Friends and Family,
Yesterday Otto Perez, former Military, became President of Guatemala. There is great hope and prayer for PEACE and JUSTICE in Guatemala. The suffering of the poor is great; malnutrition with children is the highest in the hemisphere, minimal wage is less than 10 dollars a day and for 2012 the increase is announced for less tan fifty cents a day. People are hungry and unemployment is extensive. The Bishops of the Catholic Church are very vocal, according to the Social Teachings of our Church. Yesterday, there was a MASS, celebrated by the Archbishop, for and in attendance of the new President, Vice President and other officials of the new Government, in the Cathedral Metropolitan in Guatemala City. Their prayer, and of so many, "that the new President will honor his campaign promises and will bring reconciliation, peace, and cessation of violence" to families and to the country. Two priorities are Health and Education. Health has been declared in Emergency. The priorities for Health are better service for the sick and the Health employees and purchase of quality medicines for Government Hospitals and Centers for Health in the rural area. Education priorities are for nutritional supplements for students and repair of educational structures.
As the Bishop of Solola manifested in his column in the Press; "may the new government acknowledge the Lord and know how to live with honor and happiness the mission that the electors have confided in them"
Guatemala is listed as one of the five most violent countries in the World. Prayers are needed for this beautiful people and country. THANK YOU.
