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.

St. Monica Mission Team getting ready

The team has less than two weeks to go before leaving on our trip. We now have all of our airline tickets. Hopefully all T-shirts, Bible, and crucifixes will be distributed this weekend.

One first-timer told me that she does not think she is worthy to go. I assured her that she is.

Delivery of Boxes to La Piedra

Medical missionaries on a St. John the Baptist trip delivered boxes to several St. Monica sponsored families in the village of La Piedra.

From the photo it is hard to tell who is happier, the family receiving the gifts or the missionaries giving them.

Delivering Clothes

On Wednesday, the eye surgeries were cut back to 13 giving the medical team time to deliver food to the village of La Piedra where St. Monica has 24 sponsored families.

Meanwhile, the non-medical part of the team delivered clothes from a Oklahoma to a village. Clothes are spread out on a tarp in the village chapel. Then about ten women at a time are let into the chapel and are given several minutes to select seven pieces of clothes.

The photo is of a child resting in the pile of clothes.

Eye Mission Continues Work

The medical missionaries performed 17 cataract surgeries Tuesday on patients from 9 to 90. St. Monica parishioner Gayle Stanfill is a nurse who helps with the surgeries. There are 5 MDs, 6 RNs, and 2 scrub techs who are from Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Colorado.

Her husband and son, John and Michael, helped build a house with non-medical staff. There is always something for everyone to do no matter what their skills.

The photo is of Gayle and John cooling their heels in a restaurant after a long day.

Fr. Joe's 50th Birthday Blast

Fr. Joe Uhen's 50th birthday was celebrated by many on May 19. Many photos of his family, a party, clergy, and orphans can be see at the parish web site.

Included here is my favorite celebration photo with his parishioners who love him so much.

MIssion Trip Season to Piura Begins

St. Monica parishioners John, Gayle, and Michael Stanfill joined the 29-member Medical Mission Team doing eye and tonsil surgeries. Also from our parish (I think) are Ed and Shirley Glinski who recently moved to Edmond from OKC.

Part of the team arrived in Piura at about the same time as their medical supplies that were on the ocean-going container shipped in February from Edmond. Family-to-Family boxes on the container are being delivered to sponsored Peruvian families.

The St. Monica Parish Mission Trip is nearly ready for their trip that begins on June 13. Airline tickets are being finalized, T-shirts, Bibles, and crucifixes are being distributed, and a team blessing is scheduled for the 5:30 Mass on June 7 at St. Monica.

Photo is Michael Stanfill being welcomed before Mass at San Jacinto.