On Sunday, Volcán de Fuego erupted for more than 16 hours in Guatemala. The natural disaster has killed 99, and injured and displaced many more. As Guatemalans in the United States look for ways to help their friends and family back home, two kids from Maryland also took it upon themselves to give back to the Central American country. They emptied their plastic orange piggy bank so they could donate their entire savings to the country they love. In a video captured by their mother, Mirna Flores, she asked her son, Jorge López Flores, why he was taking money out of his money box. He replied that he wanted to send it to Guatemala to help his people. “Do you like your country?” she asked. “I love it,” he replied. “I’m going to fight for my country. I’ll never abandon it.”
His older sister, Vivian, who sits beside him is in tears as they count up $130 worth of bills and loose change. “I feel sad, because I know we might not be able to do something greater,” she said. “But I also feel angry knowing that Jimmy Morales knows of this great tragedy in Guatemala [isn’t helping].”
Jorge tries to end the video on a positive note: “We’re going to pull through. God is touching our hearts right now.” But by the end of it, he’s also crying.
Check out a clip of the video below and watch the full version here.
If you’re also looking for ways to help Guatemala, you can donate money here and supplies in one of these cities.