Tuesday, January 24, 2017

KEEPING YOU INFORMED OF WORK ON FRONT LINES....INCLUDING HISTORIC EVENT AT VALPARAISO, NEWSLETTER #1 JAN. 2017, & MORE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS of FRONT LINE WINNING BATTLES

Seven months to go for our
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

LAST POST...click here:
1.  2016 ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, 2.   WINTER 1993 NEWSLETTER: 
3.  Photo/Essay:  FOUNDATION HONORED AT THE INSTITUTE of DIVERSIFICATION GRADUATION IN SANTA CRUZ VERAPAZ, 4.  Photo/Essay:  AURA'S MASTER'S THESIS PROJECT at THE COBAN GARBAGE DUMP COMMUNITY,  5.  "ARIEL & INES ANDERSEN" CHULUC SCHOOL support.

EMAIL NOTICES & NEWSLETTERS FOR 2017:
Click on the item of interest below:  
2.  January 9,  HIST. DOC.  "Winter 1993 Newsletter" ,  
3.  NEWSLETTER #1 January 1917  "Thanks for 2016," "Christmas for the Poor," "Chuluc School,"  "Ongoing: School Supplies for over 5,000 children,"  "Aura Scholarship",
4. Printed & sent:   Black & white NEWSLETTER #1 January 2017, plus 2016 Annual Financial Report.
*****************************************************

By Cordell M Andersen
HISTORY MADE AT THE VALPARAISO COMMUNITY-On January 22, 2017.....
......the VALPARAISO LDS BRANCH was  reorganized as an LDS WARD. This culminates a nearly 50 year "against all odds"  history, some aspects of which have been reviewed in our Historical Reviewbeginning actually in a website photo/essay dated November 19,  2015  entitled:

You all know him as his wonderful smile has been used many times over the years in our promotions.  In organizing the VALPARAISO LDS WARD, "Moncho," or, Victor Ramon Yat Valdez, became the first Bishop in the nearly half century since our work started in Guatemala.  Considering how far he has come, you'll find it doubly interesting to click on that link and see in brief the history of this  great young man who humbly honors me  by still calling me "PAPA."  Below I'll insert a photo from a few years ago with his family, and then another taken in May on my inspection trip when he and others held a special luncheon to thank me and the Foundation for all we have done to help him and his people.  His wife, Gloria, who was also educated with Foundation assistance,  is on the left. The 4 youth seen behind are his children, the youngest missing as he was on an LDS mission, I believe in Yucatan, Mexico.

  

We heartily congratulate him, express our love and admiration for him and family, and will have them always in our prayers. 




Additionally, I was just advised that one of his counselors is Federico "Lic"  Ical, who also grew up with our Central House Family at the Valparaiso Plantation.  
 Lic and his brother, Alfonso, are seen on the left when they became the first needy children from Valparaiso to be taken into the Central House,  and on the right 30 minutes later.   
They grew up with us as part of the very large  Central House Family and received their education, Lic becoming the first resident of Valparaiso to graduate with a professional degree...as a CPA, we see him below at his graduation.
*****************************
THE HISTORICAL REVIEW 1967 to 2017
NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

Click on link below to see newsletter
"NEWSLETTER THAT ALMOST DESTROYED THE FOUNDATION"   Because of it we did lose some donors, and at the same time, some important trustees were removed without authorization.  It does correctly have a good summary of the Philosophy & Principles of the Good Life, and the 1993 Financial Report.   But, due to some negative reactions among donors, a clarification was sent quickly, which follows:




Click to see
Aug. 28 1994:  LETTER OF CLARIFICATION  (2 pages) which gives an explanation of the Foundation's main purpose, and a good summary of the work in Guatemala. 







Photo/Essays of Newsletter #1 themes

CHRISTMAS FOR THE POOR IN SANTA CRUZ VERAPAZ
Federico Veliz, our volunteer Regional Director, has been doing this for quite a few years.  In time for Christmas the Foundation was able to provide him with $470 for the project.  He gave of his time and travel to meet with the group we see below meeting in the chapel of a Mayan Priest in Santa Cruz Verapaz--who is the one shown in the SUCESS STORY, Museum of the Holy Man post, to whom, at his request in 2002,  we gave him the framed picture of Christ visiting in the Americas we see on the wall up front.  The Maya-Poqomchi from Santa Cruz, Valparaiso, and  San Cristobal Verapaz, accept said painting as a good representation of their legend of "Nahual Gwinak--The Holy Man"  who they believe anciently appeared to their ancestors.


 With the help of his family and some of those attending, tamales and something to drink was provided for all. 

Following are a bunch of photographs Federico sent us, with only a couple of interesting explanations. 


























/Three of these children, the first two from the left, and the little boy with the New York Yankee jacket, were the ones who lost their parents in a tragic accident, and for whom the Foundation built a home in 2015. 











 Here we see a granddaughter taking care of her very sick and aged grandma.

Last of all we visit the Valparaiso/Rio Frio School where gifts were presented to the Caretaker's family, including, as we see above: 
CORDELL ANDERSEN SEP XICOL 
******************
THE "Ariel & Ines Andersen CHULUC SCHOOL WAS PREPARED FOR THE 2017 SCHOOL YEAR & IS NOW IN SESSION.
As most of you know, the school was built in 1987 as a special project to honor Dr. Ariel Andersen, and his wife, Ines, who spearheaded the organization of the Foundation in December 1969.  Dr. Andersen passed on in 1983, and his wife in 1986, at which time it was decided donations would be given instead of flowers to fund a special project in their names in Guatemala.  The very poor Chuluc Village was chosen and the school inaugurated mid01987.  
We will need extra donations to also be able to match the community's donations to pay the monthly electric bill, as well as help with the Nutrition Program, so keep us in mind throughout the 7 months before the Foundation is retired in August of this year--when we also have to have accumulated enough money in the account to finish helping them through the school year ending on December 25th when our last expenditure will be to pay Mario, as a teacher, his Christmas bonus.   Below we see a few pictures of the school being painted, and a couple of students who showed up to inspect the school materials we acquired for all the students to begin the school year.



Since 1987,  the Foundation has helped the school grow and develop in many ways, and each year has paid one of the teachers their wage.


Here we see the long-time Director of the school, Moises Loch,  getting ready for the school year in his office., 

Above Director Moises, is the new photograph of Dr. Andersen and his wife, whose names will forever grace the school as a testament to their last 14 years of generous dedication to helping the Mayan peoples of Guatemala. 


Moises, and Mario, both go to work painting as much of the school as they could with paint left over from what the Foundation provided last year,  and did all the other preparations for the school year which was initiated on January 16th.

 As mentioned, employing Mario as the teacher at Chuluc, will make possible him supporting his family and in afternoons and weekends complete his Law Degree.


The Foundation also provided notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, and workbooks for all the students to get them all off to a good start.  

  
 While the school was being prepared a few children showed up, anxious for school to start, and were given a couple of assignments to get them warmed up and ready.

We hope soon to received photographs of all the students getting off to a good start for 2017.
************************

AS WE SPEAK FEDERICO VELIZ IS PLYING THE MOUNTAIN ROADS OF SANTA CRUZ VERAPAZ DELIVERING SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO OVER 5,000 CHILDREN....
....the montage below is from 2016.
We were blessed in December, after a disastrous beginning, ending up being a success due to the sacrifices of a few donors who made some large contributions at year's end--all of which made possible a good year-end balance, $5,771 of which was transferred to Federico for this project.
Other projects in Santa Cruz Verapaz this year will depend on regular donations from all of us.
*****************

 LAST OF ALL….AURA ANDERSEN IS ALREADY AT WORK IN THE 
"COBAN GARBAGE DUMP COMMUNITY"
DOING HER MASTER'S THESIS  ON NUTRITION & COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
The Foundation is committed to providing her with a full scholarship for 6 months to finish her project and get her degree in Social Work.

 We see her here with the young Work Minister  in Guatemala's government.
***************************
We all have to do our best to meet our goal of reaching the
Foundation's
 GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
on August 19, 2017.  
On August 31st the Foundation will legally end its mission, but on that date we will need to have accumulated in our bank account enough money to meet our yearlong commitments at the Chuluc School, so we hope and pray that we will all try in the last few months prior to Aug. 31st,   donate if at all possible, what you might have donated for the entire year......in those last few months we will carefully manage our funds to not fail ending our 50 years right!
************************