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Guatemala - civil war More on the civil war

A Good Neighbor Land to live on |Peace-one person at a time By Laurie Forner IZENE Schultz' message is "Look at the person on the inside, not the color of their skin." Although she's in her eighties, Izene is constantly busy maintaining her house and garden, working as a part-time housekeeper and selling crafts at local events. She is busy visiting with friends and helping out in her community when she can. Yet, she still finds time for her visits to the San Lucas Toliman Mission in Guatemala. She plans to continue as long as she is able. In Guatemala, you can find her sorting coffee beans or potting trees in moisture-retaining bags. You may also find her riding on the back of a pick-up truck on the way to do work wherever she is needed. Izene is also found visiting the locally run schoolroom, bringing school supplies and playing with the children. Izene has no trouble showing kindness or comforting others. She enjoys traveling to Guatemala each year with the wonderful people from the Riverside Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. This church organizes large groups that travel often to the Guatemalan mission to help the people ofthat region. Land to live on Each person traveling with the Riverside Church pays an extra $50 stipend that goes directly to the San Lucas Toliman Mission. The mission's priest, Father Schefler, is then able to purchase a three-acre plot of land and donate it to one of his parish families. More than 80 percent of the families in this area currently live in poverty but with land these families have a chance to become self-sufficient. Thirty-six years of civil war in Guatemala has brought extreme hardship and suffering to its people. The war is over but the healing is not and Izene knows what is needed is a little kindness and a helping hand to bring about healing. Peace-one person at a time She tells a story of meeting a couple with a small child. The family stood on the street in front of their home. As Izene came near on her walk through the area, she held out her arms and the child ran to her for a hug. "I can't describe the look on their faces." The family appreciated her kindness so much, a while later they gave Izene a small handmade decorative wooden key chain. She considers the gift priceless. Izene doesn't speak Spanish or the native dialect but she has no problem communicating. "A smile goes a long way," she says. Another young girl caught such a smile as Izene meandered through the local village. The little girl gave Izene a poppy and grabbed her hand. They walked seven blocks hand in hand so the little girl could show her dad the nice lady wearing a large blue straw hat. Peace Matters home