The Rustic House Shares Goals for Practice In Action Trip

The This Little Light Project has always been the heartbeat of The Rustic House; we strive to give back to the world, no matter how big or small the contribution. This Little Light was established in an effort to partner with nonprofit organizations to bring awareness to a cause. With our 2020 Practice In Action Service Trip just weeks away, we wanted to share what we plan to achieve with Rising Minds, a Guatemala-based nonprofit.

Though Rising Minds is located on the beautiful Lake Atitlán landscape, there is a lack of education in terms of teaching kids how to protect and preserve the land. Recently, algae blooms have increased, compromising the cleanliness of Lake Atitlán. Because of an excess of plants and other growths in the lake water, it depletes oxygen for marine life--causing death. The lake has also sustained a lack of wastewater management, which has ultimately contaminated the water with pathogens and toxins.

To combat these pressing environmental issues, we are helping Rising Minds establish the Forest Playgroup. This educational program will provide kids with a safe place to learn about the environment. Through a series of hands-on activities, they will better understand how to protect the landscape as they get older.

The Educational Garden has long been close to our hearts; we are excited to help maintain it through planting medicinal herbs such as mint, lavender, aloe vera and lemongrass, as well as keeping it structurally updated. Upkeep of the Educational Garden has provided empowering employment opportunities for the local Garden Manager and Community Health Educator.

The Rustic House values a hands-on approach when serving the world. If you would like to contribute to the Practice in Action, simply purchase an Agave + Lime Candle. $12 from each candle benefits various projects that Rising Minds supports, including the Educational Garden and Forest Playgroup. 

As of January 2020, 100% of the proceeds raised by the Agave + Lime candle specifically went towards re-configuring the entrance to the Educational Garden, creating four raised garden beds for a medicinal herb garden and converting old cement basins to a 300-gallon water tank to function as a water storage unit.

We look forward to not only serving the Lake Atitlán community, but growing personally as well. TRH Employee Treston Tanner is eager to embark on the journey. Having traveled to South America several times in the past, he has only seen Guatemala from a distance. Soon, he will finally experience the country first-hand. 

“I am looking forward to serving the Guatemalan community, learning meditation practices, and discovering how to better myself so I can better serve others.”

Impact Summary details provided by Rising Minds Assistant Director, Fallon Burke.