Two teams have just returned from serving the scavengers who live in the communities surrounding the Guatemala City garbage dump.

Working through our Guatemalan partner organization, Potter’s House Association, 65 BTW volunteers directly impacted the lives of more than 500 community residents.

The change that is easiest to see is in the lives of the families for whom our volunteers built new homes. To have their shacks made of cardboard, wood scraps and corrugated metal replaced by warm, sturdy, waterproof concrete-block houses is the dream of hundreds of families. We made that dream come true for four deserving families over the last two weeks.

Now, as the rainy season in Guatemala continues, our new friends will not have to worry about rivers of water running through their living quarters, nor will they have to fear the vermin that sneak in through the cracks to escape the downpours or the bullets that sometimes fly when conflict breaks out between gang members.

Seven other families, whose existing block houses were renovated, will enjoy clean, freshly painted interiors and the luxury of a new, hole-free roof.  These houses were built many years ago by the municipality, and have fallen into disrepair. Our volunteers had them looking like new.

About 200 children got to participate in our day camp, dance class, and soccer and baseball clinics, making friends with adults and students who encouraged them to dream of a life beyond the garbage and to stay in school so they will be able to realize those dreams. And we entertained 200 other children who are part of the Potter’s House Education Program at special parties just for them.

Three physicians, an EMT, and a student nurse saw a couple hundred patients, whose ailments ranged from colds to cancer. Several of those clinics were held inside the dump itself in an effort to provide health care to scavengers who can afford neither to pay a doctor nor to take time off from their work.

A group of eight women was equipped to make tote bags of recycled materials. Our hope is that they will be able to continue the project on their own, making bags to sell in the local market.  The most popular raw materials for the totes were plastic bags donated by Parks Farm and Justice, both in Chester, NJ.

And two volunteer videographers spent a week shooting many hours of video footage that they will use to create promotional videos for Potter’s House.

Yes, your investment is paying dividends, and the return on your investment in terms of lives touched and changed is great. Thank you for caring about the people we serve!