May your care and generosity for the needy bring you peace and joy during this Christmas season and in 2003. This newsletter is to report to you the results of your support in Chalatenango, El Salvador and to update you on some of the major projects in the works. Many more projects are also in progress, especially between sister parish communities.
PILGRIMAGE PLANS - a pilgrimage to El Salvador to see the face of God in the poor is being planned for Feb. 3 - 10. Already six out of ten openings have been filled. If there are more than ten people traveling, there may be a second pilgrimage scheduled from Feb. 10 - 17. The total cost would be about $700, not including passport or optional immunizations. The food is basic; the beds are cots; the roads are bumpy; the experience is priceless. If anyone is at all interested, please contact the Linehans before Christmas. (440-466-3207 or welinehan@yahoo.com)
STUDENT SPONSORSHIPS - the 2002 school year has ended in El Salvador. There were 81 students sponsored by people in our area. The sponsorship is $25 a month for 10 months. Most sponsorships are for students in grade or high school. Many students live too far away from a school to attend. The sponsors pay for housing or transportation of students who live in an area where there are no schools. Without their sponsors, the young people would not be able to go to school. Father Rafael has identified a few students who are exceptionally talented and who could make a significant contribution to the people of El Salvador if they could go on to college. Each college student needs three sponsors at $25 a month each. If you would like to sponsor a student at any of these grade levels, please contact Linehans. School begins in January.
KREYCHE’S TO EL SALVADOR - Congratulations to Mike Kreyche who has been given a Fulbright Award to work with the Oscar Romero University in Chalatenango and another university in El Salvador. He and Jean are leaving at the end of December and will be staying from nine to twelve months working mainly in Chalatenango. We will miss their enthusiasm and hard work up here - but they will be great contacts there and will greet us when we go on pilgrimage in February.
CRAFTS - Jean Kreyche has run the craft "warehouse" (rooms in their house) and has done all the "accounts receivable" and "accounts payable" for all these years. While she is gone, two other gracious women have volunteered to take over that role. After December 14, Fr. John Dailey's crafts will be handled by his sister, Geri Dailey, in Ashtabula. Her phone is: 440-964-7331. Her e-mail is: geri7331@yahoo.com Meanwhile, Fr. Rafael's crafts will be handled by Kate Horning in Stow. Her phone is: 330-688-0604. Her e-mail is MRHFR1912@aol.com
COFFEE - Jean and Mike have also begun marketing coffee for the village of Chacones in Chalatenango. They have sold nearly 100 pounds in the last month!! While they are in El Salvador, the coffee can be bought through Bernadette Nolan at the Basic Ingredients Bulk Food Store in Ashtabula (1218 Lake Ave. Ashtabula, OH 44004 440-964-2002 Bernadette_n@yahoo.com) or Kate Horning (see "CRAFTS")
INTERNATIONAL FAIR - The International Fair held the two weekends before Thanksgiving in Austinburg was again a great success. $15,300 in crafts made by artisans in 30 developing countries was sold. Thanks to all!!
FR. RAFAEL'S PHONE NUMBER - For those who make calls to El Salvador, Fr. Rafael's phone number has been changed. It is: 011-503-332-0885. Be prepared to ask for him in Spanish!
SISTER PARISHES - There are several parishes in Chalatenango that would welcome a sister parish relationship with a church here. Each sister parish relationship is unique. However it involves far more than sending material aid to the Salvadoran parish. It is about communication and relationship, achieving the solidarity of Christian love and enriching all who work for it. The churches that enjoy a sister parish relationship in Chalatenango are: Alliance St. Joseph, Ashtabula Mother of Sorrows, Ashtabula Mt. Carmel, Elyria St. Vincent de Paul, Garrettsville St. Ambrose, Geneva Assumption, Kent St. Patrick, and Kent State University Newman Center. If you would like more information, please contact the Linehans.
CHURCH BUILDING AND REBUILDING - Some of the US sister parishes have been working toward repairing the damage from the war on church buildings in Chalatenango. Churches that are being built or rebuilt include: San Antonio de los Ranchos supported by Ashtabula Mt. Carmel, St. Raymond supported by Alliance St. Joseph, Our Lady of Remedy supported by Elyria St. Vincent and Kent Catholic Student Assn., and St. Anthony supported by a new parish friend, St. Sebastian Church in Milwaukee!
SHIPMENT VIA US MILITARY CARGO PLANE - We are still working with Kathy Price to get our first cargo plane shipment to El Salvador. With the recent war on terrorism, the process has slowed. We are not sure when we will be able to airlift the ambulance, dental office, computers and other supplies, but we continue to work at the Ravenna Arsenal on the project.
MOST OF THE MONIES from projects, including mission appeals from dioceses, are sent through the Assumption Church, Central American Account. The total received in the first eleven months of 2002 is $99,140. = lots of caring by lots of people!
FURTHER INFORMATION - These projects are successful through the grace of God and through your working with that grace. For any further information, interests, or suggestions, please contact the Linehans at 440-466-3207 or welinehan@yahoo.com or John and Rita Linehan, 5834 Route 307 West, Geneva, OH 44041. If you received this letter in the mail and have an e-mail address, would you share it with us?