Dig THIS…Over 122 pair of Sunglasses were donated to BK2HK for Guatemala…

Here is the story…short but very sweet. I was browsing around on Craig’s List and I spotted someone selling over 100 pair of sunglasses for $45.00. I e-mailed the owners and asked if they would be willing to donate them to BK2HK for our Guatemala project. Their answer was a huge yes! My daughter and I drove to their home to pick up the sunglasses (plus 14 cases) and met 2 extremely nice people! Ron and Nancy Gosselin of Howell, Michigan were more than happy to be able to donate all of these wonderful sunglasses to the folks in Guatemala!!

Ron and Nancy were so generous to donate so many (much needed) sunglasses to Guatemala. Thank you both! I want to pass on the word that BK2HK is continuing our used prescription eyeglass/sunglass and drug store reading glasses collection. There is always a team heading off to Guatemala to deliver much needed items, eye wear being on the top of their list…so please remember to send any and all used unwanted eye wear to the address below. Thanks! Lorraine.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give to you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
John 16;23&24.

Address for donations:
Lorraine Jara (BK2HK)
P.O. Box 131397
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-1397

Providing The Hungry With A Meal 24/7

The 2009 CNN Heroes Tribute Show honored ten people who make extraordinary efforts to help others. CNN received thousands of votes, among the nominees were men and women, war veterans, cancer survivors, and educators to name a few. One of the ten finalists was Jorge Munoz (pictured), a bus driver who feeds the hungry in New York. He founded An Angel In Queens, a non-profit organization that helps to provide food to those who are less fortunate. Jorge and his family work every single day, preparing meals and serving them to the locals.

View the video on CNN. Also, enjoy learning about all of the CNN heroes at cnn.com/heroes. If you happen to know someone who you consider a hero, you can nominate them for CNN Heroes 2010.

A Gift from a Mayan Woman in Guatemala…

Thanks to all of those who participated in “Be Kind to Humankind’s” (BK2HK) prescription eyeglass donations for Guatemala. People such as the generous Mayan woman who gave me this purse as a gift can continue to work on such beautiful sewing projects thanks to better eyesight. The women from the villages sew many beautiful things. They sew the clothing for their families, and also sell many of their items for income. Without the eyeglasses donated to BK2HK, many (1,730) people would not be capable of continuing their trade. BK2HK will have further information along with photos of the Gary family’s trip, so stay tuned!!

Thank you again and remember…BK2HK will continue this collection for next summer’s trip to Guatemala, so please save those prescription eyeglasses/sunglasses/and drug store glasses and send them out to us! Our goal for next summer will be 2,010 pair of eyeglasses for the summer of 2010! We can do it!

God Bless…
Lorraine

Mail Glasses to:
Lorraine Jara (BK2HK)
P.O. Box 131397
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-1397

The Garys Are Back From Guatemala

The Gary Family has returned this past Sunday, August 2nd from Guatemala. I spoke briefly to Shelli Gary and she said the trip was fantastic! So many happy people, happy faces receiving much needed eyeglasses/sunglasses/and drug store reading glasses. I am currently awaiting a full report from Shelli informing us in detail, along with a flicker page of photos of their fabulous trip. Thanks to you and all who were so kind and generous with donations, we could not possibly be happier…except of course for the folks in Guatemala who are thrilled to have their lives changed by being able to see clearly! Awesome job and once again we are going to be posting additional information about the Gary family’s trip! God Bless All!

Reaching Out

Below is a wonderful book which I received in the mail from a man in N.J. named Lawrence Danks. He wrote to me and explained that his sister lives near me here in Michigan and read a recent newspaper article about Be Kind to Humankind Week. Mr. Danks wrote a book about the benefits of being kind to others, and took the time to reach out to me and give me one of his books! I was so surprised and happy that Mr. Danks thought of me! I am reading his book now and I am enjoying it very much. If you would like to order his book (pictured below) you can find it on Amazon.com and Barnes and Nobles. What a kind thing to do Mr. Danks…Thank you so much!!!

My Kindness sent your way,
Lorraine

View the books cover

Two Horses, A Good Read

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to the horse’s halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow. As you stand and watch these two friends, you’ll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell. Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way. Good friends are like that… you may not always see them, but you know they are always there. Please listen for my bell and I’ll listen for yours. And remember…be kinder than necessary, everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly…..

Leave the rest to God.

Author Unknown

Update On Faye Dietiker’s Breast Cancer Angels Foundation

Remember my first post about Faye and the Breast Cancer Angels? According to an article from a recent Breast Cancer Angel’s newsletter called “Wings”, the BCA’s “Angel House” is now open. Below is an article from BCA’s first newsletter.

Taken from “Wings”, the BCA newsletter:

This is so exciting! We have been truly blessed by Anthony and Holli Lienau’s donation of the funds to pay for this house. They have always been incredibly generous to our organization, and this is truly an amazing gift. Our most SPECIAL THANKS go to them!

This 5 bedroom, 2-bath, 1800 sq. ft. West Grove house is in a quiet, nicely maintained neighborhood. Just perfect as a safe haven for our most desperate “women in treatment.” As with most older homes, there were many repairs and upgrades needed. Over and over, companies and individuals helped us accomplish our goals by donating their time and/or providing supplies, furnishings and money. Our realtor, Bill Waddle, was awesome! Not only did he discount his commission, he kept our construction crews organized, and donated his labor as needed to get the work finished!

On April 26, seven employees of Diversified Thermal Services donated their Saturday to install air conditioning at our new home. The owner, Craig Steinmetz, donated all of the equipment and also worked alongside his crew. Thanks to everyone’s help, we received everything needed to make this house a beautiful home! Now Angel House will be a comfortable and supportive environment for women while they face the challenges of breast cancer treatment. Thanks also to the Angels who came by our Open House on May 2 and 3. Our ladies moved in on Sunday, May 4. Two had lost their housing due to breast cancer, and we were paying for them to stay at a motel so that they could continue their chemotherapy. Since our women in treatment will live here rent free, we are setting up a fund to cover ongoing housing expenses such as property taxes, utilities, maintenance, ect. If you would like to contribute to this fund, please mark your donation as “Angel House.”

Donations can be mailed to:

Breast Cancer Angels
5142 Bolsa Avenue, Suite 103
Huntington Beach, CA 92649

For more information go to www.breastcancerangels.org

Also be sure to check out my original post on Faye and her work with the Breast Cancer Angels.

People Come Together During Small Natural Disasters Too

People come together during natural disasters, whether big or small. This story is one which happened just recently in our quiet town in Michigan.

The other day while waiting for my husband and son to return home from work, I noticed the skies darkening to a very deep grayish black. Apparently, there was a huge storm approaching. I battened down the hatches at the house, and prayed that both my husband and son would be safe coming home that night. The rain began to fall in sheets with whipping wind of which I had never seen before. Our many large and small trees were doing the limbo under the stress of the strong relentless winds, and I thought for certain that one or more would fall over. This torrent of rain, wind, and flying branches continued while our lights flickered on and off. I have to admit it was fun to watch. I kind of felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. But still, my worry deepened about the safety of my family.

I received a telephone call from my husband. He and our son were stuck in traffic due to a huge tree which fell across one of our country roads. They back tracked and tried to go down another route through town, only to become stuck in traffic again due to another fallen tree as well as the power lines that it got tangled in. My husband called to let me know that he had decided to try the final alternate route home. I was relieved to know that they were safe, and would hopefully be home within ten minutes or so. I waited and waited, ten minutes passed, then twenty minutes, then forty minutes.

Frustrated, I sat and waited, not knowing what was taking them so long. An hour had past before they walked through the door. It turned out that on the last possible road leading to our home, yet another huge tree fell across the highway blocking traffic! This time however, a man came out of his house with a chainsaw and my husband, son and quite a few other men exited their vehicles to lend a hand with the piece by piece removal of parts of the tree. It was heavy work and hard work but everyone helped out and after almost an hour they had secured a pathway for all of the vehicles to flow through!

Now that is what I call people in action willing to lend a hand! So never hesitate to help out in any small or large way possible, it’s so rewarding!

Kind Acts In Action : The Gary Family Goes To Guatemala Part 2

This is an update to The Gary Family Goes to Guatemala Part 1

The Gary family and the other team members recently returned from a week-long mission trip to San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala. Here is a follow-up of some of the things they experienced, written by Shelli Gary.

“San Juan Sacatepéquez is a beautiful town located in the Guatemalan highlands. There is a town center where daily open markets take place, selling fruits and vegetables, fabric and beautiful flowers that are grown throughout the city. It was interesting to see the hustle and bustle of commerce taking place with the amazingly colorful background of the local Mayan clothing and culture.

We stayed at a church located right in town. Pastor Santos, his family and the people were so welcoming and showed us so much love and hospitality. The genuine affection we were given was heart touching. It is something I will never forget.

We took over 500 pairs of eyeglasses that had been donated from individuals and the Lion’s Club, with strengths that had been read and labeled by optometrists. On Sunday, Pastor Santos told the people of the church that we would be distributing the glasses on Monday morning and that everyone was welcome and to invite neighbors that may need glasses. We were not prepared for the hundreds of people that started lining up for glasses hours before we began. There is such a huge need there. Here in the United States, if you need glasses you go to the eye doctor, have an exam and order your glasses. In the Mayan villages, there are no eye doctors and even if a person was able to get a ride into Guatemala City, they would not have the money to pay for the eye exam, let alone the eyeglasses, which we were told cost 2 months salary. It’s an injustice that is not fair, and yet it is how it is. So for our team to be in a position to fit the people for a pair of eyeglasses that would greatly improve their daily life was overwhelming and also a joy that is indescribable. There are so many stories of the people who we saw that day, many elderly and never having seen clearly before. They were so grateful and humbled to know that the glasses were brought for them. It gave them hope. The faces of the children who found glasses will forever be etched in my mind. One little girl ran to each of us, hugging us tightly with a huge smile on her face when we finally found the perfect pair for her. With another little girl, we needed to fit her with 2 different pair of glasses, one for her to see better distance and one for her to use for reading. You could tell that her poor vision had caused learning disabilities in her, as she did not know how to read the numbers on a wall calendar. So we asked her how many fingers we were holding up from a distance, and she enthusiastically told us. A little boy who came in squinting, left proudly with his new glasses that he showed to his friends who gathered around him on the street to see. God is so good!

We also taught a prenatal and postnatal care class along with family nutrition. We had taken enough vitamins for 300 people to receive a yearly supply. We decided it best to hand out little bags with a one month supply to each person, letting Pastor Santos continue to distribute the rest on a monthly basis. What we discovered were grateful people who were very interested in any information we could give to them about nutrition and living in a more healthful way. The vitamins will aid in their overall health, and help in ways that we take for granted in our society.

We held a children’s fair that was attended by over 250 people! It was so much fun! We had a drama story, songs, a parachute, jump ropes and we made balloon animals! Even the parents that had brought their children joined in on making the balloon animals, laughing and having a great time. The Mayan children are beautiful and so precious! We had the opportunity to also teach dental hygiene and as the children left the fair, they got a treat bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste and a small book (we also had a packaged snack in the bag – and yes, chocolate sandwich cookies don’t really go with dental hygiene, but hey, it was a “treat” bag, and they had a toothbrush that they now know how to use!)

Another highlight was when we visited a school where we were able to take and donate sporting equipment and 50 lbs. of Spanish books. What a blessing this was to the school! Then our team got to visit the classrooms of the students and teach the colors in English, while they taught us the colors in Spanish.

One of the highlights for us was to spend an afternoon cooking together with the Mayan women in a Mayan kitchen – everything is cooked over a wooden fire and open flame! We taught them how to make chili (something they had never eaten before, but we could find the ingredients at the market to make) and spaghetti. They cooked a traditional celebration soup for us that was delicious!

The week was amazing and has ignited something in my heart. I know we will be returning if God is willing. We fell even more in love with the Mayan people, their genuine love and concern for each other, their sense of family and friendship, and their faith. We have been changed.

Shelli Gary

If you would like to see some pictures of this trip, then head over to my Flickr page.

Kind Acts In Action : The Gary Family Goes to Guatemala Part 1

On June 14, a team of nine from Connexions Church in Dexter, MI, will be headed to San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala on a mission trip to serve the needs of the people in the community. Among the team will be the Gary Family, who will be returning to Guatemala for their second time in less than a year.

“Last year we were in the Mayan Highlands in Santa Apolonia. The town was beautiful, and full of the traditional Mayan culture, that has not changed much over the years. The women and young girls still wear the traditional Mayan Huipals and Cortes (hand woven and multi-colored tops and wrap skirts). We served in a church by hosting a children’s fair and Vacation Bible School for more than 250 children! But, it was the Mayan people who captured our hearts and we fell in love with them. The Mayans are very warm and beautiful people, and very family oriented. It is not uncommon to see older siblings carrying their younger brothers and sisters around on their hip, or grandfathers carrying their grandchildren around on their shoulders. The family unit is very strong in the Mayan culture. But we also witnessed much need. There is great need for health education and medical and dental services, and the illiteracy rate is 64%, one of the highest in Central America.

When we head back to Guatemala next week, we will be taking lots of supplies with us to help meet these needs. Our team has been blessed by so many individuals and organizations with donations. The Dexter Lion’s Club and other individuals have donated over 500 pairs of used eyeglasses that we will be taking! Local Optometrists in the Dexter area have been reading the strengths and coding the glasses for us, so that we will be able to give simple eye exams to help the people pick out a pair of glasses that will help them see more clearly. In the Mayan communities, it is very difficult to have access to eyeglasses, and most go without. The cost of a pair of eyeglasses is worth 2 months salary to most, in addition to the cost of transportation to get into Guatemala City and the cost to see an Optometrist. These will be a big blessing to the people!

A local Rotary Club, who has in interest in Literacy, has donated 50 lbs. of Spanish children’s books! The collection of books includes both fiction and non-fiction and will be a huge blessing to the teachers and students of a school in San Juan Sacatepéquez! We are excited to spend a morning at the school and offer a brief geography lesson about Michigan and teach a bit of English (numbers and colors) with the students.

We will also have the great opportunity to teach dental hygiene to a group of 100 children and 40 teens. Thanks to the generosity of local dentists and many individuals, we are taking dental hygiene kits for these children and for their parents. Many people have been dropping off small tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes for us to make these kits and we are very thankful. I don’t know if people realize how their small act of generosity and sharing will make such a huge difference in the life of another individual.

We had a request by the church who is hosting our team, to teach about pre-natal and post-natal care along with family nutrition. We have a nurse on our team who will be teaching basic nutrition and personal care, and we will also participate in a group question and answer time. Remember, many of the women cannot read and have little or no access to medical care, other than the community midwife. It will be a very special time, as we also learn more about the lives of Mayan women. There is a local senior center here where women have been knitting baby hats for us to take. We will be giving these to expecting mothers. We are also taking prenatal vitamins to share, that will greatly improve the health of the pregnant mother and her baby. The infant mortality rate is an alarming 50% in some of the Mayan communities.

Our team will be staying in the church that is hosting us, sleeping on the cement floor in sleeping bags. I hear it is the rainy season in June and a bit chilly in the highlands (we will be at a 5,000 ft. elevation). We will eat fresh corn tortillas everyday and the local women will be cooking for our team – it will be delicious! Our boys will have the opportunity to make friends with others their age, and to practice their Spanish. Our team will also have two translators with us who are from Mexico City. They will be an invaluable bridge for our team, not only in the communication, but in bridging the cultural differences.

So many people have made this trip possible for our team with their kindness and generosity. I thank God everyday for this opportunity and know that with Him, all things are possible!”

Shelli Gary

Go to my Flickr page to see photos from the trip last year.

For donation inquiries please contact Shelli at shellig@chartermi.net