Alejandro José D'anilo Tabares--the one who will "Raise the Roof" with me--is donating his time to help this family replace their leaking roof and improve the structure and design.I want you to meet someone unique. Alex is not Guatemalan, but San Marcos has become home for him. I could say this about MANY people here! Hippies and expats have fallen in love with this village on Lake Atitlan surrounded by volcanoes and mountains. It is magical.But what is magical to me is Alex's story. I don't have time to tell it all here--that would be beyond impossible--and it's really his story to tell, not mine. I think it will take several books! But I want you to know enough about him to see a beautiful life in action.Alex asked me, "Have you seen the movie 'The Devil Wears Prada'?" I actually had (unusual for me). "That was my life!" He went everywhere with an entourage--responsible for hundreds of locations in several countries and the European interns who wa

I met this family recently. It wasn't a planned meetup. The parents made a visit to my host because their son lost his part-time job. Details were sorted out, and when they understood what happened, their request was to consider re-hiring the young man. The family needed his income for many reasons, the first being their roof.My host, the boy's former boss, said he needed time to think about it. He fired several boys recently who were working to pay off debt. It's a long story that I won't share now, but let's just say several young men are learning a hard lesson in responsibility.But lessons like these also affect whole families. In San Marcos, the delicate balance of money and lives under one roof can be easily tipped. Mauricio and Marta Olivia have five boys, two of whom have special needs. Other than Mauricio's jobs managing three properties, there is no fixed work for the family. Sometimes one boy gets an opportunity for one or two days, but it comes with another challenge: t

Trek up to Barrios 2 to bring shoes to children.Look at the face of the young man in the middle. He changed my life a few days ago and doesn't even know it.This boy has been raising his sister alone for two years since his mother died (father has also passed away). On Mother's Day, his deceased mother received a notice from the San Marcos municipality that the water would be turned off if the bill was not paid. It had not been paid for 13 years. THIRTEEN YEARS!He visited his part-time employer and asked if he could borrow money and repay or work it off over time. There were also other needs like a school uniform for his little sister who turned 13 and will enter a new school--extra expenses that we all learn to navigate as our children grow. He, however, had to learn while still a child himself. In the small community of San Marcos, job opportunities are tough to find. He is fortunate to work for my new friend Alex, who is a benevolent force in the community. Alex provides many jo