Catching Up with the Family Support Center

It's been a while since our last post about the Family Support Center (formerly La Guardería). November and December are vacation months for students in Guatemala, and, despite a budget crunch, we offered some special activities for the children and youth at the end of last year.  In additional to the Olympics and a fun art activity, we also organized a few special days with the children and youth.

Art Activity:  Special Christmas Party Invitations for the Families

Self-Care Activity
The children and youth participated in a self-care activity in November.  All of the participants were instructed to arrive at the Center, on time, ready to greet the day.  We encouraged them to bath in the morning and wear clean clothes.  We divided into four groups and prepared a delicious breakfast, including cereal, fruit, scrambled eggs, and smoothies.  Each group was responsible for part of the breakfast activity, including decorating and setting the tables.  The idea behind this activity was to show the children and youth that they have enough time in the morning to get ready for school and prepare and eat a healthy breakfast.

Washing the Oranges

Soaking the Strawberries

Scrambling the Eggs

Enjoying Cake and Secrets

Birthday Party
Also in November we celebrated the birthdays of all of the children and youth who have birthdays August-December.  We enjoyed two piñatas, several cakes, gifts for the birthday boys and girls, and goodie bags for all children.  Pop Wuj students made delicious homemade cakes, decorated with Hershey's Kisses and giantblack berries.  Que rico!

Fancy Cakes!

Gifts for 35 kiddos and teenagers

Scholarship Assembly and Christmas Party

The second week of December was a busy week at Pop Wuj.  We had the annual scholarship assembly and the Family Support Center Christmas Party.  Most of the children who attend the Family Support Center also receive scholarships.  All of the scholarship recipients and their families are invited to Pop Wuj for a day-long event including health checkups, special guest speakers, and a hot lunch.  All scholarship program participants leave with a bag of school supplies for the next school year, beginning in January.

The very next day, we held the Christmas Party for the children and youth of the Family Support Center.  We invited their families, Pop Wuj Students, and the famous Yajahira, the project's former teacher. Everyone had a blast playing 'Pin the Nose on Frosty,' singing Christmas carols in Spanish and English, and receiving gifts.  Each child received a new pair of school shoes and a new sweatshirt.

Thanks to a last-minute donation we were also able to purchase small toys/gifts for each child.

A New Car! (shouted like on The Price is Right)