Uniforms for Lent

Remember Lex?

                                                     
My family and I were so blessed to become friends with him during our 1^st year in missions.  Last year we were able to bless him by purchasing school shoes for him after we noticed he was not attending school for a week. Like many children here in our pueblos we serve, if children do not have the proper uniform or school supplies they will choose not to go to school until the family gathers enough money to make the purchase or more often than the previous they just drop out of school to work in the corn and rice fields. 

It still baffles me that a school in the middle of the Jungle so far away from everywhere requires children to wear a uniform. The students live in homes made of dirt walls and dirt floors at best and many live in a tarp home that consist of a tin roof and walls made of plastic all constructed above a dirt floor. But never the less a uniform must become a priority within the families household if they wish for their children to receive an education. I must report that for many it’s merely is impossible. 

So this year we have felt a great need to help out the children whom we live and serve among.

With the beginning of Lent close upon us; a season of reconciliation, sacrifice, almsgiving, fasting and prayer we would like to ask each of you to prayerfully consider sponsoring a child. 

You see as we begin the Lenten season this year the children here in the Jungle will also begin a new year of school.

We feel called to help 10 children whom we know needs help in our pueblo. Each would receive a school uniform, shoes, a backpack and basic school supplies. We have spoken to a local shop owner who is willing to discount the items since we are missionaries and buying in bulk. The cost to sponsor a is $100.00.

If you feel called to sponsor a child to receive a uniform/shoes/back pack and supplies you may do so at home page   https://www.familymissionscompany.com/project/karen-del-castillo/  please place in the comment section UNIFORMS FOR LENT . If you would like to send a check you can do so by sending it to 12624 Everglade RD Abbeville, LA 70510  please put in the memo UNIFORMS FOR LENT.

If you can not sponsor an entire uniform and supplies and would like to just send what you can that would still be a blessing to these children.

As a full time FMC missionary, as the Church teaches,  we live lives of generosity to the poor, showing a preferential option for the poor. We as missionaries can not do this alone we trust that God will provide all of our needs and live off the generosity of others such as you.

If you have not yet had the chance to become a monthly mission partner with us. And would like to partner with us.  You can do so with as little as $15 dollars a month. Your monthly donations allows us to live and serve here in the jungle among the poor.

"Some give by going. Some go by giving. 

Without both there are no missions." -Saint Mother Teresa

We love each of you so much !

Karen, Julianna and Gabriel

 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

"We want God" They Cried!

1st Sunday of Advent 

Christmas is only a short 22 days away!

This Sunday's Homily given by St. Mary Magdalen's Father Michael Richard left a profound impression on my heart.

Father Richard spoke of when Saint Pope John Paul II addressed a crowd in Warsaw Poland’s Victory Square,  that grew to  a crowd of over a million people, in June 1979

Saint John Paul II,  referred to the people of Poland, he suggested, that they had been chosen for a great role, to understand, humbly but surely, that they were the repository of a special "witness of His cross and His resurrection." He asked then if the people of Poland accepted the obligations of such a role in history.

When they heard those words.Someone shouted, “We want God,” Soon the chant was taken up by the million voices: For over 14 Minutes the crowd chanted.  

“We want God. We want God. We want God.”

We want God. But how is that desire satisfied? How do we have God?

I tend to forget to recognize God within my own life.  It's so easy to become an unclean person and become more like a polluted rag. To allow my self to become a withered leaf and to allow the wind to blow me away from Gods loving grace.  But how wonderful is our Father,  He stands firm in his love for us. When we fall to our knees and beg to see His face he will never forsake us. 

This 1st Sunday of Advent readings sings out loudly the cries of my heart. 

“Lord, Make us turn to you; let us see your face and we will be saved.” (Psalm 80)

I cry out often; “ O Lord you are our Father; we are the clay and you are the potter: we are all the work of your hands.”  (Isaiah 64:8) 

Please continue to mold me into your likeness.

The people of Poland suffered greatly for a great number of years, yet Pope John Paul II referred to them as Gods chosen people, calling for them to bear witness of “His Cross and His Resurrection”.  We all have our own cross and suffering that we must pick up and carry so that we can follow Christ. We must always remember we are not alone. We should remember that Christ Himself is with us and when we call upon our Lord that He will make Himself known to us. And yes it is very possible that if we beg to see His face He will allow us to look into His loving eyes and to rest our heads on His chest.

St. Augustine said it well, more than 1,500 years ago: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

We want God

This Advent season(the next 22 days) lets us not forget that

We were all created By God

To Know Him To Love Him To Serve Him 

& to Make him Known.

https://www.familymissionscompany.com/project/karen-del-castillo/

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOU WERE FALLING IN LOVE?

CAN YOU RECALL YOUR 1ST TRUE LOVE?

WHEN YOU FELL IN LOVE- WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Your love has ravished my heart. And has taken me over. 

And all I want is to be With You forever.

Pull me a little closer. Take me a little deeper. 

I want to know Your heart

Because Your love is so much sweeter. 

Than anything I’ve tasted

I want to know Your heart!

How great your love is for me.

Lord I have seen you face, I have looked into your eyes Lord.

I have rested my head upon your chest. 

Lord I Praise you, for allowing me to love you. 

All Glory to God for sending his only Son, to come down from heaven to save me a sinner form eternal death. 

How could I not fall in love with Jesus Christ? 

Day in a Life of becoming a Missionary- falling in love, all over again, each day with the one who forgives me each time I cry out his Holy name. Humbling myself enough to allow him to pour down upon me his merciful love from the heavens. 

Knowing He loves me because I am good enough for Him and Knowing he is good enough for me! This is true love!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Father Buddy for sharing your love for Christ with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for allowing Christ to work through you while hearing Confessions this week. Words cannot describe the wonderful feeling a Mom has when she can witness her children coming out of confession renewed and made new. Julianna is glowing as always. And Gabriel I am so pleased to say that I have not seen him with so much Joy since his Baptism. 

Thank you again Father for hearing Gabriel’s 1st confession.

Gospel Today Matthew 22:34-40

“You Shall Love the Lord, Your God,

With all your Heart,

With all your Soul,

and with all your Mind."

PLEASE PRAY FOR US!