September 2025
Dear Friends and Sponsors,
Before writing about the students and the upcoming school year, we have some sad news to share with you. Because of declining health, Fr. Gary spent the last several months at a care facility operated by his religious order in Illinois. He passed away on June 2nd, and, like Fr. Loren, Fr. Gary will be dearly missed. We are grateful for his leadership, and we are committed to continuing MTF’s mission to support the young people of Chiapas. After meeting with our Board, we are pleased to announce that Sr. Maria Campos, RSM, a member of the Sisters of Mercy and a long-time board member of MTF, has agreed to assume the role of President and Board Chair of MTF. Sr. Maria worked with Fr. Loren for many, many years and has made numerous trips to Yajalon. We’re grateful that she has agreed to continue to support us in this capacity, and we look forward to working under her leadership.
Our April newsletter included a “day-in-the-life” profile of high school student, Keña María López Álvaro, who wrote: “I am happy to write to you about Casa Santa María, a dormitory where young women from different communities and municipalities live.”
Like Keña, all of the students who seek scholarships from MTF live in small rural communities that are long distances from the schools in Yajalon. Under Fr. Loren’s leadership, the Yashalum education program, one of the first indigenous owned and operated civil associations in Chiapas, was established. With the help of American donors, two properties in Yajalon were purchased, where two albergues (dormitories) were constructed to enable the students to live close enough to attend school. Casa Santa Maria is the girls’ dormitory, and Rancho Santiago Apóstol is for the boys. The albergues provide shared bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen and dining facilities and communal study areas. As part of their scholarship contract, the students are required to perform service hours. At Casa Santa Maria, the girls cultivate corn, squash and other food crops. At Rancho Santiago Apóstol, the boys cultivate coffee. Some of the crops are for student consumption, and others are sold at the local market to help offset the cost of their education.
As facilities that house young people, the albergues must provide an acceptable and safe standard of living that includes everything from plumbing, electricity, potable water and food to facilities upkeep and repair. Because the students come from low income families, they must also be provided with basic necessities like toiletries, towels, bedding, school supplies, medical supplies, etc. Although the students are required to do their share of cleaning and upkeep, each albergue also must employ a cook, cleaning personnel and an on-site manager. When high school students matriculate into university, they too must be provided with adequate and safe housing and basic necessities. Our university students attend schools in three different cities, and MTF supports three co-housing facilities, one in each of those cities, to house them.
As you can imagine, costs have increased over the past 25 years. Today, the cost to support each student – high school and university – is $1200/year. Over time, our donor base has decreased, but 0ur goal continues to be to support as many students as possible through their four years of high school and to provide university scholarships for those high school graduates who request them. This year, MTF’s scholarship program will support 50 students: 33 high school students, 20 girls and 13 boys, and 17 university students, 12 young women and 5 young men.
As always we are grateful to you, our donors and sponsors, for helping us keep this dream alive for the students. We are deeply grateful for your continuing and generous support. Here’s hoping you have a safe and peaceful fall!
In Gratitude,
THE STAFF OF MISSION TEACHING FOUNDATION
P.S. Welcome to Sr. Maria!
