Dear Sun Spots: Our nonprofit group, Fair Measure Missions, is focused on assisting residents in two villages: One in southwestern Costa Rica, home of an indigenous Indian nation; the other in South Africa where young students at our target school and their families live in post-apartheid poverty.

The South African children live in a shanty town in homes made of sections of cardboard, steel, aluminum, and anything found along the roadways. Some live with parents, others aunts, grandmothers or extended families because of the AIDS problem. They know their future depends on education, but they have limited means of cash support.

These proud people are willing to work but lack the skills necessary to build a better life. We believe we can assist in one area where we have been strengthening ties for over three years. Plans include the creation of a neighborhood school library and the training of volunteers to care for it permanently.

Earlier this year a member of our group spent two months volunteering at the Boruca village in Costa Rica, a remote village in the southwest, teaching English to the villagers.

Some 2,000 residents live in this location in the Pacific coastal mountains of Puntarenas Province. Many families are involved in the revived art of carving masks, others in the dyeing and weaving of special string in the creation of placemats and purses as a way to earn a living.

Other families practice farming with a single crop or with a limited number of cattle. A few own stores in the village. Much was achieved during our visit: A permanent classroom in the Community Center was established, volunteer supplies were built up, but most importantly, the first two English classes were successfully completed. There continue to be challenges.

Volunteers speaking Spanish are needed to create effective English conversational classes. Another is for Americans with other skills to share their areas of expertise with the Boruca. Financial assistance would also enable us to continue work with the village library, which was created in April 2007 by a high school student from Maine.

We hope to concentrate on this one school in South Africa, as well as to make a difference in the lives of the indigenous nation in Costa Rica. Fair Measure Missions pledges to assist those from diverse ethnic and cultural background to acquire the skills needed for personal growth and independence.

Perhaps Sun Spots readers may be willing to help? Any donations would help us achieve our goals. When you are considering your holiday shopping this season, think of Fair Measure Missions and their projects.

A trip to Costa Rica in February 2008 will bring greatly needed supplies for work there. Travel to South Africa is in the planning stages. We want Sun Spots readers to know that, although our efforts are presently focused outside the United States, we are committed to meeting the needs of our fellow Maine citizens and are assessing those at the present time. We believe a few people can make a big difference in the world!

Please write us at Fair Measure Missions, P. O. Box 242, Turner, ME 04282, via e-mail at [email protected], or call 225-2919 to speak with our president, a Turner resident. We would be happy to share our goals and story with you and to assess your potential involvement with our missions. – Hoping to Make A Difference, Turner.

Dear Sun Spots: Thank you for helping me in the past. I need your assistance again.

My husband bought an XBox 360. He and my 5-year-old son enjoyed it very much until recently when my husband rented a video game. He put it in the XBox and some red lights came on.

Now the system doesn’t even work! I would like to have the address and possibly an e-mail and phone number to contact the company to see if anything can be done. Thank you. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: According to www.xbox.com, assistance is available by phone seven days a week at 1-800-4MY-XBOX or 425-635-7180. They are open 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST. You can also contact them via e-mail through their Web site. In addition, since this is a Microsoft product you might contact Microsoft Corp., One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 to see if they might be able to offer assistance.

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