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The hardest part of achieving a goal is starting. Being sendy means making courageous decisions to try something before you have all of the answers. This podcast will remind you of the remarkable life you are living and will give you new ideas to make your life more meaningful and exciting and give you courage to accomplish your goals by stopping the negative voices in your head and just sending it!
Becky (00:33.44)
We're gonna talk. I'm excited. Yes, we're gonna do this for real. So I am really excited to have you on my podcast. This is kind of a new adventure for me and and I love adventures. So we're gonna just have a nice little chat. That's really what this is about. I just want to get to know you a little bit better and a little bit more deeply because I think it's important to understand each other deeply.
Becky
So what do you think a Sendy mom is?
Debora (01:23.805)
So when I said the title to my son Grant you know it's like that's funny mom it's like wait because he's like I know what Sendy means. Because Becky told me, and he was so impressed that I knew the word But that's somebody that just goes for it. That has no fear or if he has even with fears He has the courage to go for it.
Becky (01:43.711)
That's right. It's like yeah, it's really about courage and and about like Fear that we all experience fear and we're all very normal people and we there are things that are scary for us to do But sometimes you just have to say, okay I'm going to go. I'm going to go for it. I'm just going to send it. And it's about having a community too that of all these people that are telling you, come on and just send it. You can do this. Right. And so that's, that's great. So I'm glad you kind of get that. And why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, about your family and about, I don't where you come from. All of that.
Debora (02:21.784)
So I grew up in Guatemala. Okay. I am the fifth of 10 children. And then I, came to the US to study and ended up deciding to stay.
Becky (02:34.63)
What were you studying when you, or what did you want to study?
Debora (02:37.232)
When I came, I was studying computer science, electrical engineering, because I had done a little bit of that growing up. I went to a IB program in Guatemala in a private school and they really pushed for that class to. to start in Guatemala, the programming and stuff.
Becky (02:57.797)
That's interesting. I didn't know that. I thought you wanted to be a doctor. I remember you telling me that before. So
Debora (03:04.169)
In high school, did do the, I learned all kinds of languages, like coding basic, all that stuff, just as part of my education in high school. But then I thought I'm to come to college and then do like a pre -med and a major in computer science.
Becky (03:20.272)
I see. Okay, so that was the plan was to kind of get that first degree and then then go on.
Debora (03:25.455)
Yeah, because that pre -med is not a major. True. I got it. it. And then when I chose to get married, I thought I need to continue my education, but I am not going to continue to do pre -med. I mean, computer science, because you can't keep up unless you're in the workforce.
Becky (03:45.874)
Okay, with the knowledge. Yeah, that's absolutely true. I think it would be very difficult to get a I've always thought it was difficult to get a degree in computer science because it's evolving all the time. So yeah, although I think it's important to go ahead and to get a degree just to be educated. So whatever you're interested in.
Debora (04:04.435)
So yeah, so I changed it and I thought I'm just gonna do premed and do some other things not knowing exactly. And what I decided to do when I found out that you couldn't go medical school part -time because I was going to college part -time after I got married. And I thought, I can't go to school full -time for 10 years and miss my children's lives. So I decided to go for psychology and family science because that still provides the healing desire that I was hoping to provide to the world.
Becky (04:34.436)
Yeah. And isn't that interesting? Cause we do have, we have this, this time in our lives where we, we start to understand what our life purpose is. And so it's interesting that you found that so early. I think it takes people a long time to figure out kind of what their life purpose is, but it sounds to me like you, you understood that I have this desire to heal people and help people heal.
Debora (04:56.056)
Yeah. And I thought that's why I wanted to go to medical school. So I was able to switch. And by then I had four children. So it was 1995. By them time I realized I'm not doing medical school, this is it. I need to change.
Becky (05:08.916)
How did you feel about that?
Debora (05:11.172)
It was difficult because I thought it would be really fun to be a medical doctor. But the funny thing is that I wanted to be a medical doctor so that I could have the notoriety to use natural medicine. So in reality, I don't know that I ever believed in allopathic medicine, just regular medicine. But I just wanted to have the credentials to say, hey, you've got this major thing going on. Have you looked into this behavior or this nutritional thing? And so So it would have been kind of a waste of 10 years of my life. Just to have that the authority. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That's easy to see now. Yeah. But it was good to go through and learn how machines think, for example, with the computer science. Sure. I I got as far as C. Okay. In 1987. I think that's the newest thing that they had when I went to college in Idaho. Okay. And but it helped my mind think. zeros and ones and that kind of thing. Okay, so the logic logic models and the flow charts and yeah, and then when I I'm going through the medicine, not no medicine, but the biology and all those things also helped me think how how the natural world is formed. Okay, so now looking back and thinking, I got a little bit of science, I got a little bit of technology.
Becky (06:31.266)
Yeah, and you've definitely evolved that in your life. And you've really taken that into your life too. And that's It's interesting how, you know, as you go through life, you notice certain themes and things that are kind of at your core and that are very important to you. So it sounds to me like it's very important to you about natural healing is kind of an important part of your background and just healing in general.
Debora (06:58.567)
Yeah. My family comes from like three generations of natural healers.
Becky (07:03.654)
I didn't know that.
Debora
Yeah. So my great grandfather was a famous healer in Guatemala. He was a Spaniard, but he of course lived in Guatemala. He mingled with everybody there and people would come from all over the place to come visit him. His name was Amadeo Roca. And then he taught his daughter who would have been my dad's mother. that similar thing. So the two of them had a practice of sorts and they did stitching and bone setting and stuff like that too. wasn't just herbs and surgery as well. Yeah, like minor surgeries. then they did a lot of talk therapy also. Because it was more a holistic approach. You what's wrong with your marriage? You know, maybe this is what's happening. It's helping. It's getting your body to be sick. You know, that's kind of what I never met my grandfather. I met my grandmother. But then my dad's cousin went to medical school and did a full degree with surgery and everything and used medical, like natural medicine. And I think that's what I was thinking. I want to be like Tio Juanito because he knew how to heal things. Okay. Yeah. And not all doctors can heal. So that's kind of what I wanted. So have you been able to do some of that?
Becky (08:29.661)
Do you feel like you've learned some? some techniques or do you feel like you have gifts for healing medically or or I mean you went into psychology so are have you focused more on the mental healing of people?
Debora (08:42.846)
So I do think that we are three -dimensional beings. have a body, we have a mind, we have a spirit and you cannot heal one without healing the other. There's more and more evidence that people that have some illnesses that could be connected to emotional things, which emotions come from relationships. So that's the triad that I think is really useful. And I have done a couple of trainings on things like how to use essential oils, how to use herbs. And also I'm a cognitive behavioral coach. And so as the word... as it sounds, you know, is behavioral. Okay. So cognitive just recognizing in your mind, you know, what's going on. And then the behavioral part is like, okay, so what kinds of things do you need to change in your life in order to be healthier? Okay. But the thing about behavior is that all everything is behavior, even medicine. Yeah. Even allopathic medicine. They give you a medicine for something that you have, you have to take it. Or you have to stop smoking or you have to do whatever you have to do. There's a behavior attached to it.
Becky (10:06.359)
Interesting. Yeah. No, and that's absolutely true. I think there's a holistic approach. Sometimes you can solve many problems by just changing one thing. And a lot of times it happens in your mind.
Debora (10:21.851)
Yes, it starts there.
Becky (10:23.828)
So do you have private clients or do you like, how did you get started with this? Did you just start researching it? I guess you were, you did do some school, but it took you kind of a long time to do the school, but you didn't give up. And that's the thing that kind of makes you Sendy, you know, like, sometimes, you know, you're like, okay, it's too late. I am, you know, I don't know how old you are. not going to say it. But I'm over 50 and it's too late for me. can't, you like, but you kept going. Like, when did you, have you graduated yet?
Debora (10:54.052)
So I graduated in April, this April. Congratulations. Yeah. And I started my master's degree on Tuesday. you did just barely. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But I, it was interesting because I wasn't in a degree so I could go get a job or I could get a specific skill. Right. I just, I believe in, Revelation and there's something in my life called a patriarchal blessing and in there it talks about finishing my education So I can be a comfort and a health I help to my own family and I build to support myself Yeah, so the support myself would be like, I have to get a career and I gotta make money, but I haven't had to do that yet Yeah, but the other side I'm like, yes if I'm going to help my own family because it says my own, you know, I think I can understand family science, which is what I studied. I can understand psychology, which I also, that was my major and the other one was a minor. And then I can learn to apply nutrition and healthy living and that kind of thing. in general, I was born with pretty healthy children. It's not like I already had somebody that was born sickly, but I can't remember the last time I had to really take them to the doctor.
We had to do the regular vaccines and everything to stay in line with what the school requires and all that. But ear infections, all those kinds of things are so simple to take care of with like herbs and stuff. when oils came along, I was so excited because it's like the herbs already in a package. I don't have to boil them and make poultices and teas. But I grew up with that stuff. So it wasn't complicated for me to use mint like from the garden, make a tea for stomach ache.
Becky (12:39.308)
Interesting. Okay. Well, I'm gonna have to get some of your recipes. Yeah, for sure. I'm totally interested in the in natural healing as well. I think that like I said, a lot of this comes from our minds, our brains and you know, and a lot of what you know, I like to talk about in Sendy mom is just more is about like overcoming some of those fears and some of those doubts of yourself of being able to heal yourself because I think we really can. We are our brains are so much more powerful than we give them credit for. Well, let me ask you a little bit, because I want to delve a little bit into your work with the UN and with promoting families and things like that. But let's take it back a little bit and go back to your home life and the type of family that you grew up in. were one of 10 children too, is that correct? yeah.
nice big family. know big families. I'm from a really big family too. And you know, I don't have as many children as I come from, but I, but I understand big families. And, and so I kind of want to know how your parents raised you. mean, Guatemala to be able to, you know, I think it's pretty sendy to come and live in America, reestablish your whole life. Like how do you, I mean, how did your parents raise you so that you felt confident enough to make some of these choices that you did?
Debora (14:12.703)
I was pondering on that this morning because it wasn't necessarily specific behaviors like go do whatever, like, you know, some parents say, you can do all things, everything and whatever you set your mind to do. And it becomes just kind of like, thing to say. But the way that what they did teach me was to follow the spirit, to follow inspiration, to follow a higher power. And I think when it came to choosing to come to college in the US, it was really a very difficult decision. First of all, I am a huge patriot. The idea of leaving the country was not, it never occurred to me that I would go be the American dream. didn't even know about it, didn't care about it. Not that I don't love America now, but it wasn't like, my gosh, my life is so hard. I've got to go find ways to, live in America. That wasn't my story at all. plan. No, no. My parents, we were middle -class. So for Guatemala, that's, that's really stable here. wouldn't look middle -class. If you went to visit my house, you'd be like, what? But, but we were, like I said, we, we went to private school. But we had an industry at home. We made, my dad was a very gifted artisan. yes, okay. Yeah, and my mom was a school teacher. So we did really well in school. And in sixth grade, I got a scholarship for the best college, I mean, high school, junior high school in Guatemala. Wow. And some of my sisters didn't, but we all worked in our home factory.
Debora (15:56.178)
Okay. So we make furniture, we make earrings, made all kinds of things out of bamboo. so I can, I used to be able to make you a desk or a chair, but I don't know if I couldn't anymore. It's been a while.
Becky (16:05.593)
I didn't know you did furniture and everything. Where would you sell those things?
Debora (16:09.785)
Mostly at restaurants. So there'll be some fancy high -end restaurants that would want unusual, beautiful looking things that are made out of like bamboo, you know, very tropical looking furniture, but high -end.
Becky (16:22.623)
Did your dad design these and then he just told you how to build?
Debora (16:25.824)
Yeah, we all worked together like all 10 of us. And I think that's one of the things that I could see my dad's brave spirit, know, to say, I don't want to be an employee to anyone. going to create my own company. And this is a country that is not meant, it's not very easy to create your own company or be an employee or anything. Yeah, I can't imagine. Yeah, the government, the economics out there are very controlled by government. it's not.
Becky
So how did he do that? Do you even know?
Debora (16:53.68)
I was, he did that when I was born, around the time I was born. And he just started to create lamps out of bamboo and coconut shells. And I guess he just has that very artistic, creative So then we would just help in the factory all the time. So it became a really united family. Because if you really wanted, you had to pay your tuition and you wanted to go to prom or whatever. Yeah, we were together working to make sure that we had enough money to do all those things.
Becky (17:29.393)
he basically built his lamps and then he went over to a restaurant or hotel and asked if they wanted to buy it. Yep. That's all you have to do. feel like, sometimes we overcomplicate business so much and then we just don't start anything at all. Right. So if you have a talent, if you have something or even if you aren't really sure, you have a love or desire to do something. Sometimes all it takes is just that initial step and that initial investment of time and maybe a little bit of money to be able to go and do that thing that you're really interested in. So you were, you were encouraged in your family to be a part of a group and that it was a community effort and to support one another. And it, and I know you're a very, service oriented person and you're very concerned with with helping other people and I don't doubt that that comes from a lot of your upbringing and what you were kind of taught. I mean were you in were you encouraged as as a you know to help out quite a bit in the community as well?
Debora (18:38.625)
Yeah so my dad is pretty sendy. I mean if you had to say something about him that's what he is. this is a it's a a moment in my life that I can remember. There are two moments I'm going to tell you. So one of them related to what you're saying. When my grandmother died, they used to have lands and stuff in Betania, in Jalapa. If anybody's from Guatemala, they'll understand what that is. she, of course, gave them to the children. And my dad sold his land to his brother because my dad was not a farmer. He lived in Guatemala City and he was more business. And he took that money. and invested it in this project to go to this little town in San Marcos, which is in the border of Mexico. And the reason that he did that is because during the time that I was a teenager, there was a civil war. There's still kind of a lot of going on there, but there was a very specific civil war that started with a coup d'état when I was in seventh grade. like two blocks from my house that was bombing and yeah, that's why like fear. the fear. Yeah. You learn at whatever old I was 13 that you made it through a bombing two blocks away and my parents were out of the country.
Becky (20:05.46)
So you were there with all your siblings and your younger siblings and so
Debora (20:10.38)
yeah, during that time, there were a lot of killings. I believe they said about 70 ,000 men were killed. my goodness. And this is going to get a little political, but the Guatemala is still an elitist country. People that are Latinos like me, mixed with European are still wanting to keep the control of the country. Mayans, which are about 60 % of the inhabitants of the country, are still not given the opportunity. There's of prejudice. Yeah, prejudice, but it's also that they don't speak Spanish. They are completely Native, that they have been preserved themselves by choice sometimes, and also trying to run away from being killed. anyway, this civil war created so many widows.
Debora (21:11.836)
And because my dad, his father died when he was still in the womb. So he knew what it was like to have a mother who was a widow. The difference is that my grandmother had a father and a mother, you know, they had a strong family and he went to live there and they became the natural doctor and all that stuff. But in reality, most widows don't have that, that to lean on. We would go to Mayan towns, but this money, instead of using it for anything else, he would go, we would go as a family. He moved to the little border town, Malacatan is the name of it. And he would just teach people how to make stuff like he had learned.
Becky (21:55.22)
That's amazing. Yeah. So he would say self -reliance, teaching self -reliance basically.
Debora (22:00.113)
Yeah. Yeah. On his own. and creativity. So they would say, they would have whatever town you go to, there's a lot of coconuts here. So let me show you how you can make a sugar bowl, which is something that sells. Here's how you can make a lamp You can make a hair clip. can make, and so he would, he set up a little, he rented a little place and set up a little area where he had little tiny tools that they can come and use. that's something that he did from the time I was a little. So that was the big project. But when I was little, little, he would just go to towns. to say, Hey, let's go get in the car. We're going to go teach these people how to make this and how to make that because he couldn't bear the idea that it was a widow with children that couldn't figure out how to feed the children.
Becky (22:42.455)
I love that so much because so much so many times we just try to give them money, right? But to actually teach them a skill that is going to help them to continue. That's an investment, you know, in their in their futures. And I absolutely love that. Have you seen that in other areas, I know you've done a lot of humanitarian work, what other ways have you seen where people have been able to help other people or is it mostly with that creative kind of side or have there been things that you've been able to do to teach people to be more self -reliant?
Debora (23:16.914)
So right now I have a couple of projects that I'm involved in and one of them is from one of our neighbors, it goes with me too, you know, we go to Guatemala and We are teaching people different things, but one of the things that they need to learn, especially the women, is that they have a value, that they are worthy. Because like you said, it all starts in your mind. Yes, absolutely. And when you've been treated as a second class citizen, because of your race, because we go to native places. or gender or whatever. Yeah. So they have the second citizen thing, second hand, second place citizen, because they are natives. And then they are women.
Debora (23:57.472)
So they're like third or fourth, whatever you even, if there was ever another layer. they don't, Guatemala is not the most egalitarian country. Still very machista. So for example, one of the things that Jeff and I went to do that was really fun is to help them learn how to even write their name. Now there's some 50 year old women that have never held a pencil and wrote a letter. Which is hard to imagine. We have so much education, we just assume everybody has it.
Becky (24:29.665)
And how does that make these people feel? What do you notice when you help them to learn how to write their name?
Debora (24:38.087)
Wow, it was such a moment for me watching. did a little pilot. I was at present at the Pilot. Jeff goes to it a lot more than I do because I have other projects, but they were sitting and we brought tablets, right? Because the project is more than just writing your name. That was what I was able to witness. And these women were crying and laughing at the same time. It was the most incredible joy and the most incredible sadness because they didn't speak Spanish. So I couldn't speak to them. But we had translators. They spoke Kepochi And that's a very ancient language that is not really written. There are a couple of books on it, but that's about it. And anyway, so as we were trying to figure out how they were feeling through the translator, they were like... I am special. have a name. I can write my name. Yeah. Because usually you just do your thumbprint. Yeah. And also, why didn't I get to do this before? Why did nobody teach me?
Becky (25:37.576)
Wow. So do you go into the, mean, are things improving in the schools as far as allowing girls to be in school and are the younger, is the younger generation learning?
Debora (25:50.502)
Yes, the challenge there and I'm talking about specific village, right? That specific group that we're dealing with. They are, they don't trust white people and I'm considered white in my country. Yeah. They don't trust the European very much because they have come and they have killed their men, right? Cause they, they, they go president himself order that, that killings and in the eighties. Yeah, it's terrible. But They also don't want to have their children go into a society that is corrupt. Because they want to be very pure, very... almost Mennonite, does that make sense? Okay, yeah. They want to just keep their traditions.
Becky (26:35.026)
You know, it's interesting because I feel like the youth today are kind of going that direction too. At least I've talked to many young adults who want to homestead. They want to be on a property and be separated from people. They want to grow their own food. And it gets really interesting, you know, that we build up the society that we think is just right. It's just perfect. And we want to break away from it.
Debora (26:59.725)
Yeah. Right. Because the pendulum thing. So maybe we've too far into this. So so you were saying about education. Yes, there are schools there. The public schools are not the best. And in the places that we go to. They don't have running water. They don't have electricity. They don't have real homes. So therefore they don't really have schools. So the government does not support a school there because they're already not wanting to support the Maya population. that's a, that's a.
Becky (27:31.155)
So have you met anybody that has broken away from that?
Debora (27:35.179)
Yeah. a lot of people do. Yeah.
Becky
Can you tell me about any specifics? Can you think of any specific stories or any specific people that come to mind?
Debora
Yeah. So we met this man in, I think it was called La Caoba. I think I was with Jeff. I go there a lot and he goes there a lot, but not always at the same time. And Jeff and Elise, I think were with us in this remote place. You literally drive eight hours to get to the main little city. and then drive a few hours in the mud in a four -wheel drive truck if there's no rain to this little place in Skolakaova. And it was this man who spoke English, Spanish, and kepochi because he was from there. we were like, whoa, can we hire you to be with us? Because usually you had to translate from English to Spanish, from Spanish to kepochi you know. And he told us this really sad story. said, yeah, I wanted to help my family. And like many immigrants, he left from his village to LA, I believe. And he said it was sad, was miserable, because the community out there might be poor in our standards, but they're united, and they know each other, and they're together, and they're small. anyway. It's your people, it's your community. Right. He said he was so depressed, and it was so hard. And so many of the people that he was hanging out with, they were taking advantage of him, because he didn't speak any of the languages, nor Spanish or English. He obviously learned both, because he could do it.
Debora (29:01.988)
And but it was really sad to see the sacrifice that he did as a young man because a lot of a lot of the time the men work so hard because they work the land they get up at three four in the morning work all day and make enough to about five dollars a week well with other bigger farmers sometimes they go and and help in the farm or somebody else usually European and Anyway, so he thought I don't know I didn't ask him what happened to his father, but a lot of the times the fathers died by 45, 50. If you did have a father, because remember they killed 70 ,000 of his own ancestors would have been his great grandfather or his grandfather. He was probably 30. So he went as a very young man, probably to support his family because he didn't know what else to do. And the funny thing to me, and this is going to get again a little political, most people don't want to leave their country. know I didn't, right? Because the mind just was different. came to to get a college education and was planning to go back. But they want to stay with their family. They want to stay with their mother and their sisters and their support group. So he went back and he learned a lot. because he wanted to be able to help his family and make sure that they were not being taken advantage. He sacrificed being around these people that he loved to be able to go to America, to learn the language and to learn Spanish and English so that he could go back and help his family.
It's mostly men. They come and work so hard. There are a lot of K 'iche, which is a different tribe. We have 26 tribes and they don't speak the same language. And that's 60 % of the country. So think about the difficulty in making the country progress with that kind of break. So in Kansas, where my parents were, they served a few missions, LDS missions in Kansas. And they were huge communities that were working in the national. which is they kill cows, they process beef. you know people always say, they're so weird, they all live ten in a room. That's why they do it. Because they are ten in a dumpy little room because every penny that they're making is going home to their mother, to their wife, to their children, to whoever it is that they need support. And most of them, they don't want to be here.
Debora (31:47.856)
And they want there to see us as a sacrifice. And let's talk about a messy breakup of families, right? So the projects we have in Guatemala, we have some in progress. I am mostly consulting for a lot of friends that have projects out there because I still have one daughter left at home. And I understand my most important job and the only one that I'm really going to be having to talk to God about is going to be whether or not I did everything I could for my children. So I have that daughter that has one more year.
Debora (32:16.19)
So I've been kind of dabbling, not going and coming, but haven't had my own projects. But we do have a project right now that we're going to start hopefully next year when she's all graduated. And it's going to be comprehensive. is there a way if I tell you about it?
Becky (32:30.146)
Yeah, no, I would love that. And I just wanted to clarify. it's basically one area that you're kind of focused in on. We've gone in several. have. But you started in one place, right? Or did you just, did you start out with like all of these different areas?
Debora (32:47.443)
I've gone friends who want to start a project in Guatemala have come to consult with me. Got it. And I've gone with them. Okay. So I've done several areas that way. I see. So you've just been kind of the consultant and then there's a project that you would like to start on your own case. So yes, tell me how do you start, start a project like this and tell me about your project that you're going to be doing. So if all goes well, the funding is lined up. and we will be going to a tribe near the famous lake in Guatemala because it's very accessible and we'll have a four -prong approach. And first we're to start with nursing the unborn which is the I think that's the clue. Pregnant women. I think the little girls. Okay. Because there are projects that try to feed the pregnant women but I don't know about you, but in nine months, if you're already an undernourished person. Absolutely. Not totally true. Yes. Like it go to your body just to sustain you. But I'm hoping to start with five year olds. And we already have tested all this. We've done little pilots through my friends are out there and we want to feed. Of course, we want to feed all the children, but really the focus is a five year old girl that by 12 or 13, 14, they get pregnant.
Debora (34:02.656)
And imagine if you're that young, even as you they like they do. Yeah. After sixth grade, if there is even a school, right? They're very, young. Because if you think of a really a country that's 300 years in the behind in development, pioneer women. Yeah, that's true. Right. 15-16. was that even in England. Yeah. But think about that. That's the same idea because they They only live to be 40 or 50 years old. So they start earlier. yeah. Plus in, that mentality, the only purpose a woman is born is to have a child, right? It's definitely not something we believe in. There's so much more to that. That's the simpleness of life. so anyway, so we want to feed them and we already have an oatmeal that they like. We've tried it and it is full of protein. Every amino acid the brain needs. we get those girls bodies to be strong and healthy. And their brains as well. Yeah. But then the problem with the birth of a child in a undernourished body is that on the third trimester when your body is already exhausted, I know you're a mother, by then your body is depleted unless you've done something really strong to keep it strong. And that's when the brain develops of the child. So if you don't have amino acids to build that baby's brain. And the baby is born with a quasi brain. So we do have that issue about 75 % of the Mayan population is born with learning disabilities. I guess it's how we would qualify it here. Okay. Because of the lack of nutrients during that third trimester. Yeah. Interesting. So we have that and it has a lot of quinoa, for example, that's like a magic, magic pill.
Becky (35:52.66)
Do they grow a lot of that down there?
Debora (35:54.61)
No, that's why we have funding. because we need to bring it maybe from Bolivia and Peru. And we have talked to the people that produce it. So we have the access, but because anyway, that's too much, too many details to tell you in another interview. But that's one thing. And then the other thing is a global health institute that we already have a person. I have a friend who does this all over in really remote areas. So he's going, we're going to design one. We're to do a small pilot project in by the lake, like I was mentioning, and we already have a partner there that is doing a lot of things with single moms and young children. So he's going to be our partner and we're going to do the nutrition, we're going to do the health and a lot of it is going to be natural health actually because they believe in that already. But then the other part is going to be a life university because you were talking about the mind, right? We're talking about the three -dimensional nature of us humans and the life university will have courses that are actually for your life.
Debora (36:53.984)
Because some of yes, it's fun to learn how to write your name and maybe in a few years you'll be able to read a book But when you're 50 and you gotta support your family go to so many things Maybe not the best use of your time when it comes to education. That's probably yeah, that's true
Becky (37:08.584)
Although it is important like what you were talking about for for your own self Recognition and feeling good about yourself. I think it's really important Yeah before you can even start that you need to believe that you can right make your life better
Debora (37:24.0)
Yeah, and that you're important enough to write. Because that's like a status symbol. So we will do that, but mostly the courses are going to be some that we already have designed and some that we have gleaned from somewhere else. But our flag course is going to be the six strengths of family. So this is based on studies guide, just study family science. And this is amazing. It has data from like 25 countries over 20 years to see what. makes our family resilient. And what they had those, all those people had in common. So, we're going to reduce it to behavior. And the six of them, we're going to create four behaviors that are the vital behaviors. And if anybody that is listening actually cares about, how do you say, development, I would recommend reading the influencer book. Influencer book is amazing. what they've discovered is that if you can teach vital behaviors to people, then they're able to change their life. we were talking earlier.
Becky (38:31.429)
Tell me what some of the vital behaviors are.
Debora (38:34.09)
So for example, one of the things that they discovered is positive communication, we're doing right now. Okay. Yes, absolutely. That's not necessarily true in families that are surviving. Because if you think about your own survival mode, your whole life and your your ancestors have been in that sense that you've been going through this.
Becky (38:57.094)
So it's being a disrupter really to learn how to break away from that.
Debora (39:02.328)
To be what we call in family science a transitional character. So to change the way that your family was behaving all these years. But anyway, so there six of them and let's say communication and some of another one spirituality, which is not surprising. Yeah. No, the connection to a divine. So anyway, so that's the third part we'll do life university that has to do with life changing. Behaviors.
Becky (39:41.584)
So what do you see needs to be changed the most in Guatemala?
Debora (39:50.712)
If women could understand they are worth more than a childbearing machine. Yeah. is that it's a two way road. Okay, we believe we're not worthy. So we allow people to mistreat us or
Becky (40:07.871)
and I think that is a common theme in a lot of countries in the world, you know, and not not to say it like even in America. It's you know, like, it's just a common theme in humanity to to treat somebody inferior or treat somebody as superior. I would love if we could just get to a point where we all believe that we are the same. That is, we we are all, all have value. And if you've gone your whole life feeling like you were undervalued or that you were inferior to somebody else, then it causes you to repress yourself and not do anything, not reach your full potential basically. And then when you've got the superiority complex, it has other problems too, because then you're denying yourself the relationships that you could have if you were to understand that we are all equal in value.
Debora (43:06.976)
That's huge. And that's the thing about women were talking about the idea that they are worthy. And I think it comes down to motivation when it comes to pride. What is your motivation to improve? Is it to be better than somebody else? Is it to be better than yourself and give to the world? Right. As you can see that, okay, because I can read now I can teach my children because I can feed myself. I can help feed others. So it becomes when it's altruistic, I think it changes everything. And then the fourth piece,
Debora (43:38.547)
I think about the four corners of this project is the idea of community, because in reality, none of those things are worth much unless you are united with your community. Because when it comes to resiliency, and that's one of the six things in a family, the family study that belonging to a community and being active in it, because in anything, you have to work together, not just your family. But so the idea is to create resilient families by doing the community, the knowledge, not necessarily just regular education, but it's knowledge that is necessary and basic to your specific needs. So it's going to be tailored to the group that we're teaching at that moment, right? And then of course, the basic health, people die from diarrhea still. That's something we forget. They die from colds. They die from the 1800s illness that shouldn't have to die. And then of course, if you are born with a fully developed body and a fully developed brain, then you have a chance to change.
Debora (44:38.089)
But when even if I had only do one thing, I will do the feeding the children. Yes. Yeah. Because then then the new generation could change. Have a chance. Yes. Of the country. Otherwise, you keep going back in the same cycle. Interesting.
Becky (44:54.767)
You've gone to the top of the river. You know, like so often, you know, we hear this this metaphor of a river going down and we're we're at the end of the river trying to fix all these problems. So you got to go to the top of the river and fix that problem and it will solve all. And that's the same thing that we talked about kind of at the beginning, too. Yes. If we can fix one thing that will fix so many other things, then let's go to the root of that problem.
Debora (45:25.799)
Yeah. So it's fun that you say root, because the way I see it is similar to the river analogy. But there's a tree. And then what we're doing right now is worrying about the apple, the rotten apple that didn't quite make it, but pull out the worms and figure out how to make it so that it continues to be. And then people are like, I don't know, we should work on the roots, which makes sense. But I'm working on the seed. How about that seed that created that root? So let's go all the way to that seed. So that's called the Genesis project, which is the genesis of all poverty comes before you're even born. So, gotta give these people a chance to even to try, right? Yeah, because they're hard working. That's right. Actually brilliant. I mean, if you were to go and communicate with them, once you can translate with them, they're tough, they're resilient, they're family centric, they're very Christian, actually. They're very good people. They're very clean. And they, like I said, they work really hard. Is there no part because they're lazy? Right. Which sometimes happens, but no, these people, like I said, get up really early. They live off the land. Yeah, but they don't grow up fully formed Mostly. Yeah.
Becky (46:25.831)
Interesting. And that's well, and that can be solved with education as well. Like once they know, like, actually, this would make me more money or this would, this would provide more for my community than, than I'm going to grow this, but that they don't, they don't, if they don't, they don't know what they don't know. They just do what their fathers and grandparents have done for, years and years.
Debora (46:52.019)
So if you never left your little teeny teeny community, cause there are no cars, right? They don't have cars. Right. Not everybody. mean, I'm making an exaggeration. And I think some of the people that are listening that happened to be Mayan would be like, what are you talking about? They're amazing Mayans. Like amazing. I've had classmates in the city that had that full blood Mayan and were able to overcome
Debora (47:20.529)
So there's just so many, you know, like we're all doing amazing things in our in our own little world.
Becky (47:48.977)
Right. And the things that the things that we love to do and that's, you know, I love talking to you because I love seeing how you are taking the knowledge, the passion that you had from the beginning for natural healing, for healing. You you start with the healing, that's the seed, right? That was what drove you. And then look at this beautiful tree that you have grown from this seed of an idea of, want to heal people. And I just love that. And that is really what being a sendy mom all about. It's all about confidence. Yes, absolutely. Well, that's what we're here for. It's like, I would love it if we would have like groups of women getting together and, and encouraging each other to send it to just go and do these things that because sometimes we feel like it is so difficult to take that first step. And we feel so much doubt, you know, like these women that you're talking about, they can't even write their name. and how much confidence that gives them to take that first step to learn how to write. And once you can, once you learn how to do a little bit, then you can do a little bit more. It doesn't mean that you have to do something that somebody else has done. You have to start with the seed. You have to understand what is it that I am really passionate about. What's your strength? Sometimes that's the hardest part. I mean, you're lucky you did it when you were so young. I've had to take kind of a lifetime before I look back and say, yeah, that's what was important to me. That's why all of these, you know, I talked to Rikki Riggs one time and she was saying, it's like a dot to dot and you're, putting all these dots here and there and you don't figure it out until the end what the picture actually makes.
Debora (49:28.99)
And I've done that. I've done many, many years trying to figure it out.
Becky (49:32.39)
And maybe that's part of it too, that you've kind of come back to like, yeah, this is a theme throughout my whole life. The healing of the human body.
Debora (49:42.105)
Right. That's what brings joy. think that was one of the questions that I remember reading about what brings me joy seeing somebody else progress. And I think I love the idea of having the sendy mom clubs all over. I love that. I'll help you on that. because here's the thing. A lot of women for some reason we have been I'm assuming it's been something that we have been acculturated into competing with each other. Yes. she's thinner, she's smarter, her house is cleaner, her children. And I was like, and that's such a symbol of pride. And it keeps us from from healing the world because the world is going to be healed through the women. Yes. That's just there's no question about it. Yeah. That's our role. That is our role. That's our mission. I believe it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Becky (50:35.957)
so let me do some rapid fire questions for you. I'm ready. All right, so what has brought you joy in the last 24 hours?
Debora (51:05.845)
So I just got back from this really cool conference about creating like a homeschooling college kind of thing. And I hadn't seen my husband for several days and then he was before. So it was so fun to just spend a whole day with him. I love that. Yeah, and we just like we just... cooked simple food that it comes down to is the strength of our closest relationships. Yes. And knowing that, okay, this is so joyful.
Becky (51:15.148)
Isn't that interesting? Like all of my other guests, that's what they come down to. It's the people. It's those relationships. That's what brings you joy. So this is bringing me joy. What was the last TV show or documentary that you watched that you liked?
Debora (51:30.277)
I was laughing about that when I read that question because I don't usually watch TV. I'm a little too busy. But yesterday I said to him, OK, so now I just finished the North and South, which is a book that we read in book club in our neighborhood. And I said, let's watch the movie. And it was actually a TV series for four episodes. OK. And it was great. I just sat around with him. We watched this little show, completely binged it in one day. Perfect. Okay, I can fit in with the binging. get it. Yes. And it was such a good story again about a man and a woman really understanding each other even though they were so different from each other. Right. Because my husband and are so completely different. It's amazing. married 37 years old.
Becky (52:12.741)
You're such a cute couple though. I love it. You guys fit together really well even though you are very different. been a little work. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's the truth. We have to work at it. mean, marriage is not like We have these ideas, romanticized ideas of what marriage is going to be like. You you're going to be in love all the time. You have to work at it. Like you're not going to be in love like all the time. Like each other. You to choose each other, right? And you choose each other every single day. it's constant forgiveness. And finding something fun to do.
Becky (53:23.187)
Okay. What was the last really good book that you read?
Debora (53:30.33)
So obviously just read that one, but also I just started a new one and I think it's called breaking the cycle. I think that's what it's called. Amazing. All about what we're talking about. How do you break the cycles of family trends? And the author is from Dominican. Okay. And a sister of mine said, let's read this together. So I listened to it in the airport and yeah. And I thought, wow, this is really good because it, integrates all the ideas of what I've been studying for. It took 30 years to do my bachelor's. Cause I did one class applied it, one class in between babies. You know, was, I had to be very intentional about staying with the children and still keeping my mind going. Yes. But the way she has put it together and I hope that's the name, is that She said you can't heal any relationship or any body, like a physical body, unless you do the body, the mind and the spirit, which was so cool because you don't hear that from a PhD anything. Right. It's not a popular thing to say. Yeah. But she did. She's doing a good job with that. So I can't wait to see. I don't even want to finish it now. I just want to save it.
Becky (54:36.768)
Well, exactly. There's been a few books like that that I because I listen to books too, because it's. Yeah, because we're busy, right? But I had, there's a couple I've had to just buy so I can go and really get into them, mark them up and everything. okay, I'm gonna look that one up.
Debora
Yeah, mine is coming in the mail tomorrow. Because I, because it's one thing to listen very fast and then you go back because she has exercises and every time.
Becky
Name your favorite vacation spot.
Debora (55:11.505)
Bora Bora
Becky (55:11.886)
Okay, we're going have to talk later. Yes, you want to go there. know exactly which hotel and stuff. Okay, great. Amazing. Okay, we're going to talk.
Debora (55:19.352)
Somewhere between Latin and French food.
Becky (55:23.196)
Okay, perfect. That sounds really awesome to me. I would be happy with that. Either one. Yes. All right. What are your top five bucket list items? Do you have any? Yes.
Debora (55:35.678)
So I want to get a PhD. I would love to do it in Oxford. Talk about bucket list. It's only the top university of the whole world. and it's only two Latinos that were there last time I was there. I went to do a course in it once. So that's my huge bucket.
Becky (55:49.16)
And that's in family science.
Debora (55:52.721)
So they, I thought they had clinical, they don't have clinical psychology, but they do have international development. Okay. So when my daughter, poor kid, as soon as she's out, we'll do this. So I have, I started, like I said, my master's this week. So in two years, that should be done. So in two years, hopefully I, I'm working towards getting into that program, the international development from Oxford. And I like it because the thing about Oxford is that you meet amazing people from all over the world. It's really, again, back to the relationships. That's one big bucket list.
Becky (56:26.14)
Will Russ go with you?
Debora (56:27.901)
Yes. Yes. Because he does, I wanted to do it earlier, but I wasn’t going to leave him with the girls.
Debora (56:34.421)
All right. Name one thing you try to do every day. I work out every morning. I mean, I'm not back to my normal weight, but I've been able to maintain it because I thought if I kept 10 pounds per child, 10 children, that would be 100 extra pounds. So I'm pretty much average weight for my age or whatever. But I work out every morning and I realized this year.
I go to the gym all the time and I'm that summer and the spring are so nice and the fall. So I'm just doing my bike for an hour every day. I love it. I through the neighborhood. I go through the neighbors. I go to the canal tail. I actually went up the canyon. huh. Almost to. Yeah. Yeah. I went to the little, what do call that? Carita my Spanish words.
Becky (57:31.897)
I don't know Spanish. I need to learn that's one of my bucket list
Debora (57:37.817)
Just where you pay the 50 bucks to get through. I see. That's as far as I got one day and I was like, yeah, it's pretty good.
Becky (57:43.897)
Yeah, I love it. Okay. What do you think I should try next?
Debora (57:48.637)
Learning Spanish. There you go. No, no, should do the Sendy Mom Club.
Debora (57:55.483)
You asked me before and I didn't get a chance to answer because we had such a deep conversation, but I do have groups of women. We do conferences with women. We're doing one in June in the Middle East in Jordan. It's going be all about motherhood and family and the reason why those two things are important to get the world to heal. Yeah, so I can find you all kinds of trendy moms all over the world. know. mean, not trendy, sendy mom. Trendy too, but
Becky (58:18.838)
trendy and sendy. That's awesome. Yeah, well, I'm going to think about it. I'm glad you're not going this September because this would not have worked for me at all. So I'm glad I've got another, you know, nine months or something to think about it. So, all right. Well, thank you so much for being with me and glad that Deborah was able to come and talk with me. She's a neighbor. She's a great friend. She's beautiful and she does so many Sendy things and just love her to death. So thanks for being here.
Debora (58:48.728)
Thank you so much.