Peruvian Missionary Activities in 2007

The generosity of St. Monica parishioners and friends never ceases to amaze me. We started by adopting one Peruvian family in December 2005 for $25 per month. At the end of 2007 we are now supporting 85 families.

This year you contributed over $57,700 to families, who on the average, live on about $2 per day. Beyond supporting families with $25 per month-food-packages, much more was accomplished: we became one body of Christ through exchange of letters and actual trips to the villages near Piura, Peru. Through photos we watched as the following took place in 2007.

• Parishioners helped build a chapel named St. Monica in the village of Los Polvorines
• Parishioners helped build five houses to replace deteriorating ones
• Two families were supported in starting a business in their homes
• We assisted in purchasing a 15-passenger van to deliver food to sponsored families
• Two rooms for the dying are being finished in a hospice center
• Bedrooms were build in many houses and supplied with beds and mattresses
• Seven children are being sent to private schools
• One hundred children from a village are being fed breakfast five days per week
• Families were given farm animals, clothes, etc.
• Twelve parishioners went on mission trips to Piura
• Ocean-going containers were shipped to Piura with gifts, clothes, etc.
• One lady dying from cancer was provided with medicines
• Babies were baptized, houses blessed, and the good news was preached through word and deed

One hundred percent of our money goes to the families. By our help these families and their neighbors are being moved from despair to hope. The Lord hears the cry of the poor, thanks to you!

Why go to Peru?

When asked, “Why are you going to Peru?” I would inadequately reply, “To do missionary work?” For Catholics this isn’t a very good answer because 90% of Peruvians are Catholic.

I searched scripture for better words and was getting close with Third Isaiah, chapters 58 and 61. I finally zeroed in on one of the lines from the Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

I go to Peru to bring hope where there is despair.
 

Improvement on Capilla de Santa Monica

A mission team built a chapel (capilla) in June 2007 and it now has a "sign" above the door with a painting of St. Monica. The chapel is obviously a gathering place for the community as can be seen by children working on projects. Our parish provided this wonderful opportunity for just $500. We are working on getting a roof put on the chapel and having a painting of St. Monica and a framed crucifix inside the chapel to enhance worship.

Edmond Friends in Piura

While I am in Piura, other people who sponsor families will visit for part of the time I am there. Joining for the last two weeks of my stay is Dean Herzog who serves on St. Monica's Peru Ministry Subcommittee. And from St. John the Baptist will be Becky Coyle and Stephanie Simpson who serve on St. John's Peru Mission Board. We all have different things to do.

Communication between Peruvian and American Families

Our old way for American and Peruvian families to communicate with one another was to send our communications via the postal service. Translations were difficult to get when needed.

Now all letters and cards from Peru are scanned at Santísimo Sacramento and sent to Americans families via e-mail, a much faster process. Translations in Peru from Spanish to English are available for $1 each and the translations are e-mailed along with the originals in Spanish. This method provides a Peruvian translator with a paying job.

Letters and cards from the U.S. are e-mailed directly to the parish in Peru. When a monthly food package is delivered to the Peruvian family, a printed copy of the letter is given to the family along with a translation into Spanish at no cost to the families.

Suddenly Peru and Oklahoma are much closer than they used to be -- so are the families.

Getting Ready for Piura

It is a little over six weeks before leaving for Peru. The warmer climate is beginning to look very appealing as winter sets in on Oklahoma.

I am preparing in several ways. I am ordering a MacBook laptop so that I will be able to stay in tough with messages and photos for sponsors of Peru families in the U.S. I will do most of my communication via this blog site as well as direct e-mail to individuals.

I am also putting together what I need for preaching in Spanish as well as leading a retreat. I need English and Spanish resources because of my weak Spanish. I hope to visit all families sponsored by St. Monica and to do a survey of water sources in Piura and villages to see with what we might be able to help.

The blog will become more active as January 8 draws nearer.

Dinner with Ginet

Ginet leads the family to family program in Piura with over 1,300 families. She had dinner at our house near the end of her vacation in Italy. She sends her greetings to the many people she has met as well as all sponsors. She assured me that the staff at Santísimo will take good care of me in January: "like a baby." The photo shows Ginet and me with my wife, Karen.

St. Monica Mission Trip in 2008

We had our first mission trip meeting this week and have 21 people planning to go to Piura from June 13-22. Three of the missionaries are from nearby parishes and 19 are from St. Monica. Most missionaries have sponsored families. All of us are excited to meet our families, especially those 11 who are going the first time.

My Peruvian Godchildren

Today I was very fortunate to have Marlit, St. Monica's liaison on the Santísimo Sacramento staff e-mail me a photo of my two godchildren. They are the children of the family that Karen and I began sponsoring over seven years ago. I baptized Mileny on my first trip to Peru in 2003. She will be nine years old in two weeks. Cristopher, named after my son, was born just before my trip this June and I also baptized him along with 12 other beautiful children. I look forward to spending time with them in January.

Piura Family Needs a Sponsor

The parents José Santos and Gisela Guerrero are in their mid-20s. They have a daughter 2 and Gisela is seven months pregnant. They have one bedroom and two beds. Only their bedroom and kitchen area have roof. They do not have water and electricity. They cook with charcoal on their dirt floor. They just have one little table and two chairs. José works as a farmer and at odd jobs. Can you afford $25 per month?
Family photos

Reality is closer for a month trip

Actually going to Piura for a month in January became more real as I paid for my plane tickets. I did this far enough in advance to get the lowest rate possible. With this more solid commitment, I have stepped up trying to learn Spanish. Fewer people are talking to me in Spanish at St. Monica because of the success of our ESL classes -- many want to practice their new English phrases.

I am now writing my e-mails in Spanish to Marlit, our liaison at Santísimo Sacramento. I am preparing to lead a staff retreat and weekly lectio divina. I am also praying a lot for divine intervention.

Back to Normal

The Peruvians finished their missionary work in the U.S. and the staff is back to work in Piura.

There are 25 people interested in the St. Monica mission trip in June. Our first team meeting is October 14 at which time $100 is due to hold seats at group rates on the airlines.

Last Saturday good progress was made in the warehouse where goods are organized and packaged for the quarterly container shipment from OKC to Piura.

2008 Mission Trip to Peru

St. Monica is sponsoring a mission trip to Piura next year from June 13 to 22. Anyone interested should contact me ASAP since over 20 people have already expressed an interest. Our first group meeting will be October 14 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Monica Parish after the 1:00 Spanish Mass. General information will be presented and $100 collected to secure a group airline rate. The total trip cost will be about $1700. Information will be available about passports and required vaccinations.

Further meetings are scheduled at the same time and place on January 6, March 9, and April 20.

First death in a sponsored family

Recently Cruz María Vilchez died from stomach cancer. Dan and Elizabeth Clem at St. Monica support her family. Having heard of her situation an anonymous donor had helped Cruz with medicine. Cruz’s 12-year-old daughter, Maritza, was always at her side and continues to live with Cruz’s husband and son.

May Cruz rest in peace and may her family be consoled.

Serve the poor with compassion

Is something missing in your life? Do you feel unfulfilled? If this is the case, I highly recommend that you read Mother Teresa’s Prescription—Finding Happiness and Peace in Service, 2006 [ISBN 978-1-59471-072-8].

The author, Paul Wright, M.D., was extremely successful in terms of wealth and prestige, but something was missing in his life. He went to his most admired person, Mother Teresa, and she told him that his—our—goal in life must be to serve others with compassion because Jesus comes to us in the distressing disguise of the poor. This absolutely changed his life. Through more visits with Mother Teresa, he learned from her ten spiritual attitudes to help reach this goal in life.

This 100+ page book sells for $10 and can be delivered to your door in a couple of days by Amazon.com for $4 more.

Below are two excerpts from Amazon’s Online Reader of the back page of the book and from the beginning of Chapter 1.

Pickup truck needed

The parish in Peru uses cars, trucks, and vans to deliver more than 1,300 food packages per month to families with generous sponsors in the United States. The vehicles are also used continuously to transport missionaries for twelve weeks during the summer. Much of vehicle travel is down dirt roads in the desert.

One of the parish pickup trucks is on its last legs and Fr. Uhen would like a donated pickup truck that is five or less years old to meet government regulations. Donated vehicles are transported to Piura via our quarterly ocean-going containers.

If you can help, contact me at DeaconLee@cox.net.

Peru family needs a sponsor

This family needs your help.

Miguel Yarleque, 36, and Maria Elena Flores, 30, live in the village of Los Polvorines where St. Monica built a chapel this summer (Santa Monica Capilla). They live in one room with no water or electricity. Miguel earns $3.50 per day selling water.

Their daughter, Alexia, is 2. Her body was burned with hot water a year ago. When she was a baby, a doctor said that she needed surgery because her shoulder was separated from her neck. The parents had no money so could not pay for the surgery. They lost contact with the doctor and no longer know what treatment Alexia requires.

Fr. Uhen visits St. Monica

Last night Fr. Joe, Freddy, and Percy visited St. Monica parish. I was deacon at Mass with Fr. Joe and many other sponsors served as liturgical ministers. During the homily, Fr. Joe presented the parish with a painting of Jesus by an artist in Piura.

After Mass we had an excellent dinner in the Parish Hall. Raffle tickets were sold and we generated some money for the parish in Peru as well as for sponsored families there.

A few missionaries shared their experiences while on mission in Piura this summer.

Fr. Joe then shared photos from three mission trips by St. Monica parishioners. The dates for 2008 mission trips will be set on August 28.

Peruvians In Sunday Oklahoman

Fr. Uhen, Freddy, and Percy arrived safely on Friday. Because of the earthquakes in Peru, they were soon interviewed by The Oklahoman, the main area newspaper. You can read their story in the Sunday issue of The Oklahoman on page 17A. You will also find the story online .

Peru Website Updated

The parish website in Piura has been updated to show photos of 243 missionaries who came on ten trips. Flashing photos are of random missionaries while clicking in a particular mission trip will you show you those photos only. St. Monica parishioners were on these trips:

• First Mission

• Dentists and Missionaries

• Health Mission

8.0 Earthquake in Peru

The large earthquake in central Peru this evening occurred 620 miles south of Piura. All our sponsored families in northern Peru are safe, not even being close enough to feel the shock waves. Amen!

2008 Mission Trip Being Planned

Representatives from several U.S. parishes will meet with Fr. Uhen in late August to decide dates for mission trips to Santísimo Sacramento Parish in 2008. When 80-some St. Monica sponsors were asked if they would like to go on a mission trip in June of July, 23 expressed an interest.

The St. Monica trip date will be announced around the end of the month. Then several meetings will be planned to discuss details about the mission trip. If anyone else is interested in going, please let me know.

Piurans Visit Oklahoma

Missionaries from the U.S. visit Santisimo Sacramento Parish in weekly waves from late May until early August. In mid August, Fr. Uhen and some of his staff visit parishes in the U.S.

Fr. Uhen will visit St. Monica on Monday, August 20. He will preside at a 6 p.m. Mass and preach about his parish. Then we will have dinner in the Parish Hall, followed by a presentation and discussion.

Dinner requires a RSVP to my e-mail address: DeaconLee at cox.net

Preparing for six weeks in Piura

I have been on five mission trips to Santisimo Sacramento Parish in Piura, Peru over the past five years. Feeling God's call to do more there, I asked the pastor, Fr. Joe Uhen, about opportunities. He replied that his archbishop said that he could invite any priest or deacon to serve in the parish and that he was inviting me. I asked my main boss, my wife Karen, if this was okay. She said "yes" and initial plans were made to go to Piura in mid-Janury 2008.