Doing God's Work in Guatemala

Nov. 23, 2006 — -- I have just returned from an amazing journey into the heart of the ancient Mayan civilization -- a weeklong odyssey to Guatemala.

But beyond the breathtaking ruins of Tikal and Chichicastenango, my most memorable visit was to a sprawling complex -- a beautiful mansion -- nestled in the old provincial capital of Antigua. It is home to an organization called the God's Child Project, an award-winning international charity and one of Central America's largest and most comprehensive health, education and human rights protection services. It's run by two Americans: Patrick Atkinson and Jenna Gullo.

This is where too many modern-day Mayas -- impoverished and imperiled by discrimination and outright racism -- now seek refuge. The God's Child Project -- run mostly through private donations -- has quite a history.

In July 1983, Atkinson, a native of Bismarck, N.D., arrived in violence-torn Central America to begin a six-month volunteer position assisting Mayan refugees in Guatemala's mountainous highlands. He says his intention was to work the fields and provide a measure of safety to Mayan widows and orphans who had survived the massacres of their villages, and maybe learn a little Spanish at the same time.

Instead, he was tapped to run an orphanage for war orphans. He gave all his energy to the project but then had to leave to document human trafficking in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, civil unrest raged on in Guatemala, and the victims of war and poverty beckoned him back with a letter-writing campaign. All the letters had a similar theme, says Atkinson: "You were like our father before," the children pleaded, "but now is when we need you the most."

The God's Child Project Is Born

Atkinson returned to Guatemala in 1991, brought the children together once again, and founded the God's Child Project. Since then, both children and adults -- who have no place to live but the streets of Guatemala -- have been arriving every day.