Let us Praise the Lord! Alleluia, Alleluia

 

Let us Praise the Lord! Alleluia, Alleluia

 

I pray my brothers and sisters that this letter finds you well. I am sorry it has been a while since our last update.  The ebb and flow of missions oftentimes requires our full attention on those in front of us in order to serve them well, so I do pray you understand.  With that being said we are super blessed and grateful to now have a lull in our schedule and the opportunity to share with you what the Lord has been doing here. I pray that you may have a few minutes to Praise the Lord and all the good work he has accomplished here with us.

The last time I gave an update was in February so there might be a lot of ground to cover. I will try to hit the big things and pray that your imagination can fill in all the rest of the wonderful blessings and things that are happening here, even those we fail to recognize right now.  

If you make it to the end, you will be blessed with many opportunities to join the mission here! 

Enjoy! 

The End of Peruvian Migraciones

At the beginning of March, Gabriel and I finally became permanent residents of Peru. What does that mean? Well, it means we will not have to go through the yearly approval process for residency here.  Which in return allows us more time to focus on the mission Jesus has us on. We will be able to refocus the efforts we spent each year to move, push, beg, and plead with the migration office each year on the poor. We will not have to go through any new process until Gabriel turns 18. Praise the Lord for his hand in the process.  

The new school year

The children of Peru all started school the second week of March and once again we were able to love on many of the children and mothers by purchasing their school supplies, uniforms, and new shoes. Along with a set of new glasses for little Antonio. So, let's Praise the Lord for providing the funds that allowed us to do so. 

                              

         

                          

The women we have served

We have housed in the past month over 5 different single women and their children. All of these were short stays, where they found rest and comfort here at the home while they tried to navigate their next steps. One returned to their prior situation and the others moved to their family's home. Of course, we desire them to stay longer, but we are happy to have had the opportunity to love them like Jesus and we made sure they knew they could come back anytime. Praise the Lord for this home and the never-ending mercy He has for these women and their children.

Meeting with the Bishop

I had a meeting with Father Robert, the priest, who walks with me in the Home’s mission and the Bishop in late March and I was blown away at the reason he wanted to have a meeting with me. The Bishop’s 1^st words to me were “What can I, and the dioceses do for you and the home”? I was so incredibly humbled that he even thought of us and the mission here. I quickly thought to myself, that this must mean we are doing something right! After a rare pat on the back, I finally caught my breath and told him I need your priests to know we are here to help them in their pastoral duties. I also told him that somehow, somewhere there needs to be a group on the other end to help the husbands (fathers), to teach them how to love like Jesus and how to be a husband and a father.  His reply was he is in the middle of creating a new document and mission statement for the Dioceses and it marks his desire to educate, serve, and strengthen families as a whole, he said Santa Maria Magdalena’s home is part of the new mission. The Bishop then said to me “Thank you, and keep doing what you are doing, the Diocese needs you”

If you know me at all, you know that I do not tell you this to toot my own horn. But to give Praise to the Lord and to ask for your prayers even more, now than ever. It is a bit scary to be in such a place, with such a responsibility while still having doubts if this home and its mission will even survive financially. I must confess, I feel a lot like the disciples when they were in the boat amidst a storm with Jesus and when they woke him saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown! “He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Mt 8: 23-27) So, I beg you to please lift the home and its mission and all those it serves up to the Lord. And let's Praise the Lord for the new Bishop’s docile heart and at the fact that the Diocese of Chachapoyas Peru desires to transform and strengthen families and desires to help the most vulnerable members. (All they needed was a bit of inspiration and hope)

Podcast

Gabriel and I were asked to do a podcast for Frontiers of Faith episode, hosted by Katie Ruvalcaba and Fr. Anthony Andreassi. You can listen to it by following the link ‎: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-gets-it-so-right-karen-and-gabriel-in-peru/id1696335589?i=1000649273516 . Even though our internet showed its true color and was very limited on this day we Praise the Lord for what was salvaged of our interview, and it served as a great reminder that we are indeed far away, in a remote place that is not easy to stay connected.

Holy Week

 Holy Week was just a huge blessing. Holy Thursday the chapel and the home exceeded its limits. So many new faces came, and though the home and its chapel were bursting at its seams it was such a blessing to receive so many people. We started with a celebration of the word, and then everyone who came had their feet washed. Just like Jesus commanded his disciples at the Last Supper saying, “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do”. John 13:14-15. We are honored to say that on Holy Thursday here over 85 people had their feet washed and then in return washed the feet of others. Indeed, this is loving like Christ!

                                                                       

We then sat down for a prayerful dinner as disciples. After dinner, we followed Jesus to the garden, and we sat with Jesus throughout the night until morning. Awesome enough and to my surprise most of the community stayed throughout the night.

      

         

When morning came, we prayed the Stations of the Cross together. Maritza even had the courage to help with the stations. We then returned to the home where Maritza prepared a simple but classic Peruvian dinner, for the youth group to eat while watching Chosen together.

Let us honor and Praise the Lord for such a beautiful and intimate Holy week.

Easter Sunday

Gabriel and I were not here at the home for Easter Sunday nor with the beautiful community that surrounds it, as we were called down the mountain to lead a celebration in Paraiso and Gabriel was able to lead the altar servers in Cajaruro for Sunday Mass. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to serve on such a glorious day, so Praise the Lord!

Magally 

This incredible mother and daughter of God passed away last week. Magally suffered so much in her life and she lived in an abusive situation and with a disease that was beyond what any of us could have ever imagine living through.  From my 1st months in missions here in Peru the Holy Spirit had led me to her, this woman is the reason for Santa Maria Magdalenas's home. My 1st encounter with her I knew that I was to fight for women like her.  I have shared much of her situation with you over the years and have brought many of you to her home to meet her and to encounter Jesus in her. I honestly feel I failed her at being a good friend as I wanted to bring her to Santa Maria Magdalena's home but did not have permission from her father-in-law to do so. However, at the same time feel grateful I am very confident that she is with Jesus and will never ever be abused or feel pain again. Only JOY!!!!  Please pray for her children whom she leaves behind! Let's praise the Lord for his love and his mercy for Magally and all those who serve like her. 

Gelber

Praise the Lord, Gelber was able to get to his appointment and pay for his operation in Lima. The doctor said he is confident he got everything and wants him to return for chemo in 5 weeks. It feels so amazing to love on this man and his family in this way. It is amazing how loving like Christ can change and transform people. Let's praise the Lord for the opportunity to love on him and for the financial support he has received also for the second chance he has to become the man Jesus desires him to be to his wife and children.

Needs of Santa Maria Magdalena's Home

We always want to be upfront with the needs of the home. Because this mission would not exist without faithful people like you.  We pray that sharing with you the needs of the home also is an opportunity to praise the Lord for all he has done thus far. He has done amazing things for so many people through the ministries this home provides.

 

The home's 3 most immediate needs

1.) The home's monthly operating cost is set at 3,000.00 a month. With your help and the special help of one of our amazing mission partners who took on our burden and began to spread the mission of the home and the needs to his community, we have almost reached this goal and are just shy of $1500.00 a month to reach this goal. So, let's praise the Lord together for this and pray for opportunities to share the home's mission and invite others to become mission partners, with the Lord here. Praise the Lord with me that all we need is 15 more people to partner with us at 100.00 a month to reach the home’s monthly operational goal.

Please consider spreading the news of the mission of Santa Maria Magdalena’s home to your family, friends, and church community.  Perhaps you can invite others to be a part of the mission here in Peru.

 

2.) The priest retreat is coming up on the 1^st of August.  For the last 2 years, Praise the Lord, together we have been able to gather all priests of the diocese and host a retreat for them. This year we desire to do the same. Historically the retreat has cost $5,000.00 and we expect it to be the same again this year. This allows 33 Priests to attend, pays for lodging at a local hotel, feeds them 3 meals a day, and pays for a guest Priest/ speaker to lead the retreat for 5 days. It has been a huge blessing for these priests who each, serve over 150 to 250 pueblos with some of them being a day's drive away, and who rarely have time to be filled up and spiritually replenished.  If you feel called to help, please make a note in the donation comment tab: Priest retreat.

3.) Gelber’s ongoing cancer treatment: We are trying to raise 1500.00 for his chemo treatment which will take place in Lima after he has recovered from his surgery. He is traveling back to Lima in May and will stay until he finishes the treatment, praise God we were able to get him plane tickets for this next trip, we now just need to reach the funds needed for the treatments. If you feel called to help, please make a note in the donation comment tab: Gelber. Praise the Lord for opportunities to serve him through his beloved poor!

To become a mission partner with us remember no donation is too small.  Please prayerfully consider if Jesus is asking you to partner with us in His mission here at Santa Maria Magdalena's home. You can become a partner by following the following link:  

https://www.familymissionscompany.com/santa-maria-magdalenas-home/

Let us Praise the Lord! Alleluia, Alleluia

May we learn to Love Like Christ! 

We love you all and we are so grateful each one of you! 

Daniel 3: 26-45

“Blessed are you and deserving of all praise,
    O Lord, the God of our fathers,
    and glorious is your name forever.
27 For you have shown justice in all you have done for us;
    all your deeds are true, all your ways are right,
    and all your judgments are correct.
28 You have made proper judgments
    in all that you have brought upon us
    and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.
By a judgment, you have done all this
    because of our sins.
29 “For we have sinned and broken your law
    in our rebellion against you;
    we have fallen short in every way.
30 We have neglected to obey your commandments
    and have failed to do what you commanded for our own good.
31 Therefore, in all the misfortunes you have inflicted upon us,
    in all you have done to us,
    you have executed proper judgments.
32 You have handed us over to our enemies,
    lawless and godless rebels,
    and to a wicked king, the most evil in the entire world.
33 “Now we cannot open our mouths;
    we, your servants who worship you,
    have become a cause of shame and dishonor.
34 For your name’s sake, do not abandon us forever
    or renounce your covenant.
35 Do not withdraw your mercy from us
    for the love of Abraham, your friend,
    Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one,
36 to whom you spoke, promising to make their descendants
    as numerous as the stars in the heavens
    and the grains of sand on the seashore.
37 “For we, O Lord, have become the least of all nations,
    humiliated throughout the world in our day
    because of our sins.
38 We now have no ruler, no prophet, no leader,
    no burnt offering or sacrifice or oblation of incense,
    no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.
39 But may we be accepted by you
    as we approach you with a contrite heart
    and with a submissive spirit.
40 As though we were presenting burnt offerings of rams and bulls
    or thousands of fat lambs,
so may our sacrifice be in your presence today
    as we follow you unreservedly,
    for those who trust in you will never be put to shame.
41 “And now with all our heart we shall follow you;
    even though we fear you, we seek your face.
42 Do not let us be put to shame,
    but deal with us in your patience
    and in your great mercy.
43 Deliver us by your wonderful deeds,
    and let your name be glorified, O Lord.
44 Let those who harm your servants be brought low;
    let them be put to shame and rendered powerless,
    and may their strength be crushed.
45 Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,
    glorious throughout the whole world.”

Bitter and Sweet Coffee Harvest

 

 

        A few weeks ago, the 1^st harvest of coffee at Santa Maria Magdalena’s home was ready to pick. And before I had a chance to pick the coffee; I was made aware of the fact it was time to harvest it, by many different people who always walk up and down the small gravel road in front of the home. Many stopped to ask if I would hire them to pick the coffee, others wonder if I was leaving it to rot, and perhaps most believed I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to picking coffee.  And to be honest the latter is very true. Short of realizing that every time I gazed out an open window or walked outside I could see the huge amount of small bright red fruit hanging on the coffee trees and could smell the sweet crisp aroma of the coffee in the air, much as if one walked into a Starbucks, this gringa had no idea how to grow or pick coffee, but there was one thing in their thinking that was wrong, I knew what I was going to do with the coffee and that was to give it away!

        I had been so excited for this day to come ever since Jesus allowed us to purchase this land for his mission. I asked my friend Maritza a single mother if she would help teach me how to pick the coffee, I also explained that she would be able to sell it and keep the proceeds for her and her children. It was so sweet to see how excited they all were. More so their unbelief of why I would just give her all the coffee. She kept saying to me, “it’s too much, just pay me a day’s wage”. (A day’s wage is 20 soles which depending on the exchange rate is roughly $6.00 US dollars.)

EVERYONE GETTING FITTED FOR A BUCKET

        I know it seems foolish to many and it makes absolutely no sense to those looking in from the outside why I felt called to give the harvest away and well if you study economics, you would for sure say we are doomed. In reality, we could have used the money for the construction expenses and to help maintain the list of needs here.  But I cannot help but recall in Deuteronomy 15:9  about the fact we should not count the cost and not to listen to the selfish voice within us.  So, to work alongside my poor humble friend and her 3 children was so priceless and so sweet and it filled my heart in such a wonderful way. It was such a confirmation for me that I am to toil in the fields alongside those whom Jesus leads here, such as Maritza and her children, to ensure that they have enough to eat and to ensure that they truly are granted an opportunity to meet Jesus himself.

        Though often I fail miserably at loving others like Christ, I can at least say on this day I may have not missed the mark too bad, and it felt so, so good. I am even more confident that is why Jesus is building this home, to give all we have away, everything we have, even our lives for the sake of the poor and abused unwed mothers and their children. I know in my heart that this is the only way that this home will grow and succeed in its mission to bring Unwed mothers and their children to the foot of the cross.

I cannot lie, though the day brought about a sweetness to it. There was a bit of bitterness that came along with it.

ALL OF MARTIZA CHILDREN WORK HARD

        It was a bitter day we harvested the coffee because It was cold and raining. But it was the only day we had to pick the coffee, if we waited longer the bright red fruit would fall on the ground and rot. It was bitter in the fact that I never have seen three children so eager to work in the rain and mud. It was bitter to see the young children at work because one could tell that they had spent many other days working in the fields to help their mother but only to make a small daily wage. There was a bit of bitterness due to the effort of having to crawl through the coffee trees and escaping death time and time again as we tried not to fall on the slippery slopes of the field. There were many bitter moments when one of us would fall with a full bucket of coffee due to the wet terrain.  It was also bitter in the fact that as just as much coffee we had in our buckets we also had almost as many spiders ranging in all colors and sizes. Some were fast and others were slow, and well many prayers were said, that they would not crawl up, and out of the buckets onto us, some still managed to find their way up our arms and even into our clothes. The next day Gabriel, Sarah, and I also experienced the bitterness of picking coffee and that was due to the fact that little, tiny insects from the coffee plants bored a home into our skin and took up residence deep within causing us to itch immensely.

        It was bittersweet to know that Maritza and her sweet children were able in one day to make enough to sustain them for a month! Bitter, for the fact that this is the reality here in Peru for unwed mothers. And sweet for the fact that Jesus loves them so much that we are here to help them and to Love on them in this way.

MARITZA IS HUMBLE AND SUCH A GOOD FRIEND, AND SHE TEACHES ME SO MUCH!

        I often reflect on how life as a Christian is challenging and living in the foreign mission field even more so. Many seek a comfortable life and desire to reap the benefits of their hard work. In fact, the way the world nowadays reveals this to us makes one believe that we have a right to obtain material goods and money and that we even have a right to store these things up for a later date. Though we must remember it’s not at all a sin to be rich, nor is it a sin to have possessions. In fact, the Catechism states clearly that man has a right to have private property and goods. However, in the same breath, it reminds us of the fact that “ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others, first of all his family.” CCC 2404

And in scripture, we can learn what Jesus said about this very thing.

        The young ruler was told by Jesus to “Go and sell what you own, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark 10:21 Or how about Jesus’s parable of the rich fool who built bigger barns to store his grain in abundance found in Luke 12:16. We even have the disciples give witness to the fact that they also had everything in common that they shared their possessions among one another. Act 4:32

        I never once thought that going into missions would be easy mentally, physically, or financially. So, what propels me? What has kept me here in a foreign land for almost 6 years? To be honest it’s these exact types of bitter-sweet moments with the poor unwed mothers here which rekindles my hope. This renewed hope is extended by my faith in Jesus, His resurrection, His forgiveness of our sins, and the life to come! Like Saint Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:18-19, “then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are utterly lost.  If it is for just this life that we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable of all men.”

        Perhaps our lives are to reflect the title of this blog, Bitter and sweet! We are all called to live a life for Christ and to not count the cost of doing so which indeed can at times be bitter, but how sweet is it to be able to be confident in the fact that we one day will be awarded a place in the kingdom of heaven!

         I have been reading a book written by Father Sean Davidson about the life of Santa Maria Magdalena. And I have been reflecting on what he wrote, “that the words found in Psalms 73:25 have become the words of Maria Magdalena”,  “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides you.”

        How impactful these words are! To love only Christ, in the same way, that Maria Magdalena did is a goal I pray we all are striving for. To live only for Jesus! That there would never exist a possession, nor any amount of money that would distract us from fully loving Jesus and his beloved poor!  

        It is in my holiest prayers that I pray we all can reflect on these words and what it means to love like Christ.  For us not to count the cost of following Christ nor the act of giving everything we have, even our own lives to the poor. I pray that we all can see beyond this at times very miserable world, full of hatred and unjust situations, and focus our eyes on the kingdom that awaits those who follow Christ in his mission and who help others to do the same.

 

 The miracles that Jesus is performing here are indeed a sight to see. It is through all of you, that Gabriel and I have the opportunity to love these sweet, sweet people! Thank you for your prayers and financial support. 

We still have a long list of needs here and projects that need to be completed before we can fully open. Such as beds, tables, chairs, linens, fencing, driveway, front gates, and three more small one-room homes for our long-term mothers. 

If you feel called to make a donation, please feel free to follow the link. 

SANTA MARIA MAGDALENA'S HOME

To the Santa Maria Magdalena's new webpage to make your donation/send an email/ or to read about the mission of this incredible home. 

We love you all! 

Karen and Gabreil Del Castillo 

Mission post : Santa Clara, Amazonas, Peru - 

Santa Maria Magdalena's Home 

 

WE WERE ALSO BLESSED TO HARVEST COCOA

SNYDER KEEPING HIS BIG BOTHER LAUGHING WITH JOKES

ALONDRA AND SNYDER COLLECTING COCOA

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GIFT COCOA EARLIER IN THE MONTH