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San Lucas MissionNewsletterMarch/April 2018A Note from the Director In This EditionDo you have a favorite place to go to eat? If you do, I would guess that one The Women’s Centerof the reasons it is your favorite is because of the welcome you receive. Youhave found gracious hosts, and once we find gracious hosts we want to keep Meet the director of the Women’scoming back. When I think of gracious hosts, there is no one I know who is Center and hear one participant’smore gracious than Francisca Ajcibinac Cocon, the woman that most of us story of how the courses theresimply know as Guicha. changed her life.As director of the Women’s Center, Guicha creates space that is welcoming,loving and beautiful. She is a fabulous cook and patient teacher. Over the San Lucas Updatesyears, Guicha has welcomed thousands of visitors, taught hundreds how tocook, overseen hundreds more taking classes in weaving and sewing and Catch up on other Mission newshosted countless meetings. We feature the Women’s Center in this issue. It is through our quick updates fromone of the newer programs of the Mission and has quickly become a visitor San Lucas Tolimán.favorite, a place of great promise, energy and hope. In a culture that has nothistorically focused on the needs of women, the Women’s Center has become Meet Cecilia Nguyena safe place where women can gather, a place of gracious welcome wherecreativity can flourish amidst beauty and tranquility. Welcome our new San LucasYour support of the Mission through gifts to Friends of San Lucas help Gui- based volunteer coordinator,cha, her programs and all the women who use the Women’s Center. As one Cecilia Nguyen, and learn aboutof the drivers said to a group of visitors at the Women’s Center a few months what called her to the Mission.ago, “Thank you for your help. We appreciate everything you do. Your heartsare full of flowers.”Thank you for all your support. Your hearts truly are full of flowers.In hope and solidarity,Bill

The Women’s CenterGreetings from Guicha For me, it’s a great honor to address our supporters. May God bless you all. The women of the Women’s Center are very grateful for your consideration of this project. I wanted to share with you all the opportunities the Women’s Center offers to different groups of women from different rural communities. At the Women’s Center, women have the opportunity to learn from our cooking and baking, weav- ing, and sewing courses. We offer these courses because a lot of need was noted in the outlying communities, but in spite of these challenges, women had the desire to overcome. One of the principal objectives of the Women’s Center is sharing experi- ences between us and new participants, building a beautiful friendship between us all. Learning is important as well and so is an important ojective for the Mission and the Women’s Center. We want women to learn new things and be able to put into practice what they have learned in order to improve the lives of their families. Your support to purchase supplies and provide transportation is essential to our success. At the moment, we have a good number of participants - 140 women! It has been a great blessing to be able to work with so many women and build relationships with them and their children. It fills us with happiness to know that the dreams ofFr. Greg, a wonderful person, are being made a reality. He left us this wonderful space to learn and a soccer field andbasketball court for the kids to play while their mothers are working. I, Guicha, want to tell you all that my dream is tocontinue motivating the women to keep moving forward. Likewise, I leave you all wishing you success and blessings. Iwish for God to protect you all.With much care and love,The Women’s CenterA Passion for Learning Women’s Center, everything started for me!” She began participating three years ago and there is no slowingKarina Hernandez, a 19 year old young woman from her down. “Like I’ve always said, when I first arrived atSan Lucas Tolimán, is a participant at the Women’s the Women’s Center, I didn’t know how to do anything.Center and an incredibly motivated partipant at that. But now, thanks to God, I have improved a lot!” KarinaKarina grew up in San Lucas with her 10 brothers and participates in all three courses offered at the Women’ssisters. She always had a desire to learn, and studied Center - weaving, sewing and cooking. “I’m so grate-through sixth grade, but was unable to continue due ful to the instructors here and their patience becauseto the cost. However, she didn’t let that stop her from we have a lot of participants and only one instruc-learning. “I started attending the Women’s Center tor for each course so it can be difficult, but they arebecause a friend of my mothers knew that I liked to always there supporting us.” She also learned to playget involved and learn new things so she told my mom the marimba with the help of other participants andI should start attending courses there so I don’t wastemy time. I’ve been participating since then. At the

“It makes me feel great Quick Updates from to have a place like the Women’s Center. It has San Lucas Tolimán helped me focus on learning new things and 1Celebrating 50 Years given me a space to try new ideas.” On May 6th, Colegio Monseñor Gregorio Schaffer will celebrate 50 years ofhas grown in more ways than she could have imagined. “First, the Wom- educating the youth of San Lucasen’s Center really helped me get over my fear of public speaking. When Ifirst started coming here I was much more shy. Now I’m able to talk about Tolimán. Consider a donation of $50 inthe Women’s Center with visitors and I’m able to express myself.” Karina honor of the school’s anniversary!has also had the opportunity to participate in workshops in communitiesaround Lake Atitlán with other youth. “One day a representative from 22017-2018 Coffee HarvestADEMKAN came to the Women’s Center, talked with me and proposed Iparticipate in their workshops with other youth. Thanks to these workshops We wrapped up the coffee harvest withI have learned so much and improved my knowledge. I am now the coordi- over 255,000 pounds of ripe coffeenator of two groups of young people through two organizations.” And her purchased supporting 108 coffeedreams don’t stop there. Karina hopes to continue her studies in the future producers and their families - andespite the cost. Through the store at the Women’s Center, Karina is ableto earn money and save for her education. “The store is a great benefit the increase of 29 families from last year!Mission has given us that we are very grateful for. All that we make our-selves can be sold here and we are able to support ourselves and our familieswith what we sell.” Karina has been an incredible role model demonstratingwhat hard work and a passion for learning can do. We can’t wait to see whatshe does next. None of this would be possible 3The More the Merrier without support from people like you!To get in touch with us or make a donation visit In April, the Women’s Center welcomed new participants from several surround- sanlucasmission.org ing communities. Thanks to the womens’ efforts late last year, more women from the surrounding communities know about the Women’s Center and are eager to participate.

Welcome Cecilia NguyenSaludos a todos! Lucas for a quick 20 hours and met our former executive director who thenMy name is Cecilia and I’m from Lin- asked me if I would consider beingcoln, NE. I graduated from the Universi- volunteer coordinator. I know missionty of Nebraska-Lincoln (GO BIG RED!) work isn’t easy and was wonderingin 2015. After graduating, I served at how God would push me here, and soChrist in the City in Denver, Colorado He put me in this position so that I canwith the homeless population there. learn more and coordinate over 50Then God worked with my desires to groups a year. I am thankful that mydo missions abroad in Honduras the faith has taken me to so many placesfollowing year. I had to go to language all over the world. I’m excited to getschool in Antigua before going to Hon- to know the people of San Lucas andduras, and this is where I fell in love of Guatemala more. Please keep me inwith the people, the culture, and the your prayers!beauty of Guatemala. I thought I was Dios les bendiga!done with mission work after Honduras,but God put in my heart a deep love Cecilia Nguyenfor Guatemala for a reason, which is Volunteer Coordinatorto serve the people here. I visited San Save the Date! Purchase your fresh bag of coffee online at sanlucasmission.orgFRIENDS OF SAN LUCAS GALA Follow us @friendsofsanlucas Mankato, MN Saturday, October 27th, 2018 Stay tuned for updates! Thank you for your support and generosity to the San Lucas Mission.Friends of San Lucas • 4679 Cambridge Drive, Eagan, MN 55122 • 651-454-0981 • sanlucasmission.org