January ’09 Delegation to Guatemala; Join us on this Journey of Hope and Solidarity

Purpose:  Our 2009 delegation to Guatemala will be a very special journey of accompaniment, learning, and solidarity. Participants will meet with human rights organizations and others working on behalf of peace and justice in Guatemala, and also travel to two rural communities. We will visit with the people, listen to their stories, and explore ways in which we can continue to support their struggle to build a more just and humane society in Guatemala.

Nueva Esperanza:  During the 1980’s, thousands of Guatemalans fled their homes in the wake of genocidal attacks by the Guatemalan Army. Many of them crossed the border into southern Mexico, where they remained living in refugee camps for many years. In 1994, after the signing of an agreement with the government of Guatemala, a group of these refugees returned to northwest Guatemala, to establish a new community called “Nueva Esperanza” (New Hope).  As one of the conditions to guarantee their safety, the refugees requested international accompaniment, and CMSA responded to that call by sending their Director, Martha Pierce, to travel with them. Ever since then, CMSA has supported the community, which is popularly known as “Chaculá”, through annual visits on the anniversary of their return (January 12), donations of money to the local school, and support of international human rights accompaniers in the village.
    Over the past 15 years we have shared their challenges and successes, their hard times and celebrations. We have watched the settlement grow from a collection of plastic-walled tents to a thriving village that serves as a model of industry, persistence, and vision for all around them. We have welcomed the births of new babies, watched children growing up, and mourned the loss of friends to both disease and old age. Throughout this time, we have learned much about hospitality, courage, and faith, as well as the difficulties of living out these values in the midst of a country marked by ongoing political turmoil, economic inequality, and racism.

Guatemalan Cultural Action: During their time in exile in Mexico, the refugees created this organization to promote the spiritual and cultural survival of their people. Now back in Guatemala, ACG continues to provide educational and spiritual support for the Mayan people. We will visit their main office in Santa Cruz del Quiche, and meet with Common Global Ministries missionary  Gloria Vicente, (who is a member of University Church in Chicago and a former refugee from Guatemala herself) to learn about ACG’s work on behalf of human rights, sustainable development, Mayan spirituality and cultural identity, and communications.

We hope you will join us on our next visit, in January 2009!

Dates:     January 3 – 17, 2009
                        
Cost:    $100/day + airfare: this includes all travel, lodging, meals, and delegation coordination and leadership
Accommodations & Requirements:

➢    Travel in Guatemala will be by local bus. We will stay in simple hotels in the city, and in the village we will stay in one of the houses. You will need to bring a sleeping bag! You do not have to speak Spanish to be a part of this delegation!
➢    Some of our activities will be physically strenuous. You need to be in good physical condition to enjoy the trip.
➢    The most important things to bring with you are: patience, flexibility, willingness to learn, and a sense of humor!
 

For information please contact:

Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance:
773-293-3680; www.chicagosanctuary.org
Or
Martha Pierce: pierce@igc.org
 

Dowload fliers for the trip by clicking below