Hogar Miguel Magone
Orphanage and Home
Village of Aguacate, Guatemala

Week 1 - June 14-21, 2015

Sponsor a Child at Hogar Miguel Magone here.

Located in the volcanic mountains between Guatemala City and Antigua, Hogar Miguel Magone is a privately funded home to 50 boys between ages 6 and 16 who are orphaned, or who have been abused by their families and removed from their homes by the court system.  Karen Rodas, the director, and her husband Estuardo, have spent over 10 years building this program.   Through it’s Child Sponsorship Program, and other donations from individuals and NGOs, they are able to provide a safe and loving loving home for these children by providing food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, psychological counseling, tutoring services, English, music, and art classes, computer training, trade skills, life-skills training, and weekly Biblical teaching.  This program and facility is a long-term solution to equip these troubled boys for a fruitful, healthy, and productive life upon leaving the home at age 18.  Nearly 100% of all funding for this home is raised privately by Karen through donations from Christian and humanitarian organizations. 

Since Guatemala is a young democracy, and struggles with corruption and distribution of resources, the government does not provide many of the social programs that developed countries enjoy.  For this reason, churches and NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) attempt to fill this gap by providing these services. 

Through it’s Child Sponsorship Program, and other donations, Hogar Miguel also provides many of the above programs, and occasional meals, to nearly 50 children and their families in the nearby village of Aguacate.  This village, high in the mountains, is comprised primarily of families living in extreme poverty (less than $1/day/person).  A public water source is generally turned on 2-4 hrs per day, but often is not turned on for days.  Women spend most of their day collecting wood to cook with, then cook meals over an open fire, do laundry at a public facility or the river, repair clothing and maintain the home while taking care of several children and extended family members.  Most men who have jobs depart just after sunrise on foot, some walking miles through the mountains, to work long days doing strenuous agricultural manual labor, returning home just before dark.  Most children do not have shoes, proper nutrition, or access to education due to the high cost of public education.  Children in the village live in homes with dirt floors, cane walls that need to be replaced annually, leaky tin roofs, and often fight malnutrition due to parasites from the soil and non-purified water.

This summer, our Construction Crew will be working on construction projects in and around the new girl’s home, and the boys home.  Specific projects will be announced later.    

We will also be offering a 2 hr VBS program in the afternoon at Hogar Miguel for 250-300 children that will include Bible stories, crafts, music, games, and service components.  Bible school is one of the most requested projects from community leaders, due to the high risk of gang-life for teens in the capital Guatemala City, that families and churches are combating with the Word of God, and the love and hope of Jesus.

Our Humanitarian Aid Crew will have several projects with and for the boys and girls at the home, and children and their families in the village.  Depending on our crew’s abilities, possible Humanitarian Aid projects may include:   Distributing shoes, clothes, toiletries, health kits, and school supplies, teaching hygiene and dental care classes. Potential mission projects at each site may change as needed.

For more mission information, visit the FAQ page.  For photos and more information, please visit the previous blogs and podcasts.

MISSION CREWS

VBS
Donations
Construction - possible
Other Projects To Be Announced

PROJECT STATS

Boys Living Onsite – 50
Girls Living Onsite – 15
Future Girls Onsite – 30+
Children Served Weekly –  250+
Girls Home Opening – May '14
Child Sponsorship Program –  Yes

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Food, shelter, clothing
School for all children
Annual healthcare & vaccinations
Annual dental care
Annual anti-parasite meds
Weekly psychologist visits
Music lessons
Computer lessons
Baking classes
Silk screening workshop
Carpentry workshop
Resale store for village
Weekly meal for 250 children
Many community-wide activities