A journey to San Lucas, Guatemala

Breathtaking scenery. Ancient Mayan heritage. Eager and happy children, and poverty also. One can find all of these in a country that has changed many lives in our area. Thirty-nine students and adults from the Sleepy Eye area, Hutchinson, and Denver, Colorado had the chance to experience the mysterious country together when they traveled to San Lucas, Toliman, Guatemala.

The group, led by Fr. Brian Oestreich, pastor at St. Mary’s, Sleepy Eye, left on July 8, 2003, flying over five hours to arrive "ready to work" in San Lucas, a city on the southeastern side of Lake Atitlan.

The work varied but was always worthwhile. There were construction sites, two new houses and a park for children, which required bricklaying and mixing concrete or cement by hand. Some helped to dig a twenty-foot hole by hand. There was painting and reforestation work, as well as many other various jobs.

When the group wasn’t busy helping out, there were many other things to do such as opportunities to tour San Lucas, visit the small neighboring villages, hike up mountains, and listen to speeches by Father Greg Schaffer, the mission’s pastor and a priest of the Diocese of New Ulm. Underneath all these adventures, however, was a growing understanding of the Mayan culture and its people and of the poverty most of them live in. Exposure to that type of reality only comes through actually being there. The group returned home on July 17 with smiles and memories.

Those involved in the retreat include :Dave Kubesh, Valerie Steffl, McKayla Theisen, Garett Soukup, Cassandra Zinniel, Jenny Stimpert, Amanda Helget, Amy Krenz, Elese Berdan, Mary Spaeth, Nick Novotny, Angela Matzke, Ashley Mathiowetz, Fr. Brian Oestreich , Dan Schwartz, Pat Johnson, Katherine Berkner, Katherine Wagner, Catherine Savage, Stephanie Krzmarzick, Amanda Recker, Katie Hughes, Marci Rieke, Kristin Rieke, Steph Joyce, Nick Braun, Brad Hillesheim, David Ziegler, Steve Haala, Adam Armbruster, Janice Recker, Tim Braulick, Fr. Greg Schaffer, pastor of San Lucas Toliman, Rachel Burger, Tom Croke, Joanne Schmidt, Tim Hughes, John Schmid, Kyle Ludewig, and Pam Lundstrum.