Don Fidel’s home in the remote Guatemalan mountain community of El Milagro is a humble, yet inviting place. Though small, it’s home to seven people, including Don Fidel’s wife, children, and a grandchild. Don Fidel is a coffee farmer and for years his income, and his ability to support his family, has depended solely on his coffee harvest.
However, with primitive farming techniques and little fertilizer, it was hard for Don Fidel to get the most out of his hard work.
Then Cross international came into El Milagro alongside our local partner, Hope of Life, to begin a three-year community transformation project for the village. One cornerstone of the project is to help coffee farmers like Don Fidel learn new, modern agriculture methods to help them maximize harvests and their profits.
For Don Fidel, the results have been dramatic. “It is a pure miracle that Cross International came to support us in coffee production,” Don Fidel said. “They helped us with fertilizers and technical training.” Don Fidel’s coffee production improved so much that he was able to invest his profits in a new business—carpentry.
“I have liked carpentry since I was young,” Don Fidel remembered. “When there is no work to be done on the coffee, I dedicate myself to this.” With his extra income earned from his increased coffee harvest, Don Fidel invested in some wood working tools and began to make furniture to sell.
“I want to thank the Cross International donors for the help they are giving us,” Don Fidel says. “Thank you, I appreciate you and may God bless you!”
