Participants:
Las Margaritas 2: Ramiro and Ricardo
San Andres Itzapa: Otto and Juan
Sepalau: Oralando and Daniel
UPAVIM: Dina, Silvia, Esperanza, and Esmirna
Tierra Nueva 1: Lester, Noe and Andres
Tierra Nueva 2: Mario and Miriam
Chontala: Lorenzo and Tomas
Chichipate: Pedro and Francisco
Saturday, October 10th
The meeting began with a prayer and a welcome led by the Directive President, Dina from UPAVIM.
Educational theme: Global Warming
We wasted no time jumping into the discussion of global warming, the theme that had been selected for the meeting. Sergio, Sister Parish staff, facilitated the presentation. He began by asking the participants what they know about the theme, which everyone soon realized was very little. Sergio explained what global warming is, the causes and consequences of the problem and finally the solutions available in our communities to reduce the impact that this problem will have on our children’s future. During the presentation the representatives asked questions and gave examples from their experiences. Noe from TN1 had experience using water filters made with sand, solar water filters and improved ovens that save on energy.
Then we enjoyed a lunch prepared by Berta from Tierra Nueva 1.
After lunch, we continued with the education theme, breaking into small groups to discuss a number of questions about how global warming affects communities and families. Representatives were given an opportunity to share experiences and look for solutions. Many people shared that they had noticed an increase in the temperature in their communities, as well as a change in weather patterns, specifically the drought affecting Guatemala this year.
Next the UPAVIM representatives led a group activity that emphasized personal motivation. Basically the activity was a variation of hot potatoe, but with a ball of small papers that they called a cabbage. When you ended up with the cabbage, you had to do the task that was written on the outermost piece of paper. The representative’s antics revived the group and provided many laughs.
Sharing experiences among communities
UPAVIM explained that they are a women’s cooperative that have had success in many of their programs, but also that some have not worked out as they had hoped. Many of the women involved in UPAVIM are single moms that began with UPAVIM in order to support their children.
LM2 representatives explained the scholarship program that they are facilitating in their community. They also talked about the successful Medical Mission carried out in their community last year.
Chontala representatives talked about the Sister Parish committee that recently formed in their community. They have little direct experience with Sister Parish meetings and were pleased to be able to participate on this occasion.
Sepalau representative also shared that there are new people participating in the committee in their community. The new representatives were also very pleased to be able to participate. They shared that they are working on the second phase of a chicken farm project.
San Andres Itzapa shared their experienced working with a group of scholarship students from their community school, Chay Balam. They have been working together with their brothers and sisters from Blacksburg from many years.
Tierra Nueva 1 also explained that they are new to the Sister Parish committee and representative’s meeting. They are looking for new people to participate in their group in TN1 and continue to seek out information about how to start a project that will benefit their relationship and their community.
Tierra Nueva 2 stated that they also work with scholarship students, as well as with women from their community. Miriam talked about the recent delegation from TN2 o St. Joan of Arc and how they always feel like they are going to visit family when they go to SJA.
Chichipate representatives also explained that they are content and grateful to be able to participate in the meeting. They also talked about the typing school project that they work on, together with their brothers and sisters from St. Thomas. This year the typing school will graduate 18 students and will certify 40 total.
Sister Parish staff shared information from activities in the north, including the Northern Assembly of Churches that took place in Decorah in August, as well as the upcoming meeting of the Board of Directors in Louisville in November.
In the evening, representatives watched the film “An Inconvenient Truth,” the Al Gore film about global warming. Everyone was worried about this situation and discussed different ways to decrease the affects of the phenomenon in our communities.
After dinner, the Guatemalan Directive met with Sergio to plan Sister Parish activities for the upcoming year.
Sunday, October 11th
After breakfast, we celebrated an ecumenical service led by the Directive. Representatives from Chichipate, Chontala and Sepalau led the singing, while Ricardo from Las Margaritas 2, gave the reading.
After the service we discussed and explained again the project guidelines. Representatives from TN2, San Andres Itzapa and UPAVIM shared their experience in developing and facilitating projects together with their brothers and sisters in the north.
Sister Parish staff shared that the Solidarity Delegation would be arriving soon and would be visiting UPAVIM, TN2 and San Andres Itzapa.
Finally, the Directive explained the calendar for 2010 activities, including the Southern Encounter planned for August. It was voted to learn about the Mayan Cosmovision during the upcoming representatives meeting next spring.
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