Can a stove change a life?

Dirt, smoke, soot, eye infections, respiratory problems, burns...this is the life of a typical Mayan woman. She kneels on the dirt floor, cooking over an open flame. Her kitchen is continually filled with smoke, the walls are covered with soot. Women have been cooking like this for 100's of years.

Life is changing in one village, Santiago Zamora. Servants 54 Him is building new stoves for families.

I have been amazed at the changes the new stoves are making in the village. Most women choose to put their new stoves in a "new" room. For some families this means replacing the corn stalk walls with new, clean stalks, for other families, they are building a new block walled room. Given the opportunity most women desire to have a "clean" kitchen.

When open fires are the only means of cooking it is useless to "clean" the kitchen, the smoke and soot never go away.

The new stoves built from cement blocks and bricks sit about 30" high. The women are delighted to stand as they cook. The new chimney takes the smoke out of the kitchen. Families are so encouraged by the new stoves they are beginning to make other changes in their lives as well.

We are able to share with the women how the chimney takes smoke and soot out of the room, making and keeping their kitchen clean. We also share how Jesus Christ is able to accomplish the same thing in their lives.

For less than $200 Servants 4 Him is able to provide a family with a water filter and a new stove. These two simple things can change a family forever... What can you buy for $200 that would change your family's life so dramatically?

Your servant in Guatemala, Carol