No Easter Basket for Miguel in Guatemala

Miguel and his mother Maria, receiving their food donations last week

Maria, the widow shown (right)  with one of her five children, has never seen an Easter basket. She most likely would not understand the concept of using valuable eggs as decorations, or of filling decorated baskets with dyed eggs that won’t be eaten. The broom behind her sweeps  a dirt floors and yard; there is no grass to hide Easter items in. Her children will not receive new holiday clothing, or shoes. Candy is not in their reality. Money, if it were available to this illiterate impoverished rural Guatemalan mother, would not be used for frivolous holiday items for her children, it would be used for corn, the vital staple of Central American Mayan diets. On this particular Easter holiday, Miguel and his family are fortunate to have received the donation of 100 lbs of corn, 50 lbs of beans, rice, cooking oil, sugar and coffee. The Easter gift for Miguel and his siblings is not Easter candy. It is having a mother who smiles more often, knowing that she can now meet the basic needs for education, shelter and food for her children. Thank you, Finding Freedom through Friendship donors, for sharing the true meaning of Easter with this family.