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What began as a simple request to help support the medical program in the Guatemala Mission has become a 19-year relationship for the parishioners of St. Mary Church, Spokane Valley.
In 2000, Sister Immaculata Burke, SCNY (now deceased) was serving as a nurse/midwife/director of the medical clinics when she recruited a young doctor, Jose Miguel Vasquez, to join the medical team as director. Dr. Vasquez was married and with a family and could have chosen to make more money elsewhere, but he desired to stay in his home community and serve his people as their doctor. As a result, more donations were needed — in order to compensate the new doctor fairly. After discussion, prayer and a parish vote, the Parish Council, with the approval of Pastor Steve Dublinski, decided to commit $700 each month in support of the medical program. Thus, St. Mary’s Guatemala Committee was formed. Special “yellow” envelopes were added to the stewardship packets in 2000 and continue to this day. Donations this past year were more than double the original pledge!
To further support the mission, St. Mary’s parishioners have held fund- raisers and sold Guatemala weavings from the Family-to-Family program. Yearly, the Knights of Columbus Council has dedicated the proceeds from a pancake breakfast to the seminarians in the mission. St. Mary Catholic School students have held a number of special collections, and two “Coins for Clinics” drives have generated more than $6,500 for medicines and medical equipment for the clinics.
St. Mary’s Church has welcomed visitors from the mission, and some parishioners have participated in mission trips, led by Ron and Donna Connell, to deliver donated items, check on progress in sponsored pro- grams, paint classrooms, worship and simply spend time with those who have much to offer in the way of spirituality, dignity and friendship. Support in the form of prayer has been a mutual part of the relationship throughout the years.
The medical program in the mission has grown to include clinics in four villages: Ixtahuacan, Novillero, Nahuala and New Ixtahuacan. Dr. Vasquez is the now the director and administrator. The medical staff includes a nurse, a nursing student and four health promoters who are training to be nurses. The staff cared or more than 7,400 patients last year.