Only A Child

03/16/2024

03/17/2023

Coming up is the organization's Annual Spring Fundraising Celebration. Follow this link for more information, to purchase a ticket to the fundraiser or to make a donation. Payments may be through PayPal, credit card using PayPal as a guest or personal check.
https://www.onlyachild.org/annual_fundraiser.html
The event will be held on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. It will once again be held at the Sons of Italy, 520 Pleasant St. Watertown, MA. The hall is large with capacity for 250 people. Our gathering draws 125 guests on average, allowing us to leave generous space between tables. As in years past, the event will feature an informal luncheon buffet, including a full dessert bar, a raffle featuring prizes both Guatemalan and local to New England, and a presentation by Only a Child founder and Executive Director, George Leger. The money raised by this event will continue to provide a much needed source of revenue in support of our work with underprivileged youths in Guatemala. General admission is $30. Seniors and students are $20. We look forward to gathering with you after an absence of 4 years, to speak with you in person and thank you for your continued support throughout the pandemic.
https://www.onlyachild.org/annual_fundraiser.html

In 2023, the event will be held on Sunday, April 2nd, from 2 to 4 PM For the first time since 2019, Only A Child’s Board of Directors has chosen to hold our annual spring fundraiser. It will once again be held at the Sons of Italy, located at 520 Pleasant St. Watertown, MA. The hall is large with ...

06/08/2020

Once again, I ask for prayers for a graduate of our program, Giovany. A little over a year ago I asked for prayers for Giovany and his family. His wife Flor had been killed at that time by a speeding driver who jumped the curb and struck Flor on the sidewalk. In the last few years Giovany has lost his parents, as well. Roughly 10 year ago his younger sister was kidnapped and murdered. Today, Giovany learned that the only surviving member of his immediate family, his younger brother Josue, died from complications of COVID-19. Josue was 30 years old. Giovany is the widowed father of 5 children. He lives with his mother-in-law and 6 orphaned nieces and nephews. His brother-in-law was murdered on a public bus several years ago and his sister-in law, Lydia, died of complications from Lupus disease 3 years ago. I spoke with Giovany today and tried to consol him as best I could, but he will need many, many prayers to strengthen him after years of painful loss and struggle. I imagine that many people have long prayer lists at this time, but ask that you think of Giovany and his family when calling on the Lord.

04/11/2020

Our youths usually travel to be with family during Holy Week. It is one of only 4 times per year that they are able to return home, as their schedules are hectic and, for many of them, the journey is a long and tiring one. Not surprisingly, some of them have struggled during the past few days, as this will mark the first time they will be separated from their families during what remains a holy and poignant time in Guatemala. Many areas, villages and families have religious and cultural traditions that have been in place for decades, if not longer. I’ve tried to ease the loss by creating traditions in our home and providing our days together with meaning. We have been routinely gathering in the living room at 8 PM to watch longtime favorite DVDs. Christian flavored films have taken priority of late, in honor of Holy Week. Thursday night featured the first episode of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. Last night we watched ‘The Passion of the Christ’, then had a surprisingly lengthy discusion about the film over lunch this afternoon. We have downloaded ‘The Ten Commandments’ from the Internet and watch the first half of this classic epic tonight, then save the rest for tomorow, Easter Sunday. We have observed these holy days in other ways. We have shared Holy Week related Bible passages and devotions over dinner. Yesterday, Good Friday, we spent an hour of silence between 2 and 3 PM, honoring the crucifixion of Jesus. This morning we continued our now 3 week old tradition of spending Saturday mornings in fasting and prayer, between 8 AM and noon. This time of social distancing has provided us with the opportunity to step back, take a deep breath, reevaluate our lives and rearrange priorities – not a bad thing during Holy Week. I find that time dedicated to my faith and all things Divine provides me and my current housemates with reassurance, perspective, hope and the will to carry on at a time when fear, uncertainty and despair stll often continue to rule the day. Happy Easter!

04/05/2020

I write to you at this time to ask for your support. On March 12th, Only A Child's Board of Directors reached the decision to cancel this year's spring fundraiser, which was scheduled for today, April 5th. The decision was made without hesitation, before our government formally canceled private gatherings. Our Board, composed of volunteers, had also decided to cancel our fall fundraiser, this past November, when faced with hectic schedules and challenging situations in their personal lives. I believe it is not an exaggeration to say that the loss of both events in one fiscal year could ultimately put Only A Child's future in jeopardy as, together, the events provide for a significant percentage of our annual operating budget, which is modest to begin with. We have entered uncharted waters, and there in lies the source of much of our anxiety. We have been and will be tested in ways that are unfamiliar to us and asked that we selflessly give of humanity in both ordinary and out-of-the-ordinary ways. To those of you who remain financially able, I ask that you please take a moment to support our spring fundraiser, even though we will not be gathering this year. For information on how to make a donation to our cause, please visit our web site at www.onlyachild.org

04/03/2020

From Oswald Chambers book of daily devotions, ´My Utmost for His Highest´, “Do not fret…it only causes harm.” Psalm 37:8 – Fretting means getting ourselves out of joint mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say do not fret, but something very different to possess such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It is easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” 37:7 until our world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and anxiety like so many other people. Is it possible to rest in the Lord then? If this ‘do not fret’ does not work there, then it will not work anywhere. This ‘do not fret’ must work during the days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as during the peaceful days...Resting in the Lord does not depend on your external circumstances at all, but rather, on your relationship with God Himself. Oswald Chambers--- I mentioned in the recent ‘prayer and fasting’ post that, for many years now, I have begun my days spending 45 minutes to an hour of quiet time, in communion with God. This discipline has strengthened and encouraged me and guided me in ways which have seen me through many a difficult time in Guatemala. It continues to do so now, when faced with, what is for many of us, the biggest challenge of our lives.

04/01/2020

Today, Tuesday, Guatemalan enters into its 3rd week of informal lock down. Over the weekend, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei extended the original March 31st deadline to April 12th, so we appear to be taking things 2 weeks at a time. The 4 PM curfew has also been extended and that presents the bigger challenge. Those of you from my native New England or, other northern regions of the U.S., are likely accustomed to voluntarily settling in at home early evening, on cold and dark winter nights. It seems wise and even appropriate. Home is warm and cozy – the logical, more comfortable choice, given the alternative outside your door. April in Guatemala, however, in no way encourages being house bound, come late-afternoon. The promise of spring is manifest. Dusk arrives just after 6 PM. The average high temperature in the city reaches the low-to-mid 80s and it in no way feels natural to be confined to your home so early in the day. But the government means business. Police patrols begin to give warning at 3:30 in the afternoon. Pick up trucks patrol the streets with their sirens blaring in brief, sharp bursts, giving off an eerie threat, sounding as if Guatemala has contracted an extraterrestrial security force to manage the situation. This only adds to one’s understanding that all is not right, all is not well, compounding one’s anxiety, increasing one’s desire that things return to the way they once were - sooner rather than later. Even so, most people have cooperated with the curfew. But not all. According to press reports, on the first 3 nights of curfew, roughly 2,000 citizens were rounded up and jailed for not complying with the new ordinance. As difficult as being ‘in for the night’ at such an ungodly hour may be, it seems the far better option when compared to being imprisoned, 24 hours a day. (Below, top to bottom - 1. In for the night, garaged, at 3:45 PM. Leaving one's car on the street at night is unsafe, vulnerable to break in and theft. 2. The curfew hour).

03/27/2020

Last week Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei called for the country to come together in fasting and prayer on Saturday, March 21st. I immediately thought it a good idea and took a day to consider what form our participation would take. Upon reaching a decision, I gathered my housemates together and informed him that I would not be serving breakfast on the morning of the 21st, explaining that I felt it proper that we participate in the national fast and time of prayer. I also explained that our house would be noise and technology free between 8 AM and 12 noon. That included no time dedicated to homework, no books, no laptops, no cellphones. They were to spend the time quietly in their rooms, in reflection and prayer. I encourgaed them to get to better know their Bibles, as we have one for each of our youths thanks to a donation from a mission out of Austin Texas. There was a somewhat tentative consensus that my decision was a proper one. I decided to spend the time in my apartment where, for years, I have begun my days quietly alone with my Maker. Saturday morning I confidently left them home alone. I returned just after noon to prepare lunch, the menu consisting of what was normally served on Saturday morning - our version of a leisurely weekend breakfast. The house remained quiet well beyond noon until I called everyone to the table, just after one. Occasional, low key conversation continued throughout out our time gathered together. But there was an unmistakable air of reverence not usually found at meals and I sensed that each, in his own way, had been moved by the experience, so much so that I have decided to continue our Saturday morning devotion of fasting and prayer. I thinks of it as the godly version of solidarity. P.S. Upon returning to prepare lunch, I came upon one of our youths, Jonathan (photo, above), at his desk, copying a Bible verse into a notebook. I later asked him which verse he had been copying. Jonathan informed me that it was Isaiah 5:9 “So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.” These are surely difficult times for the world. Age, gender, race, creed, social and economic status, we all share the same struggle, at present. The details may vary, but the fear and anxiety we experience are known by one and all. No one is spared. Let this be our common ground. One world under God, indivisible…

03/27/2020

Last week Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei called for the country to come together in fasting and prayer on Saturday, March 21st. I immediately thought it a good idea and took a day to consider what form our participation would take. Upon reaching a decision, I gathered my housemates together and informed him that I would not be serving breakfast on the morning of the 21st, explaining that I felt it proper that we participate in the national fast and time of prayer. I also explained that our house would be noise and technology free between 8 AM and 12 noon - no time dedicated to homework, no books, no laptops, no cellphones. They were to spend the time quietly in their rooms, in reflection and prayer. I encourgaed them to get to better know their Bibles, as we have one for each of our youths thanks to a donation from a mission out of Austin Texas. There was a somewhat tentative consensus that my decision was a proper one. I decided to spend the time in my apartment where, for years, I have begun my days in solitude with my Maker. Saturday morning I confidently left them home alone. I returned just after noon to prepare lunch, the menu consisting of what was normally served on Saturday morning - our version of a leisurely weekend breakfast. The house remained quiet well beyond noon until I called everyone to the table, just after one. Occasional, low key conversation continued throughout out our time gathered together. But there was an unmistakable air of reverence not usually found at meals and I sensed that each, in his own way, had been moved by the experience, so much so that I have decided to continue our Saturday morning devotion of fasting and prayer. I thinks of it as the godly version of solidarity. P.S. Upon returning to prepare lunch, I came upon one of our youths, Jonathan (photo, above), at his desk, copying a Bible verse into a notebook. I later asked him which verse he had been copying. Jonathan informed me that it was Isaiah 5:9 “So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.” These are surely difficult times for the world. Age, gender, race, creed, social and economic status, we all share the same struggle, at present. The details may vary, but the fear and anxiety we experience are known, by one and all. No one is spared. Let this be our common ground. One world under God, indivisible…

03/25/2020

Yesterday, Tuesday, we completed our 9th day of being house bound. The 4 PM curfew began on Sunday, so 3 days and counting. My departures from our home are limited to occasional banking, grocery shopping, and quick runs to my apartment, which is only blocks away. I shopped 3 times last week and hope to become more efficient this week – just 2 trips to the grocer. I’d like to share what shopping is like here at my neighborhood store. It’s a local chain named ‘Paiz’. The stores are not large and, in terms of size, remind me of the A & Ps of my youth. They provide all the basics, a luxury during these times. You are greeted at the door by a no-nonsense security guard who asks why you have come (the store anchors a small mall and with the exception of a bank and pharmacy, all other businesses are closed). You’re turned away immediately if you are not wearing a mask. OAC residents' masks are courtesy of our in-house carpentry shop. Often times, one has to wait in line ouside the store, as the number of shoppers permitted to enter at one time is limited - to 50 to 75 customers, I’d guess. Once granted to permission to enter, you are greeted and given hand sanitizer. Last week there was also medical personel to take your temperature on the spot. Today there was no such presence. The store remains well stocked, with the exception of disinfectants, which are available, but in short supply. People generally keep to themselves and are focused on the task at hand, perhaps because they want to keep their time in public to a minimum, perhaps because they understand people are waiting outside. The aisles are narrow and one has to sometimes navigate shopping cart traffic, but people are always accommodating, courteous and friendly, gracious really – no sense of competition, rudeness not to be found. There are ample registers available, usually little or no wait. The women working the registers were left unprotected until recently, when they were shielded from customers with plexiglass partitions, equipped with a small slot at the base, available to make payment, as well as give change and receipts. I’m often tense while shopping and try to maximize efficiency of movement to minimize time spent out in public. All in all, I spend between 20 and 30 minutes at the store, and am relieved when the car is packed and I begin my journey home. P.S. - Please feel free to share these posts and respond not only to me but also to others who have responded. The goal is to create dialogue and a sense of being in this together during a time af isolation. George

03/23/2020

Beginning today, I plan to send regular postings, providing some insight into Guatemalan life in the time of Covid-19. Current # confirmed cases -roughly 18. Around the world, many of us are house bound, some alone. We've lots more time to communicate, so I'd like to develop an interculture communication, to create sharing and understanding, to build a border crossing on line community. In Guatemala, the borders have been closed. We have been in unofficial lockdown since Monday. One can leave home out of genuine necessity. All schools and universities closed on Monday. San Caalos U and some private schools offer online classes. Most businesses are close (all commercial centers) too. Social and cultural events cancelled. Small supermarkets and pharmacias and banks still function, as do utility, Internet and petrol related businesses. Public transportaion cancelled since Monday. Uber and taxi service still available. Beginning today (Sunday) there will be a national 4PM curfew. On a more personal note, our shelter house parents left on Tuesday to be with family. I am living in our shelter watching over our youths. They chose to stay with us, to continue with their studies from home. They are agreeable and helpful company. Passing the time with them makes being shut in a lot more tolerable. They are often busy with studies, but we make time to come together. In the coming days and weeks I'll be sharing stories of what life in our home is like at present. I hope you'll enjoy reading them. I welcome all feedback, as I hope to build a web of communication, through which we share our struggles and revelations through this ordeal. I think we'll find that the human experience is a mostly shared one regardless of where you call home, in good times and in bad. Please join in. (And please note that, even though I 'll likely not be able to respond to all communications, I'll gratefully read and appreciate them, nevertheless.) And away we go... George