Reality bites

Guatemala is an a amazing country. It is beautiful, it is full of variety, colorful, and every person I have met has been very nice. But the other day I heard a speaker from a non-profit group called Wings, that reminded me about the reality of being Guatemalan. In this country, 40% of children will flunk first grade and the average person only completes 5.5 years of school; chronic malnutrician is rampant resulting in an IQ that is estimated at 15 points lower that it should be; the political system is democratic, but weak and corrupt; the police mean well (mostly) but are outnumbered 3 to 1 by private security guards; drug trafficing in the Peten (northern region) is growing because of illegal airstips and its rainforest area being too difficult to be policed; 600 bus drivers have been killed recently because gangs expect bus drivers to pay them in order to stay alive; poor women (insert "indigineous") have on average 7 children; there are 20 native languages still spoken here; the number one source of income for Guatemala? The money immigrants in the U.S. send back to their families. This country has so much to offer....yet it can't seem to beat the corruption that keeps it divided and oppressed.

Consequetnly, it is hard to know what to do or what to even pray for. Guatemala does not need to be another "U.S." but the people are unable to reach their fullest potention because of the lack of basic neccesities like education and pure water. And the malnutician...well, that is simply poverty at work...since this country produces an amazing array of fruits and vegetables and beans....

The gap between the poor and the rich is one of the most offensive there is in the world....

And yet I have heard several people who gave up their lives in the U.S. in order to help those in need here. Non-profit organizations contine to provide for the people what the government fails to: healthcare, education, housing.

Please keep the poor and indigenous people of Guatemala in your prayers....