Each of us has a heart for a different need in the world, its beautiful how God has created each of us with different gifts and desires. Our ministries and projects here are varied because we are varied. And what is beautiful, although sometimes challenging, is that we have the freedom to discern what God is calling us to, what is prudent, and what it is that we personally have to offer. Frederick Buechner described it beautifully when he said, "The place that God calls us is that place where the world's deep hunger and our deep desire meet."
In this update we wanted to share with you a new ministry we've begun due to the open heart of one of our missioners. Always at the heart of all we do is love, especially for those most in need: the poor, the broken, the abused, the sick and...the imprisoned. Tracy had been feeling a very strong call to serve vulnerable men, almost to the point of looking for another mission or ministry, she had been thinking about homeless ministry, but God had another plan for her. Erika, a friend of the Missioners (and sister of Etelvina) expressed interest in visiting the prison here in Comayagua, but she hadn't yet found the path by which to do so. When Tracy heard about the opportunity she knew it was God speaking to her desire. She (along with a group) has been going faithfully once a week to visit and pray with the men there. This is her reflection on her experiences so far:
“Don’t judge another squaw until you’ve walked a mile in her moccasins”...... they’re not quite squaws and it’s more flip flops than moccasins but anyway….the guys inside the depressing edifice that is Comayagua’s local prison are doing time for an interesting variety of crimes: murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping….to name but a few. I try not to dwell too much on the reasons for their incarceration, or to judge, remembering the often pitiful circumstances and poor example in these lives, not to mention the powerful enemy we are all battling. I try to focus more on the truth that each of them is a soul created by a loving Father, for love, and for an eternity spent in a peaceful place very far removed from where they are right now.
Their souls, like ours, are thirsting for God, and in an environment where drugs and prostitutes are readily available, the prison guards busy themselves lounging around chatting (when not openly watching pornographic films) and rosary beads joyfully handed out by naïve missionaries become currency for indulging vices……the thirst is that much more intense. I thank God for the many good men I have encountered in the prison who are striving in the midst of such darkness to lead others to conversion and holiness through daily scripture study, prayer and good example.
I am blessed to be a witness to our wonderful Lord, who paid the price for all our sins, in such a crazy place, and implore your intercession for this new ministry we are undertaking. Please pray that God might use us as His instruments to help set the captives free from the sin, fear, doubt, despair and false masculinity that poisons the hearts of His poor children and keeps them from His tender care.
St Dismis, Patron Saint of Prisoners, pray for us.
-Tracy McGee, Scotland
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