Thomas Heaton, 44, a single United Methodist pastor in Nashville, Ind., has been making rice and beans for Sunday supper since adopting his son Manuel, 9, in Guatemala five years ago. (Because Guatemala is one of the few countries that allow single men to adopt, he returned two years ago and adopted JosÈ, now 14.)Check out the handwoven cotton baby blanket ($24) or a Noah's ark bag with animals ($20). Your kid doesn't have to be Mayan to like them, but it helps. Meanwhile, Guatemala's appreciation of single parents extends to the ark; there's only one animal of each species.As Mr. Heaton's love for his sons grew, so did his appreciation for their culture ó and its textiles. A year ago, he started Mayan Traditions, a company that sells baby blankets, bibs and linens from Guatemala. "If I hadn't visited the country, I wouldn't have known how looming is part of their culture," he said, noting that part of the profits are returned to the boys' orphanage.
>-- NY Times, 07/22/04
