Santa Maria del Mexicano de Colon, QRO. I.A.P.

APDO. Postal No. 13, C.P. 76270

Colon, Queretaro, Mexico

To dial phone direct from U.S. 011 52 429 20245

Direct FAX from U.S. 011 52 429 20046

Mexico: LADA (91-429) 20248

DEAR FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS:

JUNE/JULY 2000

A SHARED THOUGHT:

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL OR IT IS SAD. IT IS JUST WHAT YOU MAKE IT. GOD HAS GIVEN EACH AND EVERY CREATED PERSON A DEFINITE PLAN TO LIVE. SOME HAVE ACCEPTED THIS FACT AND LAUGH AND CRY BUT ALWAYS SINGING, "WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN .... I WANT TO BE IN THOSE NUMBERED...". AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO PREFER SINGING, "AND I DID IT MY WAY" AND GOT SO FOULED UP THAT THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY CONFINED TO A PROGRAMMED COMPUTERIZED ROBOT WAY OF LIFE. PART OF THE GREAT "PLAN OF LIFE" THAT WE ARE ASKED TO LIVE IS TO CARRY THE CROSSES OF DAILY LIFE. IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, THE CROSSES BECOME "JEWELS" WHICH WILL MAKE UP THAT CROWN AS WE ENTER THOSE HEAVENLY GATES. WE JUST HAVE TO HANG IN THERE AND KEEP SINGING, "AMAZING GRACE THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME". THAT IS WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT, FALLING (HUMAN) AND RISING (DIVINE) AND TO KEEP OUR ACT TOGETHER AND JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD, EVEN IF IT'S TWO FORWARD AND ONE BACKWARDS. WHEN THE MOMENT COMES. WHEN THE CROSS ARRIVES AND CRUSHES DOWN ON MY SHOULDERS, I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF A SONG, I JUST WANT TO YELL OUT: "SAVE ME LORD I AM DROWNING." NEVER, NEVER HAS HE FAILED TO PULL ME OUT OF THE LAKE AND SAVED ME. I MIGHT ACT LIKE A WILD BULL FOR A TIME, BUT THE CALM ARRIVES AND PEACE WITH IT. AT THIS POINT I WANT TO MOAN LIKE A BABY BEGGING FOR A BOTTLE OF MILK. SO WHAT IS MY POINT? IF I AM GIVEN THE MILK, IT WOULD BE MORE THAN LIKELY SOAR, SO I TURN TO A BETTER OPTION: BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS AND PRAYING TO HIM WHO RAISED THE DEAD, FED THOUSANDS OF CURIOSITY SEEKERS, WALKED ON THE WATER, WAS CRUCIFIED LIKE A MISERABLE CRIMINAL AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD. ALL OF US ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO THE SOLUTION OF THE MANY PROBLEMS IN' OUR LIVES AND REALIZING THAT WE ARE TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF FINDING THE ANSWER UNTIL WE REALIZE THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS THE LORD JESUS AND REALLY SWEATING IT OUT UNTIL WE HAVE A REAL PERSONAL CONTACT WITH HIM AND THIS HAS TO BE DONE ON A DAILY BASIS AND NOT THIS NONSENSE OF ONLY AT SUNDAY MASS. IF YOU WENT TO VISIT YOUR WIFE ONLY ONCE A WEEK I WOULD DOUBT THAT SHE WOULD HAVE A SUMPTUOUS DINNER WAITING FOR SUCH AN UNDESERVING WIMP. THIS CONTACT HAS TO BE FITTED INTO YOUR "SUPPOSEDLY OVERLOADED SCHEDULE" ON A DAILY BASIS. "WOULD YOU SAY I JUST CAN'T POSSIBLY DO IT?" THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST LIE THAT YOU COULD TELL. OUR VALUES AND PRIORITIES ARE REALLY DISORIENTED IF WE BELIEVE THIS NONSENSE. JESUS DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND TALKED WITH FREQUENTLY. HOW WOULD WE FEEL IF WE WERE IN GOD'S POSITION AND HE IN OURS. TREAT HIM LIKE YOUR CELLULAR PHONE... "ALWAYS CLOSE TO YOU'. YOU WON'T BE REGRETFUL.

NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS

ONCE AGAIN WE ARE MOVING AT FULL FORCE NOW THAT OUR BUSY SHORT BREAK, AFTER A SPECIAL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR ALL THE PRIMARY STUDENTS, TERMINATED. WE DON'T HAVE THE THREE MONTHS AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THE U.S. WE ONLY HAVE FOUR WEEKS IN WHICH A GOOD MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO HAVE NO WHERE TO GO HAVE WORK DETAILS. IT IS FUN TIME FOR THE CHILDREN WITH PICNICS AND SWIMMING OUTINGS. MANY NEW CHILDREN HAVE ARRIVED GIVING US ONCE AGAIN A FULL HOUSE AND AT THE MOMENT THERE ARE A FEW SLEEPING ON MATTRESSES ON THE FLOOR. WE STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM OF BEING FORCED INTO THE SITUATION OF REFUSING SOME. AS ALWAYS WE ARE SHORT OF STAFF MEMBERS BUT WITH A SINCERE COMMITMENT FROM THE STAFF TO GIVE COMPLETELY OF THEMSELVES FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE CHILDREN, WE DO SEEM TO MAKE IT WITH AMPLE HELP FROM THE GOOD LORD.

MY MOTHER HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE WITH ME BUT I THINK SHE ENJOYED IT.

NEW VOLUNTEERS

GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH A REAL FINE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THIS YEAR. RICK AND SHIRLEY JONES WITH THEIR 15 YEAR OLD SON, DANIEL. RICK HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS TASK OF GETTING COMPUTERS AND ALSO VOLUNTEERS FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS WHO BROUGHT MATERIAL TO SET UP THE COMPUTER LABORATORY INTO A FIRST CLASS LEARNING SITUATION THAT WOULD MATCH ANY SCHOOL IN MEXICO. A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO BEHOLD! SHIRLEY TEACHES ENGLISH AND THE STUDENTS WILL SOON BE COMPETENT TO CONVERSE WITH YOU WHEN YOU COME DOWN FOR A VISIT.

LEONARD VILLASENOR HAS BEEN TEACHING THESE PAST EIGHT YEARS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA. HE IS COORDINATING THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND EXCELLENT RESULTS ARE BEING REALIZED.

ANNE FARINA IS A WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY. SHE TEACHES NATURAL SCIENCE. SHE ALSO BROUGHT MUCH OF THE LAB EQUIPMENT WITH HER. SHE IS ALSO A WONDERFUL BLESSING, COMING FROM ST. LOUIS, MO. THIS IS HER SECOND YEAR AS A VOLUNTEER.

ANDRE GULMESOFF IS ACTING AS "PREFECT" AND SUBSTITUTE TEACHER. A VERY FINE YOUNG MAN FROM CALIFORNIA. HE ALSO SUPERVISES ONE OF THE DORMITORIES AND IS MARVELOUS WITH THE TEENS.

JANE PEREA , A REGISTERED NURSE FROM GOLDEN, COLO. CAME FOR THREE MONTHS. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH NEEDS OF THE BOYS IN SANTA MARIA AND THE NEEDS OF OUR ELDERLY FOLKS AT THE ASILO DE ANCIANOS, HER PRESENCE HAS BEEN A BLESSING AND SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED ONCE HER TIME IS UP IN OCTOBER

DONATIONS :

ONCE AGAIN WE REMIND YOU THAT IF YOU ARE SENDING CHECKS TO MEXICO PLEASE MAKE THEM OUT TO SANTA MARIA DEL MEXICANO DE COLON I.A.P. OR TO FATHER CLIFFORD A. NORMAN AND NOT TO HAND OF HELP.

SPECIAL BLESSINGS OF THE LORD:

HAVING SO MANY LITTLE WILD-LIKE INDIANS RUNNING WHEREVER AND IN ALL DIRECTIONS AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THIS TRIBE! YET THE GOOD LORD DEMONSTRATES HIS GREAT CONCERN BY PROTECTING THEM FROM SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. THUS FAR THIS YEAR WE HAVE HAD ONLY THREE BROKEN ARMS, TWO BROKEN WRISTS, ONE CLAVICLE SHATTERED AND ONLY ONE SLIGHTLY FRACTURED SKULL, PRECIPITATED BY FALLING OUT OF BED, AND TWO OPERATIONS THAT IMPROVED FOUR BEAUTIFUL EYES. I AM SURE THERE WERE MORE, BUT AT THE MOMENT I CAN'T (OR DON'T WANT) TO THINK ABOUT THEM. NO DEATHS, PRAISE GOD!

SAN JOSE-NEW BOY'S HOME

I HAVE BEEN PROMISING EVERYBODY THAT THE NEW (100 YEAR OLD) BUILDING WILL BE SOON OCCUPIED BY 60 GRADE SCHOOL GIRLS WHILE WE MOVE INTO THEIR HOUSE AND RESTORE THE BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN. WHEN, WHEN WHEN ? THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR QUESTION I BEAR. I JUST TELL THEM WHENEVER THE LORD PERMITS WE MOVE IN AND NOT ONE DAY BEFORE. THAT KEEPS THEM PRAYING.

SANTA MARIA BRIEFS

NO RAIN THAT DID ANY GOOD FOR OUR CROPS. WE LOST A TOTAL OF 20 ACRES OF BEANS IN SANTA MARIA AND ALSO ANOTHER 40 ACRES THAT A FRIEND OF OURS HAD THE INTENTION OF DONATING. ALL BURNT UP. PRAISE GOD! YET HE COMES TO OUR AID CONSTANTLY .... I AM ATTEMPTING TO BUY A 1980 TRACTOR AND EQUIPMENT TO GO WITH IT. IF WE GET IT, IT WILL BE A GREAT HELP ON THE LITTLE FARM OF SANTA MARIA.

FATHER JOHN HENLEY WILL BE HERE BY THE NEXT TIME YOU RECEIVE A NEWS LETTER. HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RE-OBTAIN HIS FM 3 VISA. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE LORD!

MANY SINCERE THANKS AND HUGS FROM ALL THE CHILDREN, PRAYERS FROM THE CHILDREN, STAFF, SISTERS, FR. JOHN, AND FR. CLIFF NORMAN