Helping with Malnutrition in Guatemala
Posted June 15, 2016
In the autumn of 2015 it became clear that Guatemala’s serious poverty was affecting a number of the members of the United Church of God. Some of the children were suffering the effects of malnutrition because their families could not afford enough food. Some elderly women did not have sufficient funds to buy food or were being forced to choose between food and medicines they needed. 
Mrs. Robledo, the wife of the pastor, Mr. Israel Robledo, was deeply moved by what she was seeing and asked if there was something that could be done to help with this situation.
The young adults in the Oakland and San Jose, California UCG congregations developed a plan in response to Mrs. Robledo’s request. They organized a fund raiser based on a variety show presented by a Church members and a silent auction in combination with a potluck. A total of $3,790.00 was raised which was forwarded to Mr. Robledo and his wife to use to provide food and other assistance. Some funds were also used to pay for a stay in a refuge for the elderly for a woman who needed a place to convalesce from surgery but whose relatives were unable to assist.
Mark Rorem |
LifeNets has also in the past two years provided funds for the purchase of school supplies, shoes and clothes for the poorest children whose families were considering withdrawing them from public schools because the families could not provide supplies and even shoes. Mr. Robledo reports that since the assistance has been provided, grades have gone up and the dropout rate has gone down.
- by Mark Rorem, UCG elder San Jose