April, 2011

Dear AGAND Family and Friends,

Eighteen months ago we wrote a letter, with information about a proposed daycare of excellence at AGAND. The letter was written by Mirna Vargas, then the AGAND Director.

Since then many things have happened. The efforts made to raise funds for the daycare center did not produce enough funding for a 2 year project trial period.  The AGAND Guatemala Board felt that closing the AGAND Children's Home was the only reasonable thing to do.

The house is now empty and for sale. The equipment, furniture, toys and clothing were given to a children's project in eastern Guatemala which had suffered severe loss from a HUGE storm and flooding of their facility. It is being well-used and we are grateful.  However the economic slowdown has affected Guatemala as well as much of the rest of the world. We are hopeful that the house will sell soon.  The neighborhood has changed in the 25 years AGAND lived there--and that also increases the difficulty of sale.

In view of the closure of AGAND Guatemala, AGAND USA has largely finished it's task. Some remaining funds are being held for the education of several older children who remained in Guatemala when homes were not found for them. The rest will be given to similar children's projects which are yet to be chosen.

Mirna Vargas and Haydée Guzman who worked for AGAND Guatemala for nearly all of it's 33 years, continue to serve others. Neither has found suitable, permanent employment, but both are busy and involved with family and with others.

Some AGAND families have expressed concern for Mirna, who needs employment!  If you would like to receive some information about how to help her during this time of transition, please write to judy@agand.org

I hope to be able to put up some old photos of AGAND, and the kids who lived there...If you are one of them, check back in a couple of weeks!

With some sadness, but faith in the future,

I remain....Judy