Tea Party Angels

Christie Brinkley with her daughter Sailor at the Tea Party Angels' Event. Christie is holding a Guatemalan bag from Miracles in Action.

Hello Supporters of "Miracles",

People often tell me that they want their children or grandchildren to learn about how children live in other countries, so that they will see how fortunate they are in their own lives. Additionally, parents want their children to learn to be giving and share with those less fortunate. I'd like to introduce you to an organization that addresses both of these desires... Tea Party Angels.

The Founder, Cheryl Beck, read Greg Mortenson's book "Three Cups of Tea" and was inspired to provide girls an opportunity to help other girls - Imagine mothers and daughters hosting tea parties across the country to raise money for girls' education. Cool idea! You can even select Miracles in Action as the recipient to receive your tea party donations designated for girl's education. Visit http://www.teapartyangels.org/ to learn more, and to order a tea party kit (available soon - a great holiday gift). Kits include teacups, t-shirt making, an educational DVD, and flowered bracelets made in Guatemala - from Miracles in Action's cottage industry handicrafts, of course!. Tea Party Angel's new DVD includes video segments from our work in Guatemala, building schools and also interviews with me, Room to Read, "Three Cup's of Tea" charity CAI. I hope you will take a look at their Home Page and watch the video "The Girl Effect". It is only 2.23 minutes and very "effective" in explaining why we need to educate girls.

Tea Party Angel's launch party is Nov. 7th in NYC. You can support this wonderful new charity teaching girls to help girls one tea party at a time. Christie Brinkley and her daughter will host the first party in NYC and Miracles in Action board member, Diana Csutak Braun, will participate by selling our lovely Guatemalan handicrafts.

Please share the word about this fun, worthwhile activity for mothers/grandmothers and daughters to enjoy, learn and make a difference in the lives of other girls.

All the best,
Penny

Penny Rambacher, R.D.
Founder/President

Miracles In Action, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
www.MiraclesInAction.org
239-348-0815

Helping poor families to help themselves… Building our 27th school in rural Guatemala. Established 19 vocational workshops and libraries. Installed 19 water systems for remote villages. Join us, and support a sustainable development project, where 100% of donation dollars go directly to the project.

Help the Poor In Guatemala- All we need is your Vote!

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Incredible Work by Two Incredible Young Women

Casey Weimer and Lauren Pomerantz are medical students who went to Guatemala to learn Spanish in Xela (for their medical professions). While studying Spanish they did volunteer work with PEILE and Alirio (a university professor who has facilitated the construction of several Miracles' schools) in HueHue, a region of Guatemala located in the high northern mountains.

They were so moved by the experience that they developed a program specifically for adolescent girls to build self esteem and teach basics on nutrition, hygiene, health, etc. They raised funds for their program and sent donations through Miracles in Action. On May 25th they are holding a fund raiser at a winery in Denver area. Casey and Lauren will return to Guatemala this summer and continue their work. Please take a look at their website and this wonderful program.

Building another Miracle - Video

In Chiantla, Huehuetenango, Guatemala January 2008, our group visited the village of Captzincito . This was before a new school was built by the villagers and funded by American Airlines flight attendant, Marla Zell, in honor of her parents - both educators. It is a very touching video, showing the level of poverty and desperation in Guatemala, and what Miracles in Action supporters and volunteers have done to address the needs. Marla has left a legacy for her parents, and American Airlines helped out too, by donating 1st Class quilts. This area at 9,000' elevation is very cold, and the women and girls wear towels to keep warm. They are too poor to afford a jacket. This photo shows the new classroom full of students, all holding their new AA quilts!

Youtube video link: “Building another Miracle”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sta4i7gJ2Wo

Thank you Marla, Linda, Jack, Maureen and American Airlines for making a difference,
Penny

Two New Schools Opened

Hi Everyone,
Our group is back from celebrating the openings of two new schools in Guatemala. Fabulous trip! - which we can share with you via YouTube.

A friend filmed the highlights, and posted the video on YouTube. I hope it makes its way around the world - to set the example for what ordinary people can really do to make a sustainable difference in the world. The heroes and role models are not Brittney Spears, Brad Pitt or the celebrities in "People",... but the Greens, Frons, Pravatos, Davis, and DeStefano who are leaving a legacy of learning, and making the world a better place.

* Maureen and Jack Green School of Miracles #20 in La Joya:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIsqW8Mztv8

* Linda Davis School of Miracles #21 in Chuchuca Alto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=602zZwT-8J4

We had a chance to see the rustic homes of villagers who cook on three-stone open fires, and fill their houses and lungs with toxic smoke. But, we also visited homes now furnished with new, vented stoves funded by Frank Pravato, family and friends - the solution that saves lungs, lives and forests. Plus, our trip included a re-visit to Ann Fron's School of Miracles #12 (opened last January 2007).

Although we were unable to attend, Alirio from PEILE celebrated with the villagers of Canaques (Huehuetenango) the John DeStefano School of Miracles #22 grand opening. That finishes 22 rural primary schools in 4 years time!

Mil gracias from the people of Guatemala, Miracles in Action, my mom - Noreen, and from me.

Warmest regards,
Penny
239-348-0815
www.MiraclesInAction.org

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Miracles in Action Wish List

I was asked by a Naples group to put together a wish list. In case anyone asks if they can collect items for Guatemala, and you are not certain what to tell them, our current list is below. Possibly kids at a school may want to collect or buy these items. It is always best to do this within your own home town, because shipping supplies is very expensive.

Wish list: (I have BOLDed the most needed items)

1. Fund raising, or selling beaded zipper charms. Garage sale, car wash, etc.

2. Collecting school and art supplies (no paper) - backpacks, pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, crayons (24 packs are best), markers, glue sticks, bottles of glue, watercolor paints, brushes, pencil sharpeners, single hole punch, balls of string, stickers, colored pencils, scissors, puzzles, cheap Timex or Casio type watches - for children or adults, calculators, educational games - BINGO, dominoes, checkers, chess, backgammon, memory, soccer balls,
**** Spanish children's books - both story books and text books. Audio books and music for children in Spanish. Dry-erase boards/paddles and their erasable markers - the thin, cheap type people attach to their refrigerator are fine.

3. Teacher supplies - stickies, 3x5 cards, sentence strips, manila folders, hang file folders, colored pens, supplies for overhead projectors - transparency film sheets, Vis A Vis markers, surge protector, Expo erasable markers for white boards, flash cards, cello tape, masking tape, Spanish posters, Spanish map of world, tape recorders, boom boxes, CDs with Spanish music or stories for children, blank CDs - to copy on to, cushy balls, egg timers, stop watch, Band-Aids, Neosporin, laptops in good condition, laminating film, clear contact paper, sheet protectors, paper cutter, White-out, colored construction paper (this is expensive in Guatemala, so we bring it there. White paper and notebooks are cheap in Guatemala and too heavy to transport from the US to GUA).

4. Pre-school and daycare supplies - puzzles, blocks, Lego, Fisher Price toys - prefer ones without batteries, small trikes, stuffed animals, Beanie babies, foam shapes and/or floor puzzles or linking pieces to sit on, colorful posters, early level children's books (will accept English ones that can be easily translated to Spanish) Coloring books, crayons, tempera paint,

5. Warm sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets for children age 4-12. Clean and gently used. Warm hats, mittens, scarves and baseball caps. These go to a cold, high elevation part of Guatemala. We do not collect any other clothing.

6. New toothbrushes

7. Prenatal, children's or general multi-vitamins, protein bars or powder supplement. (expired is OK, but unopened).

8. Wheelchairs, used, but working

9. Items to pack these supplies in to : Rubbermaid tubs with lids, large suitcases and duffel bags, box tape,

10. New children's underwear and socks

Thanks, Penny
Penny Rambacher, R.D.

Founder/President
Miracles In Action, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
www.MiraclesInAction.org
239-348-0815

Shipping address:

Miracles In Action
241 Countryside Dr.,
Naples, FL 34104

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