Marcela may not live much longer

Marcela is 88 years old. She has recently taken a terrible turn for the worse and is not expected to live much longer. She has asthma and is in a lot of pain, and cannot leave her bed. But she only wants to take natural medicine. She doesn't want any medical help, she only asks for disposable diapers and a blanket. Her family is respecting her wishes and are surrounding her with love and care. They are already preparing for her funeral, but find themselves too poor to afford a proper burial. They have come to us and asked for help with funeral costs and help buying diapers and a blanket to make Marcela more comfortable in her last days. We are asking for $200 to help Marcela.

To help Marcela and her family during this difficult time, please go to Donate Now and scroll down.  Enter your donation in the "Other $" box.  In the "Details" box, write "A36 Medical". Thank you so much for your care and concern!

Biography: Marcela Coj Samines

Marcela Coj Samines (A36):

Marcela is 87 years old (2011) and lives in San Jorge. She never had the opportunity to go to school and her primary language is Kaqchiquel. She is widowed and has two children. She is very poor and only receives Q400 each month. This is not enough money to pay for her needs, which include buying wood for her fire, paying for her light, and buying food. Marcela's daughter owns the home that she lives in. Her home is made of wood and has a dirt floor. She cooks over an open fire. Marcela doesn't have a water filter or pila; she has to carry her water to her home from the public pila in town. She doesn't have a place to shower, so she uses the shower in her son's home. She doesn't have a place to put her clothes, so she uses cardboard boxes. Marcela also suffers from asthma, but she cannot afford her medicine. She now has a bed with a mattress, thanks to Mayan Families donations, but she used to sleep on the floor for many years. Her only consistent source of food is the lunch she receives every day from Mayan Families. She often goes without breakfast or dinner.

Marcela Sleeping on Floor

Update April 19
Marcela now has a brand new thick blanket to ward off the cold night here. This, along with the bed and mattress will make such a big improvement to Marcela's health conditions. Thank you so much for making this happen!


Update April 7

Thanks to very generous donations, Marcela now has a brand new comfortable bed and mattress to sleep on.  Marcela has had a terribly tough life and she was so grateful to receive this gift which will make a wonderful improvement to her current living conditions. She also has a donation to pay for her medication for the month of April 2011, as well as for a supply of incaparina, a milk based drink fortified with vitamins and minerals. We cannot express our gratitude on Marcela's behalf.


Original Post
Marcela Coh Samines is 87 years old.  She lives alone in a house owned by her only surviving child.  This little home consists of two small rooms--one a kitchen, and the other what passes for a bedroom.  Sadly, this second room contains no bed.  Instead, Marcela sleeps on a thin grass mat on the floor.  Until we gave her two more blankets that had been donated, she had only two blankets to keep her warm and cushion her from the hard ground. 

Though she suffers from asthma, she usually can't afford to buy the medication that she needs, which costs $23 per month, and she often suffers from a cough or wheezing.  She has electricity, but she doesn't have water connected, so she must carry her water from the communal water source in the center of town.

The bare ground where Marcela sleeps.

Though her life is full of hardships, the one she most wants help with is hunger.  The lunch she gets from Mayan Families is her only steady source of food, and breakfast and dinner are luxuries she often can't afford.

Marcela's life could be made a lot more comfortable with a few simple changes.  A single bed and mattress to get her off of the floor would cost just $75.  A contribution towards her asthma medicine would make the simple act of breathing easier.  And a little bit of help, especially monthly help, to buy some staple foods would help make sure that she doesn't pass the entire time between lunches without eating.  If you would like to make a contribution to help Marcela, you can do so at Donate Now.  Enter your donation in the "Other" box, and enter "A36" in the details (The 'A' stands for 'anciano', or elderly person).  Thank you!