Autumn Craziness in Honduras

While the leaves have been falling in the United States, we have been experiencing a rapid passing of time with a very busy schedule. Time flies when people are leaving for missions, only to come back for a split second before taking off for another adventure in the mountains. Within the past month, we have successfully sent a team to Nicaragua for a Pan de Vida retreat with the CFRs, lead a retreat for the Becas Program, and went on a well deserved community retreat. When all of this is accounted for, it is shocking how we even found time to do all of this!

The Pan de Vida retreat was a real success and even though I was not there, it was nice to hear all of the stories about the lives that were changed through the personal encounter with Christ that all of the participants experienced. Many of the missioners that were there just a few months before for the first Pan de Vida were astounded by the amount of spiritual growth that the community has encountered; it was remarkable to hear how people that just a few months earlier were radically following the Lord and walking side by side with their brothers and sisters in Christ to build a stronger community.

The retreat for the Becas program was a chance for all of us to grow closer to the children that are in the sponsorship program. It was fascinating to see the stark difference between the "city" children and the "mountain" children that we encountered when we met up with the young men and women that live with Father Max, the priest that runs a mission program in Florida. Our students were clothed in the latest fashions, with all of the best clothing that they could find. On the journey to Florida, all of the girls were painting their faces, admiring the fake beauty behind their compacts, whereas those from the mountains were plain and simple, untouched by the mainstream; it was a lesson for both students as they interacted, and interesting to see the differences.

The students heard talks about responsibility, with the theme of the retreat purposely aimed at drawing a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord. The students were encouraged to leave all of their past faults and failings behind to follow with more vigor and truth the path that God has chosen for every one of them. Through small groups and activities that conveyed the message of the Gospels, each student brought home something that they did not have at the beginning, a deeper love for our Lord's sacrifice.

After the Becas Retreat, we went on a community retreat to get in touch ourselves and refuel our spirits getting to know each other a little better. We spent a few days relaxing in the hills right outside of Tegulciculpa in Valle de Angeles. The retreat center is half for those seeking a silent retreat, and the other half is for youth groups and groups like ours where silence is nearly impossible. It was nice to finally get some time away from the mission house where regardless if we are in a meeting, there is a knock at the door or an emergency. In this way, all of us were able to escape at the same time and enjoy some time without having to cook, or help someone in a crisis.

We left Valle de Angeles relaxed, and continued our relaxation at Suyapa, right behind the Basilica where there is a retreat center. There were had 2 speakers, one of which was Father Max (different from the one aforementioned) who had helped with one of the mission teams earlier in September to the Mosquitia. The other speaker was one of the missionaries at the retreat center who was incredibly encouraging and had very inspiring words to share for everyone in order to help us continue doing the work that we have been called to do.

This month has been a very hectic and crazy month filled with many surprises, but the mission is still going strong and continuing through the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit. We have all learned more about each other, and have been able to reach many new people through the different retreats as well as all of the traveling that we have been doing. It is through God's constant intercession and love that we are made whole, and are able to continue with eager anticipation for His coming.

Feliz Adviento!!!!

Nely, Roger, and Hannah outside Casa Guadalupe before the Pan De Vida Retreat

Brother Mateo with the Missionaries of Charity in the kitchen of the Convent before the Transitus Celebration

Community building in the Mountains of Comayagua...... and a water fight!!!!!!

The past few months have definitely been a marathon of work and changes, but things remain relatively the same in Honduras. With Honduras winning a spot to compete in the World Cup next summer in South Africa, it would be an understatement to say that this has been a momentous occasion of excitement, exhilaration, and elation. Honduras has been nobly trudging through a very dark and difficult time within its history, and such a win was not only a miracle, but a very inspiring and enlightening way to take the focus off of what political or personal agendas people might have, equalizing and unifying a shattered community.

This unity has ironically been transposed onto the community, which recently received four new additions from the United States. Over the past 2 months, we have all experienced a Pan De Vida retreat, the Transitus of Saint Francis, and most importantly community building.

This recent Pan De Vida took place at Casa Guadalupe during a very ominous and gray week in Honduras. Mel Zelaya had returned to the country earlier that week, and everyone was put under strict curfews due to the unstable political conditions. Whether or not the Pan de Vida retreat would even take place was a very touchy situation since the country had been under a "toque de queda," or a nationwide curfew.

Despite all of the chaos, God valiantly triumphed and the retreat occurred without a problem. A little over 100 adolescent boys and girls filed into Casa Guadalupe with anticipation and a certain level of anxiety not knowing what really would occur during the weekend. For many, this was their first encounter with Eucharistic Adoration and Eucharistic Healing. Even though the world might have seemed fractured and there might not be that much hope, our Lord shined through filling our sorrows with His grace and love. Seeing so many conversions and changed young children of God was truly inspiring.

Regardless of what the world might say while reflecting on the situations within Honduras, one aspect of society shines brighter than them all...... HOPE. Honduras may have entered a very difficult time within its history, but the people remain faithful, and with an armament of faith are willing to weather the battle forbearingly.

CALLING ALL SAINTS - HONDURAS NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!!

Dear Friends,

We are writing to give you a brief update on the status of things here in Honduras. It has been a challenge and a gift to be invited to be with the people of this beautiful country in a very critical time. The need for the Church to be united in prayer in the world that we currently live in is immense. In times of crisis we come to realize that God continues to ask us to be an active part of the Church-militant; standing in the gap and learning how to be intercessors for the poor, those in turmoil, those needing conversion and the desperate of heart.

Honduras is in crisis. Over the past several days (and years) we have seen a drama unfold that puts the country today at a critical crossroads. The president, Mel Zelaya, who was elected in 2006 has been gradually and deliberately aligning himself and this country with other Socialist nations. In the past year he joined a list of several other nations to include Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent, Granada, Antigua, Barbados, and Ecuador in the Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América (ALBA) whose goals put the country on a course in the direction of a socialist dictatorship and a disregard for defending democratic rule and practices. He preports to be a voice for the poor and marginalized but has spoken for them and the country without comprehensive consensus and support.

With this brief background the events of the past week have taken place. Mel decided to try to push through a referendum vote that would allow for his term as president to be extended. This is directly against the constitution of the Republic and only the Congress can pass a referendum that allows for the possibility of the constitution being changed. He decided in the process to ignore the legal channels and to continue without the support of the Congress and the Supreme Court. Because the military refused to defy the Congress's order and the written constitution and help him distribute the materials for the scheduled vote this past Sunday, he fired the head of the military. It was determined that his actions in firing him were illegal and the Supreme Court issued an order that he be reinstated. Mel refused to reinstate him and went as far as to enter the military base with many of his followers where they had confiscated the voting boxes distributed for the vote to redistribute them. This again took place after the Congress had determined that the vote was illegal.

The Congress and Supreme Court entered an emergency session on Saturday to determine their needed response in the protection of the country and in protection of democracy and the Constitution. They determined that the president's choices were clearly illegal and that it was necessary to remove him from office and have him transported to Costa Rica where they could prevent as much chaos as possible from taking place on the Sunday when the vote was supposedly going to take place. And then the world drama began.

An emergency meeting of the countries represented in the ALBA agreement was immediately organized in Nicaragua. Mel was flown there by Hugo Chavez from Costa Rica. The organization of American States and well as the United Nations also scheduled emergency meetings to take place over the next few days and to decide the position other nations would take on what had taken place in Honduras.

There has been an overwhelming response on the part of the international community in defending a former president who clearly committed illegal acts to move the country of Honduras back in the direction of socialism. There has not been balance in the international communities reporting in addressing directly the clear violations that lead up to the arrest of Zeleya and his transport to Costa Rica. What has proceeded is confusion and uncertainty.

The newly appointed president (not a military officer) but the next in line for the presidency, Michiletti, has been doing what he can to calm the situation and make decisions based on protecting the country as democratic and peaceful. Of note is that Michiletti is from the same political party as Zelaya and a a party they have decided that the goals of Mel's presidency are clearly not there own and have withdrawn their support of him. Mel's return to Honduras on Saturday after the warning given by the international community of restoring him to power in 72 hours puts the people of Honduras (with a clear majority not supporting the return to the presidency of Mel), the Congress and the Supreme Court in a very difficult position.

What can we do? WE NEED TO FAST, PRAY AND MAKE SACRIFICES THAT GOD MIGHT HEAR THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE AND MOVE WITH COMPASSION ON THEIR BEHALF! We have been doing almost continual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a round-the-clock schedule knowing that Jesus Christ is our peace and can make a way out of no way. The power of the prayers of His faithful in the past has stopped wars, averted disasters, and can calm this storm. We are begging our friends and family members to join us in praying for a demonstration of God's power and a preservation of peace and right in this country. We are part of the same body and really need your help.

We have attached to this blog a novena to Our Lady Help of Christians and are going to start praying it here today. Please join us in praying with the specific intention that peace would reign in this country and that Jesus would be recognized as the One that the people are crying out for and need.

We will try and send you updates on the situation in the country every few days via this blog. Thank you for your willingness to be a part of seeing the body of Christ in Honduras preserved from all evil and free to continue to choose Christ.

May the Lord continue to give you His peace.

Carol Restaine & the Missioners of Christ

NOVENA IN HONOUR OF MARY
HELP OF CHRISTIANS

DAY 1

Faith and the acceptance of the Word of God: Luke 1: 26-38

O Mary, powerful help of those Christians

who approach the throne of your mercy with trust!

Listen to the prayers of your children

who invoke your help to avoid sin and the occasions of sin.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 2

Sincere humility: Luke 1: 48

O Mary most holy, kind and merciful mother,

with your visible help you freed the Christian people

from the ferocious assaults of the Muslims.

Free our souls from the attacks of the devil,

the world, and the flesh,

so that we may always overcome the enemies of our salvation.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 3

Active charity: Luke 1: 36-39

Most powerful Queen of heaven,

you triumphed over heresies

which sought to tear your children away from the Church.

Come to our assistance so that we may remain steadfast in our faith

and may guard the purity of our hearts

in the midst of the many dangers that beset us.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 4

Filial love for God: Luke 2: 21, 22, 40

Mary, our most amiable Mother,

you are the Queen of martyrs

because of the heroic courage and strength you exercised on earth.

Obtain for us the strength we need to be constant in your service

and always to show ourselves your devoted children in life and in death.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 5

Gratitude for our gifts: Luke 1: 46-49

Loving Mother Mary,

you showed your powerful protection in the triumph of Pope Pius VII.

Spread your mantle over the Church;

and protect our Shepherd, the Holy Father,

from the attacks of the enemy,

free him from all attacks,

and assist him always as he steers the bark of St. Peter to safety.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 6

Gratitude shown in the offering at the temple: Luke 2: 22-24

Mary, Queen of the Apostles,

take under your protection all the ministers

and the faithful of the Catholic Church.

Fill them with a burning zeal for the salvation of souls,

and give special assistance to missionaries

so that they may succeed to attract all souls to faith in Jesus Christ

and thus form one flock under the guidance of one Shepherd.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 7

Poverty accepted with dignity and with trust in the Lord: Luke 1: 48; 2: 24

Loving and merciful Mother,

you saved Christians from countless misfortunes.

Free us from the plague of infidelity

which seeks to alienate us from the Church and religious observances

by means of corrupt publications

and schools and irreligious sects.

Grant perseverance to the good,

give strength to the weak,

and move sinners to repentance,

so that truth and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ may triumph in the world.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 8

Prayer in the apostolic community: Acts 1:12-14

Mary, Pillar of the Church and Help of Christians,

we beg to keep us firmly rooted in our faith

and to protect in us our freedom as children of God.

We promise not to stain our souls with sin

and to obey our Holy Father and the Bishops

in communion with him.

We want to live and die in the bosom of the Church

and to attain eternal salvation.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 9

Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother: John 19: 25-27

Most loving Mother Mary,

you have always been the Help of Christians.

Help us with your powerful protection in life

and especially at the hour of our death,

so that, after having loved and venerated you on earth,

we may come to proclaim your mercy in heaven.

Hail Mary, Glory Be

Almighty and merciful Lord, in a marvelous manner you deigned to make the most holy Virgin Mary a powerful helper in defense of Christians. Grant that, having fought the good fight under her protection during our life, we may be victorious over our infernal enemy at the hour of our death. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Week Missions

May the peace of the Risen Lord be upon you all!

To conclude the Lenten Season, we had three missions during Holy Week. Two teams went into the mountains to do missions, and one team stayed and did local missions within the neighborhood.

The following is a reflection was written by Diana, one of our Honduras long-term missioners who has lived in the community for a year and half. She with a number of other missioners lead a team into the mountains of La Florida.



"During Holy Week we did a holy mission in a parish named Holy Family in La Florida, La Paz with a priest named Father Maximilian. We went to a number of villages that are a bit away from the city. During the week we participated with the people in different celebrations. We visited homes to encourage the people and to speak to them about the Love of God. Sometimes they feel distant and excluded, and for them to know and to hear the Word of God gives them strength. Visiting these villages helped us to realize how extensive the Catholic Church is and that we need to work more. The people mantain their faith mainly by family tradition, and to help them to grow deeper in their faith was our mission. These people have mass every 6 months or once a year because the parish is large and Fr. Max has much work and is unable to make many visits to each village. Fr. Max has 40 youth that are currently in school while living and working with him in his parish. We work with this particular priest a lot."

We also had another team that went to the mountains of Tutule (pronounced too-too-leh). Here are some photos from their team.

Emily leading the children in praise songs.

Via Crucis.
(The Way of the Cross)

Mode of transportation: a coffee truck!

Team Tutule!
On the steps of the local parish.

I, myself, had the opportunity to participate in the local mission. One big blessing during this time was that we had two family visits taking place - Mark's sister and cousin came to visit, as well as Therese's dad and two brothers, who had come to surprise her. As it turned out, God had a bigger surprise, particularly for Therese - she had appendicitis! She had to have a appendectomy, but is now recovering and healing. Please keep in her your prayers as she continues to heal from the surgery.

Therese with her dad.

On Tuesday MJ and I lead a day of reflection with the help of local youth and Therese's brothers for all the residents at the Missionaries of Charity home. Among the residents are elderly men, women and mothers with aids, and children with aids or who have been orphaned as a result of aids. We started off the day praising our Lord with song, and then spent time with each group, singing, giving them a short teaching, and doing projects with the children. We concluded with Holy Hour and confessions. It was a beautiful day and an awesome reminder of what a precious gift TIME can be when given to others.

Me with Kenny, one of the children who lives at the MOC's.

Therese's brothers David and Greg with the boys.

The team at the end of the day with the children.

On Wednesday, we did the stations of the cross with the children of our barrio. It was wonderful to lead them in such a powerful way of prayer. We started off with a group of about 20, and people joined us as we continued along. We ended in front of our local parish and left solemnly anticipating the Lord's rising.

I hope that all of you had a blessed Lenten season.
CHRIST IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!!

Through Mary's heart,
Cecilia

Spring 2009 - Our Newest Additions!

The following biographies are of our newest missionaries that arrived this past January. Please continue to keep them in your prayers!

My name is Nereida Carolina Ballesteros Villamil. I was born in Siguatepeque, Comayagua. I am 28 years old, and am the third of six siblings. My brother Maynor also belongs to the Misioners of Christ. I am a public accountant, and worked for a family as an accountant for 10 years. I like to read and learn a little about everything. I belong to the parish of San Pablo in Siguatepeque and to the youth group “Missioners of Christ and Mary”. My best friend – Jesus. I love to talk to him.

My name is Rudy Benitez. I come from a family of 8 children, 3 boys and 5 girls. My new Christian life began when I was 18 years old through a priest named Father Maximiliano. He invited me to the youth group and at the same time to a mission with the Missioners of Christ. Through him I came to know the Missioners, and in seeing the testimony of the Christian life, I wanted to be a missionary. I spoke with Carolina and she gave me strength to continue to see if it was God’s as will – and it is, because now I find myself living in the community of the Missioners and I am here giving all that I can to find the call of God.

My name is Cecilia, but am often called Cece or Ceci. I hail from the San Francisco Bay Area of California, and am Filipina by blood and in heart. I am the only girl in a family of 5 children, and have the 4 coolest brothers a girl could ever have. I am 21 years old and just graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and minors in Philosophy & Religion, and Business Administration this past December. I take after my namesake and patron - St. Cecilia, music is one of my greatest passions and my favorite way to speak with our Lord. I am very excited to serve God among His poor, and am humbled that He would call me to serve Him this way. May the good God bless you and may Mary keep you, always!

My name is Edwin. I am 20 years old and am from Agua Blanca, Minas de Oro in Comayagua. I’m from a humble Catholic family. My hope has always been to serve and to surrender my youth to God. God has now given me this opportunity to be a missionary, so I’m going to work hard for God as a Missioner of Christ.

Nails in the Door

Most Sundays, a small group of us goes to the 9:00 “Children’s Mass” at the parish down the street: Santíssima Trinidad (Most Holy Trinity). All of the neighborhood kids come, and the church is always packed, which means that the Mass often turns into unmitigated chaos. Imagine – dozens of kids of all ages, many unaccompanied by their parents, some accompanied by their pets, older siblings dragging younger ones by the hand, babies crying, little boys picking their noses and punching each other in the arm, little girls playing with each other’s hair and chattering incessantly… It drives some of the missionaries crazy, but I love it! True, it’s not exactly an environment conducive to contemplation, but Fr. Erminio always gives spectacular homilies, and something about that Mass (chaotic as it is) always leaves me feeling like I’m exactly where God wants me to be at that moment. I usually see the little girls from my discipleship class, and they remind me of how God has charged me with the responsibility of being a good example for them. Yesterday, 8-year-old María Concepción came to sit with me, and when she wasn’t holding my hand or playing with the buttons on my jean jacket, she was imitating everything I did. Everything – even the way I had my hands folded!

Providentially, yesterday morning Fr. Erminio preached about the effectiveness of a good example, especially in regard to the conversion of our families. As he has many times before, he emphasized the great need in our society for parents who teach their children by example to love the things of God and not the things of the world. If parents want to be able to provide a better life for their families, he counseled, they must begin by being faithful to prayer and the Sacraments. Of course, he added, a good example only goes so far. Sometimes even the most devout parents find themselves unable to keep their children on the right path – and yet there is never cause to lose hope. To illustrate this point, he related the following story:

“Once, a father came to me who was very distressed by the behavior of his only son. He and his wife had done their best to teach him by their example to love the things of God and not the things of the world, but during his teenage years he rebelled against them by declaring himself an atheist and refusing to attend Mass. He joined the neighborhood gang, began abusing alcohol and drugs, and became frighteningly violent. Some nights when he came home drunk, the boy would hit his mother, and if his father so much as raised a finger in protest, the son threatened him with his machete. Because the father knew it was within his son’s power to kill him, he always backed down, and for this he felt ashamed. He had lived in this sort of fear for years before coming to me for help. Not knowing any way out of this seemingly impossible situation, I encouraged him to continue to pray that somehow his son would be converted, and promised to pray with him.

“The man went home, and while he prayed that evening, he was inspired with an idea. The next day, he began to hammer nails into a wooden door in their home, one nail for each of his son’s misdeeds. Each time his son boasted of some terrible thing he’d done, each time he beat his mother, each time he threatened to kill his father, his father hammered another nail into the door. Soon, there wasn’t space left for even one more nail.

“One morning, as the boy was walking to the kitchen for breakfast, he noticed the door covered in nails and stopped in front of it. ‘What are all the nails for?’ he asked his father.

“‘For each of your misdeeds,’ his father answered, with great sorrow in his voice. ‘And this isn’t all of them – I only began doing this some time ago, and soon I saw that the door wasn’t big enough.’

“His son stared at the door for a while, and looked at his father as if he were still in need of an explanation. ‘I used nails,’ his father said, ‘because each terrible thing you did felt like a nail driven into my heart.’

“The boy began to weep, and asked quietly if he could remove the nails from the door. There were so many, and he was ashamed. ‘You can begin to remove the nails,’ his father said gently, ‘if you begin doing good deeds in reparation for all of the hurt you’ve caused – not only to me and your mother, but to God.’

“His son promised to begin doing good, and after several months, he was able to remove the last nail from the door. ‘Well done, my son!’ exclaimed his father, embracing him. ‘Now, we must celebrate!’

“Much to the man’s surprise, his son began to cry – deep, heavy sobs, the way he had cried as a small child. ‘Father,’ he said through tears, ‘the nails may be gone, but their marks are still in the door.’

“‘Don’t let that trouble you,’ his father said. ‘We will fill the holes made by the nails, not with putty or clay, but with the love we have for one another.’”

Prayer to St. Joseph for Families

Gracious St. Joseph, protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you. Amen.

Meet Our Missionaries

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.

"Come, my brothers, let us begin!"

My first month as a missionary in Honduras has been full of "firsts." I think I've seen or done something new every single day that I've been here! Last Friday was no different. For the first time, I got the chance to experience a truly unique Franciscan tradition: the Transitus of St. Francis, a solemn celebration of his life and his transitus (passage) from this life to the next.

The evening began, of course, with dinner at the friary. Practically the whole neighborhood had turned out for this special event, and much to my surprise, I recognized so many faces that it took me a while to greet everyone that I knew. What a beautiful part of Catholic culture - that our celebrations almost always include a communal meal! As a Eucharistic people, we recognize that sharing a meal is a powerful expression of our love for one another, that when we gather to "break bread," we remember how Christ has made us one Body in Him.

After dinner we walked along a candle-lit path through the cloisters of the friary, following Fr. Juan Antonio, who was carrying a crucifix, and we sang:

Bendiga alma mía al Señor, y bendice su santo nombre.
Bendiga alma mía al Señor; Él me rescata de la muerte.

(Bless the Lord, O my soul, and bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, for He rescues me from death.)

The procession ended in the chapel, and once everyone took their seats, quite a few people were left standing near the doors. At the front of the chapel, surrounded by dozens of candles, lay a crude wooden coffin, and inside it, the "body of St. Francis" (a stuffed habit, laid out as if for a funeral, with lit candles at its feet). After singing a song of praise, we listened as one by one, the friars recounted in dramatic fashion stories about the life and death of their father, Francis. What a gift it was to see how the children present laughed and listened attentively to so many of the stories, wide-eyed in amazement. Who knew that St. Francis was once a child like them, one who threw wild parties for his friends and had dreams of growing up to be a famous soldier?

The narratives, of course, took on a more somber tone when the time came to speak of Francis' stigmata, of the way he wore himself out in service of the poor, and finally of his passage into eternal life. Dr. Carlos, a friend of our community who works at San Benito (the friars' hospital), commemorated the saint's death by singing the hymn that Francis himself sang as he was dying. While by this time some of the children in the chapel were struggling to stay awake, most of the crowd seemed completely taken in by the drama of the moment - we were listening to the last prayer of a dying man as though we were truly present at his bedside, and in those few minutes, we were able to glimpse not Francis the saint but Francis the man: a man of profound humility, who went before his Creator in prayer knowing that even up until the moment of his death, he was only a weak soul in need of a Savior.

The narrative having been thus concluded, the friars knelt around Francis' coffin and chanted a beautiful hymn to our Lady, "Ultima in Mortis Hora," asking her to pray for us in our last hour and to obtain for us a holy death. When they were finished, we left the chapel in prayerful silence, remembering St. Francis' final exhortation to his followers:

"Come, my brothers, let us begin, for up until now we have done little or nothing."

St. Francis, pray for us - pray that we might learn to be poor and humble servants, to love our brothers and sisters in community as you loved your own, and to live with the Cross of our Lord always before our eyes. Amen.

Everything I am...

Throughout college, praising God through music was a powerful form of prayer for me. Here in Honduras, I am able to “sing a new song to the Lord,” in a new language! Before leaving, I thought it would be difficult to give up my favorite praise and worship songs in English, but as usual, I was focusing more on what I would lose than on what I would gain. The words to one of these new songs have been especially significant for me, as a new missionary in our community: “Todo lo que soy, todo lo que tengo, todo lo que quiero, todo lo que sueño, a ti Señor Jesús, te entrego.” (Everything I am, everything I have, everything I want, everything I dream, to you Lord Jesus, I surrender).

Some days during the past 3 weeks I have prayed these words joyfully, thanking God for the opportunity to really wake up each day and spend myself completely for Him. Some days I pray them with exasperation, feeling poor and useless. But the words of this song keep causing me to realize that our God longs to be our Provider; in fact, His heart burns for it! But He allows us the freedom to allow Him in, and we can only do that when we don’t leave our options open: Christ is our only option! And He is everything.

This was made clear to me during last week’s mission to the mountain town of Guajiquiro and its surrounding villages. The night before we left, we were blessed with an extended night of prayer and praise before the Blessed Sacrament, asking God to pour forth His Holy Spirit upon us again as He did at Pentecost. And send us forth He did, to the unknown, like the branches from His vine. All we had to bring to the villagers was Christ, literally—in His sacraments (Fr. Juan Diego, cfr was with my team).

Each night in the village we had a holy hour with the villagers. On the last night I was sitting in the back row of the chapel, sharing my candle and song sheet with Luis Alfredo, a 7-year-old who had been joining us all week. As we sat and shared Christ’s light, my fellow missioner Juan Carlos began the song… “Todo lo que soy, todo lo que tengo…” I looked up at Christ, humbly gazing at us from the altar, thanking Him for what He had done that week with our willingness to serve Him through our simplicity, poverty, and faith that He was at work. Lord, let us be living monstrances, displaying your love to everyone we encounter. When all we have is You, we have more than enough.

Stuck in Folsom Prison...

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

Mountains and Teeth

The Friars host 6 Medical Brigaides a year in their hospital San Benito. A medical team of doctors, dentists, nurses, surgeons etc is brought in for a week to provide surgeries and medical care to the poorest of the poor. Each brigade brings new faces, new cases, and new challenges. We as Missioners support the Brigades by preparing food for the patients and their families, helping prepare patients for surgery, translating, and visiting with the patients after their surgeries. Two brigades ago we were finally able to realize a hope we've had for quite a while to bring dental care to the mountains. There are several priests with whom we work that had been asking for dentists for quite some time. God definately provided because an American dentist with years of experience working in the mountains of Central America had been consistently arriving with the brigaides to work out of San Benito's clinic but had at the same time been expressing interest in returning to work in the mountains. With the help of a portable dental unit he is able to go anywhere there is electricity, light, and water to work, he can work then even, as he says, "on somebody's front porch." So he and three of us Missioners (to help assist and do intake, translate) set off for a trial day. We drove the three hours into the mountains of San Luis, set up all the equipment and attended to 10-12 children, basically just doing extraction dentristy. It was my first experience assisting and I learned very quickly it takes patience, a sense of humor, and a strong stomach...sucking blood and spit and being handed extracted teeth is not for the faint of heart. It went very well and Father Balthazar was really excited to finally be able to offer the service to his people.
So...this last brigaide we set out again for three days working in two different villages of Father's this time. We worked again in San Luis but then traveled for the day to the even more remote village of San Rafael. Its really incredible the need in the mountains. A combination of poor education, lack of supplies and lack of dentists makes for some pretty unhealthy mouths. It was difficult to see at times the results years of lack of care can produce. We worked on a young girl who was only 12 years old, already her four front teeth were false and we removed three more permanent teeth, if we had had time we could have removed more. Many many people even at a young age wear dentures. We took 7 teeth out of one woman, finishing off her upper teeth. The majority of the people we saw had seen a dentist maybe once or twice before, some never. It is really convicting as always to experience the lives of the poor first hand, to see what becomes normalcy when living without. In many ways their lives are more simple and more beautiful but we cannot lapse into idealizing the situation. There lives are also very hard and burdened; there is a great amount of suffering and struggle that exists that we have no concept of. We must be honest and real about our responsibility to love them and serve them. Our hope is to continue to return to these aldeas and to not only treat the emergencies but work on prevention and education, to improve their quality of life and quality of care. Hopefully they will experience the love of Christ in us in this humble opportunity to care for them, as always we returned more changed and affected by our encounter with the poor than they ever will be by us. We hope to return in June to the mountains, this time making two different trips and hopefully bringing along a Hygienist for more cleaning and prevention work...as always keep us and the poor in your prayers.