Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Newsletter #6 April 2017: GOOD FRIDAYS...In Many Ways! - Historical Documents from 1996-97 "THE WAR'S OVER" & much more

Previous Post

Newsletter #5 April 2017: Notice of Spanish-language YouTube video--VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada; New Historical Documents from 1995; Photo album of friends & Philosophy of Working with Indians in pictures


NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS--NEWSLETTERS:
1.  Spring 1996 "VIDEO EDUCATION....TEACHING CORRECT PRINCIPLES," & 1995 Financial Report 
2.  Winter 1996  "Julie & family Visits Guatemala," "Groesbeck & Obrien Visit," "Museum of the Holy Man," etc. 
3.   Spring 1997  "Setbacks,"  "Heart Attack...."  1996 Financial Report

4.  Winter 1997 "WAR OVER!"  Patzicia School...Adult Literacy, New "Center of the Holy Man,"  Indian Folklore Festival
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Printed Newsletter #6 APRIL 2017  based on the following post


GOOD FRIDAY(S)
By Cordell M Andersen, Executive Director
I awoke this morning, April 14th,  knowing that among Christians the day is called "GOOD FRIDAY" which has always perplexed me some as it is the day when Christ was insulted, mistreated, tortured and suffered an incredibly horrible death--all of that seeming to be a triumph of evil.  
I know that the "good" part of it was that Christ was willing to go lovingly  through all of that as an atoning sacrifice for "original sin," and for the personal sins and weaknesses of the faithful who accept his message & follow Him.  So the suffering of GOOD FRIDAY is in graphic contrast to THE REAL "GOOD" DAY when He overcame death in the resurrection we celebrate on Easter Sunday.  

But, it also had me reflecting on another GOOD FRIDAY, that in a sense was the day that started what in a few months will be 50 YEARS OF DEDICATION to help lift up a race of people whose ancestors, according to the POPUL VUH--the Sacred Book of the Mayans, fell into darkness and suffered incredibly since..  
It was on Friday, October 22,  1965, when on the snowy slopes of the Henry Mountains we see to the left, I had my encounter with the Lord who gave me the courage to soon pack up and, with my young family, head south to begin 35 years of residency among the Mayan in Guatemala--and 50 years serving them from when,  on August 19--a "GOOD Saturday"--1967,  we crossed the border into Guatemala.  
In the language of the recent LDS General Conference, I was "nudged" by " the Holy Ghost" and believed unequivocally that it was "pure inspiration from heaven," and that I couldn't let "it slip by," rather had to "trust in the Lord and --DO IT!"  

It was a  GOOD FRIDAY...today in other ways--not so important as the ones mentioned above, but nonetheless MEMORABLE and connected to the half century of Guatemalan memories.

One of them was Friday, December 20, 1991,  on the Valparaiso Plantation when I was advised that late on December 19th a fine woman gave birth to a tiny,  beautiful baby girl, but the "mama" gave her life to bring that baby into the world.  The father already had 3 small children to care for and couldn't see how he could handle another...especially one so totally dependant, and so I was asked to help and on that Friday took Mahana into my life, whose life is shown below  in photographs, only lacking her graduation from Stevens Henagar College as a practical nurse.
I'm sure all of you might imagine just how important Mahana was as for more than 20 years I struggled to be a Mr. Mom to five children.  How grateful and blessed I was, and am,   to have her.  She's the one who took Julie's place making out donation receipts all of you have been receiving in recent years.

 But,  she has another connection to someone everybody knows about.  Let me explain:
As I was waking up thinking about GOOD FRIDAY  I heard on KSL radio that the night before at the Jazz Arena was held the Annual Governor's State of Sports Award Program.  No surprise to anyone that LIFETIME AWARDS were given to Jerry Sloan, long-time Hall of Fame Coach of the Utah  Jazz, and to the wife of long-time, Hall of Fame BYU Football Coach, LaVell Edwards.
My precious Mahana was the last of those "visiting angels"  to take care of LaVell....so there is a wonderful connection!  She tells me how LaVell proudly told her of his football life and showed her some of his awards, some connected to the Miracle Bowl in 1980. 
Those were the days in Guatemala when my only contact with the world was my Zenith Shortwave radio and Armed Forces Radio broadcasts.  In my attempts for better reception, I even bought 150 yards of copper wire and from the old Central House connected it to the tallest pine tree above us.
I was listening to that game in 1980 with SMU and gave up hope as our BYU team seemed to be making every mistake possible--like down 38-19, and then something like 45-25, and I began fiddling with our first VCR, when out of the corner of my ear I heard something was going on and so went back to the radio to hear the last incredible 3 minutes, the finale being  a 60 yard Hail Mary pass, by  Catholic quarterback, Jim McMahon, to Presbyterian, Clay Brown, to beat Methodist SMU for the Mormons and Latter Day Saint coach LaVell Edwards!


The referee and BYU players are signaling that it was a touchdown with no time left on the clock
...and with the extra point 
we won 46-45
But look who is on the field for 
BYU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAY--A 12th player for BYU!
IT'S #00 COSMO!
    






















Hey, but I"m not through telling you about this GOOD FRIDAY.  
 There's also a Utah Jazz connection to the Foundation and its life-long volunteer Field Director.
Also in the 80's, the same year as the Miracle Bowl, the New Orleans Jazz were now in Utah,  their games first being broadcast on KSL radio that I learned had a long reach with Hall of Fame announcer Hotrod Hundley.  Of course, Stockon and Malone were just little kids growing up at that time, and I'm not sure where Jerry was,  but some of the controversies I got embroiled in had me a little distracted so I got interested again in sports, and I learned that  by driving way up on the mountain on the edge of the Chixoy Canyon in  "guerrilla territory"  there was a spot where I had a direct bead on  Salt Lake City  and KSL radio  after 9:00 PM with my pickup radio.
 So here I would be when I knew there was a game.....sitting in the dark and listening to the last quarter of games with some of the greats, like,  Adrian Dantley, Darrell  "The Golden Grif" Griffeth,  Ricky Green, "the Fastest of them all," Ron Boone & others.  I had been informed that a friend and guerrilla leader had told his troops to not harm me as I was known for treating my workers fairly--like brothers & sisters, and with projects in all the villages,  but I'll have to admit it was a little spooky in the darkness in the middle of guerrilla territory.......
....so I became the Jazz fan who risked his life most to listen in a little, enhancing a bit my reputation as a modern  Don Quijote de la Mancha!


Later on, in our new home on the Farm of the Holy Man,  with a 21-foot diameter dish antennae,  we watched the Jazz in 1997, and again in 1998 play the Bulls in the NBA Finals.  Next to me is "Lito" Cordel Ammon, Nephi, Mahana,  Jesse, and Aura is snuggling up to JOHN STOCKTON!
My son Joey gave us the appreciated gift of Jazz T-shirts!  THANKS, JOE!


Tomorrow, on GOOD SATURDAY, the Jazz are again in the Playoffs.  I'm real proud of them and wish them well--and,  not having my 21 foot dish, nor Direct TV in my tiny Cabin & simple life, I'll wait and listen to the replay at midnight on ESPN3!
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WE PRAY YOU WILL ALL BE BLESSED DURING THIS HOLY SEASON & HOPE YOU WILL ONCE IN A WHILE REMEMBER THE FOUNDATION and DONATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO GET US SUCCESSFULLY  TO OUR
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 
IN AUGUST & HAVE ENOUGH IN THE BANK TO MEET OUR YEAR LONG COMMITMENTS
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DONATIONS ARE WAY DOWN, SO WE QUITE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP!  
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From this website, you can DONATE ONLINE, or send your donations to:
THE GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION
P.O.Box 1296, American Fork, UT 84003
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Newsletter #6 APRIL 2017 GOOD FRIDAYS - Mahana - LaVell Edwards - Jerry Sloan & the Jazz - the Fan who risked most....

This Newsletter is a mirror image of the POST.  It was printed for those not having email addresses & for current contributors.

Click to ENLARGE



Thursday, April 6, 2017

Newsletter #5 April 2017: Notice of Spanish language YouTube video--VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada; New Historical Documents from 1995; Photo album of friends & Philosphy of Working with Indians in pictures

Click for PREVIOUS POST includingYouTube Video en Espanol: VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada; YouTube Videos in English to:  IZAPA, VALPARAISO, & NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS from  Winer 1994 -- URGENT NEEDS IN GUATEMALA -- PHOTO REPORT OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROJECT


NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS: 
1.  Newsletter SUMMER 1995:  Message from Field Director;  Great Blessings Can Occur, 1994 Financial Report; The Philosophy & Principles of the Good Life
2.  Newsletter WINTER 1995:  Nobel Peace Prize Winner Visits Patzicia Foundation School;  Teaching Guatemalans "How to Fish." 
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NEWSLETTER #5 April 2017 
Notice of Spanish-language YouTube video, "TRIP TO VALPARAISO:  An Ancient Fortified City," "VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada"
NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS mentioned above
&
 Photo album of friends & basic philosophy of working with Indians

Click on image to ENLARGE


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PLEASE HELP WITH YOUR DONATIONS
TO KEEP US WORKING RIGHT UP TO THE END OF AUGUST 2017.
P.S.  Rest assured that from then on, I'll keep helping "my people" as best I can & anybody who wants to help, not caring about an IRS deduction, can be my partners.
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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

YouTube Video en Espanol: VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada; NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENT -- URGENT NEEDS IN GUATEMALA -- PHOTO REPORT OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROJECT

Five  months to go for our
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

Hacer Clic para ver Video YouTube   en español
VIAJE ARQUEOLOGICO a VALPARAISO GUATEMALA 
"La Ciudad Antigua Fortificada" Click for 

Previous post:
Click for
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NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
NEWSLETTER  Winter 1994  "The Soul of Our Work In Guatemala:  Our Native Directors" & Review of the Philosophy & Principles of the Good Life
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FOLLOWING:
URGENT NEEDS IN GUATEMALA
and scroll down for 
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROJECT

INTRODUCTION:  Due to one large donation we have in a special account enough money for:  1. The Ariel & Ines Andersen Chuluc School teacher's wage & scholarship for Mario de la Cruz;  and,  2.  Scholarship aid for Aura's Master's Degree.

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ONE EXCEPTION:  For an emergency need at the Valparaiso Community, we have borrowed money from "the special account" to help Mariita Max de Laj, who had a stroke and needed an exercise machine for her physical therapy.
We need to replace the $270.

On the right we see Federico and Mariita receiving the apparatus and  hope soon to have a picture or two of her using it.

Mariita is seen below in an article published in the July 1971 ENSIGN magazine.  She is seen on the left sitting on the dirt floor near their cooking fire.  I was visiting in their thatch hut, with Carlos Yat Valdez--my visiting companion, doing medical treatments.  Soon we began treating her father for tuberculosis who we isolated in a simple room we created for him at the Central House, but were unable to save him.

Soon thereafter Mariita became gravely ill and from their hut, in the most isolated area of the plantation, I carried her in my arms all across the valley to the Central House where we gave her intensive care and were able to save her.  This was repeated many times over the years for her, her two brothers, and mother.  
Here she is on the recent trip to Valparaiso, along with her mother, Agapita, brother, Domingo, and one of Domingo's sons.  They now live in their own simple home--of cement blocks with cement floor, electricity, potable water, etc., on their own property in the Valparaiso Community the Foundation helped us establish in 1981 for all the residents of the plantation. 
 They are seen near the end of the recently produced   YouTube video 
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NOW THE URGENT NEEDS
Through our Regional Director, Federico Veliz, we constantly receive requests for Emergency Aid, along with requests from rural schools in the Santa Cruz Verapaz area.  To accept these requests..... 
....WE NEED TO RECEIVE EVERY MONTH NORMAL DONATIONS for Projects such as:
This is the school we built and donated to the government in 1981-82, which has been continually added onto over the years, including the "Julie Andersen Kindergarten classroom," and which also includes in the afternoons a Junior High School with 90 students from 7 surrounding villages. 
1.  NEEDED REPAIRS AT THE VALPARAISO/RIO FRIO SCHOOL which are:
A.  Needed repairs to kitchen including improving stove, drainage
B. Repair roof of the firewood shed outside the kitchen.
C. Two windows & iron grate need repairs.
D.  Fence for the caretaker's home.
E.  3 gallons of paint
Note:  We are requiring the two rural communities (Valparaiso & Rio Frio) to contribute all they can, including donating unskilled labor.  What we need to donate to complete the project is  $900.
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2.  SIX of the 31 RURAL SCHOOLS in Santa Cruz Verapaz need kitchens used to prepare the daily nutrition supplement.  Over the years we have done this for nearly all the schools in the villages, one example we see below at the Santa Elena Village School where they had to prepare the food for the children outside.  
 
The kitchen we helped them build is shown being used with a wood stove, a "pila" with potable water, and serving windows where the students line up for the mid-morning nutritious snack.  





The cost varies from $1,000 to $4,000
  according to the size of the school, and whether we also have to help them install potable water.  With extra money from monthly contributions, we will do just as many of these kitchens as we have money for.  
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An example of EMERGENCY AID PROJECTS  from February of this year:
1.  A friend, Carlos Lem from the Chilocom Village was aided in helping with the funeral expenses for his wife = $162.  
2.  Jose Tiste from the remote Zapote Village was aided with $40 for medicine to treat his tiny daughter.
3.  Transportation for Federico's travel included taking us down into the Chixoy Canyon when Garth and I were there in February, came to $64.  Federico rarely charges the Foundation for his travel, rather deciding to spend whatever is available to help his people with emergency needs.  

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NEEDS IN OUR TWO PROJECT AREAS ARE UNENDING!  
Sometimes during the year there are also Emergency requests from the Chuluc Village  too where is located the Ariel &Ines Andersen Chuluc School
An example is seen below when there was an epidemic when we had to treat 34 of our students with antibiotics,  29 of them seen below.  

This  then led us to help the village install a safe potable water system and electricity in the school and entire village.  
SO WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE READY FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS.
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THE NEEDS ARE ALWAYS MORE THAN THE MONEY AVAILABLE.....WE JUST WANT TO END THE FOUNDATION AT THE END OF AUGUST ON A HIGH NOTE DOING ALL WE CAN!
WE ALL NEED TO HELP.
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THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROJECT IN SANTA CRUZ VERAPAZ
January-February 2017
Approximately 5,300 students in the rural schools were serviced.  Following is sort of a tour of the area showing just a sample of some of those receiving our help, including other photographs from the areas Federico takes care of as a volunteer for the Foundation.



























































































PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE THIS GOOD WORK RIGHT UP TO THE END IN AUGUST 2017 WHEN WE WILL COMPLETE OUR HALF CENTURY OF SAVING THOUSANDS & HELPING MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS GET AN EDUCATION & BECOME SELF RELIANT HELPERS OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE!

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