January 1998
DEAR FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS
A SHARED THOUGHT:
I DARE TO SAY THAT THE MAJORITY OF US HAVE CRIED SOMEWHAT FREQUENTLY AS WE READ THE TRIALS OF JOB: "O-THAT I MIGHT FIND HIM AND COME TO HIS JUDGMENT SEAT", IN OTHER WORDS, JOB HAD IT. HE WAS TIRED, FED UP WITH IT ALL--HIS WIFE MOCKING HIM, ALONG WITH HIS FRIENDS, HIS FORTUNE LOST, HIS CHILDREN DEAD. "THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS FAITH, BUT I CAN HARDLY BEAR IT ANY LONGER. RID ME OF THIS LIFE AND BRING ME TO WHATEVER AWAITS ME, WHEREVER THAT MAY BE", JOB HAD VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH REALLY DIDN'T COME INTO FOCUS UNTIL JESUS REVEALED IT IN HIS TEACHINGS SOME 2,000 YEARS AGO.
WHY SO MUCH PAIN AND SUFFERING, SO MUCH HOPELESSNESS AND IMMORALITY; WHY SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND SELFISHNESS? WHY, WHY, WHY, WE CRY OUT! WE ARE SEEING ALL THIS HORRENDOUS PICTURE OF THE REALITY OF SIN AND DENIAL OF GOD, AND YET AREN'T DOING ENOUGH, PERSONALLY, TO CHANGE THE DRAMA IN WHICH WE ARE IMMERSED. HOW CAN WE ESCAPE FROM IT ALL? HEARTACHES WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PRESENT IN OUR LIVES. WE MIGHT BE SCORNED BY OUR FELLOW WORKERS; PARENTS GRIEVING OVER THEIR REBELLIOUS CHILDREN; INFIDELITY IN A MARRIAGE; UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND AN INFIRMITY THAT A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY HAS CONTRACTED; THE SUDDEN AND INEXPLICABLE LOSS OF A JOB-
THESE HEARTACHES HAVE CAUSED SOME PEOPLE TO PRACTICALLY DROP OUT OF LIFE. OTHERS HAVE GONE THE OPPOSITE EXTREME--TRYING, TO LOSE THEMSELVES IN A FLURRY OF ACTIVITIES. I HAVE AT TIMES BEEN GUILTY OF THIS MYSELF.
YET WE CAN LEARN HOW TO HANDLE A HEARTACHE IF WE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JESUS, HIS HEART WAS AT THE POINT OF BREAKING AS HE CONTEMPLATED THE REJECTION OF THE JEWS, AND ALSO OF US AS WE WOULD REJECT HIM SO OFTEN, WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION FOR WHAT HE WOULD DO FOR US. HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH MEANS SO LITTLE TO SO MANY SO VERY MANY. HE LET HIMSELF CRY. THEN HE CONTINUED HIS WORK OF CONFRONTING SIN, TEACHING AND INSTRUCTING THE PEOPLE. HE DIDN'T GIVE UP.
IF YOUR HEART IS ACHING, AT)MIT YOUR HURT TO YOURSELF, TO OTHERS, AND TO GOD. THIS WILL OPEN THE DOOR TO GETTING THE HELP YOU NEED FROM THE LORD AND FROM PEOPLE WHO CARE. THEN BECOME INVOLVED IN LIFE--PRAISING GOD, THANKING HIM, LOVING AND CARING FOR OTHERS. AS YOU DO, YOUR DEEP HURTS WILL LESSEN AND YOUR JOY WILL INCREASE.
TRY IT!
Colorado Connection:
FOR THE ELEVENTH STRAIGHT YEAR LEROY SALAZAR BROUGHT DOWN TO SANTA MARIA A GROUP OF 14 WONDERFUL FRIENDS FROM THE SAN LUIS VALLEY IN COLORADO. THIS YEAR THEY PUT IN ONE HALF OF A FLOOR OF THE REMNANTS OF WHAT USED TO BE A BUILDING, WITH ONLY FOUR WALLS AND SUPPORTING BEAMS BETWEEN THE WALLS. THEY PAID ALL EXPENSES. FOR FOUR DAYS THEY WORKED HARDER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE IN THEIR JOBS BACK IN COLORADO DURING AN ENTIRE MONTH. THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND SACRIFICE FOR THE FUTURE HOME WHICH WILL CARE FOR SOME 50 CHILDREN NEAR THE NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS A DYNAMIC EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE. EACH NIGHT THEY LITERALLY CRAWLED TO THEIR BEDS FOR A FEW HOURS REST. WE SEND OUR LOVE AND THANKS TO ALL OF THEM.
Our Christmas Celebration
CHRISTMAS HERE IN SANTA MARIA IS ALWAYS A VERY SPECIAL TIME OF THE YEAR FOR ALL OF US. THE BLESSINGS RECEIVED ARE INNUMERABLE. THE JOY AND HAPPINESS ARE DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO WORDS. ALL OF THE HURTS AND SADNESS THAT MANY OF OUR LITTLE ONES HAVE ENDURED ARE ALL FORGOTTEN AND THE LOVE THAT PREVAILS IS SO EVIDENT THAT EVERY CHILD IS OVERWHELMED FROM THE SPIRIT THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE GREAT FAMILY OF GOD, AND THAT THEY ARE LOVED WHICH IS SO ENERGIZING THAT ALL ARE PEACEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR SUCH A GIFT.
THE CHRISTMAS EVE MASS IS INDEED A LITTLE INSIGHT OF WHAT HEAVEN WILL BE LIKE. THE INTRODUCTION BEGINS IN SEMI-DARKNESS, WITH ONLY THE LIGHTS FROM THE BEAUTIFUL STABLE SCENE, WHICH MAKES ONE BELIEVE WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH THE SON OF GOD CAME INTO THIS WORLD. "NOCHE DE PAZ" (SILENT NIGHT) IS SO BEAUTIFULLY SUNG, THE GLOWING EYES OF THE CHILDREN ARE WIDE OPEN, AND YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD TOUCHING THEIR BEAUTIFUL, PURE AND INNOCENT HEARTS; THE . ENTIRE HOUR-1/2 FILLED WITH EXPECTATION AND WONDERMENT. FOR THE ENTIRE STAFF IT IS A TIME OF THANKFULNESS THAT GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH THIS MISSION OF CARING FOR HIS LITTLE ONES WHO HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH IN THEIR SHORT LIVES BECAUSE OF THE ABUSES AND ABANDONMENT THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UPON THEM.
THE CHRISTMAS MEAL FOLLOWING THE MASS WAS EATEN BY CANDLE LIGHTS AND JOYFUL CHRISTMAS MUSIC. WE HAD MADE MORE THAN 1500 TAMALES, AND A DEAR FRIEND OF OUR COMMUNITY SENT 80 BARBECUED CHICKENS FOR THE FEAST. THEY ALSO DEVOURED EVERYTHING SERVED WHICH INCLUDED GALLONS OF HOT CHOCOLATE AND DELICIOUS CAKES. WHAT A MEMORABLE NIGHT OF JOY AND LOVE IT TRULY WAS.
Primary School on Hold:
WE ARE JUST ABOUT THERE, PERHAPS 80% FINISHED. THE FINAL 20% IS THE MOST COSTLY, WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A MIRACLE WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and Fr. John Henley:
SISTERS MARY TERESA, HELENA, ANGELINA, MABEL AND GUADALUPE CONTINUE THEIR EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF PATIENCE AND LOVE IN GUIDING AND CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND ELDERLY. FR. JOHN HENLEY, RETIRED PRIEST FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA, CONTINUES WITH HIS MANY GIFTS AND TALENTS ALONG WITH OUR SISTERS, IN KEEPING OUR PROGRAM AFLOAT. WITHOUT THEM THINGS WOULD BE A CHAOTIC CIRCUS.
Not To Forget Our Wonderful Elderly:
A HEARING AID IS RATHER EXPENSIVE HERE IN MEXICO, SO WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY AROUND. SOME OF OUR PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY CLEVER THOUGH. DON JUST REALIZED THIS, SO HE TOOK A PIECE OF ORDINARY WIRE AND WRAPPED IT AROUND HIS EAR. "DOES THAT WIRE WRAPPED AROUND YOUR EAR HELP YOU TO HEAR ANY BETTER?" A VISITOR ASKED. "NO". DON JUST REPLIED, "BUT IT SURE DOES MAKE PEOPLE TALK LOUDER."
A Special Thanks To All Of You:
YOUR LOVE AND SHARING IS OUR HOPE AND MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE THIS
WORK OF LOVE AMONG THE MANY CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER OUR CARE. WE
ARE WORKING AT CAPACITY WHICH IS RIGHT AT 280 CHILDREN AND OUR
BEAUTIFUL FAMILY OF 25 ABANDONED ELDERLY, YOU MAKE ALL OF THIS
POSSIBLE. FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS WE THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR
YOUR LOVE AND SHARING. YOUR LOVE COMES FROM GOD AND IS OUR
SURVIVAL.
Each child sends a big hug and a heart filled with love and gratitude to each one
of you. We promise to pray for all of you, your families and needs each day.
Staff, Sisters, Fr. Henley and Fr. Cliff "Antonio" Norman.
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