Rosa Rafaela - Sponsored

Rosa is so happy to have a sponsor! Thank you for making such a huge difference in her life.

Rosa Rafaela was widowed 30 years ago, and now lives with her daughter, Rebeca, and her 10-year-old granddaughter, who is one of our sponsored students.  Rosa is a sweet, youthful woman, and lucky to live with her loving family, but Rebeca can hardly afford to feed herself and her daughter, and she cannot support her mother.  Rosa’s other daughter, Sara, is also unable to help: she lost her home during hurricane Stan (2005), and now struggles to feed herself and her 20-year-old special needs daughter.

To support herself, Rosa Rafaela sells tacos, bread with beans, and tostados every morning at the schools around Panajachel.  She earns about $8 a week, which is not enough to pay for food, clothing, and shoes.  

Rosa and Rebeca's former home

Until just about a year ago, Rosa and her family faced a housing crisis. Rebeca had been paying rent for their residence, but became ill and could no longer work. When the rent was four months overdue, the family was evicted and left with nowhere to go. The stress left Rebeca, who already had ulcers, trembling with nerves for days. Mayan Families put them up in a room until they could get back on their feet and pay rent. 

Christmas '09, with a
beautiful gift package

We are very happy to soon be marking the one year anniversary of their new residence, where they have not had trouble with the landlord or making payments. Still, rent here runs very high--about $80 a month--and so the food and medical attention that Rosa is being afforded through sponsorship is critical and tremendously helpful.

In the third week of September we took Rosa to the doctor because of some eye and skin conditions that needed attention. Those issues are being attended to, and the doctor said that Rosa has the blood pressure of a quinceañera (fifteen-year-old)! We were all quite delighted to hear it, but not surprised!