The next day after arriving to Quetzaltenango (also known as Xela) and after recovering my energy after a long week of intense pedaling through the heart of the Guatemalan Sierra Madre, a new meeting with the kids waited for me: the visit to the local SOS Children’s Village

It was April 9th, exactly one month form my last visit in Tuxla Gutierrez, Mexico. I had been coordinating the meeting through e-mail with Rosa, the social worker from the Village and we had arranged for a 2 pm encounter. Miriam accompanied me with her car from the house to downtown, where the Village was located, and I punctually arrived to be received with all the honors.

The floor of the entryway was covered with pine needles, something that was later explained to me, was reserved only for special occasions. As soon as I got inside, a spectacular display of fireworks started that took my words away and filled the place with a white smoke. An arch with blue and white balloons embellished the access to the Village. I was rapidly surrounded by the children and the press got closer. After answering their questions I spent a great deal of time carrying the kinds on Maira, who demonstrated an endless desire to ride on my dear bike. I even counted up to six kids trying at the same time (!) to claim a little piece of room on the congested Maira that tried to get through the sea of kids that surrounded us.

From there we went into the communal room, which was also decorated with blue and white balloons, and in an improvised press conference, I told them about my trip and answered all their questions. There was a thanking session, where the children, microphone in hand, got to give me their emotional words of support. Every phrase that came out was an incredible push to continue with this odyssey on two wheels.

A Village with a lot of history

The driving force for the creation of the SOS Children’s Village in Quetzaltenango was the earthquake that affected the region on Feb. 4th, 1976. After many deliberations, it was decided to rent a house to be used as an initial headquarter and start the work of the SOS Children’s Village, receiving the first group of 8 defenseless children on April 26th of the same year. The number of children grew continuously so it was necessary to rent another house. On September 11th was placed the cornerstone on a piece of land located on 22nd Ave. and 3rd St, zone 1, within the downtown area of the city. The different buildings that today are part of the village were gradually built to have, by Feb 1979, a kindergarten, 12 family houses, the director’s house, the administration building, the teaching area, the multiple-use room and the green areas for recreation.

Today the Village has 14 family houses that are home to 121 boys and girls and it also has three young adult communities that accommodate a total of 30 people. The centric location of the Village allows for the easy access to the medical and educational services of the community.

During these 32 years, the Quetzaltenango Village has offered shelter to more than 400 boys, girls and young adults, giving them a home, a mother, food, clothes and everything that is necessary to develop as productive people in an adequate and just environment.

Visiting the Homes

The traditional visits to the homes to meet every kid extended well into the night. 14 houses was a respectable number and I wanted to kiss and hug every one of them. While I was in the last home, we saw though the window that a crowd was gathered outside. It was the children that came to say goodbye loaded with little presents to take with me as souvenirs. As they had seen Oliver (my stuffed tiger) they wanted to add dozens of new friends to the family of stuffed animals, but I had to decline the nice offer due to the lack of space. Nevertheless, I did accept numerous wristbands and ribbons that they gave me and that immediately became part of Maira’s decorations.

Before leaving they gave me their gift for the kids at the SOS Children’s Village in Mar del Plata; truly a piece of art fully loaded with love and affection.

We can all help

As the founder of the SOS Children’s Village, Herman Gmener said:

“To do a goodwill act is easy when many are helping”. 

A sand castle is built little by little. Why not adding our sand grain and we make possible for the noble task to continue? We can all help with the institution through donations. Would you dare?

For those of you that want to help directly with the SOS Children’s Villages in Guatemala, you can do it through the following contact person:

Fabiola Marroquín
Teléfonos:  (502) 2434-3008 / 2431-5255
e-mail: amigossos@aldeasinfantilessos.org.gt          fabiola.marroquin@aldeasinfantilesos.org.gt   

 

In advance, many thanks for your contribution!!

 

Aknowledgements

To Mario Morales, director of SOS Children’s Village in Quetzaltenango: for making this visit possible.

To Rosa Elena Ríos Quiroa, Social Worker of SOS Children’s Village in Quetzaltenango: for receiving me with great affection and accompanying me all the time I was visiting the place.

To all the workers of the Village and the volunteers that made a great effort to make the reception an unforgettable event.

To all the press that got to the Village to cover my visit, demonstrating a great interest in the social work of the SOS Children’s Village in Quetzaltenango, in particular José Manuel Soberanis.

To all the aunts, mothers, boys and girls of the SOS Children’s Village in Quetzaltenango: for all the endless shows of affection and love that I received with I was in you homes.

To Miriam Bartlett: for the invaluable logistical support before, during and alter my visit to the SOS Village.