Every week, we will feature one of the children that the GRA Gives Back campaign is trying to help with its partnership with Palms & Souls. We hope that these stories will show you the very real impact that our project can have for these children in Guatemala. If you missed the partnership announcement or need ideas for how you can help, please see this post.
Jeferson at El Buen Samaritano Community Center
Hi, My name is Jeferson Ariel Enrique Castellanos Martínez.
Age: 8 years
Grade: 2nd
Favorite Book: I like a lot of different books
What I like most about school: Spending free time with friends
Future job: Police
Favorite pastime: Soccer
What I like to do most: Playing sports with my friends
What I like most of the El Buen Samaritano: Being with the fun volunteers and Mr.
Magda, the classes, and food
Jeferson and his brother at home
Jeferson’s sister in his kitchen at home
Jeferson’s home
Jeferson is so excited about the potential of having a library at the community center. He
likes to read, but doesn’t get an opportunity to read books very often. He is usually limited
to one page stories printed off the internet. This book drive could be a life-changer for
him. Thank you for believing and investing in Jeferson!
The Global Read Aloud 
Thanks so much for all you do, Pernille, with enthusiastic and genuine passion for a desire to make the world a better place. You ARE making the world a better place.
Thanks also for this opportunity in Guatemala. As a parent of a daughter adopted from Guatemala (who is a voracious reader coincidentally â long story short: Her birth grandparents had to âsignâ the paper work as birth mum was under age 18 and the birth grandfatherâs signature is a thumbprint due to illiteracy. Seeing his genetic offspring devour words upon words upon words has more than once moved me to tearsâ¦.tears of sadness, tears of hope, tears of thankfulnessâ¦well, guess my story IS getting longâº!), thank you for bringing books into the hands of children and families in a country in need.
Thank you,
Kristi L. Desaulniers
Grade 4 ~ Legacy Elementary School
Tea Area School District
Tea, South Dakota
âThe mind ought sometimes to be diverted that it may return the better to thinking.â
~Phaedrus
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We were so excited that this first week our class has already raised nearly $200, with more fundraisers planned for future weeks. The kids learn so much by putting in hard work to make this happen.