Casa Guatemala- An Opportunity to Give

Thanks again for visiting “Crystal Clear Window Washing”.  I do enjoy my work and the opportunity to meet so many people in our community.

I don’t know whom all I’ve told my stories to.  So bear with me as I retell a portion of it.

Window washing is the business that I started after leaving corporate life.  I was a computer engineer for Oracle for many years.  I decided to make some life changes and to explore new ideas and opportunities.  Window washing was something I tried to get my kids do when they lived at home, but they never did!  So after deciding I wanted to change my life, I was ready to give it a try.  It has turned out to be such a blessing.  I am now employing four people:   Tim, who works during the summer and in the winter attends a Bible College,  Mark, who is the pastor of our small church which cannot provide a full time salary, Calvin, a college student, and of course, me.

I’ll keep this as short as I can.
My wife (Tricia) and I had a sailboat. We took four months off from our corporate jobs several years ago.   Our plan was to sail from Florida to Guatemala.   However, we wreaked our boat on a reef in Mexico.  That is a long story, and possibly will be made into a movie (ha, ha).  We bought another small, old boat in Mexico and continued our journey to Guatemala, which is where we now keep that boat.

During the winter I go back to Guatemala.  This will be my third year to spend the winter in Guatemala.  While in Guatemala I have a number of interests: 

·         maintaining my boat,

·         sewing and canvas work on boats as a side business,

·         helping out at an orphanage named “Casa Guatemala.”  They have a website.  http://www.casa-guatemala.org.  It is the happiest place on earth that I know of.

The orphanage exists entirely on donations.  With the economy being down, so is giving. The orphanage is struggling to survive. They prepare around 600 meals a day to feed the children and staff. Last year when I arrived the children and staff were down to eating rice and beans for every meal.  I was able to take $1800 that was donated by my wife and mother and gave it directly to the orphanage.  The money was used immediately to buy vegetables and some meat for an entire month which fed the whole population of the orphanage.   

Which brings me to the point of this letter….

My family is once again donating.  But the need is great.  So I would like to extend to you the opportunity to bless others.  I do not need funds for myself thanks to the success of “Crystal Clear Window Washing,” and a good wife.   I ask only for the children and staff of the orphanage. 

I will carry the money directly to the orphanage and will see exactly where the money is spent.  I’ll be able to report back on how your money was spent.  I know that we are giving people… and that we have all been hit up by organizations seeking donations.  There is so much need not only around the world, but at home as well.   So please, do not feel obligated.  However, if you have not found a good place to make a donation and are financially blessed, I invite you to give some thought to providing for this special cause.

I encourage you to discuss this with your spouses and pray about this.  My wife and I can verify first hand that it is a worthy cause for contribution.  Casa Guatemala is not affiliated with any religious organization, charity organizations nor do they receive government support.  Casa Guatemala depends entirely on the contributions of those of us who stumble on them and are touched by their need.  No donation is too small, and the accumulation of giving will make a huge impact on the lives and well being of over 200 kids at the orphanage.

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There are two methods in which to donate. 

1. A check written directly to Casa Guatemala

I will hand carry the checks and give them directly to the staff at the orphanage.  They will then give me receipts for each check which I will hand carry home and mail back. 

Mail checks directly to me before January 15^th.
Provide on a separate note, the dollar amount and your return address.

Mail to:
Reve Bernhardt
10010 Spruce Mountain Rd.
Larkspur, CO. 80118

 2. A check written to Castle Rock Bible Church (Tax Deductible)

My church has agreed to accept donations on the behalf of Casa Guatemala and will provide receipts for tax deductions.  

Mail checks directly to me (address above) or the church before January 15^th at:

Castle Rock Bible Church
1733 South Perry St.
Unit 103
Castle Rock, CO 80104
http://www.castlerockbiblechurch.org/

Please write “Casa Guatemala Orphanage” in the memo section on the check.  Also provide the dollar amount and your return mailing address on a separate note.

It has been noticed that you can make contributions directly through the "Casa Guatemala" Website.  Yes you can donate using the website.  It is not tax deductible unless you use the "Friends of Guatemala Children" Mailing address. 
Furthermore, I will not be able to report how the money donated will actually be spent.
I do know that when I take the money directly to the orphanage, all of the money goes directly to the orphanage.

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 Last year they had a feast.
One of my fondest memories was sitting around the fire with some of the boys plucking a pile of chickens that were bought with the money we brought in.  The excitement of the meal they were getting ready to eat was all they could talk about.  They had not had fresh meat in months.  The anticipation of the feast was all they could think about.  You can not imagine how much I was touched.

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As you may not know, I take the winter time off to go down to Guatemala where I keep an old boat.  I also work doing canvas and sail repair for the boating community.  I have a semi-second home at a marina there.  So between working on my boat and the marina, I am able to work off the storage fees for the next year.

This year I have collected material to re-cover the mattresses in the orphanage.  The kids are sleeping directly on foam, and the material has long since disintegrated.  So this year I'll use my sewing abilities to re-cover the foam so they have something between their skin and the foam.

My boat needs a new motor so I am also bringing in a new motor.  Once installed, I'll relocate the boat in front of the orphanage so I'll be closer to my project.  The orphanage is on the river.  There are no roads to and from the orphanage.

Hopefully I'll learn a little more Spanish in which to communicate better with the children and the locals.  The children are great teachers and are eager to teach everyone something.  It’s hard to say “no” to a child who is scrambling to sit on your lap and have you read a Spanish children’s book to them.

Thank you again for looking and considering a great cause.

God bless,

Reve

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Update 1/10/10

Tricia and I went treasure hunting yesterday.

It is over whelming when your trying to stock for 200 children.
We scored a small dent into what is needed.

We got about 30 backpacks.
20 pairs of soccer shoes.
17 pair of sandals and flip flops.
Some coloring books.
Some towels. 
kitchen knives

We looked at lice products.  They are very expensive for a single dose.
I think the best is if we can find these in bulk.
Someone who works for the sheriffs office or prison system maybe able to get bulk.

Many of the items we need, we know are in our closets.  Such as sheets and towels,  Some paper products.
These Items do not need to be "NEW"  they can be old but still useful.

Here's the list. 
scissors,
glue,
paper (A4, A3, color paper...),
ink for a Samsung SCX 4200 printer,
pens,
coloring books,
tape,
notebooks,
backpacks for the kids going to school outside Casa Guatemala,
books in Spanish,
towels,
toothpaste,
lice combs (not plastic ones),
lice shampoo,
conditioner,
kitchen knives,
large cutting boards,
badminton shuttlecocks,
sports shoes,
socks,
flip flops,
mosquito nets.

Tricia and I had so much fun filling up the baskets at  three "Goodwill" stores and "Savers" and the Castle Rock "Task Force." We quit when we had the car full.  "The Task Force" donated our entire purchase. 

We caused quite a stir.  Many wanted to know what we were doing with all the shoes, back packs and such.
We even collected donations right in the check out lines.

I have decided to take any and all donations regardless of how bulky they are.
God will deal with the "Customs" agents.

Ain't God Good,

Reve