Celebrate With Us – Building Futures Through Education and Service

Join Us at Our Graduation Ceremony!

The Guatemalan school year has concluded, and we are proud to share the incredible results of our 2026 school year:

• 100% of first-grade students mastered foundational Spanish reading and writing skills, along with basic mathematical operations, preparing them to advance to the next grade level.
• 100% of preschool and kindergarten students advanced to the next school level, having strengthened their motor skills, early literacy and logical thinking abilities.
• By the end of the school year, students achieved a 95% attendance rate, reflecting strong participation and commitment to their education.

Now, our students at Colegio Susanna Wesley are ready to celebrate their graduation ceremony! The event will be streamed on our Facebook page on November 9th at 9 AM (Mountain Time) for everyone to join and share this special moment with our students, families and teachers. 

Thank you to all our sponsors who have given the gift of education this year. We couldn’t have done it without you. As we look ahead to 2027, we hope we can continue counting on your partnership so that, together, we can offer pathways out of poverty through education for Indigenous Maya children.

We are always looking for more people who believe in the power of education. If you know someone who is as passionate as you, please send them our way. We would love to welcome them to Salud y Paz and show them how they can make a difference.

Coffee, Cake & Community: Celebrating 25 Years

As we count down to our 25th-anniversary celebration in Guatemala, we are also celebrating with our global community. Board member Elizabeth Belvin hosted a wonderful gathering in North Carolina this month, bringing together friends and supporters of Salud y Paz over Guatemalan coffee and cake. The event also gave us a special opportunity to connect with our NC-based partner, All In Guatemala.

“Muchas gracias to everyone who joined us in celebrating 25 years of Salud y Paz! Despite morning flash floods, the rain cleared in time for us to enjoy coffee, share cake, and celebrate all that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do alongside the Indigenous people of the Guatemalan highlands.

The children even helped decorate the cake to look like alfombras—the intricate sawdust carpets crafted during Holy Week. It was as beautiful as it was delicious!

Hosting this event was particularly meaningful for me as I prepare to take my family to Guatemala for the main anniversary event in November. As child sponsors, it will be a true joy for my family and me to experience the preschool graduation ceremony firsthand and commemorate a quarter-century of service and community.”

~ Elizabeth Belvin
   Board Secretary

Compassion Across Borders: Our Final Service Teams of the Year

This month, Salud y Paz welcomed our final two service teams of the year: Global Hands of Healing and Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (PVUMC). Together, they brought dental, medical and vision care to 796 patients from Maya Indigenous communities in the Guatemalan highlands, where many families face barriers to accessing essential health services.

The teams traveled to rural and remote areas, often along winding mountain roads, to meet people where they live. In some communities, most residents speak K’iche’ as their primary language, making the work of local interpreters and community leaders essential to connecting patients with care and supporting the communities that welcomed them.

Global Hands of Healing brought a dental team that reached 263 dental and vision patients. Beyond providing care, the team contributed valuable donations to the Salud y Paz clinic and shared moments of connection and fun with children and families.

PVUMC brought a medical team that reached 533 medical and vision patients across several communities. On their busiest day, they saw 105 medical patients and provided 60 pairs of glasses. As team leaders, Beth and Keith reflected on that particular clinic day, “This was a much busier day than we have had since pre-Covid trips.” Reflecting on the trip, Beth and Keith also shared:

“We had a fabulous team in Guatemala, serving 533 medical and vision patients… We are so appreciative of the work that our team of 13 and the 20 plus Guatemalans did to make this mission trip a success. We are proud to have had the opportunity to help make this trip take place, and we’ve tried to follow in the footsteps of Don Wall, who set a wonderful example of leading teams here for many years.”

As we close the year, we are deeply grateful to both Global Hands of Healing and PVUMC for sharing their time, skills and compassion with the communities we serve. At Salud y Paz, lasting change happens not for communities, but with them. These final visits of the year were another reminder of what can happen when people work together to expand access to care and strengthen community health.

Defending Truth, Building Futures: Highlights from CADF 2026

Attending this year’s Central American Donors Forum (CADF) in Guatemala City was a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination driving our region forward. Among days filled with strategic dialogue, two moments defined my experience: José Rubén Zamora’s unforgettable keynote and forward-thinking panels within the Education & Inclusive Economies track.

A Standing Ovation for Courage

The defining moment of the forum came during the keynote address, “Journalism Under Siege: José Rubén Zamora’s Testimony.“

José Rubén Zamora—founder of elPeriódico and recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience—spent over 1,290 days in arbitrary pretrial detention for exposing corruption. Speaking while still under house arrest, he shared a deeply moving account of the personal cost of independent journalism and his ongoing fight for justice and free expression.

As he concluded, the auditorium rose in an emotional, prolonged standing ovation. It was a breathtaking show of solidarity, honoring his bravery and reaffirming that truth cannot be silenced.

Action in the Education & Inclusive Economies Track

Beyond the main stage, I participated actively in the Education & Inclusive Economies track. While Central America has seen historic gains in access, the region faces a persistent skills gap amplified by environmental and social disruptions. Sessions focused on bridging the divide between foundational learning and decent work through actionable strategies: 

• Serving Underserved Learners: Building resilient systems that equip women, girls, Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, and rural populations with lifelong competencies.
• Workforce Development & Innovation: Examining multi-stakeholder partnerships, entrepreneurship, and the economic impacts of migration and technology.
• Context-Responsive Livelihoods: Fostering skills tailored to local realities to reduce inequalities and promote long-term, inclusive regional prosperity.

Moving Forward

José Rubén’s courage and the actionable frameworks from the Education track leave us inspired and clear-eyed about the work ahead.

~ Laura Shearer
   Executive Director

Assets into Action: How Donating Stock Heals Communities in Guatemala

Do you own stock that has grown in value over the years? Are you looking for a meaningful way to support Salud y Paz and its important work?

Consider the power of donating appreciated stock!

Why Donate Stock?

Bill Davies, mission team member and long-time supporter, shares why he donates stock: 

“I’ve been donating appreciated stock to Salud y Paz for several years now, and I’ve found it to be one of the most effective ways to give. It allows me to support an organization I care deeply about without disrupting my day-to-day cash flow or having to sell investments and incur capital gains taxes. It’s a win-win. I can make a meaningful contribution to the important work Salud y Paz is doing while making smart use of the investments I’ve built over time.”

Donating appreciated stock offers a unique opportunity to multiply the impact of your generosity:

Maximize Your Deduction: You can claim a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the donated stock on your income taxes, potentially lowering your tax bill even further.

Avoid Capital Gains Tax: When you sell appreciated stock, you typically owe capital gains taxes. Donating the stock directly eliminates this tax burden, allowing more of your donation to reach those in need.

We’re Here to Help!
Donating stock is a simple process that can be handled between your brokerage firm and ours (Edward Jones, Inc.).

Make a Difference Today!
By donating appreciated stock, you can make a significant and lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

Ready to Get Started?
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can donate appreciated stock, please contact Laura.

We’re here to answer any questions you may have and help you maximize the impact of your generosity.

Thank you for doing this important work with us!