Guatemala Companion Parish Ministry
Who/how does the ministry serve?
2023 marked the 27th year of the companion relationships between St. Martin-In-The-Fields and three parishes in the Western Highlands of Guatemala: San Marcos in Quetzaltenango; San Juan Apostol in Chichicastenango; and San Martin Obispo in Totonicapán.
GCPC supports the people of our companion parishes to create projects that address their current needs including food insecurity, healthcare, social justice and educational opportunities to address root causes and advocate for positive change locally.
How do I get involved?
Please attend a meeting if you are interested. Talk to Sandy Abrams or Laura Sibson, co-chairs.
What have been some successes?
Support from St Martins enabled our companion parishes to promote human, economic, and/or community development.
San Marcos has focused on serving the most oppressed in society:
Started a program of accompaniment to persons living with HIV/AIDS
Formed a self-help group for members of the LGBTQ community and with other organizations worked to publicize the rights of LGBTQ individuals;
Trained volunteer health workers in remote Mayan villages in good childbirth practices and treatment of basic illnesses;
Helped a group of mostly HIV-positive Mayan women form a cooperative to make and sell chocolate to earn income;
Helped the inmates of the women’s prison with food, educational resources, and spiritual support;
In response to the Covid pandemic, San Marcos has placed a new emphasis on food security and has provided bags of food to vulnerable groups.
Our parishioners’ generosity enabled two Scholarship programs in the Western Highland parishes: San Juan Apostol and San Martin, Obispo de Tours. Scholarship programs are critically important in Guatemala because they enable children to go to school and have a chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. They are important for another reason as well: education gives students and their families hope for the future and happiness in the present as they pursue that education in their own community.
Areas for Growth and Progress:
Plan and Sponsor a trip to our Companion Parishes in Western Highland of Guatemala when feasible for St Martin’s GCPC leadership and parishioners with possible involvement of people from other parishes in DIOPA to meet the people of those parishes and further develop relationships and determine project status and needs.
Click here to view our annual report.
MEETING MINUTES:
