COVID, Food and Shelter Crisis in Guatemala!
(First Printed in Servant News: 4Q/2020)
SOS learned in late May (2020) from Sister Ambrosia, Missionary Sister of the Holy Eucharist and Leader of the Pastoral Social Committee of Santa Maria Parish, in Joyabaj (where SOS conducts Vision & Surgical Missions), that the community was suffering a life-threatening food crisis. The local government issued Covid-19 “stay at home” orders, closed all roads going in and out of Joyabaj, and closed the vital community Open Market where the Maya purchase food and many earn an income selling the Produce of local growers. Consequently, many families soon faced starvation.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me!’”
Lacking financial resources to help so many, SOS immediately launched a Covid Food Crisis Fund Raiser on June 1st. With the quick and generous response from donors, SOS began wiring funds and receiving weekly reports on how funds were being used. Going Sector by Sector (10 Sectors-9 villages per Sector) the Committee purchased and delivered a supply of corn, rice, beans, salt and nutritional drinks to families, repaired huts damaged by heavy rains and mud slides from Hurricane Cristobal, and took those needing medical attention to a doctor. During one visit, they found a diabetic woman hemorrhaging, and immediately took her to the hospital, paid for the 5 pints of blood she needed but couldn’t afford, and truly saved her life. As roads still open and close unpredictably, the Volunteers will continue providing help where needed.
The SOS Board of Directors, Sister Ambrosia and the Joyabaj Pastoral Volunteers, deeply thank you for your timely donations without which many Maya families would not have endured. May God Abundantly Bless you!
You can still help with our efforts to help the current crisis in Guatemala.
