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We recently received the following from Abel in Belize:

I am in office right now and thought I would drop a line to you as I am sure you would be concerned about our weather conditions.
As you may know Tropical Storm Arthur formed a little to the northwest
of Belize at about 10:00 am on Saturday morning and brought considerable winds and rains. Since last night, the country has experienced record floods. The St. Louis University group got out yesterday are all safely home. Today the city is partially flooded, all schools have been cancelled country wide, the highways are flooded meaning that the city is disconnected from the districts right now, busses have
suspended their inter-district services and motorists are being advised to
stay put and not to venture out to the highways. On the southern highway acommunity is under water, people on roof tops etc. Emergency personnel have been dispatched including the police, medical services, the coast guard, the Belize Defence force and the British army who are in country.
We have checked the starfish and all is well so far, no severe flooding in that area and the drainage seems to be working fine.
The outreach center was flooded as expected with minor damage but no major problems. We are all closed down for today as we are expecting the staff to stay put and secure their homes and families. I have contacted everyone on our main staff and they all are fine and I have committed to assist in anyway we can as an organization
normal. Our only concern right now are the swells in the rivers which will
flow down to the coast and might create flooding in the rural villages.
Take care all, pray for us and know that we are all well.

Blessings
Abel

St. Louis University volunteers build home for young mother

Ten students and group leader Ben Smith from St. Louis Univesity arrived in Belize May 25. Ben had been to Belize before as an archeology student and was excited to be leading this young group in an immersion experience. The house recipient, Ingrid Conorquie, a 22 year-old mother of two boys lived with her family– all ten in a dilapidated wooden house. Ingrid applied for a Hand in Hand Ministries Building for Change house because her parents home had no space for her and her children. She and her children only had an area approximately 5 ft. x 5 ft. for living and sleeping. With so many people living in one small house, Ingrid was desperate a private and safe space her and her children. It was with tearful eyes that she thanked Hand In Hand Ministries and the St. Louis University group for her new home. The St. Louis University group left Belize shortly before Tropical Storm Arthur hit the region.

Georgetown University volunteers build home for homeless family

Nine students and three leaders from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., were in Belize on an immersion trip from May 19 to 26. The group benefitted from the experience of the the group leaders Ethan, Scott and student leader Sarah, who had been to Belize before. The house was built for Shari Trapp, is a 42 year-old, single mother of eight. The 16 ft. x 16 ft. structure that was built by the volunteers from Georgetown will be home to Sharie and her three young sons. She had been given notice to move from the rented house she and her children lived in and was evicted. She spent many sleepless nights crying in desperation as to where she and her children would live. Sharie is employed but is still struggles to pay the rent and provide food for her family. She now knows that she can better provide for her family since they are in their Hand in Hand Ministries Building for Change home. The money that was previously spent on rent can now provide the family with food and other much needed necessities.

News from Nicaragua-

Hand in Hand Ministries Pathway to Change Program announces first semester results:

The 1st term results from NCA-Nejapa shows 5 of our 13 children there are on the honor roll! Mauro, Esteban, Ana Carolina, Isaac and Nestor are all progressing better than we expected.

We also received the report cards from Loyola. Although they do not have an honor roll, of our 13 students, nine have received excellent marks. Three are not too far behind. We have children with bright futures in this group along with those at Nejapa.

Students in the Pathway to Change Program and the remarkable progress they are making are a tribute to their parents along with Teresa and Aura who work with the families daily. Your support makes this all possible.

You can make a difference in the life of a child. There are still many who deserve a chance like the children listed above. A gift of $2000 will sponsor a child in the Pathway to Change program.

Belize News - President’s Global Ambassador for AIDS
consults with representative of local group

Mark Dybul, the President’s Global Ambassador for AIDS relief, consulted with Frank Biden of locally based Hand in Hand Ministries on Tuesday in Washington, D. C., to discuss legislation before the U. S. Congress to fund the President’s Plan for Emergency AIDS Relief. Besides Dybul, Biden also met with representatives of other AIDS relief organizations, including the One Campaign and the Global Fund.

The House and the Senate each ended up passing similar $50 billion dollar AIDS packages, which will go to conference next week. Biden’s brother, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware), was the principal author in the Senate where he is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Hand in Hand Ministries was recently named as a member of a twenty-three member body of the National AIDS Commission in Belize. HHM was then nominated to Chair one of four commiittees, which is Access to Treatment, Care and Support. Belize has the highest per capita incidence of the disease in Central America and the third highest in the Caribbean. In January 2005, Hand in Hand Ministries opened a day treatment and outreach center in Belize City. It is the only facility of its type in the entire country of nearly 300,000 people.

Biden will travel to the Children and HIV/AIDS: Action Now, Action How international symposium in Mexico City with Dybul. Mark Thessing, director of programs for Hand in Hand Ministries in Belize, wil attend the symposium, as well as co-founder and executive director Wayne Fowler.

Hand in Hand Ministries is a non-proselytizing, faith-based organization that helps provide life’s essentials to the poorest of the poor, giving them dignity today and hope for tomorrow. It also currently has programs in Jamaica, Costa Rica and Appalachia.

2008 Tentative Trip Schedule

Destination	Date	Group
Belize	January 1-5	Fordham Univ
Belize	January 6-13	Boston College
Nicaragua	January 6-13	HHM Open
Belize	January 13-20	Nabholz Family
Nicaragua	January 20-27	HHM/SOS
Belize	January 21-29	SCN Group
Nicaragua	February 2-10	Springhill College
Belize	February 2-10	Springhill College
Belize	February 16-23	Ara Macow/IoVest
Nicaragua	February 17-24	HHM Open
Belize	Feb. 24- Mar. 2	HHM Open
Nicaragua	March 2-9	HHM Open
Belize	March 9-15	Rockhurst University
Appalachia	April 6-9	Presentation Academy Louisville
Appalachia	April 9-12	St. Gabriel Youth Group
Appalachia	April 24-27	HHM Open
Appalachia	May 15-18	St. Marks UCC - New Albany, IN
Belize	May 19-26	Georgetown University
Belize	May 25- June 1	St. Louis University
Appalachia	June 1-7	Sts. Francis & Clare, Greenwood, IN
Appalachia	June 8-11	Immaculate Conception Youth Group
Appalachia	June 11-14	HHM Open
Appalachia	June 15-21	St. Thomas Church, Freeport, IL
Belize	June 15-26	Regis High School
Appalachia	June 22-28	Sts. Francis & Clare, Greenwood, IN
Belize	June 28 - July 5	St. Xavier HS, Louisville, KY
Appalachia	June 29-July 3	St. John Lutheran/St. Matthew, Mt. Vernon, IL
Belize	July 5-13	Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY
Appalachia	July 13-19	Cota Group, Dubuque, IA
Appalachia	July 21-25	Our Lady of Grace, Noblesville, IN
Appalachia	July 30 - Aug. 2	HHM Open
Nicaragua	September 7-14	HHM Open
Appalachia	October 2-5	St. Martha, Louisville, KY
Belize	October 11-18	Villanova University
Belize	October 19-26	St. Andrew's Episcopal
Appalachia	October 16-19	HHM Open
Appalachia	October 23-26	Glenn Greenwell/K of C
Nicaragua	November 16-23	Halifax - St. T A & C M
Belize	November 23-30	HHM Open (Thanksgiving week)
Belize	Dec. 1-14	Rush University

2009 Tentative Trip Schedule to be posted soon.
For more information, contact Mary Helen Thompson at Hand in Hand In Hand Ministries:
502.459.9930 or email: maryhelen@hhministries.com

Click Here for Immersion Trip Guidelines