LATIN AMERICAN F R I E N D S Latin American Friends is a all volunteer organization. It’s primaryfunction is to encourage health, education and community development.
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What We Do
Who We Are
Where Our Neighbors Are
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PO Box 229 Cameron, MO 64429 | Email Us
Email info@latinamericanfriends.org Address PO Box 229 Cameron, MO 64429

Who We Are

Latin American Friends is “Neighbors helping Neighbors”. For many years we have been involved in creating interpersonal and intercultural relationships that enrich the giver and receiver. While working in Latin America we acknowledge, respect and maintain cultural sensitivity of each community and treat all persons with dignity and respect. We seek local leadership in all activities for leadership development and long-term improvements.

Vision:

Mission:

We envision people of North, Central and South America collaborating to assist and uplift the most vulnerable members of society.
To encourage health, education and community development activities which bring together people of North, Central and South America.
Paula Rummel Neighbors were important and sometimes necessary friends to have as I was growing up on a farm. At 10 years old the concept of “neighbor” expanded to include people of other countries when I was exposed to church missionaries and a special woman, Marian Blumenschein, who lived in Honduras. As a young adult I pondered Jesus’ question “Who is your neighbor?” October 11, 2001 I made my first trip to Honduras and began developing relationships with these “neighbors”. God continues to open doors leading to new places and more relationships with the neighbors beyond USA borders. Some neighbors closer to home are folks who have resources to share and are looking for ways to have a positive impact on someone’s life. Health, education, and physical improvements in rural Latin American communities does improve lives. Connecting people wanting to make a difference with the “neighbor” who will end up changing your life is my new mission. serving as President Linda Drown Since my early childhood I have had a great interest in the Spanish language, its varied peoples and their cultures. Growing up in the Bay Area of California, where I was exposed to many different ethnicities and languages all through my school experience, Spanish was still the language that I was determined to study. In high school I had an excellent teacher, who was an inspiration to me, and prepared me very well for advanced college level classes. I also met and worked with a number of native Spanish speakers before entering college that had a profound influence in my decision making. My desire to become a Spanish teacher was always my goal. At the university level, I received a B.A. in Spanish at Graceland College and an M.A. in Spanish at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. After retirement from 30 years of teaching, I became a Bilingual Medical Interpreter. On my numerous trips throughout all of Latin America, I have had the opportunity to make many friends who speak only Spanish. As I began to see how much difference there was between the poorest of the poor in several of those countries compared to the very wealthy few who were the most influential people in their countries, I was moved to visit some of the rural poverty stricken areas, where I might be able to help in some small way. My life has become very enriched by the people who have warmed my heart with their humble, yet giving nature, offering what little they have in order to allow me to share with them in their homes, and eat at their tables. I have been richly blessed and honored to be called their “amiga” and even part of their “familia” in many cases. The gift of being fluent in the Spanish language has been a great blessing. It has opened many doors for me in so many places. I love the people of Latin America and will continue to support them the best that I can for as long as I live. This is my “Calling”. serving as Secretary Susan M. Carter-Lorenzana My connection to Guatemala and Latin America began in 1987 when I served as a missionary in Guatemala. I took a crash course in Spanish for 2 months and then flew to Guatemala where I would spend the next year. My life was forever changed by this experience. I gained self-confidence, learned a new language and gellin love with with the people of Guatemala. The people of Guatemala taught me about unconditional love. Even though many had very little with regard to worldly items, they would give you their last centavo to buy you a soda on a hot day. After living in Guatemala and falling in love with the people, I dreamed of the day that I would be able to return and help them in some way to rise out of the poverty that has plagued them for generations. After I returned to the United States, I finished my university degree and received a graduate teaching certificate to teach English as a Second Language. I loved working with people from other cultures and backgrounds and worked with students from all over the world. Over the years, I returned to Guatemala a few times with family and friends to share the beauty of the country, culture and people. In 2007, my connection to Guatemala became a truly lifelong connection when I adopted by beautiful daughter from there. After I brought her home, I became even more committed to giving back to Guatemala. I worked with various NGO’s to sponsor students and support other community development projects. I began taking my daughter back to Guatemala when she was four years old. We have travelled back many times and have always included some sort of giving back in our trips. In 2015, I led a group of 26 people on a trip to Guatemala. The group consisted of families who had all adopted from Guatemala along with their adopted children and grandchildren. During this trip, we participated in a project that included raising money to purchase and deliver 76 sets of bunk beds to an impoverished community in Santa Rosa, Guatemala. Ironically, this was the first area of Guatemala that I had lived and worked in as a missionary 28 years previously. While planning this trip and the project, I came to know a wonderful man that was committed to helping his community and fellow Guatemalans. In June of 2017, I married this man and we continue to work for a better life for those in Guatemala and Latin America. Our family has a love to serve others and to empower them to rise up out of their poverty. At the same time, we love learning from them as they teach us to love and enjoy what is truly important in life—family, love and appreciating what we have whether it be large or small. serving as Director Gary Rummel Gary’s greatest passion is in charity work. This passion grew out of a health mission to Honduras in 1997 and has continued to this day. Gary routinely travels to both Honduras and Guatemala for health, education, and community development projects. Gary has served as an officer and is a board member with Community of Christ Health Ministries Association. (A US public charity) He is the Treasurer of Friends of Education, Honduras (a US public charity). He is also the Treasurer of Latin American Friends. (A newly formed US public charity) serving as Treasurer Bob Barrett Coming from a family of six children I learned early about sharing, and caring about the needs of others should always be a part of my life. My father was a design engineer who spent most of his life in the service of the US Navy, after retiring from the service he was often found bringing home people that he encountered that could use a helping hand. Sometimes it was just a healthy meal shared in a family setting, or he would help finding employment and a safe place to stay the night. It was serving as Director that influence that I believe that set me on a path that I wouldn’t realize until much later in my life. After high school I served a hitch in the Navy and then went on to receive a degree in Business from the Ohio State University. With a degree in hand I started working for the Tandy Corp. in the Radio Shack Division overseeing the remodeling and building of new stores in thier western region. In the early 90’s I began working for JCPenney’s in the electronic and in store advertising department. I began working in the Kansas City area and was soon promoted and transferred to the home office in Plano Texas where I became the manager of the department. I am currently working as a contractor doing rehab and remodeling. In 1992 I married my wife Celeste, we have three wonderful children and three grandchildren. It was after raising our children that the desire to serve others once again began to become the path that I felt in my heart that I needed to follow. We had joined the Community of Christ Church when the children were young and was called and ordained to the office of Deacon. In that position I found a great joy in serving the needs of the church and our community. I had once again found the path that had survived my youth and remained in my heart. Since that time I have served as Associate Pastor, then called to the office of Elder and elected by my congregation to serve as Pastor. During that time the spark that was relit as a Deacon was fanned into flame. It was during a service at church that we were celebrating the return of a group from a build in Guatemala that a member of the team gave his testimony of his experience. It was a testimony of love and blessings that he felt that sent my need to be a part of this into overdrive. A year later I volunteered to be a part of the next team. During my preparations for the trip I was told by several people that it would be a life changing experience, I took it all in stride, but never did I expect the impact that it would have. Our trip was to include medical screenings for the children and families of the community of Panatzan, and to assist in the build of a community center. It was the families, especially the children that touched my heart in a way that I had never experienced. The flame had become a blaze and I decided that this was the path that I was determined to follow. It is my daily prayer that I will continue to find ways to serve. Marco Lorenzana I come from a very humble family with eleven siblings. My parents worked hard to sustain our family with what little they earned. Our house was made of mud walls, covered with nylon and cardboard, dirt floor and the roof was just a few sheets of metal. When it rained, it seemed to rain more inside the house than outside. For our meals my mother gave us tortillas with salt and lemon and coffee without sugar. There was no more. When I was 11 years old, I had to leave school due to poverty so that I could work to help support the family. When I was 14 years old I started working as a mason's assistant, because I wanted to earn money to continue studying. During this time, I learned about a program that Guatemala Program Director offered poor students that couldn’t attend regular classes, to continue their studies. These classes were given in the homes of the teachers in the evenings. The program was perfect for me because I did not have the time to attend a regular school program. I received recognitions and honors while studying in this program. This opportunity is one of the fundamental pillars for the academic and work success that I have achieved to date. I have now completed the coursework for my law degree from Mariano Gálvez University in Guatemala. I have received recognition for my outstanding grades, becoming one of the top students in the law school. I have worked on social projects for many years in my community in Guatemala. In 2015, I worked with a group from Canada, the United States and Bermuda. We coordinated together to be able to provide 77 set of bunk beds, food baskets and other donations to some of the poorest in my community. While planning and coordinating this project, I met my future wife. We were married in 2017. I have worked with the Guatemalan non-profit APDGUA since 2015. Their objective is to support and provide solutions to those living in extreme poverty and inequality, through social protection programs including, education, health and sanitation. Last year our executive report showed that more than 60 thousand people received benefits and services through APDGUA. In 2017 I had the opportunity to take a course called "Social Reality in Latin America and the Caribbean" offered by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Institute of Economic and Social Development. I finished the course with a grade point average of 99. 7%. Based on my grades in this course, the newspaper La Hora, contacted me to be a political and social analyst columnist in their newspaper. I enjoy this position as it gives me the opportunity to share solutions, plans, programs and public policies to the Guatemalan government to get out of poverty and inequality for the more than 6 million Guatemalans. When I was 18 years old, I started working at the Guatemalan Social Security Institute, obtaining management positions for eight years. I then started working for the Judicial Branch serving the Guatemalans with prompt justice. My passion is to serve those people most in need and those who are most. I have spent time training community development councils, so that they know the laws that govern them and so they can work more effectively in their communities. Debora Ulloa Castellon Debora Esther Ulloa Castellon, 48 years of age, married 24 years to Gonzalo Alfonzo Mejia Mejia, President of the Mission Center of the Central America. From the age of 6 months, my mother took me to church. I was raised listening to God, and at the age of eleven years I felt the need to give my life to God and was baptized at the age of twelve. It was my mother that left this legacy of Faith to me and my brothers and sisters. I have three children, Gonzalo Mejia Ulloa, 24 years of age, Debora Hazel Mejia Ulloa, 22 and Alma Corina Mejia Ulloa, 20. I worked 10 years in the banking system, and later in a small company that made household items, and curtains for homes. I also drove a small school van for ten years. I am a member of the Community of Christ church, and hold the office of High Priest. I served five years as the Pastor of the San Pedro Sula Honduras Program Coordinator Congregation from 2008 until 2013, and now service as a volunteer as the Financial Officer of the Central American Mission Center. I am also the Coordinator of the Virtuous Women Project, were we give handwork and Bible classes. I also serve, along with my husband, as Joint Pastors of the Congregation of Villanueva for the past year and a half.