The Visitation

Merry Christmas!

First of all we would like to apologize that it has been almost a month since our last post.   Our goal is to share a blog once a week, or at least every two weeks, and we have fallen short.

Since our last blog, we have spent about two weeks back in Louisiana wrapping up Intake and participating in a week long retreat/ reflection period known as Year in Review.   Most missionaries travel back to Louisiana for this retreat.   It is a very grace-filled and busy time full of amazing stories, reconnecting with other missionaries and a logistical miracle for the staff at Big Woods.   On December 7 we had a beautiful commissioning mass for all the missionaries that went through Intake.

After a delay due to little Naomi getting sick, we left our new family and home in Louisiana to visit for about a week with our family and home with Maria's family in Dayton, OH.   Then on December 18th we traveled back up to our family and home back up in Buffalo, NY.  

Throughout this time back up north, we have blessed to be around family and friends that have given us warmth and support.   So many of you have taken time out of your schedule to visit with us and hear our stories.   We have been reassured by a little bit longer hugs, words of encouragement and prayers.   And while the love that we are receiving in some ways will make it harder to go, this love is also what gives us the strength to go.   I honestly believe that Christ's love has been poured on us through you!

During these seasons of Advent and Christmas, I have frequently prayed on Mary's visitation to her cousin Elizabeth.  Luke 1:39-56.   Mary, after being visited by the Angel Gabriel and giving her "yes" to becoming the mother of Jesus, goes and visits her cousin.   Elizabeth welcomes Mary and gives her love and support and encouragement.   The fact that Elizabeth is also pregnant is itself a source of hope for Mary in God's plan.   But Mary does not stay with Elizabeth indefinitely.   After three months Mary goes back to a situation which would prove difficult and challenging.   Her time with Elizabeth, is the opportunity of divine grace that strengthens Mary so she can return to her home and Joseph.

We can relate to Mary.   We have been so blessed by so many of you as we have returned from training and the field.   You have been Elizabeth to us.   Knowing that we have your love, your support, and your prayers is a vehicle of God's grace in our lives and allows us to journey forward.   So thank you!   Thank you for saying yes to journeying with us!   Thank you for being an opportunity of God's grace in our lives!

For the next two weeks we will be in the Buffalo area before swing back through Ohio and down south.   We hope to see many of you so we can share how God has been working in our lives.   Here are some of the places we will be publicly sharing our story.

January 1- We will be speaking at St. Maximilian  Kolbe Parish in East Pembroke, NY after the 11 AM Mass.
January 3- We will be speaking at Frassati WNY at Our Lady of Pompeii in Lancaster, NY at 7 PM.
January 4- Josh will be visiting Canisius High School and speaking to senior classes.
January 4- We will be speaking at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville, NY in Gathering Room 2 at 7 PM.

May the Lord bless you and your families during this sacred time of year.   May the Incarnate Christ give you the grace to beware of His presence in your lives, that you may recognize Him and be strengthened by His daily visitations!

We found the ends of the earth…

....and it is beautiful!!

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”  Mark 16:15

We made it back to Louisiana on Saturday night; our time in Mexico was wonderful and so blessed.  During our time in General Cepeda, the people and the places of General really started to take its place in my heart.   This was especially true especially after we heard that it would be where we would be long term starting in January.

I was constantly blown away by the beauty that surrounded us.  The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, I had no idea mountains in the desert could be so majestic.  Everywhere we traveled there were stunning mountains, and the valleys were wide and striking.  The sunsets were often golden, like nothing I have ever seen before.  The pictures we took really don’t do it justice. I don’t think I will ever get used to it!

Once a week we took a “desert day”, where we would go out in to the desert for a few hours with a lunch and our Bibles, to get away, spend time together, and to pray.  God was so good, He was constantly assuring me that He would be with us, guiding us, taking care of us, and using us to show His love to His people in here.

 

Most of all I was blown away by the beauty of the people we reached out to.  Their openness, honesty and love are so apparent.  So often I struggled to communicate to them using words, but they were always so incredibly patient with me, repeating themselves many times before I was able to understand call over someone who could interpret.  There was one woman we met while we were walking one of the ranchos, inviting people to come and pray with us.  Josh and I sat in her home for about 20 minutes trying to understand what she was telling us.  I did not catch much of what she said, but I did understand at the beginning when she said, “Sit down.”  I was able to pick out an occasional word so I could at least guess at the topic of what she was trying to say, and at the end when she laughed and kindly said, “Spanish school”.  She was right, Spanish school is definitely in our future!!  

Our Thanksgiving was unlike any Thanksgiving dinner we have ever had before.  The full time missionaries sent out a general invitation to the community of General Cepeda, inviting anyone who would like to come to the mission house for a turkey dinner.  We had a bigger turn out than in the past years, and over the course of a few hours we served well over 250 adult meals, along with at least as many children’s plates.  We started with 5 turkeys (about 18 lbs. each) and somehow with all those very full plates served we still had about a turkey and a half leftover by the end.  It was absolutely incredible.  At the end of the day we kept doing the math trying to figure out how that actually worked out.  The lesson I learned, not just on Thanksgiving but over and over again, is that if the Lord sends us to minister to someone, I can trust Him to provide whatever it is they need, whether it is food, the energy we need to fill their needs, or the words to share His Love.  It is humbling and wonderful to get a first row seat to the miracles He kept working among His people in Mexico.  

We have about a week and a half left in Louisiana before traveling north again to spend time with family and friends for the holidays.  We are really looking forward to seeing everyone, catching up, and sharing the stories of what we have seen and experienced!! 

On that note, I am going to close with a little riddle….what happens when Josh tries to change “Hasta luego” (see you later) to “Hasta Enero” (see you in January)….”Hasta huevos” (Later eggs)!!!  I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time, and I would suspect neither has our new friends and mission team members Raul, Marta, or their daughters.  

When we have nothing to give...

First of all we learned our first long term assignment!   We have been assigned to General Cepeda!!!   It is such a blessing to already be here and to begin to learn more about our post!  Here is video with the kids giving a tour of the mission house...

The chapel in Macayu.

Spending the past two weeks in General Cepeda, Mexico has been amazing!   We have been blessed to begin to meet some of the locals as well as a good number of people from the surrounding ranchos.   The rancho system really doesn’t have a parallel in the U.S.   General Cepeda is a regional town that has about 50 rural villages, which traditionally were agricultural communities, called “ranchos.”  Since arriving we have been to three different ranchos.  Oratorio Chico had a population of maybe 30 inhabitants.   Macayu had about 500 people.

Map of General Cepeda with the surrounding ranchos.

There are two priests currently assigned to General Cepeda who are also responsible for all the ranchos in the area.   On the weekend, one priest will celebrate all the masses at the church in town, while the other will visit some of the ranchos.   Typically a rancho will have a mass once month.   One of the major ministries of the missionaries is supporting the priests by assisting in the spiritual growth.   Our purpose has been to build relationships and hold prayer services in the chapel. Rancho visits have been for about two and half hours.  Our evening rancho visits consist of going door-to-door and personally inviting people to the chapel.   Sometimes we will even pray with people in their homes as we make our way through the rancho.  We will introduce ourselves by saying, “Somos misioneros Catolicos” and offer an invitation to the chapel.   After receiving some wide-eyed responses, one of our missionaries quickly learned the difference between “misionario” and “mercenario.”   Go ahead and look it up on Google Translate.  J

At the chapel we usually sing a couple songs in Spanish.   Followed by some sharings of how God has been working in our lives.   And then there is a teaching usually based on a scripture passage or some other religious theme.  We conclude with offering petitions and/or praying with people that may have various needs.   Sometimes we will visit the same rancho three days in a row and put an evening retreat with a potluck meal on the last night.

Here are some pictures from our three nights at Macayu…

Main road in Macayu.

MJ (Maria Juanetta) and her new friend Vanessa.

Josh and Julio (and MJ's hands)

Maria preaching with Natalia Schumann as a translator.

Before arriving in the field, I was aware of the fact I was going to be stripped of many abilities.   There are language barriers.   My Spanish is probably on a three year old’s level.  It takes a lot of trust and letting go when working through translators.  Even if I could speak Spanish, most people will not care about my degrees in theology and philosophy and be interested in discussing systemic theology and exegetical interpretations of scripture passages.   Finally, there aren’t a whole lot of pianos, limiting my opportunities for music ministry to vocals.   My singing further proves that God is a loving Father that delights in His children’s simple efforts.   God’s ways is not our ways, and so what God consider a joyful noise, may not be a joyful noise to man. 

When stripped, God has been teaching me that when I have nothing to give, then I give the best “nothing” I have.   When I don’t have any of my own love to offer, I offer Christ’s love.   “The Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness,” (Romans 8:26).   “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness,” (2 Corinthians 11:30).   I thought being stripped and having nothing would be for the people of Mexico, but Christ has been showing me otherwise.   He has been stripping me for my sake.   It doesn’t matter what I do or what abilities I have, He loves me for who I am.   He loves us…  period.   We cannot earn His love. When we fall or turn away from Him, God doesn’t love us any less even though His heart is broken.   As a missionary I need to focus first and foremost on His love for me.   The more I am able to experience the depth of God’s unconditional love, the more I can share it with others.

Interview with the Kids

This week we want to feature a video of our kids, their thoughts on missions, and what they are looking forward to while in Mexico.

But first a couple quick updates….

This past weekend we were blessed to help and participate in FMC’s Proclaim Catholic Missions Conference.   There were so many graces!   Elijah and Aron got to serve with Fr. Louis Merosne from Haiti and well as Fr. James and Fr. Paul from the SCJ’s.   There is something really cool to see the boys serve with priest from the order co-founded by Fr. John Ignatius (Aron Little).   Yes, our Aron spells his name with one “A” after him!

Regarding Mexico, this Thursday we leave for three-week missions trip.  Please keep the rest of Intake and us in your prayers.  We will most likely learn our first long-term assignment during that time.   While in Mexico, our Internet capabilities will be limited.   Hopefully we will be able to keep our weekly blog posts, but there maybe more a little more radio silence.

Without any further ado…. the kids.

I don't know how to be a missionary

Intake and training at FMC is beautiful!   Life, community, service, the teachings, workshops, etc. are all so blessed and grace filled and the missionaries, their families, the other people in training are all amazing!   But of course that doesn’t mean that everything is easy.   I once had a spiritual director say something along the lines of, “Without tension there is no stretching and growth.”

God loves me so much that He is providing so many opportunities to grow.   As a perfectionist it is so hard when I find something I don’t know how to do.  There have been times when I realize my own weaknesses and I have to pray, “Lord, I don’t know how to be a missionary.   You need to teach and show me.”   The Matt Maher songs “Your Grace is Enough” and “Lord, I Need You” have taken on whole new meanings.   

When praying for God’s help and guidance, I use to pray in such a way that I was basically asking God to help me do something perfectly, to be flawless.   But if I am perfect, then I don’t need God.   Lord, don’t help be to be perfect, but help me and teach me to lean on You, to rely on You.   You are my strength and my shield.   The readings from mass today include Psalm 24.

Lord, this is the people that long to seek your face.

Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?

Who can stand in his holy place?

The clean of hand and the pure of heart,

            Who are not devoted to idols,

            Who have not sworn falsely.

They will receive blessings from the Lord,

            And justice from their saving God.

Such are the people that love the Lord,

            That seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lord, help me to seek your face!   Help me to be in your presence.   Help me not to rely on my strength but yours.   Wash away my idol of perfectionism, as I wait on you.

This past Thursday we had an opportunity to meet up again with Dorothy.   She was so excited to see us and model her new threads!   The joy on her face just spreads like fire!

After about six weeks down south, we are learning about Louisiana, Cajun culture and the South in general.

Here are some of the things we have learned…

1.     When some thing cute it is “cher.”   But not pronounced like the singer, but like sha (with an “a” like “apple”).   It is actually a shorten version of mon cheri in French.   But it actually sounds nothing like it.

2.     The people of Louisiana are very proud of their state and frequently use the shape of it to designate state routes.   Is the route number too long to fit on the state?   No problem…  just stretch out the state.

3.     Maybe I was sheltered in the North, but I've never seen this flavored of chips.

 

4.     When praying in the chapel, you never know when the silhouette of cowboy hat will show up.

New Friends and the Lessons They Teach Us

This week has been another blessed week!!  First, I’ll share my favorite moment of the week…the time I burst out laughing at a totally inappropriate point in prayer.  There was a group of about 10 adults praying Morning Prayer sitting at picnic tables outside the Community House.  Aron noticed a lizard on a nearby fence post that was separating us from the horse pasture, so he asked if he could leave prayer to go catch it.  I nodded as he ran off to catch his new best friend.  He approached the lizard carefully.  When his hands were about 3 inches above the lizard ready to make the catch, a cat that was sitting on top of the fence post suddenly pounced, and grabbed the lizard right out from under Aron’s hands.  The look of shock and confusion on Aron’s face was absolutely hysterical as he watched the cat proudly waltz off with the lizard in his mouth.  It didn’t take Aron long to recover, and he went off in pursuit of another lizard, but it was truly the funniest moment of the week.

Now on to one way the Lord worked in my heart this week.  On Thursday through several acts of divine appointments, Josh and two other adult missionaries went to an incredibly poor part of town we have not been to yet.  We were working at the Christian Service Center (an outreach to the poor) when Josh asked a woman, Delta, if she had anything he could pray for.   She said no, but that Bill, the gentlemen that she came with, his wife, Mary, was home recovering from a broken leg that she received about 6 months prior.   They lived about half mile away and were using an electric scooter, so they decided to meet up at their house. Josh and two other missionaries drove over to the house and ended up waiting in their vehicle for about 20 minutes.   Just as they were about to leave, Bill and Delta showed up in their scooter.   As they were getting out, Bill said that their neighbor, Alfreda, was recently having heart trouble and could also use prayers.  So they decided to go to her house first.   And while they were there, in came Dorothy.

Dorothy had just been kicked out of her friend’s house and she had absolutely nothing except the clothes on her back.  That afternoon, one of our fellow missionaries was able to run to Walmart and buy some clothing, and a few other women at FMC pulled out some of their clothing to give to her as well.  Within a couple of hours they had two bags full of clothes for Dorothy, and because Josh and I had plans to go in to town anyway with the kids, we were given the clothes to drop off to her.

I don’t know what I expected, but when we gave Dorothy the clothing (she did not know we were coming) she was absolutely overjoyed.  She kept hugging us, literally danced around out of excitement, and thanked us over and over again.  I have never had anyone receive anything I had handed them with that much joy.  The light in her eyes truly showed that she was not seeing us, but the Lord providing for her and reaching out to her through the little bit we had to give her. It was absolutely amazing to be able to deliver what the community was able to pull together for her. 

Once we got back in the car and drove off the joy of the encounter quickly melted into guilt. Guilt that while this Dorothy was rejoicing over a bag of shirts, pants, and socks we were headed out for an evening as a family that include a simple but delicious dinner out.  Guilt that she thanked me for bags that I did not contribute to from my surplus of clothes.  Guilt that I didn’t think of bringing a meal, or even ask to make sure they had the food they needed.  I saw that while I had the amazing job of delivering what Dorothy needed, I felt that I was the last person who should have had that honor. 

Thankfully, I have a wonderful small group that I got to talk this one out with.  I was reminded that while conviction is from God, guilt is not.  For some reason, the Lord asked Josh and I to be the ones to deliver the clothing and Christ’s love to this woman.  It became so apparent to me that everything we do now is possible because of other people’s generosity and sacrifice.  We could not even be here in Louisiana doing any of this service and training without the friendship, prayers and financial support of you all.  Everything we do from here on out can only be done with the support of the Body of Christ behind us.  For some reason we have been given the best “job” in the world, to carry Christ’s love to those who so desperately need His message of hope.  We get to see the brilliant light of joy in the eyes of those who had previously felt alone and abandoned, and now see that Christ is reaching out to them through our hands.  Thank you!!!  Thank you for supporting us, praying for us, and sustaining us on this mission!  Thank you for walking with us on this journey.  Thank you for giving us the chance to meet the Lord face to face in the poor.  Thank you.  I am not the best person for the job, and I am sure to make an awful lot of mistakes along the way, but I trust God’s grace will make up for all the ways I fall short.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you!!! 

The ever cliche mustard seed and a plea for Haiti

Our journey towards missions has not always been smooth sailing.   There have been various potential obstacles and stumbling blocks.   When they first surface, I often find myself with a lot of mixed emotions and thoughts. “Man people already think we are crazy, and this is well… KRAZY with a capital k.”   “We have already sold almost everything and have told our jobs that we were leaving.”  “What if this prevents us from doing missions?!”  

At one point Maria share this last question with her spiritual director.   She then shared a very grace-filled insight.  She pointed out that if anything this last question further confirms that this is where God is calling us.   The desires of our hearts now included missions, otherwise we would be reacting differently and feeling a sense of relief that missions might not be working out.

And so we are left with trusting in God and praying the words of the Apostles in last Sunday’s Gospel, “Lord, increase our faith.”   Jesus responded by talking about faith the size of a mustard seed.   We were blessed to hear Archbishop Rivas preach last week.   When it comes to faith, it is not about the quantity, but the quality.  If we have much faith quantifiably, we can fall into the snares of self-righteousness.  When our faith is small but of great quality, we are forced to rely on God and to remain humble.   In our weakness, we are left crying out, “Yes, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief,” (Mark 9:24).   It is through Thomas’ doubts that he comes to declare, “My Lord and my God,” (John 20:24-29).   We when have faith the size of a mustard seed we realize that God has the strength to throw mountains into the seas.   He is the one that softens that hardness of my heart.   When I am willing to let go of my idol of ego, there is nothing that God can’t do!

Aware that there is nothing that our God can’t do, that there are no mountains too big, there is great need in Haiti.   FMC currently has two families and two single men in Haiti.   In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the people of Haiti have experienced yet another devastation.   As one our missionaries, David Quinn, put it:

We went out to a couple outer villages today. The damage is unbelievable. The people are shaken. The government did NOTHING to prepare and is doing nothing to help…. Please continue to pray and consider donating to help the people here. It will take months to rebuild.

The people of Haiti need our help.   We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet.   According to World Bank (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=HT) the GDP per capita is a hair over US $828.  The average Haitian lives on a little over $2 a day.   Can you support a child, a grandmother, an adult for a week and give at least $15?   FMC is collecting for an emergency relief fund to send to Haiti.   Please click here for more information.   We pray that our gifts, no matter how large or small be multiplied with a faith the size of a mustard seed, because there are some large mountains for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.