Zach Thomas

Weaving Common Hope: a Future for Guatemalan Children Zach Thomas

What happens when ordinary people decide to help those less fortunate? Is this a recipe for disaster, or could it work miracles? It may be dangerous and even depressing. Then again, there is the astounding possibility of breaking the cycles of poverty. A Minnesota high school teacher and his wife decided to find out. Their vision together with glaring needs in Central America called them to the poorest villages of Guatemala. In the early 1980s they began a project, Common Hope, that today serves thousands near Antigua and Guatemala City. Common Hope promotes the independence and self-respect of poor families. Towards this goal it weaves together a variety of services...health care, affordable housing, creative education and much more. It is a model of what it takes for poor children to graduate from school and find a better future. Common Hope involves many families from the U. S. and other countries as sponsors and volunteers. Lives are changed on both sides of this marvelous helping process. The book invites ordinary folks to be part of this drama and do something extraordinary with their lives.