Will You Join Us?

You are invited. All are welcome. Will you come to the Guatemala Gala on May 5th this year?

The need this year is urgent.

The elementary school in the neighborhood of El Mirador, Boca del Monte, must move. The government is very concerned about the safety of the people who live in El Mirador. The buildings right on the edge of this immense crumbling ravine are at risk of falling off. Government agents have begun to collect children off the streets, forcing their parents to meet with the local authorities in order to get their children back. It sounds brutal, and it is. The local government has found a place to relocate families, but the families must have funds to pay for the land. The reality is that they have no money for such a purchase.

Neighbors are striking, filling the streets, blocking traffic on the main artery, calling attention to the crisis. The school closed its doors during the strike last Tuesday. It is an emergency that is in the papers every day.

And the Colegio Luterano Agustino de Guatemala, this small school recognized for excellence, is in the middle of it all. Funds are needed to buy a new property, located nearby so that students can still walk to school. The ILAG has identified one lot that will work, and they are working with the municipal government to find other options.

Below are links to short YouTube videos which show the El Mirador neighborhood and the ravine. The second video includes comments from residents who know they need to move but cannot afford to do so.