The Christian Children’s Fund established Project Chuwi Tinamit (CCF) in 1983 to provide the Mayan indigenous rural community of San Juan Comalapa in Guatemala with basic resources such as water, food, housing, clothing, and medical services. Later in 1989, the CCF purchased land on the outskirts of the urban area with the intention of building a community development center and ecological park. Valeriano Pichiya considered this particular project a priority since his appointment as director of CCF in 1990, but had to put his energies into the immediate needs of fighting hunger, developing potable water systems, and managing the 1500 families sponsored by the CCF.

Up to that time, and due to financial limitations, recreation facilities which were to include the basketball court, soccer field, jungle gym and greenhouse were continually postponed. The latter, if designed, could easily inspire and develop a youth association through the community organized construction of an adequate recreation area. Thus, in January 2003, Matthew Paneitz, at the time a Peace Corps volunteer, was invited by the CCF to organize activities and initiate a youth movement focusing on leadership and teamwork.

Living in the community and working with the dedicated staff of Chuwi Tinamit, Paneitz witnessed first hand the need and interest that the Mayan Kaqchikel community had in the community development project. The local population demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm and participation throughout the planning process. He saw that this project would directly benefit boys, girls, men and women for many years to come. But he also realized that what was urgently needed was an external financial and personnel base that could establish a support structure for the construction of a Comalapa community development center. Although the local government, represented by each of the twenty-three villages in the county, had already coordinated the use of locally available resources in order to realize this project, outside support had become essential in order to see the project through.

Paneitz returned to the States with the intention of creating a non-profit foundation that would make the Comalapa community vision a reality. Hence, the birth of Long Way Home.