Summer Newsletter 2022

NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2022 From the Executive Director IN THIS EDITION The Charity Program Reaches a Milestone - Dear Friends of San Lucas, 10,000 Bags! The Mission has existed for almost 60 years, and as one might expect, it has a very interesting and complex history. Fr. Greg was a constant for 50 years. Fr. We say farewell to John is approaching 55 years of ministry. The School Sisters of Notre Dame Charity Program were there for over 20 years. There have been multiple priests and lay people Director, Emi Tun who have lived and worked for years in San Lucas. In addition, the Mission has birthed multiple other agencies and non-profits. From Common Hope to Learn more about the Unbound, from the work of Butch Mueller to Katie Wallyn and her organization Café Juan Ana Coffee LEAST, or the organization founded by Fr. Brian Ostereich called A’KALA, the Immersion Trip Mission has often served as a jumping off point for people who are also called to work with the people of San Lucas and Guatemala. Thank you to our Tulsa At Friends of San Lucas we are always trying to expand the story of the Golf Tournament Mission and include all who played a role in its development. Which is why, at Supporters! this year’s Gala on September 24th in New Ulm, we will be highlighting and celebrating the work of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. We will have a You can be a part of chance to meet some of the School Sisters who spent years working in San this incredible work! Lucas and to celebrate their remarkable achievements. Make your gift today. If you would like to attend the Gala, please register here: sanlucasmission.org/gala22. And if you would like to sponsor a table, please sanlucasmission.org/give contact Shelby Schmidt at [email protected]. As always, thank you for your continued and faithful support of this ministry. The Mission is stronger and more effective than ever because of your commitment. In hope and faith, Bill Peterson Executive Director Friends of San Lucas

The Charity Program Reaches a Milestone When Covid spread to Guatemala, the 10,000 Charity with Dignity Program started delivering bags of food staples and BAGS! other necessities to people experiencing economic hardship. Recently, the Charity Program surpassed 10,000 bags distributed in more than 16 communities. We interviewed Program Director Emi Tun about this remarkable achievement for the people of San Lucas. Q: Congratulations on 10,000 charity bags Q: Now that the pandemic has dissipated a bit, delivered since the start of the pandemic! why does the Charity Program continue These bags have been a lifeline for so many distributing these bags? families, especially those who lost their income due to lockdowns. What has been A: The rate of COVID infection has the most gratifying part of this initiative? decreased, however the economic impact remains reflected in many ways, including A: The most gratifying part of this work is the prices of everyday products, increased knowing that there are families and seniors fuel costs, and fewer job opportunities. who kneel down every day, praying to God, requesting sustenance or food, and Q: What has been the most challenging part God's response comes through the of this work? Mission's donors. A: The selection of families. We work with Q: Can you tell us about a particular family or the community leaders, so that the individual that has been especially impacted provisions reach the people by the Charity bags? with the greatest need. A: There have been many families, but here is just one example – an older woman in the community of San José Pampojilá. Her daughter shared with us in January that during lockdown her mother no longer had anything – nothing – not even soap to wash. She is a widow, and when we first arrived in the community, and she received the food, she cried and fell on her knees, thanking God for the sustenance and for not abandoning her. I was also moved listening to the elderly and the children in some communities to the south saying, “We have only eaten tortillas with salt once or twice a day. Now we can eat beans and rice. We feel so blessed.” In the communities, a bag of groceries is equivalent to the payment of two weeks of work. In other communities, I was touched by how the elders give thanks with such deep and pure prayer, including blessings for all of you as donors and for the employees of the Mission.

Farewell to Charity Program Director, Emi Tun \"Gratitude and blessings for each of you reading this. Thank you for trusting us and believing in us. Thank you for your donations that support the people with the greatest need. As Father Greg always said, mil veces gracias (a thousand thanks).\" - Emi Tun Thank you to Emi for her years of dedication to the Mission! This summer, long-time Charity Program Director Emi Tun resigned from her position in order to care for her ailing mother. On June 29, the Mission hosted a farewell dinner and party for Emi. It was a bittersweet evening of tributes and tears, laughter and gratitude. The Charity with Dignity Program launched in 2014, and Emi has been its only director. Before that, she spent 25 years working with the Parish, the Mission, and Fr. Greg. Emi was the resident Mission historian and a gifted storyteller. She treated everyone she met with compassion, dignity, and a welcoming smile. Emi will be greatly missed and has promised to speak with visiting groups when invited.

Join us for a Coffee Immersion Trip! Have you ever wanted to meet the farmers who grow the beans for your fine coffee? Come with us and visit the farms where your coffee is grown! Registration is open now for our next Coffee Immersion Trip, running from January 17 – 22, 2023. Alongside Minnesota Coffee Roaster, Obed Santos of Idioma Coffee Roastery, you will journey through the path of Café Juan Ana from seed to cup. You'll harvest coffee alongside Guatemalan growers. You'll see growers bring their coffee to the Café Juan Ana facilities and begin processing the beans in the first hours after they are picked. And you'll drink the most memorable cup of coffee you will ever have! Best of all, you'll be immersed in the incredible culture and beauty of the Lake Atitlán area! Space is limited! To reserve your spot, email Director of Coffee Terri Wong at [email protected]. To learn more, visit juananacoffee.org/immersion-trip. Thanks to the generosity and support of our friends in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the 2nd Annual Golf Tournament raised: $110,000!!! Extra special thanks to our sponsors who donated $5,000+: Attic Storage | Kourtis and Simmons Foundation Don and Pat Lodes | Avid Building Systems Go paperless and make a difference for the people of San Lucas. For every mailing we send, we pay for printing and postage. We value keeping our supporters up to date, and we also strive to be as efficient as we can with our funds, so that we can maximize our impact in San Lucas. If you'd like to receive digital newsletters and save us the cost of print mailings, please email us at [email protected]. Friends of San Lucas | 3459 Washington Dr. #207, Eagan, MN 55122 | sanlucasmission.org