pep newsletter

                                                                                                     March, 2002

 

,

 

            Thank you for the wonderful response of gifts for the pepkids in January!  Several travelers to Santa Avelina

             helped to transport them in extra baggage and the children were very excited and blessed.  The new school 

             year began the middle of January with a new fifth grade and 108 students.  Individual photos were taken and 

             processed by Don O'Neal, so you will receive one soon.  Also, this year group photos were taken by classes 

             and can be found on the website at pepkids.com.

 

            A special dedication ceremony was held in January for the Jim James Memorial Sundial, designed by Don 

            O'Neal, and installed  in a pretty garden area surrounded by a rock wall that is adjacent to the school.  Attended 

            by several in the James family as well as HELPS volunteers and local Guatemalans, the ceremony honored a 

            man  who loved and served the school and community.  Everyone enjoyed the school children singing and 

            meeting their pepkids.  One attendee, Kim Noyes, had this to say,  "This year I had the wonderful opportunity to 

            travel to Santa Avelina for the Jim James Memorial Service and to meet my pepkid.  After working all week with 

            the medical team in San Cristobal, I was kinda wishing I was heading back down the mountain to Antigua for 

            some rest instead of going up the mountain to spend another night on a cot!  I have not experienced a trip like 

            this one before.  The 'path' was dusty, bumpy, and the trip was long and slow!  Over 6 hours to travel 50 miles!  

            But we had a lot of beautiful scenery along the way!  It was all worth it to get to meet Rebeca Ana Ostuma 

            Augustin and her family.  There was a special bonding that took place that will last a lifetime.  I WILL make the 

            trip to see her again. It was a blessing to see what my support and the support of other has done!  It gives a 

            child an opportunity he or she might have never had.  It changes lives!  I encourage you to give a child the 

            opportunity to learn about and support the Santa Avelina school."

 

 

                                              

 

                                  The sundial installed                                                               School children at the ceremony 

                                                        

 

                                                                      

 

                                                                                     Teachers learn how to tell time.

 

                 

                     More good news!  The Farmersville Rotary Club gave $944.00 to cover the textbook costs for school year 

                     2002.  This resulted from Rotary member Dick Seward's fact finding mission when he went in November 

                     with Loydell Seward, Colleen Hager, and Don and Lois O'Neal.  Also while there, books were added to 

                     the library and all were catalogued.  A math inservice for the teachers was also conducted.  Progress is 

                     being made and your continuing support is a large part of what makes it possible.  Keep up the good 

                     work, pepteam!

                    

                     Claude Ann Collins,

                     PEP Director