Unbroken Are We: April 2020

Greetings to you and your family

Today on the second Sunday of Easter, wherein the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday, we are praying especially for you .

The last month or so has been extremely trying for all of us. There are so many who are suffering from the hardships that have been evoked by the deadly Corona Virus. I am certain if you yourself have not been affected, you know someone who has. Perhaps if not affected by the virus directly, the economical trials, mandated isolation requirements, and the closing of schools and churches have totally changed our lives. We ourselves quickly found out, the spiraling effects of being Americans in Peru during this epidemic, comes with new challenges.

Not to mention the mental aspect of it all. Perhaps it is easier to say “we have no worries”, however we must at some point admit , even if we like it or not, times are pretty traumatic, and uncomfortable to say the least. A desire to return to normal is sensed throughout the world. There is an urgency among us all to be able to return to our normal lives. It seems all unreal, but the seriousness of borders closing; such as our situation here in Peru, to the jokes about people suffering for the lack of a haircut, women suffering because their true hair color is showing and let’s not forget the jokes surfacing on social media about the pounds people are putting on because of the inability to leave their homes has become everyone’s so called normal state of life. There is no denying it, and no sugar coating the traumatic changes the world has and will face in the months to come. The unknown and the inability to control one’s own life can be SUPER SCARY and a REAL SUFFERING.

But we must not forget to rejoice in our suffering and fears. In the second reading today Saint Peter reminds us that “In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1: 6-7. Yes even in times we feel we are in the middle of a fire we should lift up our voices and praise God. So today is a wonderful reminder that we should embrace the opportunity of suffering that we are faced with today.

Let us today be reminded of His Mercy for us and remember the act of praying “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” We cannot forget the Divine Mercy He has for us all, Jesus Suffered and died on the Cross for each one of us. From our lips we must proclaim the miracle of his death and resurrection and together cry out “We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.” We mustn’t forget He is among us today, even during this pandemic.

Do not think for a minute Jesus does not know of our sins, desires, needs, and sufferings. That being said we should not be afraid to bring our sins, fears and anxiety to the Lord, no matter how big or small they are. Let us not forget that It is through our sufferings that we are united with Christ. Which is why we need to cry out today of all days, JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!

Please remember to send us your prayer request! It is such an honor and a blessing to storm Heaven on your behalf. You can send them via email to: Karendelcastillo@familymissionscompany.com

We appreciate your prayers and support for our family as we try to find unique and different ways to reach those we live among during these trying times. This past month we have experienced a lot of change in plans, and in our ministries. We have adjusted to the new normal of quarantine and nightly curfews and are adjusting to military patrolling our streets, by clinging to Jesus.

Saint Faustina, Pray for us!

We thank you for your prayers and your support.

Without the sacrifices made by each of you this work would be impossible.

Prayer request

Email: karendelcastillo@familymissionscompany.com

Donations

Web Site: delcastillo.familymissionscompany.com

Karen, Julianna and Gabriel Del Castillo

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion—inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

I never knew living in solidarity with the poor meant being lock away from them for weeks.

I cannot help but think about what Saint Paul must have felt when he was imprisoned. As his ministries were halted and he was unable to share the Good News to those who needed it the most. However Saint Paul did not sit idle during his confinement when the authorities halted his mission, instead he made a choice to spend his days serving the Lord.

Although not imprisoned, my family and I are on a government quarantine, as all of those who live in Peru. As the days have gone by the quarantine and it’s restrictions have only increased. With the military and police having full authority to arrest or use deadly force to those who do not comply. Our current situation only allows men to go out on certain days within certain hours and women on the opposite days can go out. With Sunday being a day that no one at all, can leave their homes. It has been challenging to say the least. However we are grateful to live in Peru and for the Presidents fast and strict actions to prevent the virus from spreading.

Obviously our mission as we have known it to be has been grounded, halted to a dead stop; we have been unable to go out to our normal ministries since the 16^th of March. However as Saint Paul did we have chosen to spend hours in prayer each day, for the world and for each of you, and for all the sweet people we live among.

From our confinement also came a wonderful blessing of sore and blistered fingers from making crosses out of coconut leaves. Understandable they are not palm leaves but it was the best our beautiful friend Jose could bring us, considering the current state of emergency Peru is in.

Our desire was to make as many as we could before Palm Sunday; and with a lot of prayer maybe somehow, God would open the way for us to hand deliver them to our friends around town without getting in trouble or arrested.

Although we desired to make fifty of them, we found it impossible to complete in just 2 days. Though we did not even come near to our quota, we were successful in making 20 crosses. We were granted permission from the police, that allowed us to deliver the crosses to those we live among. Many of those we delivered the crosses to were surprised to see us. They had thought we had left them, and went back to our home in America, because of the virus. We simply answer “of course not, this is our home, here with you.

It was this simple act of courage, that we made to stay with them, although locked away from each other, that brought such unity and love.