A GOOD FRIDAY!

Today the group split up with some delivering the clothes to families of Kairos students who were effected by the recent mudslide and some working at the school. After the group met together for lunch, they traded jobs so everyone would have a chance to meet some of the families whose children attend the school. Tomorrow the remainder of the clothing will be delivered to victims of the recent mudslide who live in the community.

Jim worked on cabinets for the school today with Brad (in the morning) and Dawn (in the afternoon). The school is coming along nicely. Everyone is working hard.

Tomorrow most of the group will be going on a tour in the morning of one of the coffee plantations and a very old monastery. A few will stay to work on the school.

Sunday the group will work at the school and get an opportunity to meet the students. The students will be served food on Sunday by the group. :) Additionally, on Sunday there will be a church service at the school with the students present. The group is really looking forward to this. We hope to be able to speak with Pastor Cliff during our church services on Sunday (via Skype) in order for the congregation to see the work being done there and meet the students as well. We hope everyone can make it to share in this excitement!

Guatemalan Fact for Today...

Poverty in Guatemala (Taken from http://www.articlesbase.com/)

Unequal distribution of wealth and a rapid population growth have given Guatemala one of the highest poverty rates in Latin America. More than 75 percent of the national population lives below the poverty line and this is even more severe among the rural and indigenous population.



Guatemala's income is one of the most unequal in the world with the wealthiest 10 percent owning nearly 50 percent of the national wealth and the poorest 10 percent owning less than 1 percent. Land also is concentrated to the few.

Guatemala has a population of over 12 million, half of which are under 18 with approximately 60 percent of the population between 6 and 18 living in extreme poverty. The high level of poverty and the lack of social support programs mean child labor is the only way of survival for many families. It is thought approximately 14,500 children live on the streets throughout the country with 4,500 street children located in and around Guatemala city. About two thirds of children live in poverty with 68 percent under six and 63 percent of all children under 18 living below the poverty line.


Education is not a great priority for poor Guatemalans as children are needed to work to contribute to the family income. Only 44 percent of school age children attend classes and only 55.6 percent of the total population is literate. Child labor significantly inhibits the ability to attend school.