Part 1: Nice to meet you

    “Gotcha Day.”  The term many parents who have adopted from Guatemala (and probably other countries as well) call the day they first brought their child home.  For Lillian and me, it was October 11^th, 2001.

       Exactly one month before, I was looking out of my parents’ apartment, and saw something I will never forget.  It was 9/11.   I had an unobstructed view of the smoke from the ruins of the Twin Towers endlessly billowing into the sky. I also remember, like it was yesterday, the thought that was cruelly stabbing my brain…”There goes our adoption.”    At that point in time, I felt so emotionally drained from our yearlong ordeal, that I just wanted it to be over, even if it meant living with the “unthinkable.”  Lillian admitted to me many months later that she was feeling the same thing.  Fortunately, our worst fears were never realized, and on the happiest day of our lives, we were finally able to carry Andrew through our front door, for the very first time.

      He was, is, and will always be, our priceless gift.  This blog, however, is NOT about him.

      Actually, it’s about three children whose names, along with their mother’s, I will reveal later.  They are our OTHER priceless gifts.

      On our first “reunion” trip to Guatemala, in 2019, along with several other adoptive families, we sponsored a picnic for the children who were attending The Backyard School, so named by its  founder Iris Santander, because she literally started it in her backyard.  The woman who organized the trip and picnic agreed to let me put on a clown show. Performing in a foreign country was one of the most prominent items on my “bucket list”.

     After the show, I made balloon animals for the children.  An 11 year old boy, without even asking, started to assist me.  At first, I was hesitant to accept his help, but eventually realized that by him putting the balloons on the pump, while I was busy sculpturing, we were saving time, and significantly reducing the size of a very long line.

    Another purpose of the picnic was to recruit sponsors to provide the funds needed for the uniforms and school supplies for the upcoming semester.  Rather than just contributing to a general fund, donors picked numbers which corresponded with the names of the children in the program.  Lillian picked her favorite number which is 23, and, you guessed it, #23 was my helper. We finally learned his name was Melvin.

    A few minutes later, we found out that Melvin had two younger sisters, Darlin, who was nine years old, and Katerin, who shares the same birthdate as Lillian, had just turned seven.  In a hastily formed family meeting that included Andrew, it took about three seconds, to decide to sponsor all three.  We have many pictures that document the shared emotions that we, the children, and their mother Marta, felt during those first few moments of the “big reveal.”   Our first “family picture,” remains at the top of my Facebook profile page….and probably always will.

    My conversational level of Spanish at the time was barely on a preschool level, and since Lillian speaks fluently, she did most of the talking with the mom and kids.  Marta gave Lillian her phone number, and Lillian delights in adding an “American twist” to the story. While putting her fingers up to her ear and mouth like she is holding a telephone receiver, she chuckles and says that Marta told her to “Call me.”    For a variety of reasons, including (1) not knowing how to make an international call which we wouldn’t have to take out a loan to pay for, (2) Lillian having misplaced the number in her backpack, and (3) wondering what we would actually SAY, if we did call them, the call never happened.

Part 2: The Desperate Need

    In the summer of 2020, a few months after the pandemic first hit, there was a severe scarcity of food throughout Guatemala, including the community where Iris lives.  With her son Jefferson, Iris purchased and distributed food funded (in part) through the Guatemala Service Projects Food Project.

     In addition to the sponsorships, which didn’t even require a family meeting to make the decision to renew, we made an additional donation to the project, with the notation that the money was to be used for Marta and the kids. When I saw pictures of the amount of food that would be provided to them with our funds, I was a bit surprised, because it seemed less than I expected.  Iris contacted me directly to let me know that the food was purchased in bulk, and because there was such widespread need, went to all members of the community. She related a story of how a young boy walked up to her, requesting food that “Margolies” had donated for his family. I imagine that, despite their own needs, either Marta or Melvin advised him to do it.   I told Iris, that if it had been me, I would have asked the boy if he knew who Michael Margolies was, and when he would look back at me blankly, perhaps a bit embarrassed, I would have smiled and said, “My name is Mike Margolies.  Here, take some food for your family.”

     As much as I would have liked to, it was obviously impossible for us to go to Guatemala to help them distribute the food. We did get some understanding of exactly how dire was the need, while looking at the photos and videos of the long lines of people waiting patiently for food rations, which Iris had posted on Facebook.  There were also many pictures of them holding signs to express their gratitude including several of Marta and the kids.  They said something like “Gracias and bendigas” and were either addressed to “the Margolies Family,” or included our first names.  They were able to spell Lillian and Andrew correctly, but for some reason, found creative ways to spell mine.

Part 3: Hi!  How are you doing?

     In late October of 2020, while we were waiting on a very long early voting line, Lillian’s cell phone rang.  With a startled look, she said to me, “It’s Marta!”  It took a couple of seconds for me to realize who she was talking to.  We still don’t know how she even got Lillian’s cell phone number. The call lasted about 10 minutes, and after speaking with their mom, we heard the voices of all three children. Most of the conversation consisted of us saying “gracias,” and “de nada” to their repeated blessings, best wishes, and expressions of gratitude for our generosity.

     When I spoke to Jen about the phone call, I mentioned that both Lillian and I felt somewhat embarrassed, hearing them repeatedly express words of appreciation.  She said that since we don’t know what it’s like to live in a situation of such great need, it’s nearly impossible for us to truly understand the impact our donation has on their lives, and the depth of their gratitude. 

       I got a better understanding, just a few days later. As luck, or perhaps fate, would have it, I had signed up to make a solo trip with Guatemala Service Projects that Jen had arranged months before. Along with her family, and Tammi Poe with her daughter Alyssa, I felt like we were pioneers, as we were one of the first group of foreign visitors to travel to the country while covid was still very widespread.  Jen had arranged for a visit with Iris.  She didn’t inform me of what also had been arranged.

      Shortly after arriving at Iris’ house, I looked up and saw a young boy who looked familiar running towards me. He was taller than I remembered him to be.   My eyes widened and tears formed as I called out “It’s Melvin.”  Marta, Katerin, and Darlin , arrived a few seconds later. My Spanish still wasn’t great, so the conversation was pretty limited.  Words weren’t really necessary.  The shared tears of joy, smiles, and embraces told the story.  I once again was able to spend some time with my priceless gifts.

      Melvin and the girls only stopped their hugs long enough to present gifts for me, Lillian and Andrew, pose for pictures, and for me to embrace Marta.  I held them tightly.  It was very difficult when it was time to let go, and say goodbye to my family.

Part 4: A Family Reunion

     In July of 2021, both Lillian and Andrew were able to join me on another GSP trip.   This time, we knew we would be able to meet up with Marta and the kids, so we contacted them a few days prior, to let them know how much we were looking forward to seeing them.  We decided to bring presents, and Lillian told me that when she said the word “jugetes,” she could hear the kids excitedly repeat the word. The girls wanted talking dolls, and Melvin asked for a battery operated remote car.  After several fruitless attempts to purchase them in toy stores near us, we finally ordered them online, and spent a couple of anxious days waiting and worrying that they might not arrive before it was time for us to leave.  Fortunately, they did.  Total cost for all three toys was under 50 dollars, a bit more to include the batteries.

     When we first arrived, I could see that Katerin’s attention was split between looking at us, and eyeing what I had in the gift bag.  If you had seen their faces as we handed them out the presents, you would have thought they had cost us a fortune.  I don’t think the girls let the dolls get more than a few inches away from them the entire time we were together.  They held the dolls up to the car window as they were leaving, and it was the dolls that waved goodbye. In almost every picture we have seen them in since then, the girls and dolls pose together. Melvin’s excitement didn’t prevent him from generously sharing the remote with anyone who wanted to try it.   He recently told me that it is still working.

     Of course, there were more blessings and thankyous, but Lillian was also able to sit down with Marta and talk, as if she was catching up with a distant relative she hadn’t seen in a while. We all shared laughter and tears. Oh yeah, I also got to make them some balloon animals and hats.

     I can best describe the “reunion” as another one of the “unremarkable/remarkable” experiences that I have encountered during my Guatemala visits.

Part 5: A “Surprise” Party

     My most recent visit was in March of 2022, again with Guatemala Service Projects. Lillian had just recently started a new babysitting gig, and Andrew couldn’t get time off from his job at an Amazon warehouse, so I was again traveling solo.  Jen had informed me a couple of weeks prior to departure that Iris was arranging a “get together” not just with my family, but also the family of the two kids my mother sponsors.  Tammi, who this time was traveling with her husband Steve, would also get to meet up with the children they sponsor.

     I laughed when I heard “Surprise!” as I entered the classroom at The Backyard School, which was the site of the party.  A huge smile formed as I saw them all standing under a bright, rainbow arc of balloons.  They were holding signs, and I was glad to see that one even had my mother’s name on it, because in a previous picture, someone had just written “Mike’s mom.” As many pictures prove, the smile never left my face.

    My Spanish had improved enough that I teased “No comprendo, habla Espanol!” in response to them asking me in English, “How are you?”  When they said “We love you,” I choked back tears and replied, “Te amo.” Thanks to the wonders of technology, we were able to establish a video chat with Lillian, so she could at least see some of the proceedings, and feel the excitement, happiness, and love that was in the room, even if it was just on an iPad.  A couple of times, when Marta turned her cell phone towards me, I told her, “No!  She wants to see you!”

      I was able to explain to my mom’s sponsor family that “Ciciley Margolies” is “Mike’s Mom,” not his esposa. I also gave her kids one of the bags of candy that had actually been intended for Melvin, Katerin, and Darlin.  Marta didn’t seem to mind.   This time, I was the one leaving in our van as the dolls waved goodbye.

Part 6: The Future

     The pandemic, war in the Ukraine, and other world events, as well as “twists and turns” which have recently occurred in my own life, make it almost impossible for me to predict when I will see my Guatemalan family again.  Jen has said that she is starting to plan a December trip, which both Lillian and I are hoping to join.  We do plan on continuing sponsoring our kids, as well as those my mother has been sponsoring, if necessary, until they graduate.  Maybe we will be able to figure out a way to attend their graduations. I know we will see pictures of them holding signs expressing their thanks and blessings, which we will appreciate even if they don’t spell my name right.  Hopefully there will be more phone calls, or video chats.   Families always find a way to stay in touch.

Part 7: The Sales Pitch

    Well, I hope you have enjoyed my story about Melvin and his family as much as I have enjoyed telling it. But, as a member of the GSP Board, I feel kind of obligated to also include an appeal to you to either renew your sponsorship, or fund a new one. To sponsor a child for a year at The Backyard School presently costs 110 dollars, quite a bit more than what you would pay for a cup of coffee.  Our scholarship program which sponsors children in Chichicastenango requires an even larger financial commitment.   If you would like to help in a smaller way, you can contribute to the Healthy Food Relief Project. For just five dollars, you can provide a seed packet to a family, which, as I like to say, may not teach them to fish, but provide healthy nourishment for at least several years.

     If you do sponsor a child, I can’t promise that you will have the same connection with his or her family as we do.  On that recent trip, we all got to meet the girls that Patti Stewart-Garbrecht, who is another of our Board members, sponsors in the Chichi program, and after I told her how we keep in contact with Marta, she exchanged contact information with the girls’ families.  Their mothers not only sent her Facebook friend requests, but also to me, Jen, and Tammi.  I don’t even know if the words exist to describe the feeling we all have when we meet face to face with the families we sponsor, but of course, it “ain’t” cheap to get there.

     What I can promise you, is that if you do provide a full sponsorship for either program, your ENTIRE donation goes directly to the child you are sponsoring.  No member of the GSP Board, not even Jen, receives a salary.  We keep advertising and administrative costs to a minimum.  We want, just like you, for the money to go to the kids and their families.  

     I can also promise you one more thing.  No matter how much you donate, your gift will be priceless.  For them…and you.