Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Central America

A year that reflects the face of Christ

by
LMC Guatemala

Throughout 2023 we encountered many emotions and realities, full of joy, sadness, comfort, longing and cross…

The CLM of Guatemala began a year full of hope in the nutrition program Chispuditos, which grew incredibly to the point that we managed, along with professionals, to make medical and dental days, since the supplement, training and food were not helping children to get out of anemia and their illnesses. We have made great efforts to innovate and train ourselves, but it has not been enough because when the pediatrician, the nutritionist and the dentist arrived, they observed a high degree of malnutrition, psychomotor problems, useless dentures, genetic diseases, speech and growth deficiencies, often caused by the same malnutrition of the mothers and poor nutritional education. They are 6 years of an arduous road, working the mind, the heart and the stomach, without a doubt it fills us with joy to see the 6 year old children that leave the program without anemia and with an average size and weight, it is to give glory to God!

At the same time we went into JPIC knowing that St. Daniel Comboni had a special interest in justice for the marginalized and forgotten; we immersed ourselves in the formation to learn about migration in Guatemala and this led us to human trafficking, a terrible and very latent situation in our country. We discovered that Comboni fought hard against human trafficking, preventing them from taking so many blacks as slaves. We understood through talks, personal encounters and several Cineforums about human trafficking, we knew the reality and rawness of the life of women in prostitution. Our hearts bowed before such a situation and we started an awareness campaign. Guatemala suffers from human trafficking, women, children and arises from migration, which is one of the biggest problems of the country, from there these social problems arise, culminating in poor nutrition of children, dismembered families, single women and children practically orphaned.

We believe that it has been a year marked by a deep awakening to the way of Comboni. We had enriching formations, we formed new CLM candidates, we met several times with a small group of lay people in San Luis Petén who are doing their CLM formation, we broadened our vision towards new projects and we grew in the Comboni charism.

A 2024 awaits us with new and great challenges, at the community, mission ad gentes and economic levels, but we trust in the holy intercession of St. Daniel Comboni, we embrace the hearts of Jesus and Mary and we ask St. Joseph to help this small group to be light and salt wherever we go.

Happy beginning of the year 2024, may it be filled with many blessings and new paths for each CLM.

A fraternal embrace, CLM Guatemala

A steady and slow pace that is needed for…

by
LMC Costa Rica

On Sunday, November 26, the first formation meeting was held at the Comboni Postulancy of the Martyrs of Uganda in San José, Costa Rica, as part of the discernment stage of the current group of candidates for Comboni Lay Missionaries.

Jesús Pérez – MCCJ, originally from Spain and currently living in the country, accompanied the formative meeting under the theme: “My personal history as a history of salvation”. The objective is to accompany the candidates in the discovery of their vocation within a process of identification with the Comboni mission and charism, trying that each candidate can reread his own life, learning to know and value himself as a person in all its dimensions.

Before starting the formation meeting, we had the virtual visit of Alberto de la Portilla (coordinator of the Central Committee) and Beatriz Maldonado (coordinator of the American committee) of the Comboni Lay Missionaries, as a way of welcoming the new group of candidates to CLM – Costa Rica and encourage them to continue to persevere in this beautiful journey of formation, prayer and missionary service to the ends of the world to make common cause with other peoples where many brothers and sisters are waiting for holy and capable missionaries.

The formation meeting was undoubtedly a space of great importance and reflection on a personal level for each one of the candidates, not only on a human level, but also on a spiritual level. We encourage the new candidates of Costa Rica to continue persevering in the call of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the style and charism of St. Daniel Comboni.

Alex Menjívar, CLM Candidate

Seminar “Trafficking in Persons and Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean”.

by
LMC Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala, August 18-20, 2023

The Comboni Lay Missionaries of Guatemala this year are committed to Formation and Awareness in our commitments for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. We are beginning this journey trusting in Our Lord Jesus Christ under the intercession of St. Daniel Comboni and Our Mother the Virgin Mary to enlighten us to be able to see, hear and feel the cry of the Living Christ in the streets, in the peripheries, at the borders, in the bus terminals, in the shelters, in our communities and in all those places where there is always a cry for help.

We share with you the Final Message of the Seminar on Human Trafficking and Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean “I have seen the oppression of my people, I have looked upon their suffering and I have come down to deliver them” (Ex 3:7-8). (Ex 3:7-8)”

Miriam Herrador, CLM Guatemala

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6 years of Chispuditos

by
Lmc Guatemala

With God’s blessing, lots of joy, good cheer, smiles and anticipation, the CLM were contributing ideas, activities and snack suggestions to celebrate the children of Aldea La Salvadora I and II the anniversary…

VI ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHISPUDITOS PROGRAM.

On JUNE 3rd, the anniversary date, with a pleasantly sunny morning and with the attendance of the 50 children that month after month are given preventive monitoring for child malnutrition, we prepared a delicious and fresh fruit salad, which children and parents enjoyed together with a bread with chicken filling and a very cold and refreshing horchata.

There were fun games of rounds, songs and races around chairs; mimes and even races of moms with their babies, presenting each one with an attractive pastel-colored plastic cup. It was such a fun and entertaining atmosphere that children and adults alike had a morning of celebration and fun.

Of course, the grand finale of this celebration was the presentation of a fairy tale play, in which the CLM put all their soul and energy in their performance, leaving all the spectators surprised and amazed, it was the fable of Leo and the mouse. Curiously, several children did not know the fable and we were very impressed by the way in which adults and children were completely introduced in the story.

It was a very enjoyable moment, a moment in which we celebrated life and that, in the midst of suffering, there is light and hope for these villages.

Our deep desire as a community is to grow with this program, so that the word of God can reach more families and comfort them in their sorrows, so that more children can have the opportunity to improve their health and so that mothers can have the necessary tools for their children to grow with greater opportunity.

Sara Ramírez

Small stories, shared experiences

by
Guatemala LMC

It is a new year that has already reached its halfway point, with many hopes we begin with joy this new stage in the CLM, trying that all of us in the community participate with our abilities and willing to learn more every day.

In the eagerness to simply share our experiences as a community, some of us have taken the time to share our joys, meditations and experiences about BEING CLM.

“On Sunday, the monthly CLM gathering was held at Casa Comboni in the small hall. Not all the Laity were present for different reasons. There were changes in the calendar for this month. The missionary animation was moved to May 28 and on April 30 we will arrive to make improvements in the Chispuditos program. The Mena couple had the task of making the altar and explained to us the meaning of what they placed.

In the formation we took the CLM group autonomy form, a very good reflection that led us to make decisions as a community. It was also said that each of us look for a donor for the mission, fight for the projects to buy a vehicle and build a mission house, also talk to the parish priest where we live to make more missionary animations.”

Mercedes

“On Thursday when I went to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, I met a friend and I told him about the mission, about everything we were doing, about the Chispuditos program. He got excited and said it was a pity that he had already committed himself to a church group.

Another day a lady came to have an injection and we started to talk. She told me that she did not pray the rosary, but one day when she came with me I told her that I prayed it every day and made my petitions. That day she decided to pray it every day and that she thanked God for all the advice I gave her.

One day when I was coming back from church I met an old neighbor and she was very happy to see me, she hugged me and hugged me saying that she missed me, because just seeing me walking down the street she felt that I transmitted tranquility or security, she did not know how to explain it.”

Mirta

We share from the simplicity of heart and let you know that we are walking, getting to know each other more as a community, meeting our neighbors and placing ourselves at their service.

May God bless the mission, the CLM and may St. Daniel Comboni intercede for each one of us.

CLM Guatemala