Pig Pens to Weddings and Everything In Between

Peace to you my brothers and sisters!

I trust that you are well and remain blessed by the Lord. I wanted to write to you and give you a report of the amazing transformations that have been taking place here at our mission post, and to honor you for your faithfulness and steadfast love for the Lord as we approach this Sunday, which has been marked as World Mission Sunday!  

 September marked another year for us serving as foreign missionaries here in Peru. During the months leading up to September, it was made very clear that Jesus still desires us to live, to cry and to share His love with the poor here. However little our YES to the Lord feels, he is capable of transforming it in to so much more. With that said we can not welcome this new season without honoring all of the HUGE things that has transpired here just in the last few months. I invite you to take a moment, get a cup of coffee and learn of the amazing things that Christ has done and desires still to do.

A theme that resounds in our hearts, that propels us forward and that we strive to live out each day, are just what Pope Francis used to mark this Sunday, World Missions Sunday, October 24, 2021 with as he selected the theme “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” Acts 4:20 . The Holy Spirit has used these words in so many ways to advance the Gospel Message and to open doors and opportunities for us to enter into the lives of those we have been called to serve. In each opportunity it looks very different for us. Each day is a new and exciting day, as we discover what medium the Holy Spirit chooses for us to use that day, so that we can reach the hearts of the lonely and broken. Like an artist He is, He can choose clay, paint, or broken crayons like us, to create His art. And that is exactly what he has done here, from Pig Pens to Weddings and everything in between. Jesus the artist, has created the following opportunities for us to reach his beloved poor so we can love them just as he has loved us, and we are compelled to share it with you.

 Maritza’s Pig Pens

 Our goal has been to help Maritza obtain income and financial support. We have been blessed to be able to walk with her and navigate through the government offices here, which is a very intimidating and lonely task when going alone. Our desire was for her to not only obtain government support but to help her also to apply for child support from the father of her children. Which we are happy to share that she now is receiving support from both the government and child support.  We have also bought her 2 female and 2 male pigs, and well they are doing well and reproducing which is all part of Gods Plan and the plan to help Maritza earn money by raising them and selling them. With that said all of these new baby piglets need a secure and safe place to live in grow. So together we our building pig pens, doing the work ourselves to not only save money but more importantly because it allows us to spend time together. We have three more pens to build, and we desire to build a chicken coop for her chickens as well, so if you feel the Holy Spirit nudging and calling you to support this project he probably is. Each Pig Pen cost about $200.00 to build. You can follow the Link below to make a donation. 👇

Donation Link 

Karen Del Castillo | Family Missions Company Family Missions Company

 

Bodegas

You may remember our friend named Camila, who instead of worrying about school at her age sells candy on the streets of a neighboring town. We are so excited to share with you that she was able to receive a huge blessing. Little did I know that when I shared a small story about her a few months ago Jesus was able to create even more beautiful art, as a wonderful family from the states contacted me as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to help her. Often times, as full-time missionaries we work as liaisons, as a connection between those of you in America who have the funds and financial means to help those here. As missionaries we are here full time and it is without a doubt that we get to know the people, their stories of hardship and suffering as we grow in friendship. With that said often we feel the only tool we have to help is prayer. In the silence of our heart Jesus heard our prayers and as a good Father he provided for the needs of this lovely little girl. With the help of this generous family, together we were able to help Camila set up in her small one bedroom home a store called a bodega. Funds were provided to buy her a refrigerator, products to sell such as cokes, waters, chips, and candy. We were also able to purchase tables and chairs so that Camila and her mom can sell chicken on a stick, called anticuchos, at night. With this donation Camila will now be able to stay at home and make money instead of walking the streets all day and all night to sell candy.

Camila and her mother 

Jesus was not done creating his masterpiece with Camila, we were able to help Maritza with the same opportunity to set up a small bodega to help her earn extra income as well. Maritza is such a hard worker but she can not afford daycare, so often she has to leave her children behind when she goes to work in the corn and rice fields, our desire is that this extra income will help her be able to stay with her children. Instead of tables and chairs we bought her a huge pan so she can make a drink called chicha morada which is made from purple corn, cinnamon, and cloves. After she brews it, she will pour it in to recycled plastic coke and water bottles which she has found and cleaned in order to sell them. 

These crazy kids

 More Missionaries

Many of you have heard our request for prayers and have joined us in praying for more missionaries to be sent to our mission post over the last year or more. We could not be more delighted to share the good news that in February our mission post will receive two new missionaries. Their names are Sarah and Mallory, they are currently in formation at FMC’s mission base, located in Abbeville Louisiana. I beg of you to please continue to pray for my family and the missionaries that will be joining us. Please pray that the lies of the devil do not overshadow the truth and the goodness of our Lord. I can tell you the devil is super mad right now, and he is waging his war in protest that the Lord answered our prayers. And the spiritual attacks have begun, his lies have all but told me that we are not good enough to receive missionaries, “how stupid does that sound now that its typed”. Another huge lie is that our mission post is not good enough, pretty enough and too secluded for the new missionaries, “I don’t know, that might even sound worse.”  Lastly please pray that the Lord provides the perfect housing for them. We are super excited to receive such a gift from the Lord and can not wait to see all the good things he has planned for us as these two wonderful ladies join us here to serve for the next two years.

 

Mallory and Sarah 

Saint Magdalene’s home

Since arriving on the mission field the Holy Spirit has been very intentional in His ways and by no mistake, He has directed us to His desire to share Christ’s love with single mothers and their children. He has taken our brokenness and heart ache and mended and fashioned it for his own creation and goodness. For over a year I have heard the whispers and faint nudges during prayer and have seen 1^st hand the need of a home for single mothers. With that we invited Father Robert who I serve under here and FMC’s leadership to discern and join in prayer about the possibility of building a home for mothers. We all have been given such peace with the idea of the project and we all confirm that it is a desire that is of the Lord.

Through a director’s appeal and other private donations, we have over a short period of time raised $49,000.00 for the home. With that said we desire before beginning construction to meet the total needed amount to make this home possible. We are almost halfway to reaching the goal of $100,000.00. Which is truly amazing, and I have no doubt that Jesus will soften the hearts of those he is calling to support this project. I invite you today to take this project of the Lord’s to prayer and ask if it is a project that burns within your heart. If it does, please pray about how you can help with this huge project. Is the Lord calling you to make a donation or share the project with others that may desire to help?

Saint Magdalene’s home that will consist of several small family homes for single mothers and their children to live in, along with a community house where we can come together in prayer, and to share meals together. Our goal is to share our lives with them and create an opportunity to walk with them and disciple each of these beautiful families while prayerfully providing opportunities that will allow them to heal and discover the love Jesus has for each of them. To donate click the link below. 👇

Karen Del Castillo | Family Missions Company  Family Missions Company

Weddings

Elever and Iris 

One of the ministries that I find that satisfies my heart is teaching others about the beautiful Catholic faith, and helping, not only children, but couples as well to receive the sacraments. Which is why I am sharing with you about the growth and the bond that has been made between these two couples pictured here, which tells the amazing truth of Jesus’s love. For over a year we have met each week in search of a deeper understanding of the sacrament of marriage, the mystery of the Eucharist and the purpose of man’s life here on earth. And Last Saturday I am so honored to share with you that the Holy Spirit was Alive and Present in a little old mud brick chapel as these two couples received for the 1^st time in their lives the body and blood of Jesus Christ and the sacrament of Marriage. There is no denying the beauty that has been joined together with the joining of these two couples as they invited Christ the Bridegroom into their relationships. 

Elever and Iris / Elmer and Sandra 

May we pray that they always will strive to live as witnesses of a faithful Christian family, and may they grow in their vocation not only to serve each other as spouses and parents but as they learn to serve their community around them as they live the fullness of their Marriage vocation.

 

Iris and Elever walking to the Church 

Sandra walking with her family to the Church

Sandra 

Iris 

Pope Francis writes, “The theme of this year's World Mission Sunday -- "We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20), is a summons to each of us to 'own' and to bring to others what we bear in our hearts. This mission has always been the hallmark of the Church, for 'she exists to evangelize” (Saint Paul VI, EN14).

We cannot think you enough for your steadfast faithfulness and your love for the poor. Because of you we are able to live among these beautiful people and we are grateful for the opportunity to evangelize so many who have yet heard the Good News preached. May this year be more blessed than the last and may we welcome the sacrifices and hardships that come with serving the Lord and proclaiming His message in every dark corner of the world!

In Christ ! 

Karen, Julianna and Gabriel Del Castillo 

*Mission Post: Cajaruro, Amazonas, Peru*