Latest Volunteer Newsletter

Hello Volunteers! The New Year has brought new achievements, new prospects and three new volunteer coordinators. Although none of us are strangers to the Chapare, since leaving the Project in May 2006, the improvements and new project developments really show, thanks to the fantastic work Amanda, Brent and all of you guys put in here at the Angels of Hope.

Project updates, achievements and thank yous! Kitchen Wow what a difference to the hot poky little one that was here before! Doña Juanita and the team are very happy to be in the brighter, more spacious and airy new kitchen; now fitted with shiny ovens, stoves and gadgets. Great job to all who were involved! It is a much more functional and comfortable place to work and the sopa de mani, íQUE RICO! An excellent volunteer achievement.  A New Lick of Paint   Over the Christmas holidays, all the classrooms, childrens´ furniture, office and Doctor´s clinic were given a makeover. Believe me some of the classrooms looked like Parque Machia dorm rooms after a year of children running into them and using them to try out their “artistic” talents.   Thanks to Pieter (South Africa), Patricia (Ireland), Katy (Oz), Kieran (Oz), Liore (Israel) Chris (Canada) and Jenny (Eng) for their hard work relocating Jesus muchos veces, painting chairs, making mayas and painting other volunteers and Mario!                                                  Quite a difference! First Grade Classroom   It was great to come back to see a completely new building at the Foundation. Once the finishing touches were completed a much needed new space was created for the children. Thanks to Davy (Holland), Gustavo (Holland), Lynn (NZ), Jay (Eng), Claire (Eng), Rob (Eng) and Paul (Eng).                                                      The big one! – Latrines project   Podge and volunteers Davy and Gustavo kicked things off by completing the first latrine at the house of Mario´s parents in San Lorenzo. Marios family is quite large so you can be sure that this new installment will improve there lives greatly.   Assaf (Israel), Davy, Dor (Israel) and Roy (Israel) joined the toil in the soil and the result was fantastic. Nice work frescos!  P.S. Who would forget Gustavo’s chocolate milk! (Sorry Gus it had to be mentioned we continue to keep the story alive)               The second latrine was completed in the community of Santa Elena for the family of a very enthusiastic 65 year old father of 6, Don Caetano. Davy, Gustavo, Chalak (Sweden) and Patricia worked hard despite the flies and smoldering heat, resulting in a functional and much needed latrine. Then it was on to the next Don, Don Herman in San Lorenzo where Liore, Chris, Kieran and Katy helped complete the next toilet. After three successes Podge and Mario are confident we have a solid latrine design including what is affectionately referred to as the “Baño Mario” (aka visually stunning squat platform). As the rainy season continued, Jenny helped mix cement and form lids for the latrines in the Castillo workshop ready for the final touches to the next latrine.                                             Tippy Tap Tap   Health goes hand-in-hand with latrines. As some families in the communities do not yet have running water, we sought a way for them to have the facility to be able to wash their hands. And so came along the “Tippy Tap 2 “. Chris and Liore, Kieran and Katy took it to the next level with a few improvements, and so was born the yet to be patented “Tippy Tap 3”. (“Google it” to have a look)     Texas Medical Mission We had a group of 30 medical professionals from Texas come and visit us with doctors, dentist and medical supplies.  This meat that over three days 1300 community members were able to see both doctor and dentist, receive much needed medications and information form basic health talks.  We saw children and the elderly.  We saw everything form broken bones that had been left for weeks to a man with a piece of tree stuck in the side of his head!  Some problems could not be fixed with medications but for those families we had a De4acon to pray with the families. Although for some who aren´t so religious it may seem a little fruitless but I have to tell you those people walked out more hopeful and at peace with their situation. Volunteers were set up at different stations to help with crowd and line control, registering patient info, sterilizing dental equipment, continuously supplying much need refrescos in the hot sun, organizing health booklets and giving lessons to children in how to brush their teeth (some never have and it shows).  Thanks to Amy (Ireland), Vanessa (Ireland) and Efrat (Israel) for getting stuck in and helping where needed. The Mission staff were very appreciative of all the ways we were able to help.

Word of Mouth continues to rule!   We have had many volunteers come here after running into previous volunteers on their travels around the world. Patricia for example was here due to the article Sam (de Inglaterra) wrote in a magazine in Buenos Aires. Pieter because of Clare and Amy and Vanessa because they met the Texan Director duo Amanda and Brent. So…….KEEP TALKING GUYS!! Sad News   On Saturday 3rd March we lost a dear friend, Marianela, who as many of you will remember, worked in the kitchen - big smile, sweet disposition, seventeen years of age. She has two younger sisters and an older brother in San Lorenzo and has been a much loved member of the Foundation family since she was very young. She died due to serious injuries after being in a car accident. The foundation was able to pay for the ambulance to take her to Cochabamba (which normally families cannot afford) and thus did everything possible to save her. Unfortunately her head injuries were too great and she died in the hospital with all the foundation staff present.   That’s all for now.   Hope you´re all doing well where ever you are in the world, please keep in touch,     Podge, Jocelyn and Loretta