Dear St. Mark Parish family,
Our St. Mark Community is about to begin an exciting humanitarian effort to help the people of El Salvador, and I want to encourage everyone in our faith community to join us! We are teaming up with a group called Project FIAT, run by an order of Catholic nuns, who have worked with Salvadorans for close to 20 years. The country has a very small upper class, a very large lower class, and very little in between, so the need is great!
Project Fiat offers us the opportunity to really get to know the people of El Salvador and work side by side with them to help improve their lives. Project Fiat runs a drop-in program for children in the village of Las Delicias where they can come and play games, do crafts and just hang out.
They also get a nourishing lunch every day, something that they might not otherwise have access to. They also work as the peon labor for local construction crews, building things like medical clinics, a library, daycare centers, houses, classrooms, and even a water system to bring running water to people’s homes.
Missionaries that come on the trip will physically assist in whatever ways are needed. Others can be involved by providing monetary assistance, as well as donating specific items.
We hope to develop relationships between the village and the St. Mark family by making personal connections through visits and helping them with their temporal needs.
We look forward to exploring ways to get our St. Mark family involved in this exciting project!
Why Do I Keep Going to El Salvador? –Gretchen Parry (St. Mark Parishioner )
- My first trip was driven by a desire to open our children’s eyes to the fact that there are many people in the world that are less fortunate than them. Their very first observation was “The kids down here have almost nothing and they’re HAPPY!”
- The wonderful relationships I have developed with so many people in El Salvador…they are truly beautiful and gracious people, who value our commitment to them and their families.
- I am always greeted with smiles and hugs and love!
- I know that however little I may accomplish on any given trip, it makes a world of difference in the lives of these amazing people
Please see some pictures attached!
If you want to know more: Come and Learn about joining us and /or supporting the trip.
MONDAY MARCH 6
7 PM-COAKLEY ROOM