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Walking with the poor - notes from India |
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MISSION AWARENESS TRIP TO GUATEMALA
John Denver wrote a beautiful song: “Sometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friend … Hey it’s good to be back home again.” My wife, Cristina, and I are happy to share this homecoming in Guatemala with such a great group of sponsors.
On the first morning in Guatemala City, an inspiring sponsored family from one of the poor areas of the city came to share their story with us. The father, Olvidio, was working, but we had the pleasure of meeting the mother, Ruth Garcia, the 13-year-old sponsored girl Leslie, and their young boy of 9 months, Daniel. Until recently, they were forced to live on one of the steep slopes under the Incienso Bridge. In January 2007, their makeshift home was destroyed by a brick wall that came crashing down in a landslide. By God’s grace, they were not in the home when this happened. However, they lost the few possessions they had. Ruth became very emotional when she tried to express her gratitude to Leslie’s sponsors and to CFCA for their new home, constructed in a safe area. The reception by the sponsored children of San Lucas was warm, personal and musical. After the sponsors had walked alongside the children from La Palma to the CFCA Center, the staff introduced the Children’s Ecology Project and the CFCA Biotopo, an environmental display created by the children.
Tragedy and hope I will always remember this trip as the one where we learned of the tragic bus accident involving CFCA youth and community workers in the Philippines. Even from this distance, I am impressed with the love and presence of the CFCA teams on the ground. I’m sure that the lives and the injuries of our beloved youth and community workers will loom high in the hearts of all. On the eve of All Souls Day, in their honor and in honor of all our saints, we had a beautiful celebration of the Eucharist led by Father Tom Singer, OMI.
Nourished in hope The people in this group are a good example. Sponsor Eva entered the program in the very early days in Wichita, Kan., when my brother and CFCA co-founder Bud Hentzen and his wife, Joanne, would invite people over to their home to learn about CFCA. Sponsor Colette is making her seventh trip, and went home with another sponsored little girl. Sponsor Catherine of Alaska has made and printed a colored collage of her seven sponsored children, youth and aging.
Early each morning of the trip, we have enjoyed a very meaningful prayer session, led by either staff or sponsors. After supper each evening, we meet to discuss events, impressions, issues. The CFCA headquarters in Ciudad Vieja is decorated with the beautiful colors of the weavings and products produced by sponsored families in this area. Sponsors were treated to a Mayan folkdance by five mothers from Alotenango, as well as dances, poems, songs and instrumental performances by talented children. Election day in Guatemala Cristina and I have just returned from 7:30 a.m. Mass at the parish. I find it so very hopeful to see how the small children run up to greet Father Greg (Schaffer, pastor of the parish in San Lucas Toliman and a CFCA board member) at the sign of peace. Afterward, we enjoyed pancakes with priests, volunteers and a CFCA sponsor here to visit two boys from the Atitlan project. We ask you to pray for the people of Guatemala as this presidential election unfolds. God’s blessings.
Bob Hentzen Nov. 4, 2007
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