A quick note to the readers of this blog who, a few months ago, donated around 17,000 dollars to help my brother and the others on his mission trip provide medicine and clean water to a poor town in Guatemala.
He returned a couple of weeks back, and asked if I would post a thank you note and update on my blog, so that you could see the fruits of your charity.
I told him I’d post it, but he’d have to pay a 200 dollar fee.
That was a joke.
The fee is 300.
In all seriousness, I get some satisfaction out of knowing that something tangible and real has come from this little blog of mine. Rather, it came from you, but I’m happy to be a facilitator of the exchange.
Here’s Joe’s letter:
Dear friends,
Thank you once again for your generous contributions to my mission trip. Everything went according to plan (for the most part). On March 8 we left for Guatemala and arrived back at Christendom the following Sunday, March 16. We were lead by our Pastor, Father Planty, and another Christendom staff member Josh Peterson. We worked with the Missionary Sisters of the Poor Jesus in the small Guatemalan town of El Progresso and a Canadian relief organization, the Doppenbergs.
The majority of our work consisted in working in a remote Guatemalan town digging a trench one mile long to connect this town with their water supply. Working alongside the Guatemalan men, women and even children we finished the ditch by Saturday. The days were long and exhausting but very rewarding. We dug on mountain sides with inclines of nearly 70 degrees and at time had to dig and pick ax through straight rock. In one 30 minute stretch three pick axes were broken due to the rock formations. In the meantime, Father Planty administered to the sick Guatemalans who, in the remote villages, rarely receive spiritual care. And with the money donated the Sisters were able to buy and administer medical supplies to hundreds of children through a series of day clinics set up in the villages. After digging the trench, laying the pipe, creating a ditch 10 feet deep for the 10,000 gallon tank and covering the pipe the project was completed on the last day.
This project, which includes a water filtration system, all made possible by your contributions, will have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of all the people in this village. Now a clean and reliable source of water exists for a entire town, due in large part to your charity.
It was truly one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences of my life, and a week I will never forget. If not for your donations, we would not have been able to provide these essential services. Most importantly, above all else, we were able to share Christ’s love with our brothers and sisters in Guatemala. Again, thank you for your help, and God bless.
Sincerely,
Joe Walsh
I’m told they also had the funds to conduct an alpaca grooming seminar, which will hopefully aid in my quest to rid the Earth of the scourge of unkempt alpacas.
In any case, thank you all for your kindness. It’s easy to just sort of skim right by a blog post where some guy is trying to get you to give money to poor people. You don’t gain anything from clicking the Paypal link and sending a few dollars (or more than a few). But you gave, anyway.
Thank you.
And thanks for reading.
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