ stories and provide help for some of their needs. We also networked with the Physical therapy school at Universidad Rafael Landivar, the women’s center Upavim, and Oxlajuj Batz for future trips.
Sharing the Dream in an inspiring and growing organization and we were happy to team up with them for our service learning trip. The organization really played a key role in the success of our trip
?

This is the rainy season which was proven once more last night but each morning everything is clean and fresh again. Thank goodness Diane convinces Sara and me to take a walk in the Maya Traditions Medicinal Garden. It went on and on up the hill with ever-amazing views of Lake Atitlan.

We get to be like locals and ride in a pick up to the boat launch! Felipa, from the Elder Center, and Katie, a volunteer, meet us at the docks. We’re stopping first at the small village of San Antonio Palopo to visit a new group who make pottery. They have usable items with lovely designs. More importantly, they have a good story so we have another shopping opportunity; Diane places an order for the store in Vermillion.

The rain starts early today hitting as we get back on the boat to cross to Santiago. It’s a wet walk to the hostel but find lovely accommodations once there. And Maria has prepared a great lunch for us around the corner at the Elder Center. It was nice to have a little down time, log on to email, and so forth, before Miguel takes us on a walking tour of the town. Of course, it’s still raining.

Sunday is market day! The sun is shining and the market is bustling. Felipa says she is charged more when she is with us ‘white girls’ since the shopkeepers assume we’re the ones paying. But actually she is buying provisions for our meals today and the elders tomorrow. We’re just along for the experience and to carry the purchases including seven heads of cabbage. We have great fun back at the Elder Center helping to prepare a traditional meal of tomalitos (sort of like tamales steam in banana leaves), rellenitos (black beans and chocolate wrapped in plantains, fried), and dobladas (potatoes wrapped in tortillas, fried). And, of course, fresh tortillas. Very yummy!

Our afternoon is filled with a long hike to the outskirts of town, learning more about the history and suffering of the Santiago people. Besides the military attacks, there were mudslides from Hurricane Stan in 2005 wiping out much of the village of Panabaj. Before supper we stop at the Posada for dessert. A little backwards but much fun.

Lauri

We left Flor del Campo early, after a breakfast of spaghetti, which, before 8am, makes for quite an interesting meal. Over breakfast, we talked with the artisans about their business and challenges they face. Their tienda was full of high quality woven items that they are struggling to find a market for. Their pride in their work, though, is really strong and it shows. Marie Antoinia is a very capable leader and everyone is motivated to make a better life for themselves and their families. Their center was almost washed away and the women themselves hauled wheel barrel loads of rocks from the river to build a retaining wall, which now holds up, literally, the corner of their building. Sharing the Dream donated the funds to hire someone to help them do this.

We drove toward Xela on the Pan American highway, which was dotted with hotels, restaurants, and resorts – quite a difference from the other parts of the country we had driven through. The steepness of the mountains is amazing and there is evidence of landslides everywhere.  The government does not pay to take protective measures against them and with the hills so steep, the weather so rainy, and so many farm plots on the sides, mudslides often bury cars and homes. It is amazing to see these farm plots covering the mountains – in some places, there are very few trees, which accounts for much of the erosion. We saw many farmers walking to and from fields directly on the highway. 

COPAVIC is a glass cooperative where we stopped just outside of Xela.  Although it was a holiday and they were not working, we saw the piles of colorful, broken glass that is melting down into interestingly shaped pieces. It was a group of men, which was an interesting comparison to the women at Flor del Campo.  They were just as proud, efficient, and motivated – the energy was a different one, though.  Lauri, Isabel, and I watched a movie about the organization and the process – even though it was in Spanish, we picked up a little of it and it was fantastic to see the whole process all the way through.

Once in Xela, it was Pollo Campero time! Like a Guatemalan KFC, it was a fast food restaurant, although there are servers who wait directly on the table. Fancy! And delicious – my French fry craving was sufficiently satisfied!

Xela is a beautiful town with a big park in the middle surrounded by lovely old buildings. It felt so much more metropolitan, even than Guatemala City. The second organization we saw that day was TRAMA, a weaving cooperative who works with women from many different departments – similar to states – in Guatemala.  There were two people getting weaving lessons in the courtyard, which would be a fantastic experience. 

For dinner, we had some light tapas because the fried chicken from earlier was still with us.  Dinners are great fun and informal, especially with Diana, Miguel, and Isabel.  We traded Spanish and English words – Isabel and I have been practicing the days of the week in both languages.  Later, it was off to a good night of sleep at Hotel 6 – oh so much nicer than the US Motel 6!

Friday, July 1^st

What a busy day! We had breakfast at a nice little bakery in Xela before heading out to Solola.  Solola was the first town where the traditional dress for women was worn by most.  The women wore the beautiful, colorful cortes and huiples – it was really amazing to see as we drove through town.  Some of the men were also wearing the traditional clothing, although it was a much lower percentage than the women.

Our first stop was the Chenille group, which was housed in a really unassuming storefront.  Their workshop, however, was fantastic. There was enough space for everyone to work comfortably – most of the dyeing took place in an outdoor, covered patio.  Colors were everywhere!  Most of the chenille is made from imported bamboo and then dyed a spectacular array of colors, then woven by many women. There are then some men who sew pieces that need it, such as coin purses, etc…  The tienda was bursting with beautiful scarves, bags, and coin purses.  Although it was a little pricier – relatively speaking – from the other items we had seen already, you could see how much work and time went into each piece.

While Diane made an order with the group, Miguel took Lauri and I on a little tour of the town. It was so much like I had imagined Guatemala to be!  Because it was a holiday, the square in the center of town was filled with families eating, selling handicrafts, and going to the market. Again, most were dressed in the traditional fashion, including the children, so it was really a lot for the eyes to absorb. Of course, Lauri and I, being the tall, very fair-skinned redheads that we are, stood out like sore thumbs! Nevertheless, I really enjoyed being surrounded by so many different sights, smells, and feelings. It was exhilarating.

Onward we drove to Panajachel, where we checked into an absolutely wonderful bungalow at Maya Traditions.  It was quiet, surrounded by beautiful flowers, and clean and simple inside. Poor Diane, Diana, and Miguel had to sleep on mats on the floor of the main building! Driving through Pana, you can tell immediately it is a much more resort-driven town. Booth and booths of Guatemalan crafts line the street and it is clear that some of them are not very well-made and probably very few are Fair Trade.  It was also the first place where I saw a big increased in the amount of white faces that I saw.

Despite the very touristy feel, there are some wonderful organizations based in the town. First, we visited Oxlajuj Batz, a sister organization to Sharing the Dream. Not only are they located in a beautiful building with a rich history, the work they do really resonated with me. Along with working with female artisans in the Solola area, they do a lot of work with health issues, native medicinal plants, and female empowerment.  The medicinal plant gardens are such a great program because not only does it provide the women with medicine for themselves and their families, it gives them economic opportunities while preserving some really beneficial plants.

The agenda called for a light meal in downtown Pana and was it ever! Still full from lunch, we decided to get ice cream for dinner – at Sarita, which I am especially partial to since it is a nickname of mine. Vanilla ice cream covered in cappachino chocolate in a waffle cone – delicious!

Another interesting part of the day was a presentation we saw at Oxlajuj Batz that night. Two young girls from Singapore are bicycling around the world for 5 years in order to ask and record the dreams people have for themselves. It was really inspiring, although a little long, but seemed to leave us all thinking about what our dreams are and how we can go about realizing them and making them an actuality. The girls themselves were really spunky and their enthusiasm was contagious. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about them, their project, and my own dreams for the next couple of days.

Although the trip is over as far as the two women I took on the trip goes, I am still in Guatemala.  I am going to publish what they have written and then eventually I will add some of my own thoughts.  I only brought two people on this trip because I decide early on that I needed to work more on this trip instead of having a big group. Laurie and Sara wanted to learn more about the workings of Sharing the Dream so they were able to really get the inside scoop as they were involved in several of my meetings.  They were very patient and hopefully learned more about STDG.

Diane

Sharing the Dream in Guatemala – Wednesday, June 29, 2011

We began this adventure on Monday and are a bit delayed entering our journal. As there are just two members of the group, Sara and Lauri, we are able to make this a unique experience. All the wonderful staff are able to travel together visiting the programs, gathering information , and providing feedback.

We’ve had a great orientation to STDG as an organization, it’s history, and the center in Guatemala City. We had great fun at the artisan center with Virginia and Isabel helping critique samples. We even get to buy some. Later, Isabel taught back-strap weaving to Sara and Lauri. She has an amazing talent and shares her skill with equally amazing patience.

This morning we visited the “three sisters.” These are three beautiful adult children aflicted with a degenerative disease robbing their bodies of normal development. It’s evident even to those unfamiliar with their situation that thery are very well cared for and receive much love from their family. It is such a difficult situation without the familiar health insurance or social welfare systems to help a family like this. Most of their support comes from a church in Wyomig with the coordination of STDG.

At UPAVIM we saw a well organized cooperative providing a variety of services for women and their children in that neighborhood. They served a wonderful lunch and there was shopping.

At Flor de Campo later in the afternoon, they had a grand party planned for us. There was even a marimba band (a father and his 4 young sons) providing traditional music for dancing (lots), singing and games. Oh, and they provided a wonderful meal, too. Sharing the Dream had built a new room for their looms so this was in celebration of the building.  Pine needles covered the floor and balloons were on the ceiling and entry way.  

My reflection on this day:   at every place, our hosts are so gracious and generous. I find this very humbling coming from those with so little, but with big hearts.

Lauri