Guatemala Partnership Trip

October 27-November 3, 2004

Facilitators: Self-facilitated with cooperation from PRESGOV 

Participants:

Margaret Aberer (Miami)
Rita Austin (Second PC, KCMO)
Roberta Barnes (Second PC, KCMO)
Carol Gerdel (First PC, Lee's Summit, MO)
Kim Harbour (Knox)
Carolee Heim (First PC, Lee's Summit, MO)
Mary Jorgenson (Southminster)
Molly Jorgenson (Southminster)
Ellen Marquardt (Heartland Presbytery)
Pam Poag (Knox)
Esther Rogers (First PC, KCKS)

Trip included visits to :

* Synod Office of IENPG (Carlos Lara, moderator)
* American Embassy in Guatemala City (Nicole Otella, Human Rights attaché)
* Evangelical Presbyterian Seminary in San Felipe  (Rev. Ellen Dozier, mission  
   co-worker)
* the Bible Institute (IBPMQ) in San Cristóbal  (Isaías Gonón, director)
* the offices of Diaconía 
* the executive committee of Maya Quiché Presbytery: 

Pedro Mejía (Eben Ezer), Moderator;
Guillermo Garcia (Nuevo Jeruselem), Vice Moderator;
Catarina Morales (Filadelphia), Secretary;
Pedro Ordonez (Principe De Paz), Treasurer;
Lorenzo Cortez (La Paz de Dios), member at large & representative to Synod
Abraham Salanic (Nuevo Jeruselem), member at large.  

Other highlights included visit to cemetery in Xela for Day of the Dead (November1). 

Churches visited included:  Rayos de Luz (Guineales), La Paz de Diós (Aldea Palá), Rey de Reyes (Guineales), Monte de Olives (Almolonga), Emaús (San Mateo), Príncipe de Paz (Chajabal).  

Purpose of Trip: To visit with partners in Guatemala and to visit partner churches with specific needs/proposals for expansion and projects.

From October 27-November 3, eleven women from Heartland Presbytery, ranging in age from 15 to 83 traveled with our brothers and sisters in the Maya Quiché Presbytery, Guatemala. 

The trip included visits with remote churches in Guineales to the "suburban" churches in Almolonga and San Mateo as well as a visit to the Maya Quiché Bible Institute (IBPMQ), the Synod office of the IENPG and the American Embassy in Guatemala City.  A special highlight of the trip was observing the Day of the Dead (All Saints Day) celebration at the Xela Cemetery. As in previous trips, the group participated in worship, fellowship and conversations.   

Participants were able to visit those churches in the Maya Quiché Presbytery requesting financial assistance from churches or individuals in Heartland Presbytery for building and community projects.  These projects included:  water purification systems, building additions and building repairs.  A complete list of requests is available from the International Partnership Committee.