Our friends at Mayan Families are trying to help a hard-working family in the Panajachel area get back on its feet. Please read on about the family’s needs, and either click on the “Contact Us” button above, or use the email address below if you have any ideas.
Leonel Culan is 37 years old. On December 3rd while he was working as a builder’s assistant he fell 3 meters off a rock wall. His life changed forever and he became a parapalegic. Leonel is in the hospital in Solola. He is depressed about his own situation and terribly worried about how his family will survive. He lives in San Lucas Toliman and has seven children. His wife is Marta Elisa, 33yrs old. She did not have the chance to go to school and does not know how to read or write. She washes clothes by hand in private houses and earns $8 US per week when she can get the work. The money that the family is now earning is not enough for them to cover their costs. Often they have to go into the mountains and find herbs to eat. Their main diet now is tortillas with salt.
They own the house they live in. It is in very bad shape. They have one room made of cement block. They have one dilapidated kitchen made of tin. They pay $7 US per month for electricity. They do not have water connected and have to go to the lake to bring drinking water and wash their clothes. The lake is now suffering pollution and people are advised not to drink from it but this family cannot afford to buy drinking water. They do not have an onil stove. They cook over a wood burning stove. They have two chairs. They have one table. They have two beds but it is a hard plank bed that does not have a mattress. The other bed is a wire base but they do not have any mattress. They do not have drainage. They have not been able to afford to connect the water or to buy a pila, which is a 2 sided sink and an essential part of a Guatemalan household.
The father will be released from the hospital shortly and his situation is very desperate. The family does not have enough to eat. The living conditions are very unsanitary. They need beds, food, clothing, the floor needs cementing, they need the water connected and they need to have a water filter. The father will need medical support if he is going to be able to survive with the care that he will receive at home. This family was living very hand to mouth before this accident but now their situation is very, very difficult. If anyone can help with any of these needs for this family, it would be a huge blessing for them.
If you have any suggestions for this family, please contact Sharon Smart-Poage at Sharon@MayanFamilies.org.
Thank you so much for posting Leonel’s story. As part of a larger shipment of donated goods to Mayan Families, I am coordinating the collection and delivery of a large care package to his family. If anyone is interested in sending things to this family, please contact me at hrynis@yahoo.com. Many thanks.
Sarah,
Do you have a specific wish-list you can post here?
Is there an account where deposits could be made to help this family?
As a spinal chord injury survivor this affects me deeply
Hello Laura and Mark .. thanks for your interest in helping this family! Our wish list for the family is mainly cloths, rain gear and shoes for everyone … their ages and genders are posted on the related story; we are also collecting household items like bedding, towels, kitchenware and cookware. Things we consider necessities are luxury items and a huge treat, like shampoo, soap. toothbrushes. Any general items like umbrellas, flashlights, a radio, art supplies for the children would also be welcome.
Mark, if you would like to make a tax deductible cash donation you can do so directly at the Mayan Family website (www.mayanfamilies.com) … indicate on the form that it is for the Leonel Curan family. You can have your money go into a general donation pool, or direct it to a specific item, i.e. food or building costs. If you would like to contribute towards the care package, you can send items and/or money to me . Contact me at hrynis@yahoo.com. Thanks.