HELPING HAND- APRIL 2012- NICOLAS PEREZ

WRITTEN BY IRIS
HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  Nicolas Perez is a 37 year old man with special needs. He was born with growth problem but is fully capable of understanding all that is going on around him. Nicolas resides with his 68 year old mother, Virginia. It is painful to see Nicolas struggle but it was an unforgettable and heartwarming moment to hear him communicate and smile.

HELPING HAND NEED: Nicolas and Virginia share a bed, but this bed it more than uncomfortable with no mattress on the bed. Virginia simply just needed a mattress. We also bought Virginia a supply of food to help with her small business where she sells fried banana slices.

THOUGHTS FROM VIRGINIA:   Virginia immediately started crying when we asked her thoughts on the mattress and food. “My only concern is to see that my son has enough to eat and that he is doing ok, I felt bad because I could not give him a comfortable place where he can sleep ... thank you for this help, thank you for the food and helping my business. I am already an old lady and I have fear to leaving my son alone someday, I work so I can have an account for him so the help to my business goes so far. Thank you and God bless you for help my little angel Nicolas.”

HELPING HAND- MARCH2012- GUTIERREZ FAMILY

Prepared by: Isis

Gutierrez Family

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  With 5 children under the age of 12, Guadalupe and Lorena Gutierrez have a lot of responsibility to provide for their family and have the constant worry of being able to do so.  Guadalupe picks melons from 6am- 6pm daily with a daily wage of $4.00 per day, a wage that makes it possible to feed his family but does not leave extra income for other things that the family needs.

HELPING HAND NEED: We planned a visit to the family with the intention of buying all the children new shoes after seeing they were attending school in bath slippers, but after visiting the family home realized they had more needs that we could help out with. Once we arrived at the home we found out that the children were sleeping on the ground because of the lack of beds in the home. Our time with the Gutierrez family turned into a bit of an impromptu adventure as we took the family into town to shop for shoes for the children and also purchased some beds for the home. The children had never left home to explore the city so our shopping trip turned into a little family fun day as we spend the day out shopping, eating out, etc. We also bought a little supply of food to stock up their house for some needs in the future.

THOUGHTS FROM LORENA: “Nothing makes me happier than to see my kids happy. My husband is a good, hard worker and very responsible but the company he works for is seasonal and the money we receive does not cover everything to meet my children’s needs. I am so grateful for this help and for your willingness to help families like us.”

HELPING HAND-FEB2012- CABRERA FAMILY

Prepared by Isis-

HELPING HAND RECIPENT:  As a mother of 4 children living in Choluteca Honduras, Gladys Cabrera works hard cleaning houses and washing clothes, to provide for her family. We actually met Gladys in a park, we were observing her happy, playful children and just happened to ask them a few questions regarding their schooling. They informed us they do not attend school because their mother could not afford the fees associated. We asked the children to introduce us to their mother.

HELPING HAND NEED: After meeting Gladys, we realized her struggles are ones very common to Honduras, she lacks the funds she needs to send her children to school. After speaking to Gladys she did invite us to her home and then we took her shopping for uniforms and all the necessary school supplies for her children.

THOUGHTS FROM GLADYS: “I was thinking about the season of school and I did not know how I could possible let my 4 children attend. I had taken my children to the park near a house I was cleaning, and I am just so grateful that you met my children. I am so grateful for this help and mostly to see how happy my children were and the smiles on their faces when they found out they would be attending school. It is so amazing how God works, bless all of you and I hope you can continue to help more families like us.”

HELPING HAND-JAN11-JACKY LINARES

Prepared by Isis-

HELPING HAND RECIPENT: Having lost her husband to AIDS about a year and a half ago, newly widowed Jacky Betancourt Linares, has struggled to raise her two beautiful daughters now on her own at just 25 years old. Jacky also contracted AIDS from her late husband, which has made it extremely difficult to find a job in Honduras. Jacky has been washing clothing for others to try and make ends meet. Jacky is blessed to have a mother that has been able to help her out but she is desperate to try and do this on her own.

HELPING HAND NEED: Although Jacky washes clothes, she actually has a great trade that she has been unable to utilize, Jacky can sew. Jacky has been unable to show off this skill, only because she cannot afford a sewing machine. It was a simple request and we were happy to provide Jacky with the sewing machine she would need to generate business to be more independent and bring in the income she needs to raise her two young daughters.
 THOUGHTS FROM JACKY: ”I really thank you for this huge gift, I don’t even have words to describe what I feel I just want you to know that all these things that you do for the people in Honduras is so important and God will bless you for all your help to us. Thank you for the sewing machine I will work so hard and will be able to raise my girls and provide for my family.”

 THOUGHTS FROM JACKY’S MOTHER: “I was talking with Jacky two weeks ago and she was telling me how much she wanted a sewing machine and how much she was going to have to work to try and save the money for one.  I am just so impressed how God answered her prayer so fast, II definitely know that God is working and answered prayers through you. Thank you for helping us and for helping that people in Honduras, God bless you.”

HELPING HAND- DEC2011-LUCIO GARCIA

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  Lucio de Jesus Garcia started his trade at just 17 years old, now 11 years later at 28 he has mastered the skill and is an excellent mechanic. Lucio is a family man that is eager to provide for his wife and his 7 year old son that has special needs. Lucio’s son is unable to walk and is not able to consume solid food. His son is on a special liquid diet that is very expensive.

HELPING HAND NEED: Lucio works in a local mechanic shop but is unable to work enough hours to earn enough to really make ends meet. Lucio is asked frequently to do side work for people on their cars to really make it a full time career but has been unable to fulfill these requests as he lacks the right tools to do this outside of the mechanic shop. Lucio requested the tools necessary to start his own full time business, which we were happy to provide. Lucio received a specialty tool set that included all he would need to make his work profitable and more consistent to be able to provide for his family.

THOUGHTS FROM LUCIO: “I am very thankful with God and with you that you helped me. For me this is a huge help you don’t even know how happy I am. I always dreamed about to have my own business now it is no longer just a dream.  Now, I will look for a place and put my own car repair shop. God bless you and this great foundation so that you can be able to keep helping a lot of people.”

HELPING HAND- NOV 2011-JUAN LINAREZ

PREPARED BY ISIS

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: At 60 years old, Juan Linarez and his wife Leonor have stepped up for their family in a big way, they are raising their 3 grandchildren (Daniel, Alex and Joel) after the lost their daughter in a car accident. Six months ago Juan was diagnosed with Chagas disease, also known as Trypanosomiasis in the US.  Trypanosomiasis is a tropical parasitic disease in vertebrates. Chagas is typically transmitted to humans by an insect vector, the blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae mainly in Latin America. The disease is responsible for 21,000+ deaths a year.  Although some symptoms and conditions can be treated, 20% of the people with this disease will eventually develop life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders. Juan has been affected with an enlarged heart and other heart related problems that have affected his energy and work ability. He was laid off at his job because he was just not able to work as hard due to the strains of the disease.

HELPING HAND NEED:  Juan came to us with his concerns and shared his worry for his family and their money needs. Juan needed an opportunity to work from home to provide for his family but did not have the means to start his home business. We helped Juan start a small grocery store within his home where

THOUGHTS FROM JUAN: “With this help i will be able to provide income to the house, in addition to my wife selling tortillas. This is a help that I am so grateful for. God bless all of you for this humble and enormous labor. I will pray that this foundation continues to help people in need.

HELPING HAND-OCT2011-JUAN ORTIZ

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:   Juan Ortiz is a 40 year old man living in Choluteca, Honduras.  At age 14 Juan was accidentally stuck by a bullet in his home while his father was cleaning a gun that he thought was empty. The tragic accident left Juan paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Juan is involved in a Honduran Association and additional programs that reach out to the people of Honduras to provide for his needs but Juan still needs additional income.

HELPING HAND NEED:  Juan is skilled at appliance repairs but has struggled to make it a full time career because he lacked the tools necessary to do the repairs. Juan just needed a little help acquiring the tools necessary to keep steady work and we were happy to help. Juan was given many tools including value tester, seal burners, etc. to make his work profitable and consistent.

THOUGHTS FROM JUAN: “For me it is so important to have all this tools because this is the only way that I can support myself and help my mother out. This is a gift you have given me, to know that my mother and I will have everything we need. God bless all of you”