Medical Clinic Visits St. Monica Chapel

St. John's medical team held a clinic at the St. Monica Chapel. Here is a report from Cheryl Pierce, the team leader. Thanks, Cheryl!

"Jim & I stopped at your chapel on the way back from the F2F lunch. The ladies were kind enough to bring the picture and the cross in so we could see it. They are beautiful. We had our last day of clinic at the chapel. Saw a really bad infection in one child that we are leaving money for so he can be referred. Hope to see him again in July."

Feeding Children Breakfast

St. Monica missionaries did not get to help feed children breakfast at the St. Monica chapel this year. Today I got some photos from another chapel where children were being fed oatmeal/hot chocolate and rolls at another chapel with the help of St. John missionaries. Often a child will eat only an evening meal.

St. John Dental Clinic

The St. John Dental Clinic is using five chairs this year compared to three in the past (see photo). There is always a large group of villagers waiting for free dental care. Last year the mother of my sponsored waited for 4-1/2 days and got in 15 minutes before the clinic closed for the year. Her husband slept outside of church at night to hold her place. Being poor is a difficult life.

St. John the Baptist Mission Trip

A missionary group from St. John the Baptist is now in Piura. Their group consists of medical, dental, and families. Some youth visited a man to whom I have taken Communion for several years. He is almost blind from cataracts and lives in a very small house by himself. A family member lives nearby and brings him food. He was ready for cataract surgery in June, but could not get to the clinic. He cries most of the time when I visit him.

Several photos I recently received showed two youth attending to his personal needs such as a haircut, shave (see photo), finger nails, etc. One photo amazed me: he was smiling! Yea for youth!

Epilogue 2 to St. Monica Mission Trip: New Name

I have had several names during my life that define who I am. A new one was given to me in the villages south of Piura: Papacito -- little priest. Now, I am definitely not any kind of priest, but I have been taking Communion to the homebound in the villages for so many years that they now recognize me. I always tell them that I am a deacon, but that means nothing to them because the Archdiocese of Piura does not have deacons.

Here are the other names:
- Lee: used all of my life
- Honey: by my wife
- Doctor: when I was a chemist
- Dad: my favorite until very recently
- Padrino: by my family in Peru and especially by their children because I am their godfather
- Papa: current favorite by my grandchildren

Epilogue to St. Monica Mission Trip: "Who Will Come?"

While preaching at the Mass at La Piedra last Friday, Fr. Joe asked the parishioners how many times they had Mass in the last year. I think the number was 20; anyhow it was way less than once per week.

La Piedra is a mission of another parish and there is no priest assigned there. La Piedra was adopted by Santisimo Sacramento when a large number of poorer than usual people were discovered to live there. St. Monica sponsors 24 families. Santisimo lends La Piedra a cathechist to help people prepare for sacraments.

So, during his homily, Fr. Joe asked, “Who will come?” I think he was talking to everyone in the room, parishioners and missionaries. I sure heard the call and have been haunted by it since.

When I got home Sunday, at Mass I was more disturbed when I heard the song “Hear I Am, Lord.” Its refrain being, “Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people (gente) in my heart.”

So, I ask you readers: Who will come?

We're Back

The St. Monica mission team made it back home Sunday afternoon, very tired, but very happy.

Thanks for your prayers!

Saturday and Leaving Piura

As we prepared to leave for home, we all went to Santa Monica chapel to present them with a crucifix and painting of St. Monica with St. Augustine, both of which we had commissioned at a Peruvian artist to prepare. After being greeted by the people of the surrounding village of Los Polvorines, I did a Communion Service which may have been the first in the Archdiocese of Piura (they have no deacons). After the homily I blessed both the crucifix and picture. We had a very hard time leaving the chapel: people wanted us to remain. Many thanks were extended to the parishioners of St. Monica parish.

On the way home we stopped at the Hospice Center and greeted the patients, whom have many medical needs. Many good ideas were generated from the visit as many different eyes saw different needs.

We then left to the airport with many teary eyes as we left behind friends and family for a while. I'm writing this in the Lima airport as we wait for our flight.

Photo of team presenting crucifix and painting to chapel.

Friday Afternoon in Piura

Some of us went to Paita with children from our families, who had never seen the Pacific Ocean. Paita is a seaport. We took a boat ride and the children were bug eyed. Sea lions were swimming near the boat. During the hour trip back home many fell asleep on us. Missionaries love the Peruvian children. We treat them like our own children (grandchildren for some of us.)

Friday Morning in Piura

In the morning we went to La Piedra where St. Monica sponsors 24 families. La Piedra is so far south that it is in another parish boundaries, but served by Santisimo Sacramento. We began by being welcomes in the desert street by many villagers with placards with out names. Fr. Joe was led down the street with a canopy over his head. As he, and we, entered the walkway to to the church entrance, people with palm branches through them at our feet like on Palm Sunday. It was a very emotional experience. The Mass was wonderful with beautiful music. I had tears in my eyes and could hardly proclaim the gospel.

We then had a fiesta with school dancers followed by dancing ourselves with various people. I did the hat dance with the school principal. The village loves parishioners from St. Monica.

My Wednesday Homily

I want to share my homily with you because what has happened to me has been happening to all the missionaries with me this week. I am so proud to be with them.

Wednesday of 11th Week of Ordinary Time

This is my seventh visit to Santísimo Sacramento. On each trip I try to give something to my Piuran brothers and sisters and, of course, I always get something in return. What I receive is spiritual in nature and always worth much more to me that what I give.

In today’s gospel, Jesus is saying that when we act holy we are not supposed to impress other people and make ourselves look better in their eyes. This is the wrong reason for acting holy. We are supposed to give alms, pray, and fast to enhance our love of God. These three actions are supposed to purify ourselves and bring us another step closer to God.

When I read today’s gospel selection, certain words were very meaningful for me. They reminded me of something I learned from you when I was here in January for a month. The part of today’s gospel reading that came alive for me is: “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing.”

When I was a boy, our family had just enough money to buy the necessities of life. There was very little money left over for those extra things that people desire. So, as I began to raise my own family, I always watched our money very closely. I always gave a certain percentage of our money to others who had less. As I grew older and saved more money, I began to give more and more of it away, but always is a calculated way.

My wife and I have been padrinos of a family in the pueblo of Chavín de Huántar for eight years. We have grown to be one family. They have graced me by allowing me to baptize their children. My Peruvian family has taught me to help them in a way that my left hand does not always know what my right hand is doing. My left hand now gives alms with less of a connection to my right hand that keeps track of our alms. My two hands are still connected, but much less than in the past. I continue to progress in the direction that Jesus teaches. I have seen the same thing happening this week to the other missionaries with me.

Mother Theresa tells the following story. “The mother of a starving family was given a small dish of rice. That was nice, but the real act of neighborly love happened next. Before anyone ate a grain, the mother disappeared out the door. She came back quickly with half a dish of rice and everyone ate hungrily. When asked why she gave away the rice when her children were so hungry, she answered that they could not enjoy the food knowing that their neighbor had nothing.”

An abundance of possessions can easily lead us to forget that God is the source of all good. We must be careful not to trust ourselves and our wealth rather than the almighty. When we focus on ourselves, we forget not only God but also the people he created. In our self-absorption, we are fooled by the pleasure of possessing.

What happens to us when we are giving alms? When are we going to let go of unnecessary things in our lives? What are our attachments? Are we aware of those who are in need and of those who need our love and our care?

Almsgiving is the practice of giving to others more needy than us, especially at the cost of some sacrifice on our part. Such generosity gets the focus away from ourselves and back on Jesus, especially Jesus in our brothers and sisters.

You are my brothers and sisters. Thank you for helping me to better live the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Thursday in Piura

What a day: I did things all day that I never did before.

In the morning I learned the ins and outs of buying goats. We set out to buy (photo) and deliver ten goats, which I thought would be easy because I had seen goats given to families as a gift. After 4 hours we only had 9 goats and 3 delivered. We went to two places twice to find goats. The busiest place is along a highway where busses drop off goats to middlemen who resell them. Then there was the bargaining that when on for a price.

While delivering the goats I learned about the many sponsored families who live as squatters on public land. Since everyone else also thinks that the land is public, dump trucks full of broken bricks are dumped in the "front yard" of these families (photo).

In the afternoon. one of our St. Monica families paid to take 100 orphans, the staff, and other missionaries to a movie in a very nice movie theater. Wow, were these teen girls excited!

While taking Communion to the Hospice Center yesterday, I noticed that the first resident who I had visited often on other trips was no longer there. She died of breast cancer in March and I was very down for a while. Please pray for sweet Louisa.

Hasta luego!

Wednesday in Piura

Today we had a chance to do many different projects: buying building materials, building houses, taking Communion to the homebound, teaching Bible school, and delivering food packages, or furniture, or clothes. Everyone enjoyed what they did.

This evening Deacon Lee preached at Mass about the generosity of missionaries using the gospel pericope of "the left hand should not know what the right hand in doing."

 

This evening some missionaries began talking about going home on Saturday and how bitter sweet it will be. We want to see our families at home, but are leaving so much behind.

The photo is of missionaries dancing with the parishioners of St. Monica Chapel during the fiesta.

More exciting events are planned for the final three days.

Chao

Tuesday

Let me begin with a photo from the fiesta. It shows some of our missionaries who are awed with what they are experiencing. They say that one has to come and see because no one can explain it ahead of time.

This morning almost everyone picked cotton. I stayed "home" to prepare a homily for Saturday. Fr. Joe asked be to do a Communion Service at St. Monica chapel, perhaps a first of its kind in the parish. I will bless the new crucifix and painting of St. Monica after the homily.

The afternoon was spent with out families at a picnic. Then we took them either to a movie of shopping for clothes. I did the later.

We all have several children each that we would like to bring back with us. The children here are absolutely beautiful. Hasta mañana.

Monday, Our First Work Day

And did we work today! It is winter here, but a hot 80 degrees with humidity. We had four groups working today. One group roofed the house of my daughter's house. They ran out of roofing and two workers decided to buy the rest of the roofing and finish the jobs. Being here with the people of God causes great generosity.

Robin Barry, two college girls from the midwest, and I spend the morning bring Communion to the homebound. I have visited the same people before, but something was very holy about our visits today. I wish I could capture the situation.

In the afternoon, Mark, Robert, and I delivered furniture to the homes of Deacon Jerry and Carol Ann Rakosky and of Tina Konzak. It was great to do this for sponsors that we know.

This evening was the mother of all fiestas. St. Monica Chapel was build by St. Monica parish and we daily feed the children of the surrounding village. The fiesta was great with all the dancing put on by the village plus their dancing with us. St. Monica parishioner have to visit Piura to experience their love of us. The Peruvians are a special beautiful people of God. Photos later.

My Goddaughter

I had to add this photo of my goddaughter and me on Father's Day. She is now nine. I baptized her on my second trip when she was 3. Life is good!

Day of Rest

Sunday was a great day. It began with a great breakfast followed by group time for reflection. We went to San Jacinto for noon Mass and were greeted by children holding placards with our names. During Mass Fr. Joe did a marriage and presented the family a Bible and the groom a broom telling he was supposed to help his wife -- the church broke up.

After Mass we had lunch at the Retreat Center, went to an art colony in Catacaos for shopping, and then to an orphanage with 100 teenage girls who hung on to us, danced with us, and served us cake for Father's Day. A visit there puts the rest of the world into perspective. You got to be there because words cannot describe it.

We finished the day with one more standing-room-only Mass back at the parish. There was a spiritual concert afterwards in the auditorium. Most of us got to spend time with our sponsored families before and after Mass. My goddaughter made me a Father Day card.

The photo is of the parishioners at San Jacinto blessing the missionaries during Mass.

Tomorrow we go to work. More about that later. Hasta mañana.

St. Monica Mission Team in Piura

After traveling 22 hours from Edmond, we arrived in Piura at 6 a.m. We were greeted by the smiling parish staff and Deacon Lee's Peruvian family. The photo shows some of the missionaries and staff.

After a quick drive to the parish, we were greeted by more of the staff with bacon and eggs. Then we went to our rooms for a three-hour siesta. At 11 we were up greeting arriving Peruvian families (other photo). At lunch we celebrated Father's Day with the Peruvian staff who are fathers.

In the afternoon each missionary visited their family in their homes. Then it was back to the parish for Mass followed by dinner. Deacon Lee did baptisms.

Tomorrow, Sunday, we have a couple Masses planned, a tour of some villages, and then of the orphanage. 

Buenos noches.

Leaving Tomorrow for Piura

I am all packed and ready to go early tomorrow morning for the airport. New missionaries have been asking lots of last minute good questions. Of course, they will never understand until they get there.

We will overlap a couple of days with a mission group of youth from St. John the Baptist. They stay at the Retreat Center at San Jacinto, a village south of Piura. They interact a lot with the youth of that village. Here is a photo of the two youth groups dancing at a fiesta.

The next post will be from Piura. Hasta luego.

A Small World Story about Edmond and Peru

Today I got the message below from Cheryl Pierce a mission team leader from St. John the Baptist in Edmond. It is a small world!

Good afternoon, ma'am.

I am Fr. Philip Creider. I am a Priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. I am a Navy Chaplain. I presently serve as the Command Chaplain aboard USS BOXER. We are presently in the middle of a two month exercise in Latin America. We have stopped in Guatemala, El Salvador, and now Peru. Our continuous job has been to send doctors, nurses, corpsmen, and veterinarians ashore to offer medical and dental treatment, to fix medical equipment, to teach medical skills, and to test and purify water sources. On most days, we see about 1000 patients in a variety of sites. The sites have previously been chosen because of their isolation and poverty. We also send Seabees ashore who have built and fixed clinics, schools, and mission churches. We send Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Soldiers ashore to clean, paint, and fix the same kinds of buildings.

We are presently in Peru, serving in the Diocese of Huacho. Today, I met the Bishop.

I am writing to you because I once served at St. John’s and I see that your parish has a mission in Peru. Fr. Joe Uhen was one of my students at Bishop McGuinness High School in the early 1970s.

I just had to write to your parish and tell you of our connection over the miles. Please give my regard to your pastor, Fr. John.

I send my best.

Fr. Phil
Chaps.

Mission Team Receives Blessing

At the end of the 5:30 Vigil Mass on June 7, most of our team received a blessing for missionaries from our pastor, Fr. Tim Luschen. He said all the magic words we needed to hear. We had sat in the front pew in our bright yellow mission T-shirts so Fr. Tim would be sure to remember us.

We leave in five days. Please pray for the following missionaries: Christopher Barry, Jeff Higgins, Deacon Lee Hunt, Suzy Johnson, Haily Jones, Robin Justice, Mark Mathison, Helen and Robert O'Connor, Alice Robin, Karen and Wade Phillips, and Debbie and Steve Yandell.

Photos are of the front and back of the T-shirts. Thanks to St. John the Baptist for the design!

Cost of Living in Peru

We know how expensive things are becoming in the U.S. It is also happening for the poor around the world. Things are even worse since the value of the dollar keeps dropping which makes our money buy less in Peru.

As an example, last year it cost $300 to build a new bamboo house with a plywood front like the one in the left photo. This house is about 20x20 feet. Early this year the price was $500 and as I write this it is $545. Imagine if the cost of food is going up at this rate!

The house we are replacing can look like the house on the right. I have been in some that are 10x10 feet. While in Piura we will build some new houses.

Rufina Sosa Silva’s funeral Mass was Tuesday afternoon. Fr. Uhen was the celebrant and the parish staff attended. Fr. Joe said that Rufina is closer to God and is praying for all us. Marlit told of how her grandmother was her best example, teaching her and all her family to live more closely to our God. Rufina was always at Sunday Mass with her husband and listening intently.

May Runfina’s soul rest in peace and may Marlit and her family also find comfort.

The photo is of Rufina and Marlit.

Sadness in the Village of San Jacinto

My sadness was complete today as I heard, by chance, Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony while driving home from a Peru Board meeting. The "Pathétique" symphony is filled with tones of pathos—compassion. 

It was compassion that I felt for our sister Marlit—St. Monica's liaison—today as I learned of the death of her grandmother who raised her. Marlit was keeping her grandmother company while sleeping with her at night when she had a stroke or aneurysm. The grandmother, Rufina, was taken to a hospital that would not admit her because she did not have enough money; she died five hours later. This is a reminder of why so many of us in the U.S. help our brothers and sisters in the villages near Piura, Peru.

The funeral Mass is June 3 at 2 p.m. Please pray for Marlit, her "abuela," and the rest of the family.

Marlit, la bendicion de Dios todopoderoso, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo, descienda sobre usted.