Purify us, Lord!

Purify us, Lord!   Mission update!

Purify us, Lord!

          Lord Jesus, I believe in you: that you came to teach us, suffer for us and show us the way home to heaven. I trust in your utter goodness and mercy and am confident that you are leading me always. I love you and wish to make you known to many others, so they can be filled with the peace and joy that only you can give. Here I am now, ready and longing to encounter you.

          The past two weeks it seems as my children and I have been walking in a very dry desert. Yes it is true that Peru’s climate is hot. But that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about a spiritual dryness.  A spiritual dryness among the people here whom we live among.  As we are settling into a routine of sorts here in our pueblo of Shimbillo we are struggling to understand how it is that these wonderful people have been forgotten. And how the desperate need of the presence of the Catholic Church is needed here. This past Sunday the second reading pierced  my heart. 1 Corinthians 1:22-25  “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

                       Propelled by the love of the Gospel

      I have caught myself in these last few weeks being much as the Jews ands the Greeks .

      As I am always seeking signs as the Jews asked for. And seeking wisdom and understanding at all times as the Greeks did.

      You see my families Sunday routine consist of walking to three different celebrations in  the nearby towns.  Rain or shine we walked up to 20 minutes one way to the pueblos  All because Christ’s love compels us to make him known among his wonderful people here. However this last weekend after a soaking walk we arrive drenched despite wearing rain jackets to find that there was absolutely no one gathered to celebrate the word of God. This perhaps was an occasion that was so baffling to me. We waited 45 minutes for the people of the pueblo to come to the celebration. Finally we at least had the town animador which is in charge of leading the celebration and one other faithful lady. Instead of being grateful for the wonderful celebration we had together, I found myself with a confused and cluttered heart of a Jew asking why God has not helped these people. Asking for God to perform a miracle among them so perhaps they would know of his mighty works and want to hear the word of the Lord. Much as the greeks I found myself begging for answers to all of my questions and begging Christ to give me the knowledge and wisdom to help these people, which in my eyes on that day seemed to be far from God. However I  fell to my knees begging God to have mercy on me for my heart seems to have turned to stone. After all in the book of Matthew chapter 18 it says “For where two or three are gathered in my name, their am I among them.” Perhaps it is that I have over looked the works of our God and the knowledge he has provided. Fast forward to our 7pm celebration that same night,  although we had dried out from our morning celebrations, I was caught off guard again  and was acting upon my human nature when I was told that our very own towns animador failed to tell me that she was not going to be able to lead the celebration in our home pueblo. I immediately panicked and almost failed to seize the opportunity that God had presented to us. After a quick prayer I realized that God had created a beautiful opportunity to our community. That evening it is true we did not have the animador that has been assigned to lead the celebrations but we had many young faithful followers of Christ that were present that evening. Many of them whom have been gathering  with us each Friday evening to learn how to pray the rosary.

  Rosary prayer team

         These young adults and youth have become our friends and we have become confident of each other as we gather each week.  After I consulted with God in prayer he gave me the confidence and the courage to part out the responsibility of the celebration among the young adults and the youth that were present and we were able to have a beautiful celebration that evening with the help of the youth whom just needed a bit of encouragement to help.  To watch them take responsibility of the celebration was a glorious sight. Perhaps for many it was their 1st time they had made such a leap of faith. And I would have to say a very big possibility that it was most of their 1st times serving God in such a way. 

         During our training  at Family missions company we heard often that what ever we expected or thought our mission would look like it will not even come close to it. I can diffidently say this is true.  What I thought our mission would look like here in 

Gabriel leading a decade of the rosary

Peru is very different in the fact that I am constantly reminded that I cannot rely on my wisdom and human nature. I must rely on something much greater.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”  You see its my human nature that gets in the way and always has. If perhaps I could recall the words St Paul wrote to the Corinthians warning them of the stumbling blocks they have. (mine is my human nature and my unbelief that I of all people could be helpful to Gods people in Peru.)

        

God chose to use the most foolish thing imaginable in the first century, the Cross, to save those who are perishing. God has always used the unexpected person to achieve his goals so that it is clear He has done it, not human wisdom or skills (David as the youngest son, defeats Goliath, etc.)  What God did through Jesus is to turn the world “upside down,” an idea Paul returns to throughout his letter.

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 The second reading spoke so profoundly to me making me realize that each and every day we must beg for the Lord to purify us. To beg for the courage to not rely on our human nature but only in the power of God to guide us. Much like David in the battle of Goliath or Noah building the Arc or Mary accepting the message from God through the angel Gabriel. All which required an intimate relationship with God, Trust and faith. During our time hear and during this important lenten season we must purify ourselves , trust in God enough to say yes even without signs or wisdom but because we know God has already given us many signs and imaginable things so that we might be wise enough to follow him to the ends of the earth.  To trust in him enough to accept the fact that perhaps it is our foolish belief and love of Christ that impels us to walk through the rain to gather with the few faithful followers to hear Gods word spoken. To accept the fact that  he is using us in a very humbling way so that it could change the hearts of those who see our undying love. Could God have sent us here to turn the world upside down for the sake of his kingdom. To have the courage discipline and strength to be foolish enough to walk 20 mins one way in the rain to help save his people?

Even though I find it tough at times to be strong enough on other occasions Im amazed at his mighty work he performs each day. One that is very hard to believe that where we serve the church has not ever had an Ash Wednesday Mass. But that this year that they were able to receive ashes because Father Francisco allowed my family to gather palms leafs, burn them bless them and distribute them among those whom came to the church. Although we were unable to celebrate Mass God allowed us to at least have a chance to recall and acknowledge that we are sinners and to repent and believe in the gospel. It was a humble way to start this years Lenten season.

Burning Palms for Ash Wednesday

Beautiful new church that will be inaugurated soon in one of our pueblos called Nuevo Codo

Gabriel serving with Father Fransico in Picota during Saturday evening Mass.

 A short cut from Nuevo Codo Celebration to Chinca Alta. (it's not to short but its much better than walking through the rice fields with the mosquitos )

The youths short cut to the next town. Through the rice fields it was fun once but not the preferred path. I can now say I have walked on the banks of rice fields. 

Julianna enjoying Father Fransico's Bird. He is a very demanding little thing. And much more enjoyable than Pipo Father Paco’s Monkey 

Our wonderful Neighbors, Trecero and Juanita.  We share fruit with them and than they send fruit to us. It's a never ending cycle of giving between us. But they always seem to give way more to us than we do to them.  

Please know that each and everyone of you are in our daily prayers. 

Please send us your prayer request. We ask that you continue to pray for us, we cannot continue our work here without your constance prayers. 

Please feel free to share our families newsletter among your friends and family. To all of you whom have made financial sacrifices to help support our mission here in Peru thank you. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed. 

May we find joy in Jesus forever!

Karen, Julianna, Gabriel 

Del Castillo

Email Address

Karendelcastillo@familymissionscompany

We made it !

 An update on from the Del Castillo’s on Mission

We made it to Shimbillo Peru on Friday January 26th. Our travel here was without delay however a bit long but we felt that God was protecting us the entire way. He even made the long lines of customs at the Lima airport not an issue for us because he allowed us to pass through the line of people without a wait or with inspection. Not sure how that even happen since we were in the back of a line of about 80 people whom where in front of us waiting to go through customs. 

With a short layover in Lima to catch our next flight to Tarapoto Peru we were able to stretch our legs from the 8 hour overnight flight from Dallas. The flight to Tarapoto was on time and quite. Gabriel and Julianna were more than ready to get off the plane once we arrived in Tarapoto they were a bit restless from traveling since 6pm the day before (which is when we left from New Orleans to catch our connecting Flight in Dallas to Lima. 

As we walked down the stairs from the giant plane that flew us to South America onto the tarmac we were greeted with a sweet smell of the Peruvian air.  With the salve (jungle) in the back ground you could see the native trees blowing in the wind and the mountains of Peru surrounding us. The airport was super small and very simple.  Outside the baggage claim area stood our entire missionary team that has already been on the ground in Peru serving and living simply among the poor. All of the families and teams live in different towns along the great Huallaga river. It was great to feel welcomed by our brothers and sister in Christ as we began our journey following Christ into Jungles (Salve) Peru to serve and to live among the poor.

We arrived to our new home in Shimbillo Peru around 4 pm the same afternoon. To say the least we were very exhausted from the travel which included a 1 hour ride from Tarapoto to Shimbillo in the back of a truck along one of the only paved highways in Peru running along side the  Huallaga river. We were so grateful to see that our new home had three twin size beds and a humble dinner table. It was so welcoming to us that it did not matter that we did not have dinner or a stove to even cook it on. 

Saturday we woke up and began to make since of our new home. Unpacking the items we had brought. God was good to us that morning because we woke up without much of an appetite, I am sure it was due to the heat. However around lunch time we were greeted by our single girls team that lives in a near by town called Puccucca and with them they had a fresh baked loaf of homemade bread. It was such a great sight to see because by lunch time we were very hungry. 

Above are pictures of our home. Our home might not seem like much to the standards of the United States but for here it is very upscale and new. 95% of the homes here our made out of mud and have dirt or concert floors. We live in the back portion using one room as a storage/closet, and another small room is were we sleep and than there is the kitchen, The front portion which you see in the picture is were we have children's ministries and bible studies. We pray in the future we can find two long tables and wooden benches that we can afford so the children do not have to sit on the floor. We also have two more bedrooms upfront one will be a guest bedroom for mothers in need and the other will be a chapel. 

Sunday we were able to attend our little church here in our Pueblo of Shimbillo all though the community cannot celebrate mass since there is only two priest for all of the Picota District we humbly read the readings and sang songs. Later that night we took a motor car to Picota (which is a pretty large town about 25 minutes away from us.) and my family was presented to the community after mass.  As well as we met the very humble Priest from Spain, Padre Francisco that we will be working with in Shimbillo. Padre Francisco is so pleasant and loving towards us. I must affirm that if one takes enough time to pray and humbles themselves at the foot of the cross prayers do get answered. The children and I prayed fervently for months and months that it did not matter what country God sent us to serve in, but that he send us to a loving Priest that was indeed undoubtedly in love with Christ as much as we are. We are thankful for answered prayers,

After just 2 1/2 days in our home town of Shimbillo on Monday 29th we were headed 4 hours away to Moyobamba for the week where we had a retreat focused on getting to know the other missionaries. We stayed at the beautiful Centro Pastoral (the Catholic retreat Center for the Diocese) and we were presented personally to the Bishop of Moyobamba which whom we serve under. 

We were super excited to get back to Shimbillo after being gone for the week and more so to began to get to know the people whom we live among. This last Monday, February 5th began our 1st full week here in Shimbillo. We spend an hour in the morning in prayer after breakfast as a family. Than we set out on foot to visit with those we live among. Visiting with the sick and the elderly.  We return back for lunch and home schooling for Julianna and Gabriel until 3:30 and than we are out the door again for children's Ministry

Which happens by the soccer and volleyball fields each afternoon. Its funny how God had this already planned out. God was just waiting for the YES from us. 

The children here are starving for attention. During the day there seems not to be many adults around town. I believe it is because they are in the fields working. Here it is very common to see a 10 year old girl taking care of their little baby siblings all by themselves.  Or for us, the new Americans in town to have a house full of children in our home coloring and visiting for hours at a time without a bit of concern for the safety of their children. I guess one could say it's a bit more relaxed here. 

We are so very grateful to be able to be here in Peru and to have the opportunity to become friends with each one of these children. 

Above is a Picture Max and Ashley, They are cousin and, well they came with our new home. 

These two cuties crawled up under the back door the 1st day we were here,  curious to whom we are and asking for water. And they continue to visit us each and everyday. For children to drink clean water here is not very common. River water is what most people here in our area drink, cook with, wash clothes with and bath in. In the letter I sent to you the day before we left for Peru I spoke about the woman at the well . It seems the bible story is still being Lived out today

Its comforting to know that God takes our brokenness and take our simple YESES and uses it to transform the lives of others. Like Max and Ashley and the other children, they just came to the well for water and perhaps they have an opportunity to be greeted and loved by Jesus himself as the woman at the well did . 

To all of our prayer partners and financial mission partners thank you. Your prayers and sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. Its great to know that we may share our families clean water with the little ones that come to play and pray in our home. But to know Jesus entrusted us to be his hands , feet and voice so that these little ones may receive the living water he has to offer  really has humble us beyond comprehension .  

This coming month all three of us will take a 30 hour bus ride to Lima through the mountains. Please pray for safe travels for us, free from mudslides. We feel paying a $40 US dollar ticket one way is better use of our financial partners money than to travel by air for $100.00 one way even though it would be just a 1 1/2 hour flight.  We must travel to Lima for our appointment with Interpol for dental exams and finger printing. The process will take about a week to complete. This we pray is the only time we must travel so far away to Lima to complete the Religious Visa Process. Once we finish this step everything else should be able to complete an hour away from our home town Shimbillo in Tarapoto.

Its hard to explain the great need of love here. 20 years ago this area was under the rule of a bloody war which killed many, many people killing a whole generation of people and starved the people from having a chance to know Christ. In fact if we were here 20 years ago my family and I would have been killed by now. Thank God for his mighty work that has been taking place here in the region for the last 10 years . This region of Peru has had the presence of Missionary Priest from Spain whom have work very hard to rebuild the Catholic Church here for the last 10 years. But there is so much work to be done. We beg of you to please remember us and our community in your prayers. 

Gabriel waiting for the popcorn to be served. We felt blessed one night to be able to treat ourselves to popcorn. It was a wonderful treat that we had. 

Please know that each one of you are in our daily prayers.

We love each on of you!

Karen, Julianna , Gabriel Del Castillo 

Three Kings abandoning their comforts

Three kings abandoning their comforts 

January 7, 2018 

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

What a Glorious way for us to end the Christmas season! With the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Could you really imagine your friends or better yet yourselves following a star to find baby Jesus laying in a manger? To most that sounds absurd at the least. To give up everything as you know it, to go on a journey that you did not know what lay before you or what even the outcome may be. Or to take with you a priceless treasure to give to a baby whom was wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

See its not just about three Kings going to visit a newborn baby. They gave us such an example to follow. Even though they were Kings and even had great treasures among them they had a burning desire to seek and find the living God. 

My Friends today at Mass I prayed that all whom I know may be filled with the desire to seek  the living God as the Three Kings did.  

They Saw The Star: " Those who are sincere of heart find God in their life. In the case of the Magi, their sincerity is shown by what they are willing to sacrifice to attain their goal. The journey required abandoning the comforts of their homeland, the needs of their family members, and the pursuit of wealth. The intention was pure, not muddled with self-centered wants, for it was nothing less than the desire to encounter God’s living presence. Their openness of heart permitted God to speak through many things in their world—from astrology to Herod, from the star to the child in the crib. What will it take for me to find God today? I must put aside all but him and let his hand lead me to that definitive encounter with his divine presence."

Then They Opened Their Treasures: "In order to give love, I must have been impacted by love. How can I hold to the demands that others place upon me? How can I keep true to my vocation and mission when little affirmation and support come my way? Every morning I need to seek out the God who gives unconditionally so that his giving may impact me. Be it at Mass, in prayer, or in the workings of divine providence, every day a necessary epiphany awaits me. It empowers me to open my coffer and bring forth the gift of self. If I do not experience this love, my life remains closed—no interior strength is found to give myself totally. John tells us: “In this is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Brothers, if God so loved us, we too ought to love each other…. We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:8, 20)."- EPriest.com Daily Reflection

Lets Pray...

Lord God, you came into this world as a helpless baby, born of a virgin Mother and your Father was a carpenter. Lord I pray that you continue to mold me and to reshape me into your likeness. To be as humble as you are Lord. To be as faithful and brave as the three Kings were to Journey to unknown lands only to seek your face Lord.   Your Love oh God compels me to continue to give all of myself to you and to not hold anything back. May any treasures that you have allowed me to obtain be used for your glory God. I beg of you God to continue to place a star in the sky as you did for the wise men so that they could come into your presence to lay prostrate on the ground humbling themselves before you.  

Lord I ask all of this in your Holy name for myself and for all those whom pray this prayer- Amen 

Lord every nation on earth will adore you!

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"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.

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I do not know God's plans for my family, but I do know its going to be GOOD! 

The Del Castillo Family will serve in Peru for our 

1st year's mission assignment!

It has taken me a long time to surrender to God's will, but once I let go of my human desires I have been able to see Our Lord’s amazing plan for my family and I. For the past two years He has guided us along a path so amazing that I would have never imagined it for myself. 

This last week here in General Cepeda Mexico, has been so incredible. We've been living here among the poor and having a chance to encounter Christ in each of them. I have been given a great confidence, God is running through my very veins. Feeling His presence among us each day gives my family and I the strength to do the impossible. Up to now, I often challenged our Lord. I ask why He chose my family to a life of foreign missions. He has gently called us deeper each and every day to be obedient by becoming his faithful servants. I know now that all the sufferings of my life were meant for the Glory of his Kingdom and I realize there is no need to question the plans of our Lord.

We are so excited to announce we will be going to Peru as our 1st mission assignment. You see, with the little bit I have learned about the country of Peru, it seems as though God knew exactly why He created me and my family. The suffering we have endured cannot be looked at as a short coming or in a negative way. It is human nature to look at our own sufferings and struggles as something that is bad but Pope Benedict says, "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."

I have found out that the small town of Shimbillo, Peru we are assigned to has a very high rate of single mothers struggling to raise their children. I have spoken with a few missionaries that have served around the small town of Shimbillo and have found that the area is greatly plagued with a high rate of sexual abuse against children and young women. Prostitution has been a source of income for women in the area in the past. I have come to understand the importance of answering God's call with a YES! Answering His call for us to leave everything behind and solely rely on our intimate relationships with our Lord Jesus Christ to direct us, to provide for us, and to humble us. As my family and I continue to pass away from ourselves, we are reborn as vessels of His love for those He is sending us to. 

I can relate so closely to these women. These women that feel unworthly, unloved, and unwanted. It is very hard to comprehend that He chose my family and I to lead others to know His undying love for them but in this place it makes sense.

In the book, A Call to Mercy, Mother Teresa spoke of “the physical situation of my poor left in the streets unwanted, unloved, unclaimed. This feeling of being rejected, abandoned, let down, or  not belonging anywhere, or not having a reference point or a safe haven while passing through life’s struggles was a real suffering that she wanted to remedy along with providing physical shelter.”  It's hard to believe that God has chosen us to help the women of Shimbillo find where they belong, which is in the arms of our savior. 

There is so many unknown practical questions that run through my family's minds about Peru like...  Where will we find a house? What's the food like? What's the weather like? What is the priest like?  Who will we be serving? Who will hear the call and become our financial mission partners? How long is the flight?  Even though the list seems never-ending and  we cannot answer any thing on this list of questions, we can confidently say IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD! Simply because its God's will!

There are so many unknown practical questions that run through my family's minds about Peru like...  Where will we find a house? What's the food like? What's the weather like? What is the priest like?  Who will we be serving? Who will hear the call and become our financial mission partners? How long is the flight?  Even though the list seems never-ending and we cannot answer any of these questions, we can confidently say IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD! Simply because its God's will!

Saint John Paul II wrote in his Encyclical Letter Mission of the Redeemer

“Living the Mystery of Christ, "the One who was sent"

88. An essential characteristic of missionary spirituality is intimate communion with Christ. We cannot understand or carry out the mission unless we refer it to Christ as the one who was sent to evangelize. St. Paul describes Christ's attitude: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:5-8).

The mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption is thus described as a total self-emptying which leads Christ to experience fully the human condition and to accept totally the Father's plan. This is an emptying of self which is permeated by love and expresses love. The mission follows this same path and leads to the foot of the cross.

The missionary is required to "renounce himself and everything that up to this point he considered as his own, and to make himself everything to everyone."¹⁷² This he does by a poverty which sets him free for the Gospel, overcoming attachment to the people and things about him, so that he may become a brother to those to whom he is sent and thus bring them Christ the Savior. This is the goal of missionary spirituality: "To the weak I became weak...; I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel..." (1 Cor 9:22-23).

It is precisely because he is "sent" that the missionary experiences the consoling presence of Christ, who is with him at every moment of life - "Do not be afraid...for I am with you" (Acts 18:9-10) - and who awaits him in the heart of every person.

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The Del Castillo Family's Mission