The following missionaries have been serving at the mission here in Comayagua during Summer and Fall 2008. Please keep all of them in your prayers!Maynor Ballesteros - My name is Maynor Ballesteros, and I am 26 years old. My parents have been married for 32 years, and I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers. I have lived in community with the Missioners of Christ here in Comayagua for the past 3 years. I am here to grow in virtue so that I can better serve those in need and to grow in holiness through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Diana Blanco - My name is Diana Blanco, and I am 19 years old. I was born here in Honduras, and I have been living with the Missioners for a year now. In December I will leave the Missioners to attend university. I work with the Rosas de Maria, a group of young girls aged 11 to 14, and help with the coordination of Advance Missions. I also work with leadership retreats for youth and pro-life ministries. The reason I am here with the Missioners is to grow in my faith and as a person, with the help of God and my brothers and sisters in the community, and to learn how to be a better servant of God.
Roger Blanco - Hi! My name is Roger Blanco, and I am 21 years old. I am Honduran and from the department of La Paz. I come from a small family, 3 brothers and 2 sisters. I am currently living with the Missioners of Christ, along with my sister Diana, and completing the first year of my secondary education. I have been with the Missioners for 17 months. I am a strong Catholic, thanks be to God. I like to work in the garden and with children and young people, and I am open to doing the will of God. Please pray for me. God bless you!
MJ Brennan - Hello! My name is MJ Brennan, but here in Honduras I also go by Maria. I am 22 years old, and I just graduated from Boston College, though I am originally from Grand Rapids, MI. I heard God calling me to live with the Missioners for, God-willing, two years to dedicate my daily life to serving God completely in community life and to learn how to better love the poor. I have begun working with a number of programs including the Scholarship Program, the Single Mothers' program, Rosas de Maria catechism class (11-14 year old girls), and short-term missions. I am very grateful that God has placed me here for this season in my life.
Emily Byers - Peace of Christ be with you! My name is Emily Byers, I'm 21 years old, and in May I graduated from Louisiana State University. On my first mission trip in 2004, I knew that God was asking me to serve Him as a missionary, but I wasn't sure where (or when) He wanted to send me. Throughout college, I participated in several mission trips to Mexico and continued to discern God's call. By the time I was ready to graduate, our Lord had made it abundantly clear that He was sending me to Honduras! I arrived in August of this year and plan to stay for two years. Right now, I'm working with the Niñas del Rey Montesorri class (for girls aged 7-9), Academic programs, including the library in Casa Guadalupe, Local Evangelization, Communications and Worship (Music Ministry). What a great gift it is to serve God's littlest ones in this way – to see the face of Christ in His poor!
Mark Fein - My name is Mark Fein, and I'm from North Dorr, Michigan. I am 30 years old and have served with the Missioners of Christ in Honduras since January 2008. I hope to continue serving for another year. The ministries I participate in include evangelization missions in mountain villages, teaching Montesorri catechism classes and helping prepare boys at a local orphanage for their First Holy Communion. Sharing the light of Christ and my Catholic faith is very rewarding for me.
Therese Floyd - Hi! My name is Therese Floyd, and I am from Warren, New Jersey. I am 22 years old and recently graduated in Nursing from Seton Hall University. I was involved in a lot of volunteer work throughout high school and college and felt called to unite my love of nursing with my call to be a missionary! I was drawn to the Missioners of Christ because this is a place where I am supported in my faith and given the opportunity to serve the poor spiritually and physically. Some of the programs I am involved in are Hijas del Rey for girls aged 15 to 22 years old, a program for women in crisis situations and a prenatal program with women from the mountains. I also work as a nurse at San Benito Hospital and work with the medical brigades. The Lord has been so faithful to me, and I am striving to respond to His call.
Marylee Grabowski - Hola! My name is Marylee Grabowski and I am from Richmond, VA. The Lord has filled my life with many blessings; especially a loving Catholic family and friends who daily encourage and challenge me toward holiness. After graduating from the University of Virginia with degrees in Spanish and Environmental Sciences, I taught third grade at a mission school in New Mexico for a year. Upon returning to Virginia I began working with the amazing young people of the Church as a youth minister. I have been a part of the Missioners of Christ community for the past seven years and feel truly blessed to have spent this past year in Comayagua loving, serving and learning from the poor. I am so grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to be here and for the support of all my friends and family back home. Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever!
Kathy Hernandez - Hi! I'm Kathy, and I'm 17 years old. I'm from Honduras, from the city of Siguatepeque. I come from a family of 8, and I've gone to Catholic school my entire life. Why am I here with the Missioners? After my conversion, I asked the Lord how He wanted me to serve Him. I wanted to serve Him as a missionary, but wasn't sure how to do so. A friend invited me to visit the Missioners, and before coming to visit them for the first time, I told God: “If you want me to serve at this mission, open the door.” And He opened the door! I have a passion for serving the Lord, and for leaving everything and giving myself to Him totally during this time in my life so that I can truly grow as a person.
Tracy McGee - I am Tracy McGee, and I am 36 years old. I come from Scotland, although I am actually of Irish descent. I have been in the MOC Honduras community for over a year, and what an interesting year it has been. I praise God for the gift of being here and getting to know myself, strengths and weaknesses, and for the privilege of serving Jesus alongside all these wonderful young missionaries, who are trying so hard to grow, to love and to serve. Serving Christ in His poor is challenging, wonderful, heartbreaking, and delightful all at the same time. I thank God every day for calling me here. We are embarking this year on a new form of catechism based on Maria Montesorri's wisdom, and I am really excited at the prospect of “educating our children to peace.” I also currently serve as Communications Coordinator and get involved with all our other projects in whatever way I can. Please pray for all of us here in Comayagua. God bless you.
James Minogue (Santiago) - Hello, everyone! My name is James Minogue, but here in Honduras I'm known as Santiago. I am 19 years old and from the great state of New Jersey. I am an XT Missioner who came in June of 2007 and will be here until next June. I had the desire to serve when I was in high school, and the opportunity came after the completion of my studies. My youth group leader who spent a year here recommended this specific missionary organization. After much prayer I applied to come down as a summer volunteer. God opened the door, and just a week after coming here I felt the desire to stay longer. I prayed about it and realized that it was the will of God. My ministries and responsibilities are Worship Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator for the mid- and extended-term Missioners, and a Montesorri catechism class. I also help with the community finances, but my main "mission" here is to grow closer to Jesus and to learn how to serve as He served. Praise be to God!
Candyce Maximiliana Ochoa (Mili) - My name is Candyce Ochoa, but here in Honduras I go by Maximiliana or Mili. To recall the advice of a dear priest friend of mine: "Look where God has brought you; remember where you were." I have lived in many different places and have done many things, most of which the average 20-year-old has not, and I now live in Honduras as a lay missionary of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Wow! I've been in Central America for a few months now, 6 weeks of which were spent in Guatemala for language school. Now at home in Comayagua, I notice how God has prepared me for this my whole life. My gifts and experience all come together here. A few months ago, I applied to serve with the Missioners since I was too young to enter the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. My greatest and most loved responsibility here is the Sacred Liturgy - cleaning vessels, linens, vestments and chapels – it's beautiful!
Carol Restaine - Peace be with you! My name is Carol Restaine, and I have been truly blessed to be a part of this wonderful mission here in Comayagua. My hope is to continue to serve Christ through the people of Honduras while striving to live out the universal call to holiness. May Christ fill you with His love and joy as we follow in His footsteps!
Cristina Rivera - May the Lord's peace dwell in your heart. Hola! My name is Cristina Rivera. I am 22 years old, and I live in New York City. I graduated from Metropolian College in May 2008 with a degree in Human Services. My degree is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life: to serve people. I worked with the CFRs, serving the poor and the youth in the South Bronx, for 2 years, and then God called me to serve Him here in the beautiful country of Honduras with the Missioners of Christ. What a beautiful experience serving the poor in the mountains, in the neighborhood and in our programs. Some of the ministries I work in are teaching of Theology of the Body to youth, spreading the truth about God and His plan, and working with young girls from the neighborhood in Montesorri catechism - but my main ministry is to grow closer to Jesus and to trust that He loves me and has me in the palm of His hand.
Juan Carlos Rodriguez - I am Juan Carlos Rodriguez, and I am 23 years old. I am from El Salvador and am the oldest son in a family of 4 children; I have 3 sisters. I heard the call of God at age 14 and have been serving Him ever since. Why am I here? The call of God in my life was very strong and powerful, and I serve Him gratefully.
Richard Vaughan - My name is Richard Vaughan, and I am 23 years old and from Austin, Texas. I have been here in Honduras for more than a year now and have been working a lot with missions and evangelization. I am here to serve, evangelize, and love for His greater glory and the body of Christ. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
