Reflections from Uncle Bob
A reflection from Bob O’Dwyer, MHI Board President. Bob visited Liberia Mission this summer with other board members, friends and family.Many years ago when I was 12 years old I became an uncle when my nephew Jim was born. It was pretty cool becoming an uncle at such an early age. I don’t recall anyone else my age being an uncle (and being so cool). A year later my niece Meg was born and I was asked to be her God father (coolness times 2). I have been Blessed to be uncle many more times. Besides how cool they made me each one is a special gift, each bringing joy, love and responsibility.
This summer I visited Liberia Mission for the first time. I have been to the missions in Honduras many times so I knew what to expect. At least I thought I knew what it would be like. .......
Every morning and evening the children and staff gather for prayer. Their prayer is not just saying the Our Father and some Hail Marys. Each prayer session is full of singing, drumming, praising, sharing, with some instruction thrown in here and there by the adult staff. It is amazing to see those with so little praising and thanking God for everything they have. And how many times a day do I get mad over something like the last piece of cake being gone after dinner.
I was working with Sue and John Dewan setting up a computer lab over at the school. The school is on our property and only about ½ block from the mission house. A number of times a day a would walk back to the mission house. Almost every time one of the boys, James would greet the same way. As I write this I can hear him speaking, very slowly pausing for effect with his hand outstretched to me: Uncle Bob, Thank you!
.... READ THE REST OF THIS REFLECTION HERE!
Warmly Welcomed, Seminarian Sends Thanks to Mission Children
Dear boys and girls of Liberia Mission,I hope you had a good start to the new school year and I hope everyone had a fun-filled summer. Since not all of you were at the mission when I left, I wanted to once again thank you for all that you did for me and my vocational discernment. Your generosity, hospitality, and love never ceased to amaze me. From the moment I arrived at the mission, I felt completely welcomed and at home.
I also appreciated your willingness to let me lead evening prayer on many occasions, which was a great help in my preparation for the priesthood. I came to Africa not knowing if I had what it takes to become a priest, but through serving you and experiencing your zeal and eagerness for the faith, I now, for the first time, feel like I can accept God's call in my life toward the priesthood.
I am back in the seminary and my studies are difficult, but I am motivated everyday by the desire to use these studies to help people. I hope that you have a great school year, and I hope you continue to focus on working hard. You have been extremely blessed to be at the mission, so make sure that you take advantage of the gift God has given you. I will continue to keep you in my daily prayers as I hope you will keep me in yours. I ask that you continue to express the love, generosity, and hospitality you showed me and that you continue to have zeal and eagerness for the faith. Being back in the United States, I have once again realized how much we lack these qualities and how much we can learn from your example.
God Bless,
Cameron Faller
Reflections from Deacon Eddie Martin, LMI Volunteer
Every so often in life we have opportunities to experience God in a very real and lasting way. Those are the times when we trust in Him and step out in faith, out of our comfort zone and into an unknown of anxiety. Nonetheless, we follow the call we hear. Called to walk in His sandals, we offer ourselves in His service.Liberia Mission was just such a place for me. Like all such opportunities, our mission team received far more than we gave. When our brief visit there was over, we were forever changed. We had walked with God. We laughed, worked, loved and were loved by Christ Himself. He was there... deep in the eyes of every face, every smile, every hug, song, and prayer. Now He is more fully seated deep in our souls and we are better equipped to bring Him to others.
Thank you, Mission Honduras International, for your hard work and sacrifices which saved this mission and keeps it going. Thank you for the films that touch our hearts so completely, we can't help but join in. Thank you, God, for welcoming us so completely once we arrived and for giving our lives purpose.
The young men and women we met were such inspirational gifts! The tragedies they have lived through will never leave them; yet, they leave the past in the past, embrace the moment, and look forward to the future with an unshakable faith and trust that God has saved them for something special. They are already quite special; consider Mama Helena, the house mother to the girls living at the mission. She is pure love. You want to know what love is... go meet her. This 'family' cherishes their faith with all their heart; they have no doubt there is a God, and heaven, because they've already seen hell.
The only thing that impressed me more than how hard working, appreciative, and eager these wonderful young men and women were, was the overwhelming demand for the hope the mission brings to this war-torn nation. They have to turn so many away.
Almost daily while we were there, there was someone coming to the gate and begging us to make room for one more, to give one more a chance in life. It was truly heart-breaking to realize there have to be limitations, so much so, I was unable to get a full night's rest for weeks after my return home.
This has filled me with resolve to do all I can to see this work of God flourish. Won't you please join us?
Deacon Eddie Martin
Gonzales, Louisiana
Summer 2010 Liberia Mission Volunteer
Reflections from a Liberia Mission Volunteer
Hi, my name is Cameron Faller, and I am a short-term volunteer at Liberia Mission. I decided to come to the mission on a volunteer trip for three reasons. First, I wanted to escape many distractions back home in order to grow in my relationship with Christ. Secondly, I wanted to use this time to better understand God's vocational call in my life. And finally, I came here hoping to serve the children of the mission in anyway that I could.Ever since I arrived at the mission in May 2010, I have been amazed by the hospitality, kindness, and happiness of the children. Unlike many teenagers back home, the kids here do not have the typical teenage bitterness or edge.
During my first week here, I asked one of the kids why the kids at the mission are so happy; he responded that they are happy because they have everything they want. This comment was shocking considering this particular kid only has a few pairs of clothes, he comes from a family that is suffering greatly, and he has no shoes.
I have also been impressed by the kids' eagerness and zeal for the faith. They are always very curious and open to the faith, and they actually enjoy going to Catechism class and prayer. For me, as a seminarian and aspiring priest, this has been very refreshing and inspiring to see.
My time here is quickly coming to an end, and I just hope over my final days here I can give the kids something in return for all they have given me.
God Bless,
Cameron Faller
Seminarian and LMI Volunteer
Liberian Rules - Learning to Play Checkers at Liberia Mission
Playing checkers with the children, I rapidly discovered that they had their own house rules for the game. Kings were more akin to chess bishops, jumps could be made in any direction, and a piece or 'seed' that didn't jump an opponent's piece when it had the opportunity could be 'blown' off the board. As I become frustrated trying to teach and play by the 'correct' rules for checkers, one mission student, Joseph Mulbah, finally said to me in exasperation "Uncle Mat, we're in Liberia. Play Liberian rules!"I've slowly realized that this is a lesson to be applied to all my work here. Although Liberians remind me of their country's close connection with mine, and I converse with everyone here in English, the 'rules' here are different. While I expected bucket showers, I did not change my expectations about how I would be purchasing food, taking our truck to the mechanic, dealing with the Liberian DMV, or even playing games with the kids. Actions that are in principle the same as ones I have done everyday in the United States, operate on a different set of rules with thinking not in line with my previous experience. Trying to operate with Western style budgets, time lines, task delineations, problem solving has left me bewildered or frustrated.
Last month, we had a World Cup of Checkers to mirror the more famous FIFA event in South Africa. We played with Liberian rules. As I'm learning Liberian checkers, and getting trounced by even the youngest kids, I'm being taught by our mission staff and children how to effectively use the skills and knowledge that I've brought here to bring about tangible and sustainable results. And, maybe one day, I'll have checkers figured out!
~ Mat Travis, LMI Program Coordinator
Volunteer Mission Group serves in Honduras
June 2010, long-time supporters and volunteers of Mission Honduras International - Holy Family in Brentwood, TN - traveled to Honduras with a team of 36 people for 10 unforgettable days of serving the children and community of Juticalpa Honduras through their hands and hearts.My team of 36 spent 10 days in Juticalpa, Honduras in June with www.OlanchoAid.org. It was a FANTASTIC experience overall! I have already booked 2 (10-day) segments in June 2011 for my Parish. 95% of the 2010 travel team wants to return, and I have another 30+ that have indicated a desire to go for the first time next year...so I need to take 2 groups. That is how great of an experience we had!
Our group painted a small school to brighten it up and give the kids some pride in where they go to learn each day. The team worked together to replace a roof on a small village school where learning was constantly interrupted by rain. We mixed cement by hand as we worked together to build a cafeteria and kitchen to feed kids as they go to High School each day. And our team built instant "family" with local children, sharing the universal language of God's love - hugs and smiles!
Padre Donahue and Carlos (Exec. Director) are fantastic, Godly, and wonderful men! What they have built in the last 11 years, all within a 5 mile radius, is hard to believe!! They have built a Catholic University, a Catholic High School, a Catholic Special Needs School and finally a Catholic (bi-lingual educated) Elementary school. Right next door is St. Gertrude's parish, where we spent time as well. They have an orphanage, a nursing home, a convent and a church on their campus within walking distance of the Special Needs School where we slept.
We also volunteered with the local community. We spend 4 of our 10 days repairing public schools in the community that were very run down. Olancho Aid is truly focused on making life better for all people within the community!
We are so excited to be partnering with Fr. Donahue and Olancho Aid in the future!
If you or your parish / school group are looking for a great organization to volunteer with in Honduras, please consider Olancho Aid. For more information, visit their website at www.orlanchoaid.org, or contact MHI directly.
Steve Hayes
MHI Advisory Group Member
Brentwood, TN
Medical Mission Trip to Liberia
The first volunteer Medical Mission Trip to Liberia Mission is taking place October 17 - 27th! Mr. Jake Schroeder and his group of 15 volunteers touched ground in Monrovia on October 18th. The team includes 3 doctors, 1 nurse practitioner, 4 nurses, 1 pharmacist, 1 nutritionist, 3 non-medical personnel, 1 dental assistant and 1 priest providing services.
They are bringing many, many suitcases of supplies to help the mission and local people. They will be operating a field clinic at Liberia Mission and at the Our Lady of Fatima Rehab Center, as well as visiting local clinics and a hospital to talk with local physicians about health care in Liberia.
They plan to assist over five hundred children and a similar number of local adult village residents in the countryside outside of Monrovia who are in need of a medical exam and care. Please keep them - and all those they will serve - in your prayers!
Letter from Liberia Mission long-term volunteer Matt Hayes
Dear Friends,From the beginning of February to the end of May, I lived, taught, served, was taught, and was served in the Mission Liberia compound in BlackTom Town, Liberia, West Africa.
My time is Liberia was totally and completely the most perspective-changing, eye-opening, life-living experience I have ever had the pleasure of having.
Being there, living a life of community with 125 orphans and 10 Liberian staff on our compound, and interacting with the people in Redlight and Monrovia was the most fulfilled I have ever been…it was the most alive I have ever felt.
I was not ready to write this until now because since my return, my entire world has been upside down. Before I left, I was blind to the level of poverty and oppression - blind to the quantity and realities of our broken and hurting brothers and sisters throughout the world. But after being placed outside my limited perspective and on the other side of the comforts I lived among… I can no longer pretend I am blind to the numbing effect my comfortable life unknowingly placed me under.
I went into my experience not knowing how to handle what I “was not going to have”…and I’ve come out not knowing how to handle the complete and total excess that “I do have”. My brain is about to be in meltdown mode!
I went from complaining about not having AC to thinking it’s too cold in my house if the AC is on. I went from not knowing what I would do without running water to missing my bucket baths of cold well water.
Everything is relative. Everyone’s opinion is based on a limited environmentally-driven experience. But not realizing our own limitations to perceive what “is real or important” as opposed to what “is not” is ignorance. That’s the second greatest lesson I learned from my experience, the first being LOVE.
My transition back into this world that I grew up in was and still has continued to be a challenge. After all the things I saw, it’s difficult to see the things I’m seeing now. It’s hard to walk through the grocery store after seeing kids on the street that haven’t eaten in a few days. It’s difficult to see kids so mad at their parents when the kids I was with don’t have any. It’s hard to watch my friends complain about water quality of the pack of bottled water their drinking when I know they wouldn’t even bathe in the water my kids drink.
Above all, the only thing I can say is this has been and will continue to be a transition. But as of now, God’s words are “Wait.” So I’m going to try and wait as best I can.
I want to thank ALL of you again for your prayers and support while I was in Liberia. It meant the world to me, and I can personally tell you it meant the world to the kids you helped to serve. With the donations we collected, we were able to:
- Purchase a submersible pump, so the kids can have one hose of running water for a couple hours while the generator is on;
- Take care of the entirety of the organization’s financials -- all the food, gas for generator, staff and teacher salaries, and medical needs -- for 2 weeks;
- Provide medical treatment of malaria for our cook Marta and a few of the children;
- Set up a scholarship for 16 kids from the neighboring villages to attend school;
- Set up a scholarship for 4 kids to come and live on the mission;
- And many more miscellaneous Liberia Mission expenditures.
Life, Love and Peace
Matthew Hayes
Liberia Mission
Volunteer, Spring 2009
