Village Hands

Village Hands sells fresh vanilla pods from Guatemala. Snip up three pods into one cup of rum or vodka in a glass container with a lid. Shake gently and let steep for 6 weeks, shaking gently every week. The mixture becomes fresh vanilla extract at half the price (and twice the flavor) of store-bought.... Use in any recipe calling for vanilla essence. Or shake a few drops into black coffee, add cream and sugardelicious! Message me at Beth Ulrich Ramirez for more information.

I love ecolink earrings, a recycled product fashioned from potato chip bags--they are light, sturdy, and beautiful! They also make a great conversation piece--handcrafted by Mayan women in Guatemala, and keeping their mountain home clean. I have all colors! Contact me on DM or at [email protected] if you need a certain color, and I can verify with you, then send it in the mail with a first-class stamp. They are that light! Cost is $5 including shipping.

Village Hands products are made from recycled and natural raw materials, like potato chip bags and maguey cactus fiber. They are carefully created by a few talented Mayan women from Guatemala who speak an ancient Mayan language called Pokomchi (some spell it Poqomchi). Your purchase benefits them, and cares for the mountainous environment they call home. That's why we call our product "ecolink." To order visit villagehandsguate.org or contact me personally at [email protected] (Beth Ramirez).

Some Village Hands ecolink bracelets were spotted at a birthday bash in Blairsville, Georgia! Photo courtesy of Julie Sgambati.

Dear friends in quarantine, be encouraged! This too shall pass, and our faith will be strengthened by perseverance through trial. Guatemala has 16 million people, and a quite young population, with a median age of only 22 (compared to 38 in the US and 45 in Italy). Guatemalans love babies and also care tenderly for their aged. Perhaps as a result, only 5 people in the entire country have succumbed to COVID-19. That is an amazing statistic! You can encourage and support w...omen and their families in Guatemala by purchasing and using Village Hands products. These include colorful, light-weight, durable jewelry and small purses made from recycled material (namely, potato chip bags). Visit our website at villagehandsguate.org. I also can dropship to your home our high quality vanilla extract in bottles of 2 ounces for $5 or 8 ounces for $20. The vanilla beans are grown in Guatemala--the fragrant seedpod of the vanilla orchid. Contact me on Facebook Messenger or at [email protected] to order.

Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart which acknowledges the vital role others play in our own success and happiness. Village Hands is grateful for the creative work of our Pokomchi artisans, as well as for our faithful customers who invest in Village Hands products. Our Heavenly Father is over all, and we bow in humble gratitude to His goodness, and the majesty of His world!... Ntiox aweh...thank you!