Our Busy Life

With the Missionaries of Charity

   We are finally sitting down to give an update on our mission. Thank you all for your support through prayers, money and sending us boxes. We have been here for two months now and as you have seen through our posts we have been learning how to cook the local food and about the people themselves. Now our ministries are getting off the ground and we are keeping very busy.  When the children are not studying they help in the nursery school and visit the residents of several different nursing homes. 


   Our parish has given us lots of activities to be involved in. Three  mornings a week Mark, Lora and our missionary partners Sidney and James take turns going to the parish center were we bring a couple of bags of non-perishable food for anyone in need. We are also available to council and pray with them. It is an amazing gift to us to be able to spend this time with the sole purpose of talking about Jesus to those who are seeking Him.
  
   This parish is not unlike other parishes in that they have dwindling numbers and indifferent youth. With having teenagers ourselves we are getting involved in the youth group, as well as the children’s liturgy. We know that the youth need something more than just “fun activities”. They need Jesus. They need to hear the gospel. Even though they are brought up in Church, they need to come to know Jesus in a personal way.  These are another opportunity for us to involve our own children and teach them to look to others and learn how to serve. Mother Theresa once said

“Thoughtfulness is the beginning of great sanctity.  If you learn this art of being thoughtful, you will become more and more Christ-like, for His heart was meek and He always thought of others.  Our vocation, to be beautiful, must be full of thought for others.” Something Beautiful for God

Feeding the Poor 

   Outside of our parish ministries, we help with feeding the hungry downtown, make home visits to the shut-ins, visit four homes for the elderly, abandoned or disabled (one run by the Missionaries of Charity). Then we have opportunities every day we go out into town to evangelize, pray, give food or money to the homeless and hungry who walk the streets. These are not always seeking Jesus but have not found them to be opposed to us praying with them. And then there are those who we can engage in lively discussions about God.


   As you can see our schedule is very full. Alongside these our home is open in the evening to young boys coming home from school. We have at least two who eat with us every night and join in our evening prayers and thanks to those who donated for the basketball needs we have another avenue to attract more. But this gives the boys a chance to witness a family, eat, and hear the Word of God and learn how to pray. We are not sure where all this ministry will lead too but we are thankful to be able to reach out to these boys and we think of Don Bosco a lot. 

At the St. Lucy Home

   As we have mentioned before the state of the family is in dire need right now. In just one generation this country has gone from a safe haven to gangs and violence. There are many women who have never married yet have 5 children from 5 different fathers. Or a man might have one wife but other women on the side. These women may have children by him but they are left uncared for. These children are then brought up without a father and their moms are trying to survive themselves and so do not look after the children. Boys join gangs with nothing else to do but find trouble. Girls look for love in all the wrong places and the cycle continues. This leaves so many broken people. Children are growing with a lot of anger. Please continue to pray for this country.  

Rachel and Nette @ Marian Home