Laws of Man are not a Moral Compass

Greetings and blessings to everyone!

  We want you to know that each and everyone of you are in our prayers. It has been very heartwarming to receive so many emails from many of you who are worried about us and our situation with COVID here in Peru. The outpour of such kindness and prayers, we recognize as blessings and a gift from God.  Our situation here in Peru with the COVID virus is ever changing as I am sure is the case in the US. In July the government removed, for the most part, all of the military from our area and we were left with the obligation of maintaining the social distancing order and the nightly curfew which mandated that we were to be in our homes between 10 pm and 4 am each night. Although we had been asked by our Bishop and priest not to return to our formal ministries such as sacramental prep classes, youth group and bible studies we found comfort in the new normal of just being open to the Holy Spirit and knowing that soon our churches could open and formal ministries would be allowed to continue as we felt we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  

    However due to the rise in COVID cases, as of August, the 1^st our region, along with many more regions, have now been placed back on a strict quarantine and they have moved our curfew up a few hours making it now mandatory to be in our homes each night at 8 pm until September. With the nightly curfew comes a mandatory stay at home order each Sunday, making the possibility of the Church doors opening here in Peru impossible any time soon, along with halting once again travel between any other regions of the country. Not to mention there is absolutely no concrete idea of when international travel will be allowed to resume which has made it hard for the Peruvian economy as many of the poor here rely on tourism for their family’s income. The government has said that, they are hopeful by the end of 2020 or the 1^st quarter of 2021 being an option of when international flights may return.

    It is surreal to think about what toll and effect this pandemic has taken on so many people’s lives and of the effects caused by the heavy handed governments which have had to take action out of fear rather than faith. I must note that I do not stand on either side of the debate. With one side fussing loudly about the need to wear masks and the other side screaming of the unjust of government overreach by shutting down their lives and meddling in their personal movements and affairs, it seems that picking one of their sides would not solve much when dealing with this pandemic.  It is important to know that with the eyes of the world we cannot combat the virus or its effects on this world; but to see with prudent eyes would be to see it through the eyes of the Lord and perhaps that is the best way to combat this pandemic.

    Knowing are actions must be a mirror image of the Lords merciful nature, and the need to obey the greatest commandment “You shall love...God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength....You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31) it gives a narrow gate to enter but we can be confident that our actions will be aligned with those that Jesus spoke about.

  I cannot help but think of the words of Saint Benedict: “that a person love not his own will nor take pleasure in satisfying his desires, but model his actions on the saying of the Lord, ‘I have come not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”(John 6:38)

 

  With that said I must share with you of my personal struggle during this quarantine, but 1^st I  desire to enlighten you of the familiar story of the two sisters Mary and Martha, which often replays in my head during my personal prayer time. As I recall the many times lately “I” have become a hindrance in Christ’s Mission set before me. I am very much a “Martha”, a planner, go getter, and a worrier, instead of mirroring the wisdom of Mary and her peaceful silence and contemplative nature like I know I should. After all, Jesus told Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things. Mary has chosen the best part and she will not be deprived of it.”(Luke 10:41-42)

     Do not get me wrong Martha’s concerned nature and the life she lived of service is not frowned upon by Jesus; after all the Church celebrates ST. Martha and her life of service every July 29^th. However, Jesus addressed the fact that we cannot always live a life of service at all times. We must also have time for prayer and Holy Silence to set before the Lord. To desire to seek His face and the ability to possess a life of contemplation is also a very important role as a Christian and for our own sanctity. 

Although the Martha in me has definitely been challenged everyday during this time of uncertainty,  I have also been very blessed to see the new fruits that have come from living day to day, guided by the Holy Spirit and of contemplating on the face of Jesus in Holy Silence, rather than a “to-do” list.  As I have been reminded of the fact that to follow Christ also means that we should make His cares, wishes, concerns, and loves our own cares, wishes, concerns, and loves, rather than those of our own will. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). But to do this “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”--Blessed Mother Teresa and it is “In silence and quiet the devout soul advances in virtue and learns the hidden truths of Scripture.”--Imitation of Christ

 In keeping this commandment, we obviously cannot live in this world, there is no mistaking that the only way to do so is to realign our hearts to that of our Lords. I know as a Christian I cannot without prudence solely live of what the Government demands of us, and live strictly on adherence to their rules, because their laws are not a moral compass, nor can I live on the liberal view point, with the mentality that I can live as if only my rights matter and are more important than my neighbors. Instead I must be focused more on the universal call to holiness and what that means personally for me and for those souls that I may help bring closer to Christ.

  In this season it seems that Jesus desires to highlight the Martha in me, as I have often forgotten to be more like Mary.  As I often heavily weigh my worth and how God sees my worthiness by the works of my hand.  The fact that I am always engulfed in the works of my hands rather than just sitting attentively to Jesus with my gaze fixed to his face has indeed been stressed during this pandemic, leaving no doubt that this season for me was meant to be a season  of change and a season of renewal. 

 With that said I have realized that within our vocation and ministry that we must welcome the opportunity to sit in Holy Silence with our Lord. It is a constant balance that we must maintain not to become too much like Martha and not enough like Mary. Since being called to live as a foreign missionary I have often worried if I am doing enough, If I was sacrificing enough for those I serve. So you can see that when the pandemic hit I felt our ministries were hindered significantly and I begged the Holy Spirit to prepare a way for us to show us how best to serve in this time while still obeying the rules of the government. Thanks be to God, through prayer and discernment the Holy Spirit made it clear to us where we could draw the line between following the rules imposed by the Peruvian government that hindered us from being able to keep the greatest commandment to love God and our neighbor.

  So, with that we have been able to make a respectable and holy decision to not actively visit the elderly in their homes. Forgoing our normal home visits that consisted of prayer and friendly conversation, instead we felt it to be more prudent to visit from a distance, so we have been walking to their homes to check on them and leaving food for them. We have also made the super hard decision to not visit the communities up in the mountains. As we felt that they are so many hours away from this crazy mess, secluded in their own world without intrusion from the outside world, we did not want to bring them harm and enter their secluded communities and bring the virus. Instead we communicate with them via telephone and have been able to check on them and pray together in that way.

  Thankfully, we have, yet again, learned new ways to serve as the Holy Spirit has led us to unusual opportunities this past month.  Thank goodness since the government has reactivated the quarantine measures, we have yet seen the military here in our town. We pray that in this round they will not return to restrict our movements any further than what they are. Because at the moment we are able to move around during the day and to buy our provisions as needed for ourselves and for those we have been helping by supplementing them with food.

  Also, without the militaries presence the children can play a lot longer together outside than the allotted 1 hour per day limit. and thank goodness the police next door has not said anything to them overstaying their play time.  And since our formal ministries have not yet been approved to resume it has provided the opportunity for all three of us to spend more time with the children here.

  I must tell you how Gabriel came up with a new way to serve his friends. He designed a water jug holder, complete with cup holders and had a local young man weld it into existence. It was really awakening to us the 1^st day that Gabriel wheeled out the new water jug holder for the afternoon fun and games in the plaza. It is something so simple that we often forget the riches we have while being able to afford to buy clean drinking water. A 5-gallon jug here is roughly 2 US dollars. Clean water here is a luxury and the children feel so honored to be invited for a drink of clean water and to have their own cup to drink from.  Since water is such a sacred symbol in the bible, and I cannot help but pray that Gabriel’s water ministry will be able to bring others closer to Christ in the way he intended.

  Julianna has been taken this time to fix broken statues, a bit of a different kind of ministry you can say. It all started with her fixing a broken crucifix that had been thrown to the side of the church and ever since she has been asked to repair others from people here in our town.

  We also have used some of the of extra time that we have on our hands to bake cookies and homemade chicken pot pies to deliver to our older neighbors in the community.

    Each Thursday night we still have Holy adoration and on Sunday we have a celebration of the word, despite the church doors having to remain closed.  We remain obedient to this time and as a family fervently pray that others may hear us as we proclaim the word of our Lord and rejoice in song.

     I can not help but cringe when the church bells rings, as we know it is not to announce Mass is about to start. Instead the only reason they ring is to announce that another person has died. It has become way to common of a sound. Just this week we had another death, not directly because the person had the illness but because of depression due to losing his job because of the governments shut down to stop the spread of the virus. Mr. Luis leaves behind his wife and 7 year old son. This is a ministry that is very hard for my children and I, we ask that you please keep us in your prayers and all those who have passed since March.

I know it is very possible that as my family has, that the recent times have been riddled with many uncertainties for you and your family as well. We pray that you may be blessed to seek and to encounter the face of Christ, and that within your search you will encounter the most holiest of places where you may sit in the midst of His silence,  far away from the noise. You may find to carve out the time in your day, may be difficult at 1^st but rest assure, that once you open your heart and silence the noise, your appetite for such prayer will increase over time; because during these intimate times in prayer your heart will be inflamed with such love and holy wisdom that you will be drawn more and more to these intimate and holy encounters with Christ. There you will find your moral compass! 

We love each one of you!

Karen, Julianna and Gabriel Del Castillo

We would be honored to receive your prayer request. At anytime you may send them to us through our email address listed below.

We would be extremely blessed if you would pray for us to remain obedient and humble to the will of our Lord.  

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

Poverty and the lack of courage to face a challenge

 Poverty and the lack of courage to face a challenge.

  Fighting the poverty with the Gospel. 

Facebook is inundated with everyone posting their child's back to school picture sporting new back to school clothes and shoes.  What a wonderful why a child can start the new school year, knowing their parents love and adore them so much to brag about them on social media.

 Lex does not receive such honors. Lex is one of the boys that friended us over 7 months ago, on the 1st week we were here. He loves to play with Gabriel and he looks up to Julianna as a big sister. We seldom see Lex with shoes on. He is always walking around barefoot, besides when he goes to school. Here the students are under a strict dress code. They are to wear a school uniform which includes a tie and dress shoes. Boys hair must be cut short and neat.  Girls must have their hair pinned up.  If the students can not keep up with the strict dress code they will just stay home rather then receive a merit or deduction of points from their grades.

Its true I have wrote about Lex before. I have blogged about how he helped paint the church and of his hard work. I also have blogged about how smart he is,  but he has a hard time writing and reading.  He enjoys coming over to our house and having us help him with his school work.  I guess you can say we feel apart of this young mans life. So when we notice he was out of school for two days we were concerned. When we asked why he was not in school with much shame he told us its was because he had a hole in his school shoes and that he could not afford to have points deducted from his grade.  I asked him if he needed us to help get him shoes but he humbly replied no, that his dad was going to buy him new ones. Almost a week went by and he still did not have new shoes. The second time we ask if he would like us to help get him shoes his reply was with much relief in his eyes with a YES!

He was super excited to try on his shoes and pose for a picture.

He than asked me, " how we are were able to spend money on shoes for him.”  I told him that their were many people in the United States that loves him as much as we do and that they sent money for us to buy shoes for him. He is the 1st person to have asked this question after we have helped them with their material needs. You could see something very different in his eyes, as if he meant something to someone and that he really felt like there was someone that cared and loved him.

From my heart to yours, Thank you to all our mission partners for your  donations and Corporal Acts of Mercy.

“When you see the naked, clothe them” (Is 58:7). 

In the letter of St. James we read: “What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 

If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to

 “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well, “but you do not give them the necessities of the body what good is it?

 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-16)

                                                             
            "I needed clothes and you clothed me" Matthew 25

Remember Magaly? I ask each one of you to continue praying for her and her family. We are so desperately wanting to take her to the doctor to find out why she passes out and why the right side of her body does not function properly. We have ran into a set back of sorts. We have been told we can not take her to the doctor because she does not have a DNI (which is a Peruvian Identification card.) We went last week with her and her children to take her birth certificate to Picota (a town close to us just about a 20 min moto taxi ride away) in hopes we would be able to help her get her ID card. With no luck we were turned down because the birth certificate she has is not an official copy. 

We are currently trying to figure out how to request an original copy of her birth certificate without having to make the 8 hour trip to the pueblo where she was born.  I have been advised when I offered to go to her hometown that I might not be able to find her Pueblo with ease. It is strongly suggested that only a person who knows the pueblo should go. We are praying we can reach a relative that lives close that would be willing to help us obtain her original birth certificate and somehow bring it to us or willing to meet me half way with it. Although we cannot yet begin the road to finding treatment for  Magaly’s sickness we visit her and her children each week and bring them food to help them through the week. We were giving this opportunity from God to be able to show them Christ's amazing love for them and how Christ can be enough for them. Even in sadness, sickness and poverty He is enough for them. 

 “ I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread  that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. “ John 6:51-58. 

I cannot lie it hurts to know that we could not help Magaly with her sickness, but I am confident that it’s not the physical illness that God wishes for us to heal at the moment. It’s the spiritual darkness and Gospel poverty that this little family lives in,  day in and day out that we are to heal first. So we will continue to visit with them each week to read scripture and pray the rosary. We will soon see the dark turn into light. I have faith in Christ that all things are possible!

Gabriel and Magaly’s three boys (whom have never traveled out of our pueblo of Shimbillo; something we take for granted) enjoy playing a game 

of tag while waiting for the government offices to open. 

We were super blessed that the children  in our three pueblos that we work in were invited to attend a day retreat with Father Francisco and Father Rafael. The retreat focused on the Holy Eucharist. They were able to attend Mass which Father Rafael called a learning Mass. He explained every step and every prayer to the children while celebrating Mass. The children played games and were able to win prizes.  The prizes were humble gifts that were donated from Spain that consisted of clothes, balls, and religious posters and candy. 

We had over 80 children attend the retreat. Please keep them all in your prayers as many of them will be receiving sacraments next month. 

Please enjoy the pictures

7am in the morning and we are waiting for all the children to arrive. 

They sing and dance for an hour as we wait for Father Francisco to pick us up.

Well not much say other than Father’s 

Monkey was my traveling companion.

Its now 10am and the children are still singing and dancing.

 These great youth leaders I could not live without. 

 Nothing weird about it. 

Playing games while the monkey keeps score. 

Yes, he’s pretty but he pooped on me. 

 Please keep these kids in your prayers as they are preparing to receive sacraments this year. 

"If you can’t feed hundred people then just feed one” 

Mother Teresa

Thank you so much for your generosity and your prayers.

Bringing light into the darkness and empowering the poor to have courage against the poverty which bind them; would not be possible without your support and financial sacrifices.

Karen,  Julianna and Gabriel Del Castillo 

 FMC Missionares / Serving in Shimbillo Peru 

Contact us with your prayer intentions, follow our blog, or make a donation at the following links.

Email:  karendelcastillo@familymissionscompany.com

Web Site: delcastillo.familymissionscompany.com