La Mision Encontrandome Con Cristo Guatemala Mission

ENCOUNTERING CHRIST THROUGH OUR POOR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN GUATEMALA. FOSTERING A MISSIONARY SPIRIT BY GOING TO THE MISSION IN GUATEMALA AND WORKING IN COMMUNITIES, INSTITUTIONS, ORPHANAGES, ABANDONED HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY, AND HOMES FOR ABUSED YOUNG PEOPLE. TO SHARE THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH THE SIMPLE ACTS OF CLEANING, BUILDING, TEACHING, PLAYING, PRAYING, AND WORSHIPPING.

MISSION PROGRAM: THE ORGANIZATION WORKS IN A PARTICULAR VILLAGE IN GUATEMALA FOR 2 TO 3 YEARS, PROVIDING SERVICES SUCH AS FRESH WATER SYSTEMS, SOLAR POWERED LED LIGHTING, WOOD BURNING STOVES, AND REPAIRS TO SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. APPROXIMATELY 55 MISSIONARIES FROM THE STATES EACH PAY THEIR OWN WAY AND GO TO GUATEMALA ON THE MISSION TO WORK IN THESE VILLAGES. ALL MONEY RAISED THROUGH DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISERS IS USED TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES FOR THE PROJECTS IN THE VILLAGES AND TO PURCHASE HOUSE WARES AND DRY GOODS SUCH AS BEANS, CORN, RICE THAT ARE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE BEFORE WE LEAVE GUATEMALA EACH YEAR.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE SUREST WAYS OUT OF POVERTY AND THE ORGANIZATION SEE THIS AS ANOTHER AVENUE TO HELP THE POOR IN GUATEMALA. THE ORGANIZATION PAYS STUDENTS' TUITION FOR A YEAR OF EDUCATION, PROVIDED THE STUDENTS MAINTAIN A CERTAIN GPA. THIS PROGRAM STARTED OUT WITH ONLY ONE STUDENT. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR. THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EDUCATION ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; HIGH SCHOOL, TRADE SCHOOL, AND COLLEGE. WE ALSO HELP WITH THEIR LIVING EXPENSES WHILE ATTENDING SCHOOL IF THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WHERE THEY LIVE. STUDENTS ARE REQUITED TO PUT IN TWO HUNDRED HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING WORKING WITH THE MISSION GROUP DURING THE ANNUAL MISSION TRIP. OUR COORDINATOR IN GUATEMALA TRACKS AND MONITORS THE STUDENTS' GRADES, SERVICE HOURS, AND EXPENSES. TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASED DEMAND OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, A NEW FUNDRAISING PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2020. THE ORGANIZATION STARTED A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY, GAUTEMALA MISSION COFFEE, LLC. THIS COMPANY BUYS GUATEMALAN COFFEE FROM A COMPANY IN GUATEMALA TO HELP SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL ECONOMY. THE COFFEE IS SHIPPED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS ASSIST IN SELLING THE COFFEE. ALL PROCEEDS FROM COFFEE SALES ARE USED TO FUND THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. IN 2023, 68 SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING 40,876 (ROUNDED) WERE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS PER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION LISTED BELOW: CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS PREUNIVERSITARIO CAHABON: 11,623 FOR 24 STUDENTS CENTRO EDUCATIVO MENONITA KECCHI BETZALEL: 6,668 FOR 7 STUDENTS CENTRO EDUCATIVO MISION SANTO DOMINGO: 1,541 FOR 5 STUDENTS INSTITUTO AGROECOLOGICO DE EDUCACION BILINGUE FRAY DOMINGO DE VICO: 1,339 FOR 4 STUDENTS INSTITUTO MIXTO PARTICULAR RICARDO ARJONA: 4,419 FOR 10 STUDENTS INSTITUTO BASICO POR COOPERATIVA: 513 FOR 3 STUDENTS ALBERGUE SAN MARTIN DE PORRES: 559 FOR 2 STUDENTS INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE EDUCACION BASICA: 234 FOR 1 STUDENT PRESCHOOL KINDER PLAY: 2,783 FOR 1 STUDENT COLEGIO IA IMACULADA: 3,450 FOR 1 STUDENT UNIVERSIDAD RAFAEL LANDIVAR: 5,735 FOR 6 STUDENTS LICEO PREUNIVERSITARIO DEL NORTE: 949 FOR 1 STUDENT UNIVERSIDAD REGIONAL: 613 FOR 1 STUDENT CENTRO DON BOSCO: 449 FOR 2 STUDENTS

DONATIONS: THE ORGANIZATION GIVES MONETARY DONATIONS TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE VILLAGES OF GUATEMALA, INCLUDING AN ORPHANAGE, HOGAR NUESTRA SE ORA DE LOS REMEDIOS, A HOME FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED GIRLS, AND TO THE CONGREGATION OF NUNS THAT SUPPORT THIS ORPHANAGE,CONGREGATION DE MARTA Y MARIA, IN JALAPA, GUATEMALA. WE ALSO SUPPORT SOME OF THE LOCAL DIOCESES IN THESE POOR AREAS, SUCH AS THE DIOCESE OF JALAPA, GUATEMALA AND THE DIOCESE OF ALTA VERAPAZ, GUATEMALA.