Guatemala In Our Hearts
All eyes were glued to the news reports of the deadly explosion of Volcán de Fuego, or Volcano of Fire, in Guatemala. The explosion spewed a fountain of scorching-hot lava and thick clouds of black smoke and ash that cascaded over several regions of the Central American nation, including the capital, Guatemala City. It was Guatemala’s deadliest volcanic eruption in more than a century, affecting 1.7 million people. At the time of publication, at least 109 people have been killed and hundreds are still missing, with death tolls continuing to rise. Days after the volcano’s first eruption, search, rescue and recovery efforts remain in full effect for the millions of people affected by the blasts, with many of the small towns surrounding Fuego covered in thick ash and flowing debris. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala warns that residents should be on alert for new eruptions, the spread of volcanic ash, and mudslides with volcanic material.
This tragedy has shaken the hearts of the JustWorld family to its core. JustWorld has been serving the community of Jocotenango, Guatemala for the past 10 years. JustWorld partners with Los Patojos, a fully accredited education program, including nutritious meals, a full time doctor, and arts programming, for hundreds of students in Pre-K through 9th Grade. This program isn’t an ordinary school, but a beacon of hope and positivity for the participating students and the community as a whole. It’s a movement that is reconstructing the social fabric of the country. Los Patojos is bringing up the current and future generations of youth with the awareness, education, dreams, and ideas critical to eradicating the vicious cycle of poverty and violence in the surrounding communities.
Founder and Executive Director of Los Patojos, Juan Pablo, updated JustWorld supporters on how Los Patojos, located merely 18.9 km from Volcán de Fuego, was directly impacted. He shared that the physical structure of the school is still intact and they are working hard to clean and recover damaged areas. Members of Los Patojos have been personally affected as their neighbors and loved ones must deal with the wreckage and loss. Juan Pablo, a fearless leader, is not letting this bring down their spirit, sharing, “We are lucky, blessed and ready to serve!”If you would like to support Los Patojos, please contact us:Office +1 561-333-9391Email jwinfo@justworldinternational.org11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd.Suite 10A-396Wellington, Florida 33414United States