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Posted by admin on 27 Mar 2008 | Tagged as: Donors

Miguel Angel Costop delivers a computer to a home for 16 abused and abandoned girls in Salcaja run by Capuchin nuns, October 27, 2007.
TRIP TO GUATEMALA DECEMBER 7 TO DECEMBER 22, 2007.
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The main purpose of this trip was to be godfather to Triny’s first communion in Jacaltenango on December 11, 2007.
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One of Triny’s sister (a twin) is helping Triny get ready. It was a really big deal for this 12 year old. December 11, 2007
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Pinata after ther first communion. For me it was fun trying to pull the pinata out of reach of the kids, which was probably not in the right spirit. December 11, 2007.
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In addition to the first communion, some 240 celebrated their confirmation. Here the bishop corfims a young man, which ends with the bishop slapping the young man three times hard on his neck. He gently taps the young women. December 11, 2007.
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Lunch reception and cakes for “everyone” after the communion. December 11, 2007.
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The day after landing in Guatemala City and on the way to the first communion, I stopped in Esquitla to see a parrachial school where 15 computers were delivered. Here are five servers donated by Samoset in Darien, Ct. December 9, 2007
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We also visited a semiary where five computers were donated. Here is one donated by Streeter Technologies. December 9, 2007.
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Ten computers were allocated to the parrachial school in Ixtahuacan, my Peace Corps town. On the right is the director of the school Erny Ramos and her husband. On the left is kindergarten teacher Chico Ramirez who I worked with almost 40 years ago. Chico and Erny have agreed to coordinate distribution of computers to other schools in their area, which is great because Ixtahuacan and Erny are the first to accept my new policy of opening up their computer lab to other schools in their town. They have already convinced the parrochial scool in nearby Colotenango to open their computer lab as a condition of getting computers. These are two people I can really trust. December 14, 2007.
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Eulalia Paiz, Quaker medical student, with a computer donated by Tucker Lee. December 2007.
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We had an incredible, and too short, late afternoon sail on this 22 foot sailboat docked in front of the Posada Santiago, on a very puffy lake. December 17, 2007.
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One pleasant surprise and a major change from Peace Corps days was being able to buy a half galon of ice cream from an ice cram shop in Ixtahuacan. Here everone gets a cone in Juana’s home. December 19, 2007.
TRIP TO GUATEMALA SEPT 13 TO OCT 2, 2007
CULTURAL NIGHT IN SANTA EULALIA

By far, the high light of this trip was the unexpected delight of a cultural night presented by the students and teachers of Santa Eulalia and San Juan Ixcoy, Huehuetenango, given in Santa Eulalia. Through Rafaal Juarez, who lives in Santa Eulalia, and who manages the recreation park in Ixtahuacan, the two towns heard of this computer project. When they heard I was coming to Guatemala they hurriedly put together an hour and a half cultural night of traditional dances, poems, songs, and speeches, just for Eulalia and me, to impress upon us their desire to have computers. The final act was a young woman in traditional dress from Santa Eulalia, whose name was Eulalia. She first spoke in her Maya language, then in Spanish, and then to my astonishment, in fluent English, about why they wanted computers. It was very emotional. If there was any thought of dropping this project, it ended there. She just giggled like any young teenager when we later met. She and her family had been illegal immigrants in Champagne Illinois where she went to middle school, and her family had recently returned to Guatemala. The event showed their ability as great lobbyists, and what a great evening, which ended with a fun dinner with the teacehrs, with more speeches, and getting to know each other. These two towns think this is Eulalia’s project, she being the primary contact person, so she thought the dinner was amusing, and unusual for a woman, to be the center of so much attention from older men of authority. I enjoyed watching the dynamics. The next day we toured the two schools that wanted the computers, and the two towns. I took a lot of great pictures, all out of focus (better to learn a new camera before going on a trip). This encounter confirmed to me the importance of knowing where the computers go: the teachers, administrators, students, and the economic situation of the town. The need was very clear. We talked about the curriculm, how many computers were really needed, rather than wanted, and how best to secure the windows and doors so no one could break in to steal the computers. One of the schools doesn’t exist yet, but starts in January as a forestry schhol, and will share facilities with another existing school. Like good teachers everywhere, these teachers were committed to their students. I just wish I could show you photos of the students, teachers, and towns. We had been late the night before and rushed from Ixtahuacan to get to the cultural night, at night over winding roads along cliffs, but on the way back during the day time we could enjoy the magnificant views (see About Guatemala page).

Cultural Night traditional dance. September 17, 2007.
NEW MEMBERS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sister Romelia Chacun Murgia, General Secretary, Catholic missionary order
Brooke Mc Ilvaine, community activist
David Milholland,
Co-founder and President of Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission, is on the Steering Committee of Labor Arts Forum. A multiple award winning filmmaker and journalist, he edited Clinton St. Quarterly . His term on the Tri-Met Art Advisory Committee encompassed the Interstate Light Rail project. He received the 2004 Stewart Holbrook award for distinguished contributions to Oregon literary arts. He was a Group XI Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala from 1968-70.
Louis Russi, Attorney
Nora Williams, MD
DONATION OF LAPTOPS TO STUDENTS IN KENYA

John and Marilyn Parker, members of Noroton Presbyterian Church, visit Kenya regularly for extended periods, to work with students supported in part by Noroton Presbyterian Church. Here John is with Carolyne Kinyori, in Nairobi during the Parker’s trip last summer. We gave a laptop to John who sent it to Carolyne with Rev. Evalyn Wakkusama from Kenya, who was visiting in Darien in October. Calolyne, age 21, is a student at Daystar University in Kenya, studying community development and journalism. Photo by Marilyn Parker.

Wendy Wakhusama, daughter of Evalyn Wakhusama, who also got a laptop, here at the ground breaking for a school in Western Kenya. Wendy is a student at US International University in Kenya, studying international relations. Photo by Maryln Parker
Thank you email received from Wendy Nov 26, 2007:
Hello Don and Jeffery,
My name is Wendy Wakhusama and I am from Kenya. I am a currently a student in United States International University in Kenya. I received a laptop from both of you through John and Merliyn Parker, and I would really like to thank you for it. It was a nice gift from both of you. I am really grateful for the support. Thank you once again and God bless,
Yours sincerely,
Wendy Wakhusama
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Second shipment of 110 computers in Catholic Charites warehouse in Guatemala City, after one month in transit by container ship from Newark with a stop in Nassau. Meme Romero (right) and Jaime Torres from the Quaker Scholarship Program are picking up the computers, monitors, printers, and spare parts that were allocated to them. Is Meme working and Jaime supervising? Photo by Miguel Angel Costop. October 15, 2007

Miguel Angel Costop, who as boss mangaged up to now to avoid any heavy lifting by saying he was busy taking pictures, was forced to help or face a coup. Fortunately he managed to find the smallest, and lightest, box to carry from their truck into their offices in Parramos. Good work Miguel Angel! October 2007.
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Migual Angel emailed this with the caption “mess in ofice.” This is the Quaker scholarship program office in Parramos, which received 24 monitors, 28 computers, 31 printers, and lots of spare parts. October 19, 2007.

Jaime, staff member of the Quaker Scholarship Program, giving a computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and printer to student Roberto Bulux October 21, 2007.
REPRINT OF AN ARTICLE FROM THE DARIEN TIMES, AUGUST 2, 2007
Author: Susan Shultz; Times Reporter
Section: Lifestyles
Title: Bring technology to Guatemala
Text:
Donald Livingston is passionate about Guatemala.
Since serving there in the Peace Corps in the late 1960s, Livingston has paid for countless scholarships for students, has bought land where he is developing a playground and a school, and most recently, is collecting computer donations for groups of Guatemalan students.
The computer project began in 2005, and Livingston is so passionate about it, he was almost too depressed to continue about a week ago.
“I started to think about whether they really needed the computers,” he said.
Then, Livingston said, miracles started happening.
He had received a group of computers from a corporate donation, but the company removed all the hard drives first.
“It’s cheaper to do that than delete all the confidential files,” Livingston said.
He had no idea where to get the new hard drives or how much they would cost.
Livingston called a friend for help, and the friend was able to buy the necessary hard drives off eBay and donated them to the cause.
Then, he got a call that his neighbor had a wealthy aunt who donated money to worthy causes. Livingston’s neighbor said all he had to do was fill out the paperwork, and the money would be his. He was thrilled and got recharged for the project.
And bottom line, to emphasize the need, he obtained a report from the nuns he works with in Guatemala analyzing the need for many more computers and exactly where they would be placed.
The computer project started in December 2005, when Livingston was speaking with the nuns he worked with on scholarships he provided in Guatemala.
The nuns told him about starting a computer lab and asked if he could arrange for computer donations. Working with the Sugar Bowl, Livingston put up signs asking for donations and got about 20 computers.
“We were asking friends if they had computers under desks, or in a garage, that they don’t want to throw away,” he said.
Livingston made arrangements to ship the computers through Catholic Charities.
Now, he has about 110 to ship in about two weeks. To save on shipping materials, he fills the shipping containers with stuffed animals and other items from the Darien Community Association Thrift Shop.
Livingston has had a great deal of help from the community. On his Web site, computersforguatemala. com, he documents the friends, businesses, church members and neighbors who have helped his cause. The site also provides contact information for those who wish to donate computers, or their time to help ship them. He also needs storage space for the computers as his garage is not big enough to hold all the machines.
Livingston is also excited about the school that will go on the property he owns in Guatemala.
“There is an American living there, he’s about 35, he’s getting married and will stay there, and said he wants to use my land to build a Montessori school. His wife is a teacher, and will also use the land as an agricultural demonstration project,” Livingston said.
He said that is “exactly” what he wanted the land used for.
There will still be enough land left to build a home and a park for the locals.
Livingston has been salvaging playground equipment to send along with the computers. He recently found a slide that is in excellent shape. He’s also been in contact with the Darien School District, asking for donations from its playgrounds.
Livingston also is trying to build a basketball court on the playground, and is seeking donations. He asks anyone interested to contact him through his Web site.
Recently, he felt the impact again of the difference between our society and that of Guatemala. One of the many students he has subsidized through school came to visit.
“We come from a society where we have everything,” he said.
He took the student to visit the Noroton Yacht Club, and there was a cell phone left from the evening before, and the student couldn’t believe the cell phone had not been stolen.
Livingston said in addition to seeking computer donations and help with the procedure for storing and sending computers, he would ask that people consider donating scholarships. That information is also available on his Web site.
“It costs $2,000 a year to send a student in Guatemala to medical or law school, and it takes four or five years to complete,” he said.
Livingston asked where else you would get such a “bang for your buck.”
“They don’t have enough doctors. Do the math. It is such an opportunity for someone. For $10,000, how many lives will you save?”
Livingston also pointed out that about 80 percent of the kids he works with are pure Mayan.
“They have been exploited for about 500 years since their conquest by the Spanish, 1500 something I think, and are just realizing their right to be equal, and are finally getting a little attention from their government. There is even a sense of emerging pride of being Mayan,” he said.
Livingston quoted one of the Guatemalan nuns on the importance of the computer donations.
“Because of the advances in technology in our time, to know how to use a computer is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity,” she wrote to him.
Livingston is especially interested in bulk donations from those out of town, as it makes the trip worthwhile, but will take singles and small amounts of computer donations from locals.
Anyone interested in donating computers, money for the playground, or scholarships, as well as their time, should contact Livingston via his Web site, computersforguatemala.com.sshultz@darientimes.com
Caption:
Christoph Hanau makes sure a donated computer is ready to head to Guatemala.
Donald Livingston packs a container full of donated computers for Guatemala.(Darien Times/LaureenVellante photos)
Copyright, 2007, The Darien Times
Record Number: 11AE15B8F4A182C0
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