Meet Albertina Yoc, CASAS Spanish Teacher CALLED TO TEACH My work with the CASAS programs at SEMILLA is important to me because I grew up in the Mennonite Church. I was moved to be invited to be part of this project that began as a dream at the seminary. I realized this was a noble…

Meet Panchita Yoc, Spanish Instructor SHARING EXPERIENCES I work in the CASAS department as a Spanish as a second language instructor for young university students from the United States who come to complete language credits. I also work with other people who come to Guatemala and Central America for voluntary service. My work is meaningful…

Meet Elis Acevedo CASAS Assistant/Coordinator of Host Families, Programs, Community Learning TRANSFORMATION THROUGH DIFFERENCES If I could describe my work at SEMILLA in one word it would be ‘transformative.’ I accompany the students and the people who visit us on a path of transformation. It is an honor for me to give others the gift…

Lucía Camel de Ocheita, Spanish Program Coordinator JOURNEY TO SEMILLA I was invited to work at SEMILLA by Villeda, a dedicated teacher in Guatemala with an entrepreneurial spirit. She asked me to teach Spanish as a second language. Villeda shared Elena and Amzie Yoder’s dream of bringing volunteers, university students, teachers, pastors, and missionaries to…

Meet Andrea Moya, CASAS Program Director Cross-Cultural Connections Building bridges across cultures, countries, and institutions is the most important aspect of my role at SEMILLA because, through the programs we offer, people from both inside and outside Guatemala come to understand how interconnected we all are. We can offer so much good to society when…

Healthcare Internship Provides Multi-Level Learning Opportunities Monika Neufeld first learned about CASAS programs from a friend. This piqued her interest in learning Spanish and her curiosity about the possibility of a health internship in Guatemala. CASAS, in conjunction with Mennonite Mission Network, made it possible. Monika’s internship extends through May 2022. Monika, a registered nurse…

Para Servirle | At Your Service When you cross borders within the Spanish-speaking world, you’ll encounter a spectrum of responses to phrases as common as “thank you.” In certain regions, “gracias” is almost always echoed by “de nada” (literally “of nothing” or “it was nothing”). In other places, however, you may hear “con gusto” (“with…

SEMILLA and CASAS Offer Online Classes A year ago, SEMILLA would not have imagined going almost completely online with its programming. But pushed by necessity through the pandemic, the Seminary now offers online theological education to groups in seven Central American countries and Colombia. Panamanian Seminary Students A group of students from Panama participates in…