Table of contents

Editorial .......................... 02

Outstanding Children ......................... 03

Life Story ........................ 04

Briefs of hope ............... 06

Expert´s Insight ........... 08

Meet our Staff .............. 10

Photo gallery ................ 11

Welcome to Guatemala ..................... 12

Credits

Editorial Board:José Carlos PremWendy GámezEricka PortaIsi Salazar

Information provided by Compassion Guatemala Program Implementation Team

email:cigt@compassion.com

Malnutrition: the silent enemyGuatemala has the highest rate of malnutrition among children in Latin America. Studies have established that one out of two children under five is suffering from malnutrition. This alarming rate goes up to 8 out of 10 children in the rural areas of the country.

Malnutrition causes irreversible effects not only in the child’s physical growth, but also in their school performance, their productivity and overall, their opportunities for a better future.

Other social problems in Guatemala make malnutrition a less notorious problem. That is why some call it the “silent enemy”. However, it is one of the most urgent needs affecting our Guatemalan children.

Compassion Guatemala together with local churches is taking specific actions in order to win the fight against malnutrition. Through medical checkups, complementary food, healthy snacksand training for the parents, among others, communities and families are being transformed.

We know that this national problem goes beyond our capacity, but we will not stop this fight against malnutrition especially for our children. Pray with us that God provides us enough resources to overcome this problem.

José Carlos PremCountry Director

3News of Hope • Guatemala

Outstanding Children

Asael David Cuquej Ismalej13 years old

Sport: Volleyball

GU 993 “Betesda”San Miguel, Baja Verapaz

David has participated in National,Regional and Caribbean Games

competitions. He is a member of theNational Confederation of Sports.

Edilzer Daniel Pocop Ixcopal14 years old

Sport: Athletics

GU 993 “Betesda”San Miguel, Baja Verapaz

Daniel has participated in Interstateand Regional competitions.

Brandon Sivel Quinteros Carreto15 years old

Sport: Athletics

GU 960 “Peniel”La Esperanza, Quetzaltenango

Brandon has participated in CentralAmerican and Caribbean Games

held in Nicaragua (won 2nd place ofhis division). He is a member of theNational Confederation of Sports.

4 News of Hope • Guatemala

“When my first son was born, I did not go to a hospital or had any kind of medical attention. I just delivered him on a blanket on the floor by myself”, says Magdalena Francisco. She is a beneficiary mother from Canaan Child Development Center GU-900, located in San Pedro Ayampuc, only 23 km away from Guatemala City.

A mother of five, Magdalena just had her youngest daughter, little Wendy Francisco. Wendy’s birth was as difficult as the birth of her first son, but there was a big difference this time: Compassion, through the Child Survival Program (CSP) operating at Canaan

Child Development Center, was there to accompany her from her pregnancy to the delivery date and beyond.

When she was 14 years old, Magdalena began working as a housekeeper. She was raped by her employer’s son and ended up pregnant with her aggressor’s baby. She was thrown to the street without any money. As Magdalena had no schooling, no family and friends to go to, she turned to what she knew while living on the streets: prostitution, drugs and alcohol.

Magdalena had always wanted to have children, promising the Lord that she would

Hope in the CSP Room By Rebeca Amado de Armas

“There is someone who thinks you are worthy and loves you: Jesus Christ”

Life Story

5News of Hope • Guatemala

never abandon or mistreat them. She had not kept that promise. Desperate, she decided to take her own life. At the edge of a cliff, Magdalena begged the Lord to take care of her children after she was gone. Just before she jumped, she felt a gentle hand on her back and a voice saying, “There is someone who thinks you are worthy and loves you: Jesus Christ”.

“That person was sent by God to save my life and the life of my unborn child, since I did not know I was pregnant with Wendy at the time,” explains Magdalena, with tears of gratitude.

When the CSP staff started looking for women in need from the community, Magdalena’s name was one of the first suggestions. Thanks to the CSP, during the fifth month of her pregnancy Magdalena started to get medical care and prenatal vitamins. She also had an ultrasound exam, “It was incredible for me to see my little baby growing inside of me. With my other children I could not understand what was happening inside my body,” explains Magdalena.

In the seventh month of her pregnancy, Magdalena was rushed to the nearest health care center by one of the CSP implementers and underwent a C-section. Wendy was diagnosed with several respiratory problems and had to stay hospitalized for 40 extra days, while Magdalena stayed for eight days due to complications in the delivery room. “When the doctors finally told me I could bring Wendy home, I started screaming with

joy,” remembers Magdalena. The baby needed special care, and the CSP staff accompanied Magdalena through that rough period of time.Magdalena started attending the CSP classes and the implementers visit her house on a regular basis. She has learned things about motherhood that are beneficial for Wendy and also for her other children.

“If it wasn’t for the CSP and my church, I would not be able to love. I did not know how to love my children, because I was never loved until I found Jesus,” says Magdalena.

With Compassion’s CSP, Magdalena’s future shines bright, because she is no longer a rejected woman. Instead, she is part of a group of women who support each other.

“Now I hope to provide a better future for my children. I am a changed woman and a very different one from the fifteen-year-old child who felt worthless,” Magdalena concluded.

Life Story

6 News of Hope • Guatemala

Unity on behalf ofhealth

Briefs of hope

28 Pastors from our Churches Partners of Quetzaltenango finished a certification by Centro Esdras (a Theological Seminary) that accredits that they learned, participated and strengthened their knowledge in topics such as: leadership, good administration of the local church, holistic development of children and youth, among others.

Equipping our Pastors

A Health Care Clinic in Huehuetenango opened the doors to the community and our beneficiaries in the area. Eight Child Development Centers joined forces and proved that when working together the results are enhanced, their outcome: “Health Association for Child Development Centers in Huehuetenango”. An association that will provide health care services in the area.

Some of the health care services that the clinic will provide to the cluster beneficiaries and the community are:

1. Medical checkups established by Compassion program (2 per year for beneficiaries).

2. Free Medical checkups for community low income members.

3. Low prices for community members

4. Alliances that will provide medical services in specialties like: ophthalmology, dentistry, osteoporosis, among others.

The vision doesn’t end up there for these eight Child Development Centers; they already envisioned an “Evangelical Christian Hospital”. We trust that with God´s help and this unity on behalf of health everything is possible.

Spanish LessonsIn “Las Verapaces”, a major group of our children and their families remain in poverty-stricken areas, largely isolated from access to education, health and opportunities for their development. In addition they do not speak Spanish, their native language is

“Queqchi” a Mayan language. This prevents them from communicating with others and lower even more their opportunities. The Spanish Lessons program is helping not only the beneficiaries but their parents, in order for them to have a better future.

7News of Hope • Guatemala

Youth from Child Development Center “Incensario de Oro” GU- 974 located in San Marcos, were acknowledged by a local newspaper due to their ability as musicians. They play the Marimba (national instrument) at local special events for churches, the city hall, etc. They learned how to play this instrument at the Child Development Center; thanks to a cluster initiative that promotes the development of abilities and gifts among the children and youth.

Newspaper support

Partnerships to have purified WaterOn July, representatives of Compassion International Guatemala and Living Waters World Missions signed an agreement that will allow the installation of water purification filters in 70 Child Development Centers. With this system, many families from the south-west of the country will have access to purified water. The first purifier was installed at Child Development Center “Tierra Fertil” GU - 408 located in San Francisco Zapotitlán, Suchitepequez.

Briefs of hope

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Follow the link if you what to access the original publication:

8 News of Hope • Guatemala

Expert’sInsight

What is Guatemala’s nutritional status?The nutritional status is not good due to lack of education, promotion, and access to nutritional food. Regrettably, in Guatemala chronic malnutrition reaches 49.6% of children under five years old and in some indigenous population it reaches 80%.When the child does not grow physically, this results in poor cognitive and physical capabilities; therefore, at ayoung age, the child is condemned to physical and economic poverty. When these children grow up, they are four times more likely to suffer chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, arthritis, renal failure,etc.

How is the Child Survival Program (CSP) fighting hidden hunger in Guatemala?Jesus is our role model. Luke 2:52 speaks of an interesting relationship and says that Jesus grew in stature and wisdom. Growing in stature is an important factor that determines the intellectual growth.

Dr. José Oswaldo Quiacaín, our CSP Specialist shared with us valuable information about the reality of the country and our projects in terms of malnutrition.

9News of Hope • Guatemala

CSP is the key strategy to enhance the development of a country, the window of opportunity to have well developed children, with adequate physical and cognitive abilities. The first thousand days of the life of the child, that starts from gestation until the first two years, are the most critical stage of his/her development.

In the CSP in Guatemala, we are focusing in educating the mothers about how to feed and take care of themselves during pregnancy. We are also promoting breastfeeding for the first six months. Additionally, we are teaching the mothers what is the right food for the babies to take as they grow up.

What are the most significant challenges the CSP implementation is facing? - Low self-esteem of the mother or caregiver: it is unfortunate that in our male chauvinism culture the woman is not given adequate importance even though she plays the role of the household nutritionist, educator, counselor, etc. She suffers scorn, neglect, abandonment, violence and I think, in some cases, is denigrated rather than being valued. Therefore, improving her self-esteem, knowing what position she plays in the Kingdom of God, can make a radical change in her behavior and a better participation in the CSP.

- Promotion of breastfeeding: it is amazing how the big manufacturers of infant formula can misinformor overshadow the sound practice of breastfeeding. We are teaching our beneficiaries that breast feeding provides more nutrients than the most expensive can of formula.

- Few capabilities of the volunteer staff: to overcome this, we are having ongoing training to give them resources to improve their skills and have a better performance. Volunteers have a good attitude and are motivated to give the best of them.

- Violence: much of our projects implemented with the CSP are working with families who live in areas with high rates of violence, but we have asked God for wisdom and protection for the implementing staff conduct themselves well.

A final note on the subject:We appreciate the prayers, effort, time and dedication each of you who read this note, make to expand the Kingdom of God. We all, as a single body, are part of the blessings that God is pouring on the neediest.

Expert´s insightope

Implementer Nohemí Mijangos Muñoz and Doctor Oswaldo Quiacaín messuring little Rosmery to make sure she is growing according to her age.

Photo Gallery

Lilian Mishel Pérez with a big smile on her face before starting her early stimulation class.

Implementer Wendy Dubón holding two beneficiary babies.

Dorcas Pérez and one-year-old Anthony Germaín Pérez where they live.

Angélica Melendez

Partnership Facilitator Supervisor

Guatemala

11News of Hope • Guatemala

Photo Gallery

Implementer Wendy Dubón holding two beneficiary babies.

• I have been part of the Compassion Ministry since July 1987.

• Working for Compassion is a blessing and a privilege given by the Lord.

• Compassion has helped me grow up. It has been a very enriching opportunity to meet my country and work with brothers and sisters from different cultures. The privilege of serving in the ministry also requires continuous learning.

Angélica Melendez

Partnership Facilitator Supervisor

Guatemala

Meet our staff

12 News of Hope • Guatemala

Sololá:Atitlán Lake

Welcometo

Guatemala

Sololá is a departmentin the west of

Guatemala. Home of theCackchiquel, Tzutuil and

Quiché people, Sololá alsostands out for its naturalrichness. Lago de Atitlan,

a key landmark of thedepartment, is surroundedby towns full of traditions

and cultural diversity.

Compassion impacton this area

Projects Beneficiaries13 2,816

www.compassiongt.org