Journey to remote projects in the Guatemalan countryside

LOS ALTOS, GUATEMALA
I write this in the pick-up truck as we approach the Valley of Olintepeque, where in 1524 Tecun Uman and his defenders fought to the last man against the invading conquistadores led by Pedro de Alvarado.

My wife, Cristina, and I are grateful for the chance to visit the CFCA subprojects in the western highlands of Quetzaltenango and San Marcos during this week before traveling to the mission awareness trip in Costa Rica. I want to mention that most of the time on these trips we are out of e-mail range so I beg your pardon.

Near Ixtahuacan, we pass a huge procession of humble campesinos honoring the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II.

We arrived in Quetzaltenango in time to meet with about 100 of the mothers of sponsored children. These are “salt of the earth” women who work hard and walk long distances to participate in CFCA activities. Some of these ladies recalled memories of walking with me through this area some nine years ago. Later, we went over to see the religious sisters (German and Guatemalan), who run a first class training center for women as well as a very respectable dairy and pig farm. Cristina and I ended up purchasing “Deborah,” a promising 2-year-old Holstein who is due have her first calf in June. She’ll be a great addition to our little farm in San Lucas, and provide wholesome milk for the children of our neighborhood.

Our CFCA traveling group on this gira is made up of Hermano Jorge, general coordinator of Project Hermano Pedro, Manuel Bajan, coordinator of CFCA subproject of Quetzaltenango, Sister Marlene, regional director of this northern region, Cristina and myself. We ate a lot of dust on the road between Quetzaltenango and Cabrican, arriving in this high mountain town just before dark.

Up in this area we have sponsored 1158 children, 74 aging and 30 scholarship students. Alicia, Brigida, Zenaida, Hernan, Miguel and Hermana Imelda are the six CFCA staff members who handle the program in this mountainous area. All are of indigenous ethinicity and speak Mam with the exception of Sister Imelda, a Brazilian Franciscan sister. Cabrican is far off the tourist track, with literally no boarding facilities. Were it not for the hospitality of the sisters, we would have been in for a cold night. The Sisters gave us hot tea, three beds and some floor space in their home to spend the night.

We spent the next morning getting into the reality and the spirit of the CFCA Cabrican team, listening to their dreams, experiences and concerns.

After a shared lunch, with Sister Marlene at the wheel, we found our way to Huehuetenango on rough and challenging back roads, known only to our local staff. After this tremendous shakedown, the Isuzu Trooper, which belongs to the Franciscan sisters, had to be put into the shop overnight for emergency repairs. It will have to be in good shape to go up and over the Cuchumatan mountain range tomorrow morning.

HIGH ON THE CUMBRE
We travel over a lunar-like landscape barren but for the occasional sun-touched shepherd caring for humble and playful corderos. Up here on the cumbre of the Cuchumatanes, we have about 700 children and aging sponsored. Our sponsored children are located in five nearby towns and surrounding villages. In Soloma we ran into several hundred Ex-PAC’S (former Civil Patrols recruited by the army during the armed conflict). They are claiming back pay which the current government is reluctant to give up. This results in serious tensions. Speaking of tensions, today the principal highways of the country are blocked by groups of protesters who oppose NAFTA—North American Free Trade Agreement.

I have a special affection for the children and families of this high country, springing, no doubt, from my missionary work in this area during the 1960s and early ‘70s. That was good training for what I am doing now. I live in gratitude for those wonderful days and these wonderful days in which we currently live. Tomorrow we’ll meet with the staff from this area.

Spent the entire day of April 7 with the CFCA Huehuetenango team, Jacinto, Persi, Maribel, Flor de Maria, Lilian, Rosita, Jesus, Carlos, Delia, Anayanci, Ronnie and Selvin. They handle 2,108 children and 150 scholarship students, spread over considerable distances. We covered many project issues, practical and motivational. In the late afternoon, we headed for Xela (Quetzaltenango). It’s a challenge to type these notes on the go, with the countless curves and the driver’s belief that even a worn out Isuzu Trooper should be able to fly.

By God’s grace, and in spite of the fact that some highways were blocked, we arrived at dusk at the Benedictine Seminary in Quetzaltenengo. They have invited us to spend the night in their guest house. The Rector of the Seminary, Father Cristobal Coche, is the brother of Natalia Coche, our CFCA Coordinator in Santiago, Atitlan.

Father Cristobal expressed great appreciation for the CFCA program in general and in particular for the 25 minor seminarians we have on scholarships. We had a good late night talk with Bro. Carlos, physics and math teacher at the seminary—also in charge of their characteristic Benedictine hospitality. Tomorrow, before heading back to San Lucas Toliman, we will meet with the team in Quetzaltenango and check out a place for a more appropriate CFCA regional center in this area.

We were back in San Lucas for only one night, before heading for the mission awareness trip in Costa Rica.

Bob Hentzen

President and Co-founder

April 04, 2005