Day four: Reflections on Mission by Liz Klar

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Buenos Dias La Familia y Amigos!

Another filled day learning about God’s mission in Guatemala.  After a wonderful breakfast fixed by Mark, our fellow classmate, we stayed at the Mission House which is our home away from home in San Lucas.  This has been our post as we go out and as we come back each day as we continue our journey on learning about short and long term mission in the Guatemala area.  Today, Rev. Dr. Karla Ann Koll came to continue the conversation that was started yesterday when we met with CEDEPCA (which is the Centro Evangelico de Estudios Pastorals en Centro America) on their campus in Guatemala City.  There are 4 components to the work that was started in 1979.  One is the Disaster Relief and Education Program, one is the Women’s Service Program, one is the Intercultural Encounters Program, and the last one is the Biblical, Theological and Pastoral Training which is administered by Dr. Koll.  

Dr. Koll is a professor of history, mission and religion and has been in Central America in various capacities before coming to serve as a mission co-worker assigned to the Latin America Biblical University in Costa Rica.  This university placed Dr. Koll at CEDEPCA.  She shared with us the information about the Colonization of Guatemala, the Chronology of Guatemalan Protestantism and Mission, the history of the Guatemalan Civil War, her own personal story and information about the relationships between the various Inter-religious organizations.  What she loves about CEDEPCA is that it is truly an ecumenical environment that is making a difference one person at a time.  The history of Guatemala has brought many challenges for modern day Guatemalans…51% live in poverty and 15% live in extreme poverty which is living on less than a $1/day.  We hear and we can see glimpses of the good that is being done but when there is so much corruption and violence, it is hard some days to realize that the reign of God is alive in Guatemala. Dr. Koll’s hope as well as many of the others working in the mission in Guatemala is that the reign of God will be present each and every day.

Dr. Koll joined us for lunch at Café Condessa in Antigua where we feasted on smoothies, sandwiches, soup and desserts made with the “best butter, thickest cream, and freshest eggs that money can buy.”

 Our student guide "Gregorio" enjoying a delicious dessert in Antigua

Tres Leches Cake!

After lunch we took a tour of Obras Sociales de Santo Hermano Pedro given by Vicki and translated by Laura, the program director for Faith in Practice in Antigua.  This is a Catholic hospital that provides much needed health care to the poor.  The objectives of this hospital are to give a home and help to malnourished children with cerebral palsy, to youth and adults with physical and psychological problems, older people and blind people that cannot find help in private or public institutions. Provide eye surgery at no cost for cataract, strabismus and tearing.  Offer general medical assistance, specialized and surgical, and many different types of therapy.  There are 34 surgical teams that come from other countries to perform the many needed surgeries.  The only cost to the patient for the surgery is a donation if they can afford it.  The hospital houses 230 patients in which 40% have parents and the other 60% have been abandoned.  There is education offered to not only the patients but also the employee’s children.  There is also a Birth and Nutritional Project that takes care of malnourished children and prepares children for cliff palette surgery.  These children all have families and are only there short term.  In addition they also provide outpatient services for gynecology, neurology and general medical needs.  It costs $250,000 per month to run the hospital in which 20% is from a government grant and the other 80% comes from donations.  The hospital was founded by Brother Pedro 300 years ago who was canonized a Saint.  Under the auspices of this hospital is an orphanage, rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addicts and a nursing home. 

Another mission of Faith in Practice is Casa de Fe which is the Ronald McDonald House of Obras Sociales de Santo Hermano Pedro.  It opened in 2003 after there were great needs for those who were pre or post op to have a place to prepare or recover from surgery.  Without this place many would leave the hospital and sleep on the street or in unsafe hotels or travel long distances back home before they have fully recovered.  This house has 100 beds in the women’s and men’s dorm plus the family rooms.  In 2011, 26,000 patients were served.  The patients are provided free rooms with a free breakfast and dinner and possible lunch if one can’t physically or financially go and get it on their own.  This house is fully funded by a grant from Faith in Practice, the selling of tiles for those that have donated money to the house and medical mission teams providing a donation as well.  They provide spiritual care and education about specific medical needs.  There is a chapel for individual prayer.  The patients or families wash their own clothes by hand.  The goal of this house is for the patients of Obras Sociales de Santo Hermano Pedro to return to an active productive life. 

We ended our evening with a dinner meal provided by Pastor Julio and Jodi Rodriguez at the Mission House which is a retreat and house for mission teams.  Through their mission, they have not only built the Mission House but have also built the Getsemani School for 700 students in grades Pre-K through 12^th grade and started a Life and Light church which is housed in the school.   There are about to break ground for an actual church building on a piece of land outside of San Lucas.  After dinner, Julio and Jodie shared their faith journey and the mission work they are doing in Guatemala.  After a long day, we finally went to our separate rooms late. 

Buenas noches y Dios los bendiga!  Liz Klar