About the non-profit

A family from Tallahassee, Florida started Porch De Salomon about two years ago. They had visited Guatemala to help with a building project, and saw a huge need among the people here. The father (Lloyd Monroe) quit his job as a trial lawyer, and moved the family to Panajachel, Guatemala.

The goal of Porch is to help local Mayan families with basic needs while educating and encouraging Americans (especially Christians) about global humanitarian work. There is such a need here for basic shelter, medicine, and food that it is hard to ignore after you have seen it. We try to help by building houses, hosting medical clinics, giving scholarships to unschooled children, and helping with basic and medical needs of under-privileged families living in extreme poverty.

We educate Americans by hosting groups (between 6-20 people) that come to build houses, work medical clinics and children programs, and see first hand the poverty most families live in. We also send out a monthly publication informing people of needs (such as school scholarships) and educating them on what they can do to help. Not only do we wish to see the standard of living increase among the poor Mayan people of Guatemala, but we also wish to challenge affluent Americans to wake up and think past their daily lives to help a world that is living in extreme poverty.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

My day-to-day responsibilities depend on the project we are working on at the time. Much of my time goes to meeting with people and assessing their need, and determining if and how we can help them. This often includes traveling to their homes, meeting family, and building relationships with people in the community. I also help match groups from America with projects, and coordinate the logistics of those projects. I also help solve the “how” of getting the groups to the project site, with materials, and making it happen. Because things are less dependable in Guatemala than we are used to in the United States, this is often a lot more work than I anticipate.

Porch is partially funded by a coffee shop/restaurant that we run, and much of what I do is also tied up in that. I head publicity, management, and the products we carry and sell.

Most notable milestones

Here is a list of some of the projects that we have participated in, lead, and or funded.

• 2005
  Five-ton food distribution to families in San Juan La Laguna and San Pablo La Laguna after Tropical Storm Stan (in conjunction with two other NGO’s)
• 2006
  Construction
  Floridalma’s house — kitchen roof, plastered and bedroom remodeled
  Lucia (and son’s) house— complete new house
  Edgar and Michele’s house—remodeled with new doors, windows, walls and floors
  Jose’s house—new bathroom and kitchen
  New concrete floors (three rooms) at Pronade Chacaya School
  Helped install new ceiling in sanctuary in Mazetenango
  Virgina (and daughters’) house—complete new house
  
  Humanitarian:
  40 School scholarships for disadvantaged children
  Funded after-school, anti-gang soccer training program in San Juan La Laguna (boys only)
  Funded year’s worth of cleaning supplies and hygienic items for school in San Juan La Laguna
  Hosted four medical clinics staffed by short-term visitors
  Weekly free movie and snack program for street and vendor children in Panajachel
  
• 2007 (through June 15)
  Construction:
  Miguel Angel’s house—complete new bedroom/kitchen for his family (Santa Catarina)
  Rosa (San Antonio)—complete new bedroom for widowed grandmother
  Manuel/Ramas (Sta Catarina)—complete new bedroom for grandfather and his mentally challenged daughter
  Rosa/Claudia’s house —funded new concrete floor, bathroom, gas stove, metal doors and windows and pila (sink) for family of eight previously using bucket as bathroom.
  Hosted two short-term teams which began funding and rebuilding a sanctuary and community center completely destroyed by landslide (Tropical Storm Stan) in October 2005 in Panimache
  Connected local school with reforestation program (Macadamia nut trees) at local orphanage and provided daily transportation for student labor group
  
  Humanitarian:
  40 school scholarships for disadvantaged children
  Funded semi-weekly physical therapy for severely disabled 14 year-old, along with food, stove and propane tank for his family
  Funded after-school, anti-gang soccer training program in San Juan La Laguna (boys only) and added girls’ basketball program
  Funded year’s worth of cleaning supplies and hygienic items for school in San Juan La Laguna
  Partial funding of 685 pairs of new shoes for children in three impoverished schools near Santiago Atitlan
  Provided free or low-cost meeting and event space in Panajachel to four schools, environmental groups, churches, Alcoholics Anonymous and visiting humanitarian teams
  Hosted a medical clinic in Panimache and Chuacruz staffed by short-term visitors
  Partial funding of new fluorescent lights in school in San Antonio
  Funded cost of hospitalization (partial) and funeral of an indigenous 13-year-old cancer victim
  Free daily breakfast program for two disadvantaged boys

What makes your organization unique?

I think we are unique for many reasons. Not only are we in the community with the restaurant, and building relationships with people on a daily basis. But I think our biggest difference is in the fact that we are not defined or restrained by one way of helping. If a family needs a new house we can help. If a boy needs constant medical attention, we will provide a doctor. If a local family does not have the resources to send the children to school, we will. We help people on a needs based policy. If people have a real need we will make it happen.

Through all this we are urging and challenging the American community (here and in the United States) and Christian church to become part of something larger than themselves.

What's the biggest challenge?

Everything here is challenging, but you have to remain flexible and positive. However, some of the biggest challenges lie in assessing and determining who we can help and how. So many people here need help. It is often my job to discern who has real needs, and who is just looking for a handout. Even among people who have a real need we have to prioritize projects and determine how much we can become involved. Often the only way to do that is spending a day in the shoes of the people we are helping. We have to see how they live and where their resources are going. Many of the people we help have had some crises in their life that has left them where they are, and it is important for us to help them in a way that is going to be productive and lasting. It is easy to give people money and send them away, but that is often more harmful than it is helpful. We try to help in a way that will enable them to change their circumstances (eg. Education).

What's in store for the future?

We are trying to get the people in the community in Panajachel more involved in the helping process. Through having a coffee shop/restaurant we have the opportunity to meat a lot of the locals. We have live music two nights a week, and that brings in a lot of people we would not normally be involved with. Our hope is to use them to build lasting relationships with those in need in the area. We think that these relationships and bonds will help to create a better community here, and support change from within the area.

Because we work on a need base it is hard to plan too far in the future, but we know that there is always a need here in Guatemala, and we will be here to help.

Best way to stay ahead

There is so much need in Guatemala, and that all of the NGO’s have their hands full helping as much as they can. So instead of competing with others we really try to work with the other organizations. We often team up with other groups to help in large-scale projects like the food distribution during Hurricane Stan, and the shoe project in Santiago Atitlan. We really believe that the more we can work together in the community the better off we will be.

Guiding principle in life

Porch de Salomon is a Christian NGO, and we believe what Jesus talked about in the Bible. We believe that many Christians in the Untied Sates have become too comfortable with their lives. We believe that if you really are doing what Jesus talked about in the Bible, than the focus of your life will be on others as much as it is yourself. We see the value in every person, no matter their lifestyle, income, appearance, or smell. We are doing all we can to enable them to live with the all opportunities of those around them.

Yardstick of success

Success is sometimes hard to gauge here. There are always setbacks and always disappointments. Living in the third world comes with a lot of uncertainty, and things often fall through. So success is sometimes hidden. Things may look like they went wrong, or took too long, or were too difficult, but it is important to remember that we are always helping. Whether we have opened someone’s eye to extreme poverty, or built a house for a family of 12, there is always value in what we are doing. It is exciting to look back on what we have done in the short two years we have been here. We have both, tangible, and intangible results that remind us that we are making a good impact in others lives.

Goal yet to be achieved

There are always more children that are unable to go to school for lack of the inscription fee, and books. There are also a few projects we have to put on hold until we have the resources and manpower to complete them. We constantly have new goals, and new ways of reaching them. Sometime we have to be very creative.

Best practical advice

The best advice I can give is to be patient. Life is so unpredictable, and plans can change quickly. We have had to learn that lesson over and over again. I have to remain flexible and patient, and when things go different than you planed, you have to make a new plan.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

My family, and especially my wife, have been really supportive of my work here. The difficulties of life here can be discouraging at times, but the people that are close to me always remind me why I do it. They support me and encourage me when I could be living life for myself and making a lot more money. They often remind me that I am the happiest when I am helping others.

Mentors

I have not had too many direct mentors in my life, but I love to read, and have been most inspired by the thoughts and ideas of people who have made huge personal sacrifices for others. My parents have always been very encouraging and done all they could to help me travel and see the world. This has helped me to see the need in other countries.

What motivated you to get started?

I have traveled in South America, and lived in many parts of Central America before my wife and I moved to Guatemala. Seeing first hand the poverty and difficult situations that people are forced to live in made me want to do all I could to help those who are less fortunate than myself. When we got to Guatemala I saw that Porch de Salomon was really making an impact, and immediately joined in.

Like best about what you do?

I love having the opportunity to change people’s lives on a daily basis. It is really rewarding to pour my life into something bigger than myself. Often we help in little ways, but the people we help are always so grateful.

Like least about what you do?

I hate the fact that we cannot help every person that walks through our door. Some people have needs that we are unable to meet. Other people live in poverty (by American standards) and never think twice about it because it is the norm here.

I also have a hard time with people who try to take advantage of us. There are always people who hear that we help people in need and try to get a free hand out when they do not need it. This is why it is so important that we investigate every situation to make sure our resources are being used in the most efficient and effective manner.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I had no idea what I wanted to do at age ten. I was just trying to figure life out.

What was your first job?

My first job was selling fireworks over the summer when I was 13.

Biggest pastime outside of work

I really enjoy running and hiking around Lake Atitlan. Many days I will hike straight up a mountain only to be passed by a 60-year-old man with 60 pounds of firewood on his back. I also enjoy swimming in the lake and riding my bicycle between small towns and villages in the area.

Leader in business most interested in meeting and why?

I would love to meet Bill Gates. I really look up to him and appreciate all that he does. Not only does he have an incredible business, but he gives more than anyone I have heard of. He is a true example of what a person can do if they use the overflow of recourses they have been blessed with. He is very informed in all the areas he is helping, and his work to end extreme poverty is very inspiring. Not only does he have a huge heart, he has the intellectual capacity and resources to change the world. And he is doing all he can to do just that.

Three interesting facts about yourself

1. My Parents divorced and remarried 11 years later.
2. I went to nationals in DECA (Distributive Educational Clubs of America) in high school for Business.
3. I have rolled cars, wrecked hang gliders, and flipped rafts and am still alive and well.

Three characteristics that describe you

1. I am easy going.
2. I have good managerial skills.
3. I am very personable.

Three greatest passions

1. I love God.
2. I love my wife.
3. I love being outdoors (Telemark Skiing, Rafting, Running etc.)

Favorite book

There are so many I can not decide. Here is a little list:
"The End of Poverty" by Jeffery Sachs
"A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Brison
"Desert Solitaire" by Edward Abby
"The Essential C.S. Lewis" by C.S. Lewis

Favorite cause

I love the One foundation, and also the Millennium Project.
These two causes are doing more to eradicate extreme poverty than anything else I know of.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

We are always looking for people to get involved. A major part of what we do and believe here at Porch involves bringing people out of their comfort zones and helping them see the bigger picture. We are always in need of more people to live here in Panajachel and work with us. Panajachel is a small town that sits on the shore of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It is a lively town with a diverse group of people, and we feel that just about anyone could live here and be happy. Having said that, we are looking for groups, or individuals that would like to work here for a week to a few years. The more people who want to help change lives for the better.