July/August Newsletter

San Lucas Mission Newsletter July/August 2018A Note from the DirectorDear Friends of San Lucas,One of the enjoyable challenges of this work is simply keeping up with all the good things that are happening at theMission in San Lucas. Since the last newsletter we have:• hosted 300 visitors, including groups from Minnesota, Michigan, South Dakota, Florida, Missouri, Georgia and Wisconsin;• completed 4 block houses;• completed 10 charity houses;• completed 60 fuel-efficient stoves;• built 80 meters of road;• built a 30’ x 100’ building for the school donated by Strickland Construction;• received a donation of a new ambulance from several Rotary Clubs in western Minnesota;• received and distributed 200 wheelchairs from the Knights of Columbus in Minnesota;• roasted, sold and drank a LOT of coffee• and tried to teach dozens of folks how to make tortillas… with varying degrees of successBut, much of our work is not directly measurable. That work is creating experiences and opportunities that changethe lives of those whom we serve. And our goal is to serve both the people of San Lucas and also to serve our visitors.For changing lives is not only something that happens with the people of San Lucas, it is something that potentiallyhappens with every visitor that comes to the Mission. For the opportunity to understand your life differently, to gainsome perspective, and to learn to see the presence of God in unlikely places and through people whom you just met -this is the work of the Mission that defies quantification, but this is precisely the work that lies at the heart of what wedo.Thank you to all who support that work. Thank you to our visitors and those who enable them to visit. Thank youto all those who lead groups. Thank you to those generous donors who make so much of this possible. And thankyou to groups like the Rotary and Knights of Columbus and Strickland Construction, whose generosity will have animpact for generations to come.In Christ,Bill

The Healthcare ProgramGreetings and Updates from Dr. Tun Cordial greetings and blessings from our Lord Jesus Christ to all the people in- volved in the well-being and advancement of the San Lucas Mission and continu- ation of each one of the projects benefitting the people in need in our town. San Lucas Toliman has a population of approximately 35,000 people, the majority of them Maya Kakchikel. During the last 50 years, the healthcare program that started in the San Lucas Parish, founded by Fr. Greg has evolved and, above all, expanded to the rural communities and surrounding towns. Today we call it Hos- pital Obras Sociales Monseñor Gregorio Schaffer in honor of its founder. The hospital and its different programs flourish thanks to the support of our benefactors, the service we provide and the capability of the staff, who are always improving. One of the important services in the healthcare program is providing ambulance service. Because of mechanical issues with the previous ambulance we had to suspend the ambulance service for about 20 months. It was a blessing for the hospital that several organizations, including Rotary Clubs, Art Kasal and many others took interest in the process of fundraising for a new ambulance. Their coordination with FOSL made the new ambulance possible.“Thanks Lord, for this new day. Help me to livewith enthusiasm and responsibility. Hope andgenerosity. Wisdom and love, so that all of my words and actions contribute to the commongood. Bless my loved ones and allow the sick and those who suffer to feel your loving presence. Amen.”One of the objectives of the healthcare program is to maintain the services it has today and to open new doors toaddress new needs that affect our community. The works of God are perfect and when the needs grow, people withbig hearts appear to support us and help make our job easier, but above all they come to give love, dignity, andimprove the quality of life. The Knights of Columbus of Minnesota is a reflection of this. This group donated 200wheel chairs of different sizes to accommodate people with disabilities.

yJoe Konrardy and Bob Penas, accompanied by an excellent work group, Quick Updates frompersonally delivered 47% of the wheelchairs to different urban and ruralcommunities. These are miracles of love that provide the patient with a San Lucas Tolimánlife less challenging and more dignified in the light of God.Blessings and many tears of joy were the little demonstrations of grati- 1Expanding Educationtude from the community to each one of our donors. After months of prep work, on July 13th, Miracles of love - we live them every day, a new multi-purpose building for the Mircales of love - are the expression of the people, school was completed by Side by Side International (Strickland Construction). Miracles of love - are the hope of many, The building, dedicated to Daniel Strick- Miracles of Love - we see them every day in the hospital, land, will be used as both a classroom And your support becomes a miracle of love. 2and large event space.Miracles of love are all actions that you do with your heart for the ben-efit of others. Thank you to all those people who bring me resounding Long-Term Volunteers Unitejoy, make my smile brighter, and give meaning to my existence.“The words are never enough when what you need to say is coming A small group of Long Term Volunteersfrom your soul” - Julio Cortazar from years prior united for a return“Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good, his great love enduresforever.” - Psalm 107:1 visit to San Lucas in June. It was a blast- Dr. Rafael Tun combining former and current LTVs and sharing stories from the past and None of this would be possible without support from people like you! present. If you or someone you know is To get in touch with us or make a donation visit interested in being a Long-Term Volun- sanlucasmission.org 3teer, apply online at sanlucasmission.org Independence Day Preparations Students throughout San Lucas have been preparing for Indepence Day cele- brations - practicing music performanc- es, preparing decorations, and more! The week leading up to Independence Day on September 15th will be filled with student parades from all different schools and grade levels!

Summer Wrap-UpIt’s been a busy summer in San Lucas with over 525 visitors from May to August! With summer coming to an end,our Volunteer Coordinators in San Lucas - Mynor and Cecilia - wanted to send their gratitude to all of the wonderfulgroups who helped with Mission projects, provided medical care and learned from the people of San Lucas Tolimán.Your visits and support are what allow us to continue this work! We would like to thank all of the groups, families, and individuals that have come to San Lucas this sum- mer. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the mission. With your help, we have built many houses (block and wood), started building a road, finished many stoves, and finished a school building. We look forward to seeing you here again. A big thank you from all of us here in San Lucas. Cecilia Nguyen, Mynor Tax, and all of the San Lucas Staff E-Newsletter Purchase your fresh bag of coffee online at sanlucasmission.org We’ve had over 400 people go paperless and sign-up for the Follow us @friendsofsanlucasE-Newsletter! With the money savedfrom these mailings, we will now beable to provide 2 more families with a fuel-efficient stove! Sign up for the E-Newsletter at sanlucasmission.org 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