2024 January

"The Indigenous-led movement is an explicitly nonpartisan movement for democracy, completely independent from the Movimiento Semilla party. Protesters have not wavered in their central demand: the resignation of Attorney General María Consuelo Porras. They have also been calling for the resignations of other key actors leading the efforts to undermine the election process and prevent Arévalo from taking office, including special anti-impunity prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche and Judge Fredy Orellana." Truthout

2022 September 9

Pedro Bernal, Lead member of the Equipo de Salud CPR-Sierra, and others have been moving people all over the country to seek treatment for complex eye problems identified on our visits with them. 
Accompanying patients requires travel money for patients, family members, and health workers.

Request for Help: The CPR Equipo de Salud is planning a community health worker training, in conjunction with respected organization ASECSA , and with hearty endorsement from Ixil Area Health Ministry Executive Director Dr. Ivan Guzman. Equipo leader Diego Lopez has requested funds to assure that everyone who completes the two trainings successfully will receive a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope in order to do apply their knowledge and skills in community with the help of basic tools. The CPR Equipo can obtain stethoscopes in Guatemala.  The anticipated cost is just under $100 per community worker. We estimate total cost to be between $1000 and $1500.  Funds donated to The Guatemala Project also pay for basic lodging and transportation to the training, while ASECSA covers the salary of the health professionals facilitating the sessions.

2022 Summer Team Visit

 

Left: HIgh in the mountains in Pal, the project Jeep (a gift from Michael Hyatt to The CPR-Sierra St. Michaels' Guatemala Project) at rest, 2022.  Right: Health leader Gustavo and RN Dorothy on the way to Sumalito, Nebaj, Quiche, 2022.

Summer 2020 Teamwork-at-a-distance

Guatemala has extremely restricted movement as a public health response to the threat of Covid-19. CPR communities are practicing strict isolation. Lead health team (CPR Equipo de Salud) members, with whom we work most closely, are essentially sequestered in their rural communities, with limited communication and no travel.  We continue at least weekly contact with those who have some access to cell phone or internet.  Signal even for cell phones is very weak in two of the three locations needing regular communication.   The isolation has severely limited people's employment options and access to markets where buying and selling of products happens. Hunger is a threat for many.

As of July 26, 2020, the Equipo de Salud reports that there are no confirmed Covid19 cases within the 22 communities of the CPR-Sierra. 

Food Donated to CPR community El Triunfo

Mike Corser and employees at PescaNova worked closely with the Project coordinator and community leaders in El Triunfo to distribute much-needed protein to families. Mike sent a short, happy message and photos. He and his team are now working on making deliveries to other CPR communities.

Dear All:
We delivered to Triunfo this last Wednesday [July22]. 485 kilos (1,069 lbs) of frozen shrimp and fish.
The community leaders were extremely receptive and welcomed us warmly. I told them that the impulsion behind this was Ila Abernathy and St. Michael’s Guatemala Project.
They were very organized and I distributed the product individually to each community member on their list (everyone!); four hours.
It was a good day.
Regards,
Mike

Thank-you/Gracias to Michael Hyatt, photographer and friend of the Project

Michael donated a framed copy of his photograph "Cousins" to the Project, as a form of recognition and gratitude for a donation of $200+ 

Photo: Cousins, Union Victoria, 2016, © Michael Hyatt

Donations to the Project are much needed in these particularly difficult times

Any amount that you are able to give is welcome and put to good use in CPR communities. In the month of August, the Project seeks 10 donations of $150. 

Two ways to donate, whichever is easier for you:

1.  Write a check to St. Michael's Guatemala Project and put "donation" in the memo line.  You may send it to the church office (presently mostly not open except for the "essential" task of handing out food bags to the needy M-W-F mornings), 602 N. Wilmot Road, Tucson, 85711; or send it care of Ila Abernathy, Coordinator, at her home address, 1343 N. Fifth Avenue, Tucson, AZ  85705.

2.  Go to the church website, http://www.smallangelstucson.org, click on "Donate," and choose PayPal or use a debit or credit card, making sure you designate the donation to St. Michael's Guatemala Project.   If you use PayPal, there is a small fee. All you donation money goes to the Project. St. Michael's does not take a percentage. 

March 2019

DECLARACION DE LA ASAMBLEA GENERAL DE LAS COMUNIDADES DE POBALACION EN RESISTENCIA DE LA SIERRA (CPR) MARTIRES DE LA RESISTENCIA (Spanish - English translation pending) 

March 23 - 24, 2019, in the town of Santa Clara, Chajul el Quiché, 700 female and male delegates from Comunidades de Población en Resistencia, in different parts of the Republic of Guatemala, met in an assembly to analyze the current situation the people of the CPR  and to establish demands of the government concerning the present living conditions.

Summer 2018

Equipo de Salud (Health Team) of the CPR-Sierra sends thanks

At the end of six+ weeks of Guatemala Project visits in 17 of the scattered rural communities of the CPR-Sierra, the lead Equipo de Salud met with Coordinator Ila Abernathy for final evaluation.  For some members of the Equipo/Team, this required a long trip on multiple little mountain buses (retired Bluebird school buses). 

The Equipo presented a large banner thanking St. Michael's, Tucson, for their years of support.  They are asking for Project continuation, because we are the only project that offers support for their own health promoters and the Equipo, acts in solidarity, and visits regularly.  They say, "The people have confidence in you." 

On behalf of all volunteers, I gave thanks to all the CPR-Sierra leaders and families who welcomed us, fed us, and gave us posadaa in their homes.

Holding the banner are, left to right: Equipo leaders Domingo Alvarez Ajanel, also elected president of the 22 communities, who is just finishing a professional nursing degree; Magdalena Chavez, resettlement Tesorito and work on fund accountability; cheerful Gustavo Cuyuch, Santa Clara community, with responsibility also for Areas Sta. Clara (3 isolated communities) and Caba (3 really remote communities, only one on a rough dirt road); Pedro Bernal, resettlement Tesorito, with responsibility also for 4 small rural resettlements in the Nebaj area and shared responsibility with Gustavo for Caba Area, where Pedro does great work on followup for adults and children who need additional treatment; and Diego Lopez Bernal, Zona Reina (4 contiguous resettlements), with responsibility also for the 3 communities of Area Xeputul.

July 16 - Guatemala City from Ila Abernathy:

This morning new Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Guatemala Silvestre Romero very graciously met with me to learn about the Project, even though he had a week-long clergy meeting beginning in the afternoon.  He is serving with long-term Bishop Armando Guerra until the Diocesan Convention at the end of November, when he should be formally installed.  

We had a great talk.  Bp. Silvestre was pleased to hear that Bishop Guerra had awarded the people of St. Michael's the Bishop's Medal when we arranged for him to attend St. Michael's 60th Michaelmas, and even more pleased to hear that Junior Warden Howard Creswell wears it every Sunday, as "People's Warden." We had many points of intersection.  Agreed that religious faiths offer the opportunity for real individual transformation, rather than just "incremental change."  And he seemed very pleased when I said that we ask people who visit for the first time to listen and learn, and that we remind them, "You are not going to save the world; but if you are open to the experience, the world may save you."

I'm reminded of three aspects of the CPR's survival during the internal conflict:  patience, persistence, and laughter.  Holds true for all of us too.

Photo:  Bishops Silvestre and Armando, in the very humble Cathedral Church, Guatemala City

Summer 2015

Photographs by Ila Abernathy of a demonstration in Guatemala City, May 30, 2015.

2013 Summer - Ila Abernathy, project coordinator, writes from Guatemala:

June 5, 2013.

Here in Guatemala, the final people from the Delegation arrived last night. We are in good shape. Fr. Smith asked about people sleeping on the streets near the little hospedaje where we have stayed for many years, 5 blocks from the central plaza, national cathedral, etc, as he didn't recall seeing same in past years.  Dona Alma of the hospedaje had already told us that Nicaraguans and Salvadorans planning to go to the U.S. were arriving here with nothing and camping out around the church of the Virgin of Guadalupe, on the corner from us (there's also a food handout up the street).  I'm not sure she has the countries exactly right, and for sure there are homeless Guatemalans and deportees from the U.S. mixed in, as they arrive with nothing. 

Two years ago Alma told us a couple of the "deportados" had found their way up 9th calle, where we are, to the point where it turns into the "periferico" (perimeter road, which is no longer on the perimeter), and hurled themselves off a high bridge into the barranca below, because they couldn't face the hopelessness of their situation here, and the great debts incurred in attempting to cross.  Not all deaths occur in the desert. 

Nine of the people killed in the Oklahoma tornadoes were Guatemalans.

Big news here this week is the OAS summit, with a focus on drugs, and Secretary of State Kerry attending.

We have a mixed schedule today, including in-country updates from an NGO.  Tomorrow it's the Episcopal Bishop, US AID, and others.  Friday we head to two CPR-Sierra resettlements.  At the first, where we spend only a few hours, hearing community members who have been migrants and families of people presently in the U.S. is one of our priorities.

By Sunday we will be in the Ixil Area in northern Quiche, the area among the hardest hit during the conflict and the one for which Rios Montt was being tried for genocide and war crimes .  Monday will find us down the road in Chajul for meetings with health promoters who have walked out of the mountains to meet us.  Tuesday we return early to the Capital, where Co-coordinator Michelle is attempting to arrange a meeting with the U.S. Embassy, to talk about what we have seen.

Stay safe, continue the work, and know that you have the gratitude of many here. Ila

Project Update November 28, 2012
The Equipo de Salud (lead health team of the CPR-Sierra, communities we serve) plans to do a sweep through northern CPR communities around December 8, and we are working on fund transfers to enable them to make incentive payments to the local health promoters.

Equipo leaders Pedro and Domingo met with ASECSA (community health education training, Chimaltenango) in late November, to discuss broad planning.  Also participating:  the new Health Ministry medical director for Chajul, whom we met last summer.  He's from Chajul and speaks Ixil, so we hope he will stick around.  It's great that everyone is communicating.

Children of the Americas - http://childrenoftheamericas.org/ - the NGO planning a major surgical jornada for January in Retalhuleu, has continued to interact.  We have now connected them directly with the Equipo de Salud for patient referrals, and the Equipo discussed possibilities (almost too enthusiastically) during the meeting with ASECSA.

Gaspar Guzman, the boy from Tesorito born with a torturously twisted leg and foot, has had his amputation in the national orthopedic hospital.  He is at home and recovering without complications, and receiving followup through the hospital.  Children of the Americas is standing by to assess in January, and provide a prosthesis if he's ready.    I was impressed with all of us -- Pedro and Antonio of the Equipo, who involved me in a preliminary visit to the hospital in August (my primary role  is to say, "Let's go ask the Social Worker"), the hospital workers, the courageous young patient, and the Children of the Americas executive director, who has been receptive to communications.  Social worker contact worked out really well in this instance, because at the beginning parents and patient were understandably frightened and reluctant to proceed, and Pedro said, "Let's go ask the social worker," who reassured everybody and arranged for Gaspar and his mother to spend 2 weeks in the ward prior to the surgery, so he could see other children in his situation.  Incredible.  We need, through Susan Cotton's Denver Promesa, to continue to pay for transportation to appointments.  Stay tuned.

CPR-Sierra perspective on the Totonicapan massacre October 4 is that yes, they are pleased that army assailants have been incarcerated, but they remind us that the government administration, through its intense suppression of dissent, set up the situation.  The Attorney General initiated investigation despite the president's initial denials of responsibility.

CPR-Sierra organization continues to be stressed, and troubled with the expense of maintaining the office in the capital -- really important, not only for communications but to provide a hostel for patients and families needing treatment in the capital.

Project coordinator, Ila Abernathy, writes: August 14, 2012: Most of Team 3 left today.  I'm really tired and have a bad cough.  Pedro just called, is in town for our big meeting tomorrow, which was to have been delayed until early afternoon because we didn't expect him in until 1 p.m..   Now he wants to meet early.  It's the Fiesta de la Virgin, patron of the city, tomorrow, and the guys want to do that in the afternoon.

Last night, as we left Sophos Bookstore in Zone 10 (upscale, where the Embassies are) after wine and purchase of Guatemala: Eterna Primavera, Eterna Tirinia, we ran quite by accident into the exuberant welcome parade for the returning Olympic athletes as it wound down La Reforma to Zone 1, honoring particularly 21-year-old Erick Barrondo of San Cristobal, Alta Verapaz, who won silver in the 20K.  He's from a humble family who bought their first television in order to watch him.  His father burned incense and said traditional prayers the entire time he was running.  For Guatemala this is huge, the first-ever Olympic medal in the 60 years they have sent teams.  I can't tell you how moving it was to see and hear the spontaneous joy, and pride, and celebration.  After receiving the medal August 4, Barrondo said (in Spanish, of course), "I  am very grateful with life at this moment.  To ascend to the podium and gain the first medal for my country, which has suffered much, is something special."  For most of us it is special that he is from a rural indigenous area, from a humble family.  And Guatemala, like St. Michael's loves a party -- fireworks, banners, perilous Guatemalan firecrackers that sound like machine gun fire, children's bands, and thousands of ecstatic, truly joyful people.

Diego came down to the city with a patient and family from Pal, the 1-year old who needs surgery to remove a mass from her lower back near the spine; and I'm in communication about 2 other patients, so it looks to be a busy end of trip.

We are giving copies of the Spanish version of Guatemala: Eternal Spring, Eternal Tyranny to Pedro, Domingo, and Diego, saying they are from the 3 teams.  It is smaller than the English version, but with more photos and a different format.

If anyone wants a copy of the book, I can try to get by Sophos Bookstore and pick up more -- but the price has just gone up from Q125 to Q195, approximately $25, paper, and I can't take much extra weight.

Thanks to all. See everyone soon, God willing.

July 2, 2012: Everybody is alive and well, though Team 1 did have its moments -- very compressed trip, some minor illnesses, and one harrowing ride on a very narrow and rough 4WD mountain road with many obstacles, an inexperienced driver, and an overloaded vehicle.  I still have bruises where my upper arm kept banging against a metal pole used to stretch a loma (canvas cover) over the back in case of rain (we got to stay al fresco, no rain -- all umpteen of us standing in the back with the cargo).

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS: Militarization is continuing apace, with soldiers at every demonstration of people seeking social justice -- like the students occupying their school to protest changes in education plans, a block from Casa San Jose, where we stay in the Capital; and oh the road between Nebaj and Chajul, the Ixil Area soldiers carrying galils. They looked so very young and out of place to me.  More evidence of this, and resistance, in the Ixil Area, where we are now.  Note:  under the Peace Accords, the army can be used only for protecting national borders, except in a national emergency, so all this activity is in violation.  Domingo Alvarez, who has driven both teams and all the meds and our personal packs to the points where we will start walking, says that when he sees the soldiers, he is reminded of all that transpired in the past, beginning when soldiers entered his village when he was 6, destroyed the village, and executed some of the leaders.

Domingo, who is also on the Lead Health Team and handles our money when it is turned over for payments to health workers and for other in-country medical needs, has been elected president of the overall 22-community CPR-Sierra organization.  He says he can do both.  It is very, very generous of him to give us his time as he starts to assume his new office.

Hydroelectric installation, massive on some formerly free-running wild rivers, is continuing apace in the Ixil Area, as is local resistance.  There are no local benefits in terms of more or cheaper electricity. Everyone says the electricity is bound for Mexico and beyond.  Ironically, Nebaj, which has outgrown its electrical system, is still subject to daily brown-outs, especially in the evening and when it rains.  One passes slogans painted on rocks and on the highway, "The rivers and the holy earth are for the Ixil people," and "No to mining," and "No to hydroelectric."  Team 1 drove right by one of the installations, on the Finca San Francisco, where the finca guard told us the finca and hydroelectric were private property and we could not take photos or stop.  Once we passed him, we got some good ones of the hydroelectric, before the aforesaid harrowing trip over the mountain and down into Zona Reina, Uspantan, the second-largest resettlement community.   

TEAM 1 HIGHLIGHTS - photo team 1

Among the team, incredible raw intelligence and some very useful skills -- Midwife-RN Kerry, and RN-diabetes expert Jordan, and artist Richard, among others.  All of us were a wee bit under-utilized, but the trip was useful and productive for all, including the loal health workers.  We were ably accompanied by Diego Lopez of the Equipo de Salud.

This trip was too compressed to admit much interaction with local groups, but we did get women's leader Nazaria Tum Sanic to give us an impressive overview of 30 years of CPR-Sierra history and a glance at current women's organization and activism. In Nebaj, we also met with the Health Ministry Extension de Cobertura (Health extension services, where ther are no regular services) director, who welcomed our presence and gave us letters authorizing us to use Health MInistry limited medicines if ours gave out.  They also said their budget has been so constrained that they can no longer buy trimetroprin sulfa or local anesthesia for wound-suturing.  They begged us to try to find them 20 vials of lidocaine.  (hope my spelling is ok).

Team 1 then headed out for on-foot giras to Chaxa, Santa Rosa, and Pal, Area Xeputul, to work with the local health promoters.  In Chaxa and Pal, we found somewhat-discouraged local workers.  In contrast, Chico in Santa Rosa had his little two-room clinic well organized, and had meds.

Because of Kerry's presence, we saw many pregnant women and their midwives, to good effect.  We were able to reinforce advice that one woman should leave in advance of her due date, as her baby was very, very small. In addition, we did more hemoglobin testing than in the past.  Preliminary results would suggest that there is less anemia in these communities than the astonishingly high figures passed around internationally; but we may need to factor in altitude and a few other variables.

Two points of interest, with more infor to follow when I get a break in late July:  A young coule in Pal who had a baby born with a growth that needs correction now that she is one year old waitied patiently for us and agreed to walk out with ust to the little hospital in Nebaj.  Because of the presence of all the giranos-as, the family received royal treatment.  They were advised to go to Santa Cruz de Quiche for special x-rays, to rule out spinal nerve involvement, and we were able to pay for the private x-ray (not the right term) with funds donated by Project friend [Sherley S. in Phoenix.  The very conscientious young father has delivered these to the social worker in Nebaj, and the Nebaj doctors decided that the surgery should take place in Guatemala City.  Plans are in the works.

Additionally, on the trail we heard Mateo's story about his early life.  He had met us between Chaxa and Santa Rosa.

More later -- especially re Team 2.  They are waiting, to begin the long drive and then the uphill walk into Mirador Chajul.

Abrazos a todos. Ila

TheCPR leadersmet with the Guatemala Consul General and Arizona Episcopal Church leaders; participated in programs with Denver Justice and Peace Committee, Northern Arizona University, The University of Arizona, Pima Community College, Cholla High School, St. Michael's Day School; and spent three full, difficult days looking directly at conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border.
They thanked supporters, brought us up-to-date on their life in Guatemala and the current election-year political situation, met people interested injoining summer teams; made and renewed friendships.

The last reciprocal visit to the U.S. was in 2001. Such exchanges are important to us as we continue the 14-year partnership.

17th General Assembly From March 20 - 22, 2007, the CPR-Sierra held their 17th General Assembly in Nebaj. The annual Asambleas evolved during the war years, as the scattered groups of refugees that became the CPR-Sierra began to organize in the mountains of the Ixil Area. Asambleas function somewhat like a town hall. Leaders are democratically elected or reaffirmed, all sectors,including health, religion, and education, give annual reports, problems are mentioned and discussed at length (sometimes great length), and plans for the coming year are affirmed. Everyone who chooses to speak is heard. Finally everyone signs, frequently with a thumbprint,the "Libro de Actas" [Book of Acts] of the assembly, usually read in Ixil and Spanish, sometimes in Quiche as well. The newly elected Consejo Politico General, which functions somewhat like a Tribal Council, has the responsibility for implementing the Assembly decisions.

In the past, the Asembleas were a pure democracy, and everyone who could crossed the mountains to attend. Now that the CPR-Sierra communities are widely separatedin eight distinct geographic areas,delegates represent each community, but anyone who chooses can attend as well. The location shifts from year to year, to maximize opportunity for people to be present. When the Asamblea is held in one of the larger resettlement communities, there's a potent and sometimes noisy mix of old and young, men, women and children, babies, bicycles, strolling chickens and dogs, and little ones playing just outside the meeting area.