October Newsletter

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2021 From the Executive Director IN THIS EDITION Learn how access to homeownership Dear Friend of San Lucas, positively impacted a family, made possible In the last two months, I have made two brief visits to San Lucas - to talk with by donors like you Mission staff and to deliver much-needed medical equipment to the clinic. September was a very hard month for San Lucas. Guatemala is at its highest Explore ways you can case count and daily death rate from Covid and the positive test rate hovers support small-scale around 25%. The clinic staff is required to bury any patients who die from coffee growers Covid within 12 hours of their death. Families do not have a chance to say goodbye or grieve. Burials are often held in the middle of the night with only Find out about the clinic staff present. And indications are that October will be worse. Visitor Program scholarship and How do we find hope in situations like this? Where do we look to find the Long-Term Volunteer strength to go on? What is true for me is this. I find hope by offering hope. applications It is only when I am actively engaged in trying to create hope that I feel the presence of hope. And every one of you is a bearer of hope for the people of You can be a part of San Lucas. Throughout this entire pandemic, Mission staff has continued to this incredible work! deliver life-giving and hope-bringing services to the people of San Lucas. Make your gift today. Your support has delivered food to the hungry and patient care to the sick; sanlucasmission.org/give has housed the homeless and helped educate the young; has supported small businesses and the elderly. Your support has helped generate hope. And, we pray, by creating hope, you have found a little as well. Thank you for your faithful and hope-filled support, Bill Peterson Executive Director Friends of San Lucas

Last year, Mélida needed a donor like you. Mélida was a single mother who lived with her three young children and her parents in the rural community of Xejuyú outside of San Lucas Tolimán. Mélida’s dad migrated to the U.S. to find work. Time passed, and soon the family learned that their father had developed a drinking problem in the states and was not making payments on their home. Their house was taken away from them, and they started living in rentals. At the same time, Mélida’s mother They are proud owners of a Without donors like you, there was also struggling with alcoholism. new hybrid home, made from are no new homes for families The landlords would not tolerate concrete block and wood. like Mélida’s. You make this her mother’s behavior when she Without monthly rent to pay, life-changing program possible. was drinking, so the family was Mélida is able to invest more in Thank you for your ongoing forced to move often. With their her children’s education and commitment to the people of unstable home life, the children wellbeing. The family is grateful San Lucas. Your donations started to fall behind in school. to have a place to call home. make all the difference. Mélida had heard about “Friends of In 2021, despite Covid San Lucas” and their support of the restrictions, the San Lucas Mission to help improve the lives of Mission Construction Program families in need in Guatemala. So has built more than 70 homes. Mélida went to the San Lucas They have implemented Mission to apply for a safe and protocols to ensure worker permanent home for her family. health and safety while continuing to make remarkable Because of donors like you, progress providing homes to Mélida and her family lead a families in need. very different life today. Give a meaningful gift that makes a difference. Help us spread the word, while you spread the cheer! Explore our Christmas / Holiday gift packs at: juananacoffee.org

How you can support coffee growers Café Juan Ana is working hard to move coffee to support the 120 small producers that we bought coffee from last year. Covid has hit the community of San Lucas hard, and unemployment is high. The upcoming coffee harvest is encouraging as it gives the people hope - coffee is life there! As coffee cherries begin to ripen and growers begin to envision this coming year’s crop, they know that Café Juan Ana provides them a fair and predictable price for their coffee. The amount of coffee that Café Juan Ana In January, 2022, we are offering a Café Juan purchases from the small producer is determined Ana Coffee Immersion Trip to bring participants by how much we can sell to all of you. We are so into the heart of the coffee harvest for a first- encouraged by your support this year. We do, hand experience. For more information, however, have a bodega of coffee to clear out contact Terri Wong at before the harvest begins in December. [email protected]. We have added new items to our lineup including By choosing Juan Ana, a two-pound bag which saves on packaging and you are supporting the offers the best value. We also have added single health, education, and serve cups. These Keurig-compatible, 100% livelihood of Guatemalan compostable, plant-based cups, are for those that growers and their like to make their coffee one cup at a time. families. Every purchase makes a difference! New this year, we have an online fundraising program. It is a great way to help groups and teams in their fundraising efforts. We supply you with a personalized web page which tracks your sales and your organization keeps all the profits.

Get involved with the Visitor Program Juntos Podemos Scholarship Long-Term Volunteer To support those with a demonstrated financial With the Visitor Program reopening in January, need, we are now offering a scholarship to curb 2022, we are looking to recruit a team of the in-country costs of your visit. ‘Juntos motivated Long-Term Volunteers! Interested podemos’ in Spanish means ‘together, we can.’ candidates will fill out an online application and Perhaps traveling to Guatemala is not then participate in an interview. The cost of financially possible on your own, but with the room, board, and transportation to San Lucas is help and support of others…together, we can covered by the program; LTVs simply need to turn your dream of visiting San Lucas into get themselves to Guatemala City. Start dates reality. Anyone is welcome to apply, but we and term lengths are also flexible. Are you, or do strongly encourage applicants who are: you know someone who is: First time visitors to San Lucas Available to volunteer in San Lucas for at Black, Indigenous, People of Color least 3 months in 2022? 25 and under Proficient in Spanish (or willing to attend Able to demonstrate a financial need language school before volunteering)? Approachable, enthusiastic, responsible, and If you have any questions about the scholarship ready to learn? or application process, please don’t hesitate to contact [email protected]. Contact: [email protected] Thanks to your generous support, the 8th Annual Mankato Gala raised: $300,000!!! Extra special thanks to our sponsors: Brian & Ronda Mathiowetz | Steve & Trisha Schreiber | Peggy & Rogers Strickland Suzie & Arch Mrkvicka | Fr. Phil Schotzko | Dr. Paul Wise & Dr. Janice Lowe Viking Fire & Safety | MN Doctors for People | Big Stone Therapies | M.R. Paving Friends of San Lucas | 3459 Washington Dr. #207, Eagan, MN 55122 | sanlucasmission.org