Wherever MMF travels on its medical missions, in-country partnerships are a vital and essential aspect of ensuring the success of the mission. Not only do in-country partners have an understanding of the need to be met, and they best understand how to accomplish it. And they are working to meet the needs of the people in the community before, during and after the MMF team is there.
Our trip to San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala is no different. We have our “team on the ground” that comes from, understands, lives in and is invested in the San Lucas community. Without their help, we could not do what we do. The San Lucas trip would not be possible without a number of key partners in Guatemala, and one significant partner is the San Lucas Mission.
The San Lucas Parish mission has had a presence and has developed credibility and trust among the people of San Lucas for nearly 50 years. We operate out of their facility and they coordinate patient schedules ahead of our visit. They continue caring for San Lucas families during the 51 weeks out of the year that MMF is not here. We appreciate their support.
Guatemalan history is fraught with unequal land ownership. The Parish has a program to buy back land and redistribute the Mayan natives to promote food security. Farming families also need fair prices for their produce. The Mission has The Juan Ana Coffee Program to provide fair, consistent wages for more than 650 coffee farmers, who In turn provide the highest quality gourmet coffee.
Other programs provide sustainable assistance in education, employment and housing for San Lucas families. Working all together, along with Healthcare programs, the San Lucas Mission ensures that we can continue to work toward the ultimate goal of helping the people of San Lucas to be healthy, happy and self-sustaining.
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