Volunteers
in the present year.
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| Erick and Kimberly Chittle,
from Lansing, Michigan, came to GOD'S CHILD via a volunteer program.
Married shortly after college, they want to give at least two years
of service in a foreign country before returning to Michigan to make
their home. "GOD'S CHILD seemed a good place to bring the
joy of God's love into young lives while deepening our own faith,"
they decided. Erick is a "guia" working as a contact
person between students, their parents, school and the Dreamer Center.
Kimberly coordinates efforts of service teams, when those volunteers
come to build homes for poor families. |
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| Laura Carola Geurs, a law school
graduate from Holland, heard about GOD'S child from a language school
where she was studying Spanish. Interested in making "myself
useful to the community, she signed on. "I hope I can give
something to the project and to the kids." She teaches students
who come to Dreamer Center during afternoon home-study time in the newly
constructed Rotary educational building. |
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| Nicole Gretler was also in Antigua
to study Spanish. A kindergarten teacher from Switzerland, she
had worked six years with mentally handicapped children when she learned
about GOD'S CHILD. Her hope is to "help a little with my
know-how" in working with project children. Nicole arrived
in August 1999 and currently splits her time between the special education
school, the school reinforcement program at the Dreamer Center, and
a project which works with children and families living at the dump
in Guatemala City. |
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| Gary Hofmeister is from Indianapolis,
Indiana. He first came to Guatemala eight years ago to study Spanish,
heard about GOD'S CHILD and ended up deciding to be a godparent.
He has volunteered five times in previous years. A jewelry store
owner and member of one of the largest Rotary clubs in the world, he
raises funds for the project back home. "It's a wonderful
program," he feels, "especially because you can see direct
results of your support." |
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| Marie Johnson is from Bismarck,
North Dakota. She came to Guatemala initially to study Spanish
and be a part of the service team constructing housing. After
studying Spanish for three weeks, she had a very positive experience
building a house for a poor Guatemalan family. Currently, she
is involved in a variety of volunteer activities including working directly
with children who come to the center, painting, and assisting with the
nutrition program. "The chance to actually work with the
families and children, helping to break the chains of poverty, and seeing
the appreciation in people's faces is very rewarding." says
Marie. She hopes to return to Guatemala in August for a longer
term volunteer commitment with the GOD'S CHILD project. |
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Vince Lindgren is a volunteer
from Fargo, North Dakota. " I heard Patrick's presentation
on the GOD'S CHILD project when he came to Moorhead State to receive
the Outstanding Alumni Award. I was impressed with his philosophy
of asking people to participate in earning their benefits. This
philosophy provides much needed assistance while respecting people's
dignity." Vince has spent 15 years as a practicing social
worker and the last 9 years as an assistant professor of social work.
As a volunteer, Vince has been assisting with general administration
and social work program development.
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| Zayda Midrett Coronado Morales
is a Guatemalan volunteer completing her practicum as a Bilingual Secretary.
Zayda is responsible for a number of activities in the office such as
general office duties, assistance with inventory, and a willingness
to fill in where she is needed. In fact, Zayda says, 'I have always
dreamed of working at a place that both needs my help, and in which
I feel good." She further adds, "I feel good about
my work here at the Dremaer's Centerbecause it is truly a place where
dreams can become a reality." |
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| Bob and Margaret Peiffer are
a husband-wife team who have spent two months or more at the Dreamer
Center for each of the past five years. From Bruno, Minnesota,
Bob is retired from international medical sales with 3M and Margaret
is a retired journalist. Both have provided many services to GOD'S
CHILD, with Margaret overseeing the January distribution of school supplies
to incoming students and Bob developing programs and providing administrative
expertise. They are godparents to two children from the program.
Their goal is "to bring joy, happiness and love to others."
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| Bob and Bev Peterson
started their volunteer efforts for The GOD'S CHILD Project in 1996.
As the result of an idea by Bev and three years of effort by Bob ( past
District Governor of Rotary) a beautiful new school building was built
next to the Dreamer Center. With Bob coordinating the efforts,
the International Rotary District 5580 (North Dakota and Minnesota members’)
raised $80,000 towards construction costs for the school.
Bev and Bob also arranged for the numerous of numerous
desks and library file cabinets handmade by volunteers in North
Dakota. |
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| Patricia de Pozo, sister of
the mayor of Antigua, has had psychological training in both Guatemala
and the U.S. She provides invaluable assistance to the project
staff psychologist through leading various social educational groups,
doing evaluations, and consulting with GOD'S CHILD families. |
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| Sylvia del Pozo, wife of the
mayor of Antigua, is a strong supporter of the GOD'S CHILD project.
She was the driving force behind a more than $9,000 gift from the Spanish
embassy earlier this year. This donation has been used to develop
the Spanish Alanon program for families and friends of recovering alcoholics. |
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| "Having a small child run up,
throw her arms around you and kiss your cheek is like being touched
by an angel." says Matilda Rupp. Bob and "Mattie"
Rupp have volunteered at GOD'S CHILD for five years (January-April),
long enough to have that happen frequently on the streets of Antigua
and San Felipe. "It's always a thrill to have someone you've
worked with remember you." continues Mattie. The Rupp's are
donors, have a godchild, and serve as volunteers. Bob provides
assistance through writing press releases and other promotional materials
for the program. Mattie performs a variety of needed program tasks
ranging from teaching arts and crafts to the children to making lunches
for the service teams. |
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| Maria Schlenzig became interested
in volunteer work while traveling with the organization Up With People
during 1999, where she performed and did community service work.
She had been planning a trip to Guatemala for two years and she originally
came to study Spanish. But after taking a tour of the program,
she decided she wanted to volunteer. During the 5 months she is
studying here in Antigua, she volunteers afternoons at the Dreamer Center.
She has assisted with numerous projects, among them translation of letters
between children and their sponsors, and assistance with inventory.
In the future, she hopes to help with organizing the new library |
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| Jakob Stoumann, a world traveler
at the age of 21, hails from Copenhagen, Denmark. He has spent
the last three years working and traveling, primarily in Latin America,
At the God's Child Project, Jakob assists with the nutrition program
by cooking morning and afternoon meals for the children. "It's
a real pleasure to give food to hungry children," says Jakob.
"I like the idea of the haves helping the have nots; that's basically
why I am here." Jakob, who plans to study Social Anthropology
upon returning home to Denmark, observes, "I know my stay
here at the God's Child Project will help me in my studies." |
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| Anne-Marie Vaillancourt is from
Quebec, Canada. She plans to spend 4-6 months with the GOD'S CHILD
project "lending a helping hand". She has been involved
in a variety of different volunteer activities including leading a housing
construction team, working with the educational program, assisting with
volunteer coordination. Owing to her association with Fredy the
volunteer coordinator, she has become particularly fond of "squashitos"
(a Guatemalan delicacy). Her travels to various foreign countries
coincides with her interest in international development through social
work. She will be pursuing this interest through university studies
starting this September. |
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| Derrick Zijlema, from the Netherlands,
has been traveling for two years and was looking for "a whole new
experience." "It sure feels good to help out where
help is needed," says Derrick who has assisted with cooking in
the kitchen, inventory in the pharmacy, and a variety of other tasks.
He adds, "And you are able to practice your Spanish with friendly
colleagues at this great project." |
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| Mirjam Wingelaar, from the Netherlands,
learned about the project about a year ago. As she was already thinking
of 'doing something more practical and getting to know another culture
and language' for half a year, she decided that this project would offer
a good opportunity to do so. From the end of April until September she
will work with the children, mostly to help them with their homework,
but hopefully as well to make some music. |
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| R Dean DeBoer, from Chapel Hill,
North Carolina is a carpenter/ builder/artist who spent three years
in the Congo working with Habitat For Humanity. This past April he was
ordained as pastor-at-large by the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel
Hill. Dean had traveled with church work teams to Guatemala in
past years and fell in love with the mountains and the people of Guatemala.
Because of the number of Spanish speaking people in North Carolina
he decided it was time to learn Spanish, and came to Antiqua to study.
While there, he discovered the project and signed up as a volunteer.
He is working with the service teams that come to Antiqua to build
houses for families of the children.
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| Bonnie J. Grim |
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