A Paradise of Blessings

Since the beginning of the Lord’s mission here in Ecuador 2014 we have been moving, sometimes sprinting, to do all that the Lord is asking of us. There are and have been tremendous blessings, often blessings in disguise. For, ‘the fear of God is a paradise of blessings; its canopy, all that is glorious (Sir. 40:27)’. This particular passage came to me when we were praying at the waterfalls during our desert day. I looked around and realized that we are truly in a paradise, and we had found, or had been led to, this incredible hidden treasure. The wealth of God’s love and His mercy overflows and never ceases. Furthermore, it seems that if we desire to encounter something great, something that truly endures, real beauty, we must work hard and persevere through every trial, weakness and struggle that we surely will face as we make that journey. For instance, it was not easy task to get to the waterfall. We tracked through mud, uphill, sometimes slipping and falling. There were times when our hands were pierced as we caught ourselves on a tree with spines. How similar is the spiritual life!

Certainly, I have come to discover that in mission life those trials, weaknesses and struggles do not lack. Everything, whether hidden or in the open, good or bad, is under God’s canopy. Many little treasures await us, and many difficulties. Are we going to accept all that comes to us? Including those moments of great silence from Him, and when we ‘feel’ nothing… are we going to accept those too? They will make us holy. They are preparing us, sanctifying us. By accepting ALL from Him, we fear the Lord, trusting in His goodness and His Fatherly love. Everything is glorious with God, He who made all things. If we rightly acclaim that this paradise is glorious, then we rightly give credit to Him who is Glory!

This is real life. And it is incredible! Don’t let the world lie to you. You are not in chains; you are not incarcerated. You are free in Him! He who is life, the eternal fountain, provides water that will never cease to flow and if we come to drink we shall never thirst again. Yes… everything is a blessing, a gift from our Almighty Father. From shoving our way onto an overcrowded bus to the 8-year old kid selling candy and cigarettes in a dangerous city at night. This is real life. From the 10-year old girl telling me she is afraid of her father to the homeless lady and her daughter praising and thanking the Lord and kissing our hands because we prayed with her and gave her food. This is certainly real life. From the half-crazed man spitting obscenities at us to the powerful testimony of a father and husband who worked to change his life and leave alcohol behind. And how can I forget about the man with the knife. These may not all seem like blessings at first, but don’t forget about our true destination as Christians. It is our destination which we long for, towards which our eyes should be fixed, which transforms even the most tragic of evils into blessings. Praise God, He is so powerful! Through these difficulties (blessings) we must travel, for we are pilgrims. We have always been pilgrims since the beginning, traveling and wandering, knowing that this is not our permanent resting place. We should never permit this world to be permanent in our hearts. For, our true resting place is in His Sacred Heart. For it was His heart that was pierced, not ours, nor the world’s. The veil was ripped, the heart was torn, permitting us access to the One True and Living God, the fountain of eternal life. And we enter through Jesus Christ.

Sirach 40:27,  Hebrews 4:1,  John 4:14,  James 1:2-3

Salvador and the Kingdom of God

Through Salvador, I encountered the Kingdom of God.

Today, being our ‘free day’, I went to Tena, the closest big city, to get some personal things done. I had breakfast at this café to get some food that reminds me of home.

While I was there, I began reading this book about Matthew’s gospel. It is in Spanish, which, praise God, I am understanding better. Immediately, the book began speaking about why Jesus came to us. “To fulfill all righteousness” (Mt.3:15), which in this context in Matthew means: doing the will of God, submitting to the plan of God for the salvation of all. We are considered just and practice ourselves this righteousness when we allow and participate with God to realize His plan in us.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Mt.5:6)

After finishing my breakfast, I saw an older man I know from Ahuano walking by the restaurant. He is 75 years old and his name is Salvador… awesome name! I had to go talk with him. After some time talking outside, I asked him if he had eaten breakfast. He said: “No.” I invited him to eat a late breakfast, and I would pay. He accepted. We talked for another hour.

Salvador does not have a lot of money. Usually, he has none at all. His grand-daughter Josselyn, who is about 9 years old, lives with him. Both her parents died a few years ago. They receive no help from Salvador’s other children. They typically have no food in the house. With his age, and bad legs, he cannot work for money. He cannot work in the field to farm the products they need to eat. I asked: “What do you do for food?” He said: “When there is food, we eat. When there is none, we don’t. If there is no food, we drink a cup of chicha, and that is enough.”

I was so surprised with his lack of worry about not having food. Not once did he complain. Not once did he curse or murmur against God. Every Sunday, I see him at mass with his grand-daughter. He is faithful to our Lord, and is devoted to our Blessed Mother. When you talk with him, you encounter peace because he is joyful and content.

I must admit I have never experienced this kind of poverty. I have never been in this type of situation where I must depend totally on God to provide for me the ‘daily bread’. Unfortunately, I often find myself thinking about food. For instance, I will be talking to someone and my attention will stray from them and to the food I plan to have for dinner. Why is it that when we have things, we just want more of them? We are seeking to fill a hole, in a vain attempt to satisfy ourselves, and all the while, the hole is getting bigger. Why do I worry about not having the things which I already have? Do we realize that we can become enslaved by the things which we own? St. Teresa of Avila said in The Way of Perfection: “It is when I possess least that I have the fewest worries and the Lord knows… I am more afflicted when there is excess of anything than when there is lack of it… I have noticed that He provides for us immediately.”

Often, we seek what the world offers to alleviate merely the symptoms of our disease. This is our disease: a desire for the things that we do not want and that do not provide. Jesus offers more than just alleviating the symptoms. He cures the disease: destroying its very source. He gives us the way to be cured:

“…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt. 6:33)

For me, I have so much more to learn. I am seeking the wisdom of God, the righteousness of God. I desire to be filled only by Him, not by the world. God blessed me with this encounter with Salvador, to understand His love for us, that it goes deeper than a mere morsel of food can satisfy. And all things of this world give only an instant of satisfaction before we are back yearning for more. Everything God has blessed us with here on earth are signs pointing to the One who truly and completely satisfies.

So, if we are hungry, or thirsty, or in need of clothing, first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and ‘these things will be given you’ and you ‘will be satisfied’. Therefore, why worry. If we truly believe he is our Father, and seek first His kingdom and His will, He will give us the greatest gift of all: everlasting life and eternal satisfaction. Salvador is cured! Despite his infirmities and age, and the lack of food, and the lack of support from his family, he is healed. And the things that have been given to him, are not an abundance of food and riches. But, what he has received is exactly what he needs, for He is already living in the Kingdom of God.

 

 

Restless for Missions

“I will follow you wherever you go.” (Lk. 9:57)

Ask yourself this question: Would I follow Jesus wherever he goes? Can you give up the luxuries of a comfortable life, set aside your ambitions and follow Jesus? If you are a Christian, the answer should always be “Yes!”

About six months before joining FMC, I started getting this anxious feeling. I felt as though my heart was desiring this massive change in my life. It took me some time to understand why, but one day while I was reading scripture and upon seeing how the disciples of Jesus put their lives in danger for the spread of the Gospel, I couldn’t seem to match the Christianity I was living with theirs. I then realized that as long as I was living a comfortable life, shying away from any kind of adversity in proclaiming the Gospel, and ‘playing it safe’, then I was not following Christ! My faith had never been tested. I must find out where Jesus is going, and follow Him.

So, I ask you: “Where does Jesus go today?”

Jesus goes wherever you go.

This is His challenge to us. He needs each one of us to ‘go and proclaim the kingdom of God’. He has ‘nowhere to rest his head’, maybe, because He is constantly at work in us proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation. This, of course, is His desire. As long as we are proclaiming, He is proclaiming.

We must be stirred up, shaken, and uncomfortable for the Gospel. For many, this will require you to go to a foreign land to proclaim His name, offer His healing, and to make known to others, who have never heard His name, salvation. “The number of those who do not know Christ and do not belong to the Church are constantly on the increase… When we consider this immense portion of humanity which is loved by the Father and for whom he sent his Son, the urgency of the Church’s mission is obvious.” (Mission of the Redeemer)

The task is urgent; the message salvific. Stir up your heart, and truly ask yourself: “Am I going where Jesus needs me to go?” Then, go out to the harvest and get to work. Really, if you are a Christian, it is not a choice. Missions is the life of the Church. If you are a believer in Christ, a member of His Body, the Church, then missions is essential to your own life. Consider that you, yourself, might be called to foreign missions. It is truly the best life, because it is who you were made to be. So, be stirred up, restless, until each heart rests in His.

"Mi casa es pequeña."

"Mi casa es pequeña."

I woke up this morning to these words in my head:   "Mi casa es pequeña." Last night, Jefferson, one of our youth, uttered these words to Matt and I as we were leaving his house. Matt and I went to visit his family before Mass. His parents and some relatives were there. Immediately, when I entered, the father grabbed the nearest bench for me to sit on. And, as I was sitting down, the chicha was being placed in my hand. The people here know what it means to serve, giving what they have, as little as it may be. I recall the scripture from Genesis 18:1-8. Abraham rushed to meet three strangers and then he invited them to rest, wash their feet and eat. He happily called himself their servant. At first he didn't even realize that he was serving the Lord and His angels. Even in Hebrews 13:2, it is written: "Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels." How beautiful are these words!



Matt, Jefferson and I

Now, I am not saying that Matt and I are angels - though our moms might say so :)- nor are we the Lord, but the fact is, we are called to serve not be served. And we truly serve our Lord Jesus when we serve one another. Yet, He must serve us first. Where does Jesus serve us first and continue to serve us? In Mt. 20:28, Jesus connects serving to the giving of His life as a ransom. He serves us first in the sacrifice of His life on the cross. And it is in the Holy Mass where He continues to serve us, giving us His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, so that we may go forth bringing Jesus, who we have received, to others.

In the Spanish Mass of the Catholic Church right before we accept the Eucharist we say: "Señor, no soy digno de que entres en mi casa, pero una palabra tuya bastará para sanarme." In English: "Lord, I am not worthy that you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." After saying these beautiful words, which are taken from Mt. 8:8, we humbly approach our Lord and faithfully receive His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, His sacrifice made present to us today. For, it is Jesus who brings healing: from our sins, from our struggles, from those who hurt us. And though our 'casa' is small, our bodies like grains of sand compared to God, and not all-together tidy, He desires to enter.

From left to right: Jefferson, Padre José, Cristian, and Nicolas

Then, we can better serve others because we have allowed Jesus to first serve us. We serve by going forth to provide for those who are hungry, for those who are thirsty, rest for the stranger... (Mt. 25:35). It is true... Jefferson's 'casa' is small. Six people sleep in a room smaller than most living rooms in the States. But, what I entered into was not a small 'casa' at all. What I experienced was a family of faith, already living in the Kingdom, the largest 'casa' of all.

Faces of Ahuano

Matt and I had a really great week. As we approach Padre's final day here in Ahuano, we are definitely spending more time with him, helping him as he prepares to leave. It has been a joyful week, full of many Baptisms (~30), a marriage, a celebration of the La Virgen del Huayco, and tons of masses. We visited with several different families, bringing the Word of God into people's homes.

 

I wanted to include in my blog update some of the many people we have come to know.

 

 



Sisa and I goofing around.



Belén and I... ¡Qué linda!

 Padre José celebrating a marriage. May God bless them abundantly.

 

At a mass celebrating La Virgen del Hauyco. Here is a statue of Mary with the child Jesús.

 

Celebrating the Feast of the Virgen of Huayco in the community Colonia Bolívar. Before mass, Matt and I lead the rosary and gave a reflection on La Virgen del Huayco. Such a beautiful night!

 

From left to right: Marci's mom, myself, Tammy, Matt, Helen, María Cristina

 

 

Some of our youth guys: Cristian, Nicolas, and Jefferson 

 



I can't believe that Matt and I have been here almost 8 months. It is moving so quick. This week we receive one of the new priests to Ahuano. We are so excited for this new opportunity to share the Gospel with another of our brothers in Christ and are hopeful for the blessings that will come from the hands of this servant of God. Pray for us, that the hearts of the people and ours will be open for the reception of the new priest. Pray that his own heart will allow Christ's love to penetrate. Peace and blessings to each of you.

Give them heaven!

Misionero Ryan

 

The Most Terrible Poverty

Matt and I have had a busy week, meeting with different people and families. I feel that the time we have spent with people has been so valuable.

Last Tuesday, Matt and I went to Coca, a much larger city, with Padre. At one point we came upon an older homeless woman and her daughter. She was begging for money from another woman. The woman completely ignored her, not saying a word. Not even an, “I am sorry. I cannot help you right now.” Nothing. Matt and I watched as the homeless woman completely humbled herself before another human being. And she was treated as if she did not exist. What if when you die and are reaching out to the Lord to have mercy on you (that you might be worthy to enter into His everlasting glory) that He completely ignores you? “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard.” (Prov. 21:13) In the words of Blessed Mother Teresa: "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty."

Lord, have mercy! Matt and I talked with the woman, Maria Joselyn and her daughter, Jasmin, for a few minutes. She is homeless, but is able to stay with her daughter in a homeless shelter at night. Her husband is blind, unable to work and lives in another part of Ecuador. She wanders the streets daily just trying to get the food and money her and her daughter need for the day. We prayed with them, and were able to give her some money. We gifted Jasmin a rosary. They were so grateful. The light of Christ shown through her eyes, and she had such a warm radiance about her. Truly the kingdom is for those such as these. We are so blessed to live in His kingdom! Praise you Jesus Christ!

With Maria Joselyn and Jasmin in Coca, Ecuador.

 

Another story is about Maria Cristina… She is a twelve year old girl who has been through so much. She is unable to speak and hear, possibly born this way. She had a terrible accident when she was an infant and was badly burned. Also, a few years ago, she was run over by taxi in Quito and she had to go through some major surgeries to repair the damages. She goes to school, but unfortunately there is not a lot of help for her because the teachers are not equipped to teach her. Despite all of these sufferings, she is one of the most joyful people I know. She always brings with her a smile. Matt and I communicate through gestures and just, plain laughter. There is also something much deeper going in her heart.

She came over the other day with her mom, Gladys. Gladys came over to ask for help. She had cancer removed from her throat a couple of years ago, and now she has to go to Quito once a month for medical treatment, for the next 5 years. It cost her about $300 per month. Their family definitely cannot afford this. Matt and I were able to assist her with some of the money we had, and offered her prayers of protection and healing. Matt and I cooked lunch for them, Gladys, Maria and her sister, Tamara. What I noticed while we were cooking in the kitchen, was that, Maria, in the adjacent room, was sweeping and decorating it. I walked in and saw that she had carefully draped one of the small tables with a linen. She placed at the center of that table a statue of our Blessed Mother. In front of Mary, she placed a crucifix. It was so perfect. I realized that her understanding and wisdom in the spiritual life is so profound. I felt so humbled walking into the small holy sanctuary she had created for our Lord and His Mother. My thoughts turn to the reading from Luke 10:38-42. As we were there, serving and concerning ourselves with the material needs of the family, she was at the feet of Jesus, choosing Him over all things and adorning the room, the best way she could, as a gift to her King.

Also, Sunday was Helen’s birthday, Marcia’s daughter. She turned 9 years old. We visited them last night for a couple hours after getting back from the communities. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of choices in Ahuano for cakes or other sweets, so we brought Salticas crackers, there are like Ritz crackers: so delicious! She immediately started sharing them with all of her sisters. We sang Feliz Cumpleaños to her. We played a bunch of games with the kids. It was a blast. We ended our time with them in prayer together, with the entire family and the children.

Marci's girls From the left: Naomi (baby), Evelyn, Helen (back middle), Belen (front middle), and Sisa. 

 

Can’t wait to tell you about this upcoming week. Peace of Christ be with each of you!

Give them Heaven!

Ryan

Faith and Perseverance

To all the Lord's hard-core prayer warriors and dedicated benefactors for the mission in Ecuador! May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ abound in you through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

I apologize for not getting this update out sooner. We have been incredibly busy over the past few weeks. I hope to do my best to fill you in on all of the works God has been doing here in Ecuador.

 

June 29th marked the 5th year of Padre Jose becoming a priest. We had a huge celebration after mass on Sunday, June 30th. There were over 100 people that came. We began by having an indoor soccer match between the missionaries and the young kids. It was hardly a fair fight. It was 3 missionaries versus 16 kids, ages 8-12. I wish I could say, 'We let them win'. It was a lot of fun. There was a ton of food. Everyone that came was able to eat. The Lord blessed all of us.

 

The next day, Luis, our mission leader, went back to the U.S. He is originally from Venezuela, and he has been living in the U.S. for over 7 years. He feels called to get his citizenship. This requires him to be in the states for 6 months. So, through much discernment, he headed back to the states to begin the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Unfortunately, this takes him away from the mission here in Ecuador. Please pray for Luis, that this process is smooth and the possibility that he will return to Ecuador before the end of the year.

The past two weeks since July 3rd, Matt and I have been really busy with the short-term mission group that came from Florida. This particular group was from one parish in Florida. They were high school students, college-aged students, and several adults and parents. It was a dynamic group, with so much heart and desire. I will never forget them.

 

We spent most of the mission in Misahualli and the surrounding communities. Typically, we would split up into two or three groups and each group would go to a different community. One particular community, Sardines, was my favorite. I led this group at this community. As we were driving there, I was praying asking the Lord to show us what we were going to do. Sometimes, we are not sure what we are going to do until we get there and introduce ourselves, and get a glimpse of what is possible. As we arrived to Sardines in the vehicle, 20-30 kids came running full-sprint at us. Thank you Lord Jesus! We are going to work with the children. We took the kids into one of the classrooms and began offering praises to God and singing songs. We spoke about Jesus and his love for them. The group of missionaries truly gave their entire self to the children. We took the kids out and played some games. I remember at one point, Dave, one of the dads, had three kids hanging off of him like a jungle gym. It was hilarious. While we were with the kids, the adults of the community were in a meeting for the community. They finished up 45 minutes before we had to leave. Again, the Lord blessed us with having all of the adults of the community in one place. We went in to the room where they were gathered and two of the missionaries gave testimonies of God's wonderful works in their lives. We talked about perseverance in the struggles of every day life. Especially for the people, they work hard in the fields each day, and it can be dangerous. The indigenous people, many of them, respond to the struggles of life by drinking too much. It affects them and their family. We talked about this and relying on Jesus, and persevering with Him to the end. Thank you to Julie, who came on this trip, for her incredible witness and amazing Spanish skills. Her light shines so bright for all to see.

 

One day we were able to visit a nursing home. This turned out to be one of the best experiences I've ever had. We spent several hours just being with them. We didn't always have to say anything; just our presence, our smiles, our desire to love on them was enough. One of the ladies never receives visits from her children. So, she cries constantly, all day, and all night. How tragic is it that we can become so busy with our lives, that we forget the very person that sacrificed so much of their own life for us. I suppose it is the same with the Lord. The cares and things of the world, can provide for us this false sense of security and happiness, that we so easily forget of our God, who is truly the one who nourishes us and keeps us alive. Do not worry about such things! 'Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.' (Mt. 6:33)

 

Thank you to Billy, and all of the others, who truly showed me what it means to give all that you are. Not just a little of our heart, are we called to give, but all of our heart, 100 percent! God bless you guys!

 

Two days last week the mission group came to Ahuano, our home in Ecuador. We spent much of the time cleaning and working on the mission house for future mission groups to stay in Ahuano. We were able to visit Marci's family, along with the two other families that live in the same plot of land. We played with the kids for a bit, and then gathered everyone, children, parents, and missionaries, about 30 people. Two of the missionaries gave awesome testimonies. We talked about faith, to believe without seeing, and what that meant in the physical world in which we live. Then Marci stood up and spoke about her own struggles. I was so proud of her. Despite the struggles she has with her husband, a lack of food and a clean living situation for her daughters, she perseveres in faith, trusting in the Lord to provide. In her poverty she is able to give so much more than I have ever given out of the abundance I have. How hard it is to give from the great wealth that so many of us have: so paradoxical is this constant message of the Lord. Yet, who would believe that the King of the Universe, our God, the one through whom we were made, would humble himself to become man and allow those whom He blew the breath of life into, to persecute Him, to torture Him and to kill Him on a cross, so that He could take up His life again, and so that 'we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is' (1 Jn. 3:2).

 

Again, thank you for all of your prayers and your constant witness to the incredible works of the Father. The Body of Christ is always growing. Do not be discouraged by the numerous people that do not know the Lord. Allow this to increase the fire you have to spread the Gospel message: it is URGENT! The Holy Spirit is the principal agent in missions. Put your trust in Him and you will not fail!

 

Give them Heaven!

Ryan Lawless