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Newsletter #5 April 2017: Notice of Spanish-language YouTube video--VIAJE A VALPARAISO: Ciudad Antigua Fortificada; New Historical Documents from 1995; Photo album of friends & Philosophy of Working with Indians in pictures
NEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS--NEWSLETTERS:
1. Spring 1996 "VIDEO EDUCATION....TEACHING CORRECT PRINCIPLES," & 1995 Financial Report
2. Winter 1996 "Julie & family Visits Guatemala," "Groesbeck & Obrien Visit," "Museum of the Holy Man," etc.
3. Spring 1997 "Setbacks," "Heart Attack...." 1996 Financial Report
4. Winter 1997 "WAR OVER!" Patzicia School...Adult Literacy, New "Center of the Holy Man," Indian Folklore Festival
My precious Mahana was the last of those "visiting angels" to take care of LaVell....so there is a wonderful connection! She tells me how LaVell proudly told her of his football life and showed her some of his awards, some connected to the Miracle Bowl in 1980.
BYU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAY--A 12th player for BYU!
IT'S #00 COSMO!
Hey, but I"m not through telling you about this GOOD FRIDAY.
There's also a Utah Jazz connection to the Foundation and its life-long volunteer Field Director.
Also in the 80's, the same year as the Miracle Bowl, the New Orleans Jazz were now in Utah, their games first being broadcast on KSL radio that I learned had a long reach with Hall of Fame announcer Hotrod Hundley. Of course, Stockon and Malone were just little kids growing up at that time, and I'm not sure where Jerry was, but some of the controversies I got embroiled in had me a little distracted so I got interested again in sports, and I learned that by driving way up on the mountain on the edge of the Chixoy Canyon in "guerrilla territory" there was a spot where I had a direct bead on Salt Lake City and KSL radio after 9:00 PM with my pickup radio.
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Printed Newsletter #6 APRIL 2017 based on the following post
GOOD FRIDAY(S)
By Cordell M Andersen, Executive Director
By Cordell M Andersen, Executive Director
I awoke this morning, April 14th, knowing that among Christians the day is called "GOOD FRIDAY" which has always perplexed me some as it is the day when Christ was insulted, mistreated, tortured and suffered an incredibly horrible death--all of that seeming to be a triumph of evil.
I know that the "good" part of it was that Christ was willing to go lovingly through all of that as an atoning sacrifice for "original sin," and for the personal sins and weaknesses of the faithful who accept his message & follow Him. So the suffering of GOOD FRIDAY is in graphic contrast to THE REAL "GOOD" DAY when He overcame death in the resurrection we celebrate on Easter Sunday.
But, it also had me reflecting on another GOOD FRIDAY, that in a sense was the day that started what in a few months will be 50 YEARS OF DEDICATION to help lift up a race of people whose ancestors, according to the POPUL VUH--the Sacred Book of the Mayans, fell into darkness and suffered incredibly since..
It was on Friday, October 22, 1965, when on the snowy slopes of the Henry Mountains we see to the left, I had my encounter with the Lord who gave me the courage to soon pack up and, with my young family, head south to begin 35 years of residency among the Mayan in Guatemala--and 50 years serving them from when, on August 19--a "GOOD Saturday"--1967, we crossed the border into Guatemala.
In the language of the recent LDS General Conference, I was "nudged" by " the Holy Ghost" and believed unequivocally that it was "pure inspiration from heaven," and that I couldn't let "it slip by," rather had to "trust in the Lord and --DO IT!"
It was a GOOD FRIDAY...today in other ways--not so important as the ones mentioned above, but nonetheless MEMORABLE and connected to the half century of Guatemalan memories.
One of them was Friday, December 20, 1991, on the Valparaiso Plantation when I was advised that late on December 19th a fine woman gave birth to a tiny, beautiful baby girl, but the "mama" gave her life to bring that baby into the world. The father already had 3 small children to care for and couldn't see how he could handle another...especially one so totally dependant, and so I was asked to help and on that Friday took Mahana into my life, whose life is shown below in photographs, only lacking her graduation from Stevens Henagar College as a practical nurse.
I'm sure all of you might imagine just how important Mahana was as for more than 20 years I struggled to be a Mr. Mom to five children. How grateful and blessed I was, and am, to have her. She's the one who took Julie's place making out donation receipts all of you have been receiving in recent years.
But, she has another connection to someone everybody knows about. Let me explain:
As I was waking up thinking about GOOD FRIDAY I heard on KSL radio that the night before at the Jazz Arena was held the Annual Governor's State of Sports Award Program. No surprise to anyone that LIFETIME AWARDS were given to Jerry Sloan, long-time Hall of Fame Coach of the Utah Jazz, and to the wife of long-time, Hall of Fame BYU Football Coach, LaVell Edwards.
My precious Mahana was the last of those "visiting angels" to take care of LaVell....so there is a wonderful connection! She tells me how LaVell proudly told her of his football life and showed her some of his awards, some connected to the Miracle Bowl in 1980.
Those were the days in Guatemala when my only contact with the world was my Zenith Shortwave radio and Armed Forces Radio broadcasts. In my attempts for better reception, I even bought 150 yards of copper wire and from the old Central House connected it to the tallest pine tree above us.
I was listening to that game in 1980 with SMU and gave up hope as our BYU team seemed to be making every mistake possible--like down 38-19, and then something like 45-25, and I began fiddling with our first VCR, when out of the corner of my ear I heard something was going on and so went back to the radio to hear the last incredible 3 minutes, the finale being a 60 yard Hail Mary pass, by Catholic quarterback, Jim McMahon, to Presbyterian, Clay Brown, to beat Methodist SMU for the Mormons and Latter Day Saint coach LaVell Edwards!
The referee and BYU players are signaling that it was a touchdown with no time left on the clock
...and with the extra point
we won 46-45
But look who is on the field for BYU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAY--A 12th player for BYU!
IT'S #00 COSMO!
Hey, but I"m not through telling you about this GOOD FRIDAY.
There's also a Utah Jazz connection to the Foundation and its life-long volunteer Field Director.
So here I would be when I knew there was a game.....sitting in the dark and listening to the last quarter of games with some of the greats, like, Adrian Dantley, Darrell "The Golden Grif" Griffeth, Ricky Green, "the Fastest of them all," Ron Boone & others. I had been informed that a friend and guerrilla leader had told his troops to not harm me as I was known for treating my workers fairly--like brothers & sisters, and with projects in all the villages, but I'll have to admit it was a little spooky in the darkness in the middle of guerrilla territory.......
....so I became the Jazz fan who risked his life most to listen in a little, enhancing a bit my reputation as a modern Don Quijote de la Mancha!
....so I became the Jazz fan who risked his life most to listen in a little, enhancing a bit my reputation as a modern Don Quijote de la Mancha!
Later on, in our new home on the Farm of the Holy Man, with a 21-foot diameter dish antennae, we watched the Jazz in 1997, and again in 1998 play the Bulls in the NBA Finals. Next to me is "Lito" Cordel Ammon, Nephi, Mahana, Jesse, and Aura is snuggling up to JOHN STOCKTON!
My son Joey gave us the appreciated gift of Jazz T-shirts! THANKS, JOE!
Tomorrow, on GOOD SATURDAY, the Jazz are again in the Playoffs. I'm real proud of them and wish them well--and, not having my 21 foot dish, nor Direct TV in my tiny Cabin & simple life, I'll wait and listen to the replay at midnight on ESPN3!
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WE PRAY YOU WILL ALL BE BLESSED DURING THIS HOLY SEASON & HOPE YOU WILL ONCE IN A WHILE REMEMBER THE FOUNDATION and DONATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO GET US SUCCESSFULLY TO OUR
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
IN AUGUST & HAVE ENOUGH IN THE BANK TO MEET OUR YEAR LONG COMMITMENTS
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DONATIONS ARE WAY DOWN, SO WE QUITE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP!
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From this website, you can DONATE ONLINE, or send your donations to:
THE GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION,
P.O.Box 1296, American Fork, UT 84003
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