Guatemala School Mission Ministry

The Beginning:
For the people of the parish of Santo Tomás in Chiché, Guatemala, prayer, persistence and patience paid off. The story begins in the early 1990s, when an education committee was formed in Chiché. They noticed that there were many children on the streets who looked like they were not going to school. Then a survey was done, and they realized that more than 250 children were not in school. Their parents said their children would attend school if they had the opportunity. The only school in town was full and turning away additional students when the student quota was reached, regardless of the number who would not be educated. The committee petitioned the Guatemalan government to build another school in the city, but the government repeatedly rejected its requests.
Without giving up, the school committee and the parents of Santo Tomás parish began to work. A vacant area, equivalent to a city block, was located that could be used for the school site. Fe y Alegría, an international Jesuit organization based in Spain that helps with education in developing countries, was contacted and agreed to help. Architectural plans were drawn for a school and a contractor was hired to build the cinder block school. It consisted of three rows of buildings, each with three classrooms. Also, a building for the administration, the principal's office, teacher meeting room, storage room and cleaning room, flanked the classrooms. In the spring/summer of 2001, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe School began construction. This was the culmination of prayer, persistence and patience.
But then the dream was threatened! After the buildings were completed, teachers were hired, and students were enrolled, the school board was told that the government would not help with teacher salaries as it had promised. For this reason, Fe y Alegría said it would also withdraw its support. The school committee was devastated by this development as the community did not have the financial resources to pay teachers' salaries.
Being persistent and not wanting the dream to slip away, school board member Rosie knew that a Catholic lay mission organization, Sending Out Servants (SOS), was visiting a nearby parish. She introduced them to the plight of the school and asked if they could help.
SOS conveyed this situation to Father Fran Pistorius, parish priest of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Spring, Texas. Father Fran agreed with the pastoral council's recommendation to fund teachers' salaries but guaranteed only for one year. If the parish were responsive to the needs of the school, support would continue. A Mission Outreach Committee was formed in 2001 to organize and assist with fundraising and a letter of commitment was sent to Father Julio, pastor of Santo Tomás Parish at the time.
Shortly afterward, Father Julio was called back to his home country of Venezuela, and Father Sebastian, the new parish priest, was invited to Saint Ignatius to speak to the parish about the school's progress. Father Sebastian told the committee that he was bilingual, and everyone was very excited thinking that Father spoke English. He is bilingual as he said, but in Spanish and his first language, the Mayan language of Quiche.
The visit:
Father Sebastián proved to be a wonderful person and the fundraising went well due to his way of convincing, his shy smile and his personal affection. Coming to Houston was the beginning of many surprises for Father Sebastián: the first time he left Guatemala; flew on a plane; rode a ferry; walked on a beach; waded in the Gulf; went to a lake; He got into a boat and fished. Since 2001 Father Sebastian began making annual trips to our parish in November to thank everyone for making a parish education a reality for the children of Chiché.
The School:
Our parish's response to the school has been overwhelming. Student enrollment was more than anticipated; The school's policy is to offer the opportunity for an education and not to turn anyone away. The teacher meeting room, principal's office, and equipment rooms were to be used as classrooms. The principal's office was moved to a storage room.
Initially, there are approximately 35 students in each lower grade classroom with two classrooms each for first and second grade. Classes get smaller in higher grades; Families need the assistance of older children to help support the family.
Bishop Mario Alberto Molina Visit:
For our annual fundraiser in November of 2006, we invited the Bishop of Quiche’, Bishop Molina to visit. The bishop shared many things with us, one of his more important statements was “You are not only educating the children of the school, but you are affecting change for the entire country.” We had the most successful financial fundraiser that year, thanks to the Bishop and the generosity of the parishioners of Saint Ignatius.
April 2008:
Father Sebastian, who had visited our parish annually for 6 years, transferred from Santo Tomás Parish (the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe School) to a parish in a small town of Chel, about 4 hours north of Santa Cruz del Quiché, closer to the border with Mexico. This parish is very remote, with unnamed roads into the area. Father assured us that the new pastor, Fr. Mateo will continue the work at the school that St. Ignatius has made possible over the years. He will be replaced by one of his seminary classmates, Father Mateo.
Mily, the first director of the school who visited Father Sebastian in November 2007, also expressed her gratitude to the people of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In a letter she said the following: “I am infinitely grateful to God for giving me the wonderful gift of your (Saint Ignatius) friendship. With you I have discovered the meaning of being brothers and sisters in Christ, members of a single community. I will love you all forever with a great, deep and sincere love. Every time I take communion, I think of you and I ask God to bless all of you in your life, in your family and in your work.”
2012 – Mission Trips Begin from St. Ignatius:
Since 2008, the school continued to thrive. However, the teachers and school committee of the little school, while appreciating out financial support, longed for us to visit. And so it was – the first mission trip of St. Ignatius parishioners, 14 strong, set out in June of 2012 under the guidance and training of SOS. Since that time, mission teams have traveled each year to share our faith with the teachers and children of the school, with the exception of 2015 (not enough mission interest), and the Covid 19 years of 2020-2022. Mission trips resumed in 2023 after a four-year absence. The 2023 trip was marked with great joy and excitement from both missioners and little school children, parents and teachers. As one missioner put it, it was like the 4-year absence did not exist, as the children had not skipped a beat in their learning. In spite of the Covid restrictions, St. Ignatius continued to fund the teacher salaries, and the teachers, with the internet, WhatsApp and physical visits kept the ball rolling.
The Dream Continues:
One only need to ask anyone who is a past missioner whether this “Project” as the people call it, is a success, and will continue to be. I (Steve Dalhoff), upon request of the school committee, had an opportunity to share the school’s history and its success. I simply said that with the seed planted by the Holy Spirit, and the continued support of Father Norbert, we SHARE in this project in all of its parts, financially (we provide teachers’ salaries, and the community provides the upkeep and many of the improvements), with our physical presence, and spiritually through prayer. With the fruit of our combined labor, and with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, there can be no end for this wonderful journey.
Thank you, St. Ignatius of Loyola parishioners, for continue “building God’s kingdom through your efforts”

Mission Trip 2023

Contact US

Guatemala School Mission Committee
281-290-4606
mission@silcc.org

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