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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A Visit to the El Chocolate School in Guatemala

I recognize this man as a leader from El Chocolate where school #4 is located. It is also where they put up a memorial for Mom, and said a prayer when we put her ashes next to a tree planted by the school. The man spoke about his mother, and how special she was to him, and he lost her a year earlier.

On another trip (the mission when we constructed the playground at Pocoxpan school), he heard we would be there, so he and the village committee traveled to meet up with us. They want to give us weavings of thanks for their school, water, stoves, and latrines.

Last January several of us had a chance to visit El Chocolate school and play games and do arts and crafts with the children. This is one of my favorite villages because of the people - they are so humble, grateful, proud, and hard working.

"Sponsor "Pigs for a Poor Family".

Holiday shopping is easy and tax deductible! You can donate $50 to sponsor two pigs and a flock of chickens for a Guatemalan family. "Miracles" will mail to you a acknowledgment card to give as a gift.

Donations can be mailed to:

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

or use Paypal on our website.

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The Opening of Two Schools in the Huehuetenango, Guatemala Area

Hello Friends of Miracles,

Thank you to all who voted, and promoted Miracles in Action's American Express grant project. We came in #21 of 25, and feel honored to have been selected in the Top 25. We encourage those of you who are an Am Ex card member to vote again for the project that will receive $1.5 million as #1.

In reviewing the Top 5 winning projects, we would appreciate your support of "Loans That Change Lives". The link below takes you to their project and a short video on KIVA - a microcredit loan non-profit that believes in the same philosophy as Miracles in Action - to help poor people to help themselves. Small business loans make so much more sense in breaking the cycle of poverty, and teaching people how to fish so they eat for a life time, rather than giving them fish, where they only eat for a day.

If KIVA wins, Miracles in Action will apply for funding on loans for women in Guatemala. Volunteer Fred Zambroski is seeking loans to help women set up daycare centers as a business and offer early childhood stimulus to the toddlers who attend (reading, games, learning values like sharing with other kids....) The daycares will also allow mothers to work and bring in money for the family and self esteem for themselves. Fred needs funding for this very worthwhile project, and if KIVA wins the American Express grant, we may be able to help these women set up daycare centers - a BIG win-win. Some of you may remember Fred because he filmed several of our school opening celebrations, and edited the footage, making wonderful videos for us to share.

Here is the link to the KIVA project- "Loans That Change Lives" - please vote. Thanks again for your support in getting us into the Top 25 - the exposure has helped Miracles in Action.

QUICK UPDATE: Eight of us just returned from Guatemala and the opening of two more schools, located in the Huehuetenango area, high in the mountains at 9,000' elevation. It is so cold at night and the women and girls wear a towel around their shoulders, because they are too poor to buy a sweater or jacket.

Thanks to American Airlines, we were able to bring all students and mothers an AA First Class quilt (one of the gray duvets used for our Europe and transcon flights). AA donated 100s of them to Miracles. Each of the mothers with babies and grandmothers received one of Ruth Laroe or Marie Senechal's beautiful handmade quilts. And, each child got a backpack with school supplies, a warm knit hat and mittens, and they picked a toy (for most kids, it was their first toy). The teachers received teaching supplies and skin cream with SPF - to use on the children with burned and wind chapped lips, hands and faces. We purchased the cream from As Green As It Gets - a Guatemala based charity that helps set up businesses for local people - our cream was made by Maria Benita - a new entrepreneur.

Thank you to John Mincieli - donor of the construction funds to build School of Miracles #19 in Cumbre de la Botija, and thank you to AA Flight Attendant Marla Zell for building School #18 in Captzincito, a beautiful memorial to her teacher parents - Edward and Maureen Talton. You just can't imagine how grateful and happy these villagers are to be able to send their children to school. They gave us certificates of appreciation, and two of the committee members (both women) were unable to sign their name. They used a thumb print on our certificates.

Now with a school, future generations will be able to read, write and get ahead. Thank you also, to Alirio Ochoa of PEILE, our partner charity that coordinated the project, and to all the villagers who put in hours of hard labor to build the two schools. School #19 took just 32 days, non-stop 6AM-6PM to build , with no machinery!

Thank you too, to Magdalena LaVerdiere, for funding the fuel efficient, safe stoves for each family in San Antonio - where her school #15 is located. We had a chance to speak with the women and see the stoves in action. They LOVE their stoves which use much less wood and vent the smoke from the house.

A few of our favorite photos from this trip:

Big smiles for the new quilts, much warmer than a towels they have been using to stay warm in the highlands.

Thumbs up for the new vented stove, saving 70% wood usage, and for the new Captzincito School #18 - thank you Marla Zell.

These women use their thumb print to sign their name. Neither went to school and they are illiterate. This makes them determined to have their own children get an education. Both are on the committee board responsible for building Cumbre School.

John Mincieli funded the construction of Cumbre School. Here he is with 4 students of the school. The women knit him this hat. They do not know John lives in Florida and the hat is too warm and also, pretty cute looking on him.

As always,
Penny
Penny Rambacher, R.D.

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"Miracles" Makes It To The Top 25 American Express Member Projects

Opening day of School #9 Dr. Subczynski (donor) with La Pila students


Miracles in Action's grant project made it to the Top 25 by American Express - 513 votes.

Here is what some of our supporters are doing to get the VOTE:

* Clark Tours sent an email blast to 5,000 of their customers and email routing. Their website has a new page on SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, and how they can help Miracles with votes.
http://www.clarktours.com.gt/index.php?showPage=1530&Op=&parentId=933

* Friends Through Guatemalan Adoptions has put us on their homepage. http://www.ftga.net/joomla/ and blasted all the parents with an email for votes.

* The Joseph Family, who built School #11, sent out a blast to over 1,000 AFS Wheels customers.

* American Airlines Flight Services posted the votes for Miracles as a home page link.

* Ann Fron, who sponsored School #12, made a flyer and blasted it to her many contacts and friends. Ann talks so much about her school and kids, that her list of contacts who know about Miracles is looong.

* Londa's creative Threads added us to their BLOG.

* Each of our partner charities has sent out email blasts to their donors, board members and friends.

If we make it to the Top 5 - we will get between $100,000 to 1.5 million to go to teacher training and vocational schools. That money would go a long way for our little grassroots charity.

To view the project and vote you can go here:
http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/IH4YNF

Let's get out there and win this $$$$$

Penny



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News From Amigos de Patzún (ADP)

Dear Friends of Miracles,

Below is Amigo de Patzun's recent newsletter about ADP/Miracle's teacher training program. Their website provides a bit more info. Cute photo of Angie Torres, our Naples, FL volunteer teacher who was a big hit with the kids and teachers. Coming soon.... Skype live teacher training from Naples, FL to Patzun, Guatemala.

Naples teacher, Xenia, with Cojobal students

September 7, 2007
Dear Penny,
Amigos de Patzún (ADP) started the summer with some exciting news. This June, ADP partnered with Miracles in Action, a NGO active in Guatemala, to expand the scope of activities to support education for rural students. This collaboration has allowed us to bring on our local director, Anacleto Catu, on board full-time. Anacleto is the key to ADP's success in many ways, and we have no doubt that by fully dedicating his efforts to the organization, ADP scholars and aspirants will benefit exponentially .

Anacleto is helping to develop the training program, in collaboration with US experts from Miracles in Action, to provide in-service training on reading and other key skill in some of Patzún's rural primary schools. Anacleto will provide follow-up, management, and oversight of the program and be instrumental in adapting materials to the local context. Visit http://www.amigosdepatzun.org/

Salud, The Amigos de Patzún Board

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New Projects in Patzun, Guatemala

Hi Everyone,

I had a good visit with Anacleto and family in Patzun, Guatemala. Fred took these 3 photos. One is Anacleto's adorable kids. His daughter has been terrified of me, but when I put together the little Winnie the Pooh airplane that my neighbor Rod gave me, she is now coming around to kind-of liking me. I got a big hug when I left.

The two photos on the bottom are a building and large piece of land that may be available to create a vocational school/workshops. It was built for that purpose but never finished.

It is 1 km from the center of Patzun. The building belongs to the Muni. Anacleto will do more research to find out about turning it in to a vocational center.

Our Naples teachers had the idea of creating a teacher resource center in Patzun so teachers can borrow teaching materials, equipment, CDs and books. It fits so well as part of a Riecken library, which is more a community learning center than a book lending library.

Fred too had a great idea about starting an "adopt a pre-school" program. As many as 40% of 1st graders either fail or drop out of 1st grade. Many schools do not offer kindergarden, and the children enter school without even speaking Spanish.

He suggests using an existing building, and hiring new grad teachers who can not get jobs, plus volunteer teachers, and then offering educational activities, books and toys at pre-school... then you will have a greater chance of a 1st grader being successful in primary school. He is developing a package on how someone can adopt a preschool, and what that would include. Cool idea.

Take care, Penny

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