Martha Gomez Vda. Batres Builds COFOA’s Impact in San Pedro Nonualco

Martha Gomez Vda. Batres is COFOA’s coordinator at St. Peter Catholic church in San Pedro Nonualco, a small farming community of about 7000 people. Martha, who is 52 years old, is a widow who has taught kindergarten for the last twenty-five years and supports her three sons, one of whom is in college. Martha is also the President of the newly formed board of directors for the COFOA-initiated community owned store.

The store sells daily goods and will invest 50% of the profits back into community projects. Because Martha understands the critical need for early childhood education, her hope is that one day the store will be able to support a high quality preschool for San Pedro Nonualco. She is glad that COFOA leaders have built a strong relationship with the mayor which just resulted in a new ambulance for the town that the mayor agreed to partially subsidize. Active her whole life in the church, she is very proud to be a part of COFOA’s ministry because she believes that faith without action is dead faith, and COFOA has taught her how to put her deep faith into action for the public good.