23 Jul In Guatemala with Fr Anton Grech, a Gozitan Missionary
I recently had the opportunity to go and offer some voluntary work abroad. I was invited to go to Guatemala. When it was close to go I remember hoping that I would not meet a priest proud of himself because he is helping people who were disadvantaged or getting ready for a lot of pictures with kids as if we were on a safari adventure. When we arrived in Guatemala we found Fr.Anton waiting for us at the airport. He came from his mission, a town seven hours drive away from the airport. It was a long drive and we talked all the way to Izabal. This is a person whom I have only met on Skype to prepare what I was going to do once I am in Izabal, Guatemala. I realized that he is an organized person and that once there I have a lot of work to do. This set my mind at rest because once things are clear I can trust the person.
During those seven hours driving I was impressed how intelligent and practical Fr.Anton is. While craking jokes we talked about the reality of Guatemala and how very different it is from Malta and Gozo. Once in the house I realized that he lives in a humble place, especially when one compares it to the magnificent complex he succeded to build while here.
He saw the completion of an outstanding church called Stella Maris Church, overlooking the harbour. It was built with sense and practical for the very hot, humid days they live. At this complex there is a large hall where conferences can be held to educate the people, classrooms for I.T. courses and also a T.V station. This station is run by youth whom he sent on training in Malta. He knows how to invest on his people. He educates in both religious and human matters.
One can realize and taste his genuine love when one sees what kind of youth he tries to reach out to and employ them at the complex.They are youth with a difficult background and he manages to engage them so as their dignity is safeguarded. He creates projects to help society at large not only in giving money but by teaching them live skills. As the Japanese saying goes, ‘If you give a fish to a man today you have fed him for this day but if you teach him how to fish you are providing food for him for every other day.’
We used to spend days travelling from one village to the next so that the people could confess, attend Mass. Baptism amd marriage were celebrated during these visits. He would also visit the sick and dying. We would leave the house as early as 6.30 in the morning and get back home arounbd 6.30 pm so he could go and say Mass to the local community, followed by different meetings till late in the evening. He has about 25 communities that he shepherds with the help of chatecists ,making use of different media to reach the people. He is highly motivated and loves his mission.
In fact apart from seeing and participating in the missionary work carried out, one can easily experience the respect he receives from the people. The Mayan communities, the professionals, and doctors they all stop to greet him as if their father is present or came over. Whether hot or rainy, Fr.Anton sets in motion and keeps his appointments. Long time driving and yet he manages to reach three or four communities on every visit to the distant villages. It is surprising that wherever he goes he is received with a great welcome especially by children and youth. The adults go half way to meet him and accompany him to the village. When you experience this high level of respect one cannot but ask what makes this happen. It is very clear this is respect and not fear. He remembers names and on the way he stops and asks about the different individuals and how they are doing. He knows the needs of his flock and he addresses their spiritual needs according to what the community is going through. He is a dedicated person. He knows whom he is serving.
Fr.Anton did not come to Izabal to preach the word of God and to celebrate Mass only. He came to Guatemala to build a community. He succeeded in educating and giving sound formation to youth, enhance the sense of community, sending youth to Malta to train them in different fields and so get the necessary qualifications, thus givng them opportunites to grow. This for sure is just a minimum of what he does for his people.
If I were to describe Fr.Anton I would qay that he is a spiritual person well implanted in reality, a person who looked forward to grow and mature in his call. People thaught him too. He is a person of the book, he reads and knows what is going around in the world. He is always attentive to find out how he can improve the standard of living of those around him. In the twenty years he has been in Guatemala he managed to build good relations with civil authorities and work together with them for the good of the local society.
I am not usually easily impressed by church people. I criticize them for the fact that the church forgets her own but I can say it bluntly Fr.Anton is a person whom I admire and for me he is the ideal missionary priest