Increasing Care of the Children and the School

Under the Same Moon (with the help of our wonderful donors) has taken on an expanded role in the life of Bendicion de Dios in the past year. In addition to our primary focus on education, Under the Same Moon has begun to provide regular food supplements, uniforms, special classes, upgrades to the physical plant, roofs damaged by Tropical Storm Alberto, a joint housing project, and small excursions into Antigua. The next challenge is to find a way to improve the children's dental health.

Using funds from the Bonnie Grassey Scholarship Fund, Julio recently took 54 students in pre-K and kindergarten for their first dental check up. The results, though not surprising, were not encouraging. Overall these students need 175 fillings, 134 sealants, 33 root canals, and several other procedures. We are asking for contributions as a way to come up with sufficient funds. To address all their needs we will have to raise almost $10,000. Of course, as funds become available, we'll prioritize the most urgent needs first, followed by sealants to protect the children's teeth going forward.

As you will see from the information below, this initiative is just one of the many activities we are working on.

Trout Lily



Julio used a wonderful grant from Trout Lily to make several welcome improvements at the school. Trout Lily is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting human and planetary thriving in the area of teaching and learning, creative expression, and the intersecting aspects of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Wooden window frames that were disintegrating have been replaced by metal ones. Seven laptops and two desktop computers were purchased for the teachers and staff to improve their productivity. The laptops are connected to large TV monitors in the classrooms, making it easier for the teachers and students to follow and complete their lessons. Funds were used to purchase a freezer for the kitchen, a writing desk, 144 calligraphy books, and 1000 tree seedlings to be planted by the students. And the remainder of the grant was used to provide bonuses for all the teachers.

Sponsor Initiatives

We are so grateful to our incredible sponsors! Dedicated sponsors have taken several steps this year to go beyond providing basic funds for their child’s education. Recognizing the importance of good nutrition and health in promoting educational achievement, many sponsors have expanded their offerings to include food, health, and dental care.

• Twenty-eight sponsors are providing bimonthly supplemental food baskets to their child’s family. If you would like to participate at a cost of $15 a month please email Annemarie@underthesamemoon.org for more information.
• An English teacher is offering weekly language lessons to kindergarten and first graders.
• Biweekly doctor’s visits to the school are averaging 13 patients a day. 
• 54 students in preschool and kindergarten obtained their first dental exams to determine their dental needs. Recommendations included much better brushing, fillings, sealants, cleaning and fluoride treatment, crowns and other services. Donations for this dental work would be very much appreciated! The cost of sealants and fillings alone is about $5,200.

February 2024 Visit

In keeping with our annual visits to strengthen our ties to the school and the children, nine members of Under the Same Moon traveled to Alotenango in February. Among the many activities, three Grassey sisters hosted a day in Antigua for their seven sponsored children. The trip included a lively gathering in the Parque Central complete with bubbles, chalk drawings on the pavement, frozen snow cones and a marvelous lunch at McDonald’s. A generous donation by another sponsor enabled twelve children to take a marvelous trip through the rabbit’s warren of the open air market in Antigua to purchase new shoes and uniforms so their parents do not have to wash the ones they have every day. Plus one visitor provided yoga classes to fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, another gave a baking class instruction in decorating cookies, and a third enthralled the students with a dental hygiene demonstration, aided by a friendly dragon puppet we call “Diego”. And two hardworking volunteers pitched in to help the masons at the Home Heart Project worksite so the first house could be built.

To give you an idea about all the activities crammed into our short visits, we've included lots more details about these initiatives below along with some endearing photos of the participants..

Home Heart Project Update (A Framingham MakerSpace Project)

One of the most exciting aspects of Under the Same Moon's February 2024 trip to Bendicion de Dios School in Alotenango was to observe the progress on the Home Heart building project (visit our website: www.underthesamemoon.org to learn more).

The perimeter wall visible in the photo below, was built by mobilizing the whole school community, who passed the cinder blocks by hand to the masons, who set them in place. Excavation for a well is underway. Clean running water will revolutionize the lives of the new residents.

The Guatemalan construction was assisted by two Under the Same Moon volunteers, Brian Sanders and Craig Martin, who helped carry the bricks, level the terrain, construct the rebar, and mix the cement. Students from Bendicion de Dios carried water for cement mixing. The photos show the only tools–-shovels, wheel barrow, level. No power tools.

The cost per house is a mere $10,000, mostly because labor costs are so low. Would you like to help build one? If you earmark a donation of any amount, large or small, for the Home Heart Project, you will transform the lives of several families for generations. Under the Same Moon has raised the money for three houses so far, and we hope to build two a year until sixteen homes are built.

The MakerSpace folks hope to return to work with the families on the next project phase. You can make a tax-deductible donation to The Home Heart Project today! Just go to www.underthesamemoon.org and click DONATE. Please indicate that your contribution is for the Home Heart Project. Julio expects to keep making progress as the necessary funds become available. If you are able, consider raising funds to sponsor the construction of a house ($8,000).

Una Clase de Reposteria (A Baking Class)

Sam Grassey is a professional baker (Sammie's Sweets), who was delighted to join her sisters, Danielle Ringenary and Nicole Grassey in Guatemala for the first time. Because they had talked so much about it, she was already familiar with many of the places we visited. It was like she had seen them before, but still got a kick out of enjoying them for the first time. She often led the way down the street from one place to another, anxious to get there even though she really did not know exactly where we were going. She especially enjoyed our favorite hangout, Cafe Condesa.

Like her sisters, she wanted to do something for the students. So we arranged with Julio that she would teach a cooking class at Asociacion Bendicion de Dios. Sam brought decorating frosting bags plus sheets with designs for the students to practice. Julio helped by purchasing flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Jackelin brought the eggs. Sam brought the food coloring needed to make pink, fuchsia, and red icing. 

Under Sam’s watchful eye the students put together the cookie dough, rolled it out, and cut heart shapes for Valentine cookies. The cookies were then baked. While they cooled, Sam showed the students how to make two distinct designs.



The students all did a fabulous job decorating the hearts and other cookie cutter designs following Sam’s instructions. They were quite happy to take them home!

Dental Hygiene Classes

Danielle Ringenary, a dental EFDA at Kessler Dental Associates, arrived this year with several helpers, her sisters, Nicole Grassey and Sam Grassey, as well as a dragon puppet whom we christened Diego, to teach the elementary students at Asociacion Bendicion de Dios about dental hygiene and the right way to brush their teeth. Brian Sanders, a new friend of Under The Same Moon Org provided excellent translation. 

Everyone got a big kick out of Diego. He has a full set of human teeth and when the brushing and flossing are complete has been known to spit a stream of water out of his mouth. As the day went on Diego became even more rambunctious, spitting water randomly whenever the spirit moved him much to the children’s amusement. 

We ended the presentation handing out dental supplies provided by the suppliers of Kessler Dentistry for all the children and teachers. And to our delight we later caught students brushing their teeth in the halls and bathroom.

New Shoes and an ADVENTURE!

Thanks to a very generous sponsor these children received much needed new shoes and had a grand adventure at the same time. A trip into Antigua from Alotenango (about 25 minutes) was a first for many, chaperoned by a few dedicated teachers.The kids were delighted to receive new shoes and pants from their sponsor. We were so fortunate to share in their excitement.

On their way to the market

Julio and Mark pose with the children and the new shoes, provided by their sponsor.

Kids holding their new shoes in front of the bus to Alotenango

Just Plain Old Fun!

Not sure who had more fun, Mark Schneider or the kids at Asociacion Bendicion de Dios. Mark had a blast teaching the kids to juggle.



Healthy + Fun

Judith Cohen, friend and long time supporter of Under The Same Moon provided YOGA lessons to five classes of kids at the school. Just a wee bit of help from translator,Mark Robert Schneider, who took advantage of the lessons as well. Students and teachers were delighted.

Sponsor Fun in the Park

Danielle, Nicole, Sam (and Allison in absentia) sponsor seven kids through the Bonnie Tuman Grassey Scholarship Fund--a fund established in honor of their mom who passed away in January 2023 and whose whole being was devoted to kids and family. The sisters decided to "spoil the kids rotten" for the day - a once in a lifetime experience for them.

"We spent almost all of Saturday with the kiddos. It was arranged for them to come meet us at the Parque Central in Antigua. Their PE teacher Kevin, along with 3 older students traveled with the 7 kindergarteners by walking - about a total of 2 miles - and by bus for about 40 minutes each way. It was really important to get to know these kids one on one. So we spent a large chunk of time blowing bubbles and playing with chalk. We then got the kids some yummy ice cream and had them jog around the park to burn off some energy.



After that, we walked over to McDonald’s, and let me tell you...

These kids didn’t even know McDonalds. Never heard of it. They also have NEVER been to a restaurant. When we got there, we all sat down, played with some play dough (yes, at McDonalds, no rules here) and ran around the courtyard. Once the food came- not a peep was heard. The food was DEVOURED. And then the most surreal thing happened. As we were packing up to leave, each kid put their names on the happy meal boxes- which were empty- to take them home. It was so special to them."

IT WAS A GREAT DAY!

Can you help?

As you can tell Under the Same Moon is working hard to change the lives of the children at Bendicion de Dios. To do so we need your help! Please know that any donation is welcome for supplemental food baskets, dental care, and housing, and can be made by Venmo @underthesamemoon or www.underthesamemoon.org (click on the DONATE button) to make a one-time donation–please indicate what the funds are for. You can also send a check to Michael Yavorsky, 84 Regatta Road, Weymouth, MA 02191.

As always Under the Same Moon very much appreciates all the heartwarming generosity we receive from our incredible benefactors.

Thanks for your continued support!

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