Santa Lucia Christmas Party

Right so this was the second part to where your hard earned money went to. A bit of a party for the kids on the Friday before New Years with food, clothes and a little present for each.

This is us at the checkout of the Mega Paca in Guatemala City. A paca is a second hand clothes store. The clothes normally come from america and they are really cheap. Some items being ten cents euro or there abouts. It varies up to about 3 euro fifty but with a bit of scavenging there are plenty of bargains. On a large scale they help to ruin any native textile or clothes industries but hey for this particular cause they are a god send as trying to buy for 150 plus kids just wouldnt have been possible with new clothes.  

Roughly speaking about 170 euro. We bought a good bit extra to ensure that we at least had enough for one item for every kid. Had to guess at sizes and sex of children.

This is the receipt for all the clothes. When we were leaving the store with 7 super size bags the security guard actually came over to me asked for a look at the receipt and acted like by having a scan of the bags she new that we hadnt robbed anything. Hilarious.....

Toys were always last on the list behind clothes and then food but becuase of your genourosity it was made possible. Was a major panic station on Friday mroning buying for 170 kids or so. Fair play to Denise for being a great help as a shopper and mule.

Astrid and Dona Lily, inspecting the Pinatas provided by Inlex. Dona Lily was rushed to hospital last week, was more than a bit scared for her to be honest as the doctor was mentioning liver cancer. Not possible to have liver transplant in Guatemala. She went in for an operation and they remnoved two non cancerous tumours from her intestines. I chatted with Astrid yesterday and she said all is well and that she is back to her smiling self. Will call in to see her on Thursday when I arrive in Antigua.

The food preperation. Party was meant to start at 3 so at about half 4 we thought we should start it. Typical Guatemala style. Marisa my Spanish teacher her two daughters and a few local women were in charge of this aspect.

This is the clothes section one for each child.

Had to divide the presents into age and gender. For instance boys 9 to 11 were footballs girls 3 to 5 were kitchen sets etc etc. Individual presents werent really an option.

Me lookin a bit stressed. Wasnt much use pickin the clothes out for chaps to be honest.

Two happy customers.

We planned it so that a few kids came in at a time while the pinatas were getting burst outside so there wasnt total mayhem. Pinatas donated by gt.inlexca.org

Two more happy little customers. Puppies eating the left overs from the party.

Went to visit a family after the Party with Michael D to show him were a lot of the kids live like.

All in all was a great week with the Kids of La Pinada and Santa Lucia. Was a good bit of organising and thanks to eveybody who helped out in anyway at all, donations, support, volunteering. Everyone was great. As always with anything like this the reward outweighs the effort a hundred fold. The people really appreciated it and I just wish that the photos in some way could portray that aspect but you will just have to take my word for it im afraid. Thanks to all. O by the way there is about 90 euro left over from the fund and as promised all the funds will go on this project. Talked to Hilmar and he wreckins a sink in the kitchenette would be the most needed so that will be a little side project in the next while. Bout 50 euro for a decent sink maybe and the rest will go on materials and labour. I am going to publish a full set of accounts for both the Santa Lucia fund and the La Cumbre fund in next few days. There is about 1100 euro left in the La Cumbre account in case your wondering. For me now I am in Coban taking a look at this project where the people live in the dump. More on that to come. Wednesday im heading back to Antigua, see how Dona Lily is, go to dentist (Hope there is no pain envolved think im all pained out after latest tattoo), sort out a route for borax supply and do a few other little bits of business then back to La Cumbre. Was originally going to take holidays until the 23rd but for one the West coast is in rainy season, no thanks I can get that at home, and I am, planning on going to Tikal with a different project so think its time to head back to La Cumbre and start getting hands dirty in sheep shit. Everybody else is supposedly starting back around this time too. School etc...