It is not easy to "measure" just how well we do in Peru. But, as it is said, a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case we have two pictures: one before and one after.

In June 2010, Pam and Jay Burnside sponsored a family, especially after seeing the "before" photo of the 6-month-old, youngest child, Jesús.

Immediately the family from the village of Monte Castillo began getting a $30 food package every month. This is a very large percentage of this farming family of nine's income of sometimes $4 per day. Soon we were able to have a parish nurse visit the family and arrange a visit to the doctor for Jesús. He was given special nutrition and soon began to improve. The family welcomed me to the parish this June, and the "after" photo is one year later — Jesús is wearing a red sweatshirt.

Many people say, and I know, that we find the face of Jesus in the poor. In this case Jesus was Jesús.