Annual Meeting ReCap:

Our annual meeting was a success! Thank you to all who participated or set aside the time to be a part of our evening.

On August 2, 2017 we hosted an online meeting and invited participants to discuss: our mission, our current projects, how we function as a 501c3 and how we can further accompany FUNDAHMER in their endevors. The participants included FACES board members, representatives of FUNDAHMER and loyal supporters of FUNDAHMER. Additionally, we were joined by individuals interested in accompanying our work in El Salvador.

Due to an unexpected surge in attendance, we had a few technical glitches. Despite this, we shared with many supporters of FACES and FUNDAHMER, gained vital feedback, and answered important questions.

Our Chair, Laurel Marshall and Co-chair, Mary Lou Bozza were online to facilitate the following event.

-Armando Marquez Ochoa of FUNDAHMER gave our opening words and we were ecstatic to have Jose, Anita, and Maria Elena of FUNDAHMER join us as well.

-Mary Lou gave a beautiful explanation of the Mission and History of FACES

-Laurel explained the projects that FACES supports and our funding process

-Questions were taken and those of FUNDAHMER were delighted to reconnect and speak with many of their long time supporters.

-Armando shared a final message for the Annual FACES Meeting

• Excerpt: “WE THANK all of you that, in this stage of your life, have shared with us, during months and years, your enthusiasm, your creativity, your commitment, and your human and spiritual values. You have been a powerful stimulus for the work FUNDAHMER does and our reason for being. We believe that we have to continue this experience and promote it to other people. ”

-We closed the space with the song Basta Ya

• “On behalf of the Christian Based Community of San Salvador, El Salvador, it is our pleasure to be here with you. Today we are enjoying a youth retreat and would like to share with you a song dedicated to our martyrs, Padre Octavio Ortiz Luna and four young people who were killed on January 20, 1979. Today we would like to present this song to you all which is dedicated to him and the 4 young people.”

Bellow you can find:

• Armando’s opening words
  • Armandos Welcome
  • Opening video: Gloria al Divino Salvador
• The presentation that Mary Lou gave regarding our Mission and History as an organization.
• The projects that Laurel discussed, which can also be found on our website under the label “Projects”
• Armando’s words about why FACES is useful for FUNDAHMER and what FUNDAHMER’s priorities are for the future
  • Armando’s Final Words
• The link to Basta Ya and Translation
  • Basta Ya
  • Basta Ya video translation

Many thanks to Christine Wanzeck for her excellent written translations and to Eva Mergner who continuously translated for our members of FUNDAHMER during the meeting.

Thank you to all who participated in our event! If you were unable to attend please enjoy the transcriptions of what occurred and join us in our future work.

Paz,

The FACES team