Meeting Food and Household Needs
A Song in the Night provides basic staples of beans, rice, pasta, packaged soups, oatmeal, cream of wheat, Incaparina, milk, cornflakes, sometimes a pkg. of wieners, or cookies, or a fruit or vegetable that we were able to buy or someone donates; also, at times with soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, laundry detergent bars, feminine products, hand and surface disinfectants, etc., on a weekly basis for a number of families, and sporadically for others in need. We also distribute vitamins as they are available, and when we have them, we hand out blankets, clothing, and shoes.
We encourage the families receiving food to be part of a Christian fellowship, be working, have their children in school and passing, although rarely do we turn away anyone who is hungry. We have even assisted some of the 'grandparent' generation during the pandemic, who were literally starving during these hard times, and we were so thankful to have the resources to be able to do so.
Above: Our shopping trips require multiple carts and lots of scanning the price tags for the best deals of the week, to stretch our dollars. Usually, we purchase from two different markets to get everything needed at the lowest prices!
ECOFILTRO Water Filtration Systems were purchased for six families, along with two more for Donie's home which supports several more families, because clean water makes healthy children and moms.
Imagine trying to be sure your children have clean water during a rainy season, often using an outdoor kitchen with a dirt floor. Clean water is imperative for families to survive and to thrive.
A filtration system can help a family to save the money they would have to spend to purchase safe drinking water, which reduces the financial burden on a household, as well as adding a health benefit.
Water Filtration Systems
Meeting Temporal Needs
Flory, Sarita's mother, received food, repairs on her home to help keep out the flooding water and mud in yearly rainy seasons, along with constant medical care for herself and her dear daughter, but went HOME to Heaven, now fully healed, on May 31 of 2019!
Daughter Sarita, who is unable to care for herself due to debilitating physical issues, now lives with Donie as a beloved member of the family, receiving bodily, emotional, and spiritual care.
*See below for more of Sarita's continuing story
Literally Shoring Up Households
The rainy season (often May - November), hits hard in Guatemala, particularly those who live in poverty. The more fortunate among these folks may have a one or two room home with a cement floor and cinderblock walls, but the force of the rain and runoff often brings flooding around, and sometimes THROUGH their home, like the family pictured on the left.
Other times, because Guatemala can be hilly or mountainous, runoff and flooding may come from a cliff above, or by water diverted by a neighbor's roof or wall., sometimes from a hill above, not only bringing water, but also mud and silt. Those who live in dirt floored places with aluminum roofing have even more challenges.
A Song in the Night assists families with shoring up their homes, either by strengthening roofing, creating drainage channels, repairing or errecting block walls, or other solutions to keeping mothers and children safe and dry year-round, at least for eating and sleeping. (Cooking may still occur outside over a fire).
Looking Out for our Families Spiritually
AND Naturally
Our first line of defense--the BLOOD of JESUS!! Second, our ladies were blessed with small, keychain ALARMS. These were donated for the women and older kids to carry with them!
Sarita, now 25, Flory's daughter, as seen above, suffered a debilitating stroke at the age of 16, leaving her unable to speak, and with paralysis of her right side, after death of her father and expulsion from their home.
A Song in the Night has been helping this family over the years. Sarita receives medical care and rehab, and has come to live with Donie since the passing of her mother in May of 2018. Sarita is a strong Christian and is a joy to have with us!
Flory loved her daughter, Sarita so much. She diligently cared for her and was always concerned about what might happen to Sarita should Flory not be able to care for her. Sarita now lives with Donie. She needs assistance to walk, and while she cannot speak, Sarita is aware of everything going on around her, and loves to study her letters in tutoring.
Sarita's Story
