Magnificat
Under the Guanacaste Tree
by Kathleen S. Schmitt

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MAGNIFICAT: Under the Guanacaste Tree tells the stories of two women from different backgrounds and class statuses who find themselves fighting their personal and societal battles in this riveting saga about inequality, oppression, misogyny, and the power of love. Set in the fictional war-torn country of Ixcheltlán, the narrative takes readers through the deserts and jungles of Mexico and Central America, exposing them to the wretched poverty and heartbreaking violence of those volatile southern regions that play such a role in the formation of these women’s consciousnesses. Sara, a Canadian woman, embarks on a long trek by bus, boat, and on foot to save her eleven-year-old daughter, who has enigmatically reached out to her with a plea for help. During her journey, she is shocked by the poverty, hopelessness, and violence that confronts her. When she finally reaches Ixcheltlán, she begins to serve the poor with other women who are just as passionate about justice and freedom for the marginalized. Through her contacts, Sara learns of the work and wisdom of the campesina peace-maker Maria Luz, a poor woman with a rich vision for equality, who desires to bring freedom to her people through a message of peace and reconciliation. Eventually, the shadow of death descends on them both, threatening to destroy all they have set out to accomplish. Suspenseful and impactful, MAGNIFICAT: Under the Guanacaste Tree will keep readers guessing to the very end.

www.kathleensschmitt.ca

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"About feminism, revolutions, and people’s hopes for justice, Magnificat is a compelling novel." —Foreword Clarion Reviews

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Kathleen S. Schmitt is an ordained Anglican priest with an interest in feminism and feminine representations of the Divine. Having spent time working in post-war El Salvador and travelling through Mexico and Central America, she has seen the suffering and poverty in those locations firsthand, and she’s committed to supporting movements for justice in a variety of settings. In El Salvador, Kathleen worked directly with people of all ages who were members of the parish of Santísima Trinidad, the Episcopal Church of El Salvador, in San Martín, not far from San Salvador. Most parishioners were market women and their children. She’s a member of Cristosal, which is a human rights organization in Central America, the Writers Union of Canada, the Canadian Authors Association, and the BC Federation of Writers. Ms. Schmitt has authored three other books: Seasons of the Feminine Divine: Christian Feminist Prayers for the Liturgical Cycle in three volumes (1993, 1994, 1995), and two online young adult novels titled Soaring with Amelia and Getting a Life. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and walking. Ms. Schmitt and her husband, Ed, live in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Contributors

Author

Kathleen S. Schmitt