Guatemala is the Central American country best known for the wonderful Maya ruins and as a place that was home to one of the oldest civilizations on the planet.

What is not as well known is that poverty in Guatemala is widespread and deeply entrenched, particularly among poor rural people, who account for 71 per cent of the country’s poor population. The country's high rates of illiteracy, infant mortality and infant malnourishment are even higher among indigenous peoples, most of whom live in rural areas.

This year an Adult Mission with be going to Guatemala with the organization Loving Arms (www.lovingarms.ca). The dates are April 30 - May 9, 2010.

If you are interested, please contact Juli Conard for more information.

Last year a group of young Greenbank church parishioners took on the task of driving down to Mississippi to help in the rebuilding of the area ravished by massive hurricane Katrina in
August of 2005.

Communities still lie in ruins and people are still without their homes.

An upcoming Mississippi Mission will return this year. Youth 16-30 years are invited and the dates are to be advised.

Again, if you are interested, please contact Juli Conard for more information.

Heading the missions is Juli Conard.

Juli has given of her personal time, determination, great organizational skills and vision to make these trips happen.

Greenbank church is very proud of the efforts put forth by Juli and all of the participants of these missions to selflessly help others in need.

Read the great article in Focus on Scugog, January edition, about Juli and the Guatemala Mission