November 2014 - youth ministry

Fr. Rick Thomas spent most of his life ministering to and helping youth wherever he was — from teaching high school in Dallas and New Orleans in his earlier years as a Jesuit, to working in the impoverished garbage dump and slums of Juarez, Mexico. He always had a heart for young people and tried to equip them to face and overcome the needs and challenges in their lives.

Our goal is to continue that work with children, making it a priority in our ministry to the poor. Families living in the grip of poverty have to contend with almost insurmountable obstacles as they struggle to survive — unemployment, violence from the drug wars, gangs recruiting their children, human trafficking, etc. There is so much heartbreak and tragedy in the lives of those we reach out to, and many despair of things ever getting better.

But hope always bubbles up in the hearts of the young, and it is a joy and delight to teach them about God. They know that life is tough but they are quick to catch onto the message of the Gospel, that Jesus is their Good Shepherd and loves them tremendously. There is nothing that He can’t help them with, no matter what hardships they face. 

Confirmation retreat for teenagers

at the Food Bank.

The other day our Las Alitas center had flooded after a very heavy rain and mud was everywhere. Ramona, one of our catechists, had arrived first and needed help cleaning it up before the youth got their for their classes. “I was facing a mountain of mud and was wondering how we would ever get it cleared away in time. All of a sudden I was surrounded by little helpers, laughing and excited to sweep away the mess. They attacked the job with such joy and determination that we finished in plenty of time. It was a parable that God used to speak to me. What we adults might see as hopeless and impossible, the youth see as a challenge to conquer. We need to ask for that grace of hope and joy that flows so readily in them.” 

Ramona with her little helpers clearing away the mud that piled up 

in front of our center after a heavy rain.

 

Oct 2014 - Water to Las Alitas

In a very poor section in the outskirts of Juarez, Mexico, called Loma Blanca, we have a center for youth. Up until recently, everyone in the area received water by paying a delivery truck to fill up 55 gallon drums outside the houses. That water was used for everything — drinking, cooking, doing dishes, laundry, and flushing toilets. There was no running water available. For years now the city has been laying the necessary pipes to bring water to the area.

Finally this summer, the municipal water company finished with the pipes and started putting in water meters for each residence. We were first told that we had to go downtown and fill out a contract for our water service; but then we were told that we would receive our first month’s water bill and be charged for our contract then. Right after that however, the water company trucks came back and removed all of the water meters from all the houses because no one had gone to sign their contracts. So we still had no running water and had to keep using the water out of the plastic drums like we had been doing.

Ramona (on left) with some of the teachers and kids of Las Alitas.

Ramona and Mando, who head up our  ministry of Las Alitas, went downtown to fill out the contract so that we could receive running water. The initial set-up fee was $140 and although they had the money, they did not have all the paperwork that the water company was requiring. “You need the deed proving your ownership of the property. You can go down the street and get that document.” When they got to the other building it was already closed for the day. Frustrated, they left downtown. “All this red tape!” complained Ramona. “Why do they make it so complicated? The poor need the water service. Lord, forgive me. Please bless those in charge and take care of your people.” 

Arriving back at Las Alitas, one of the little boys ran up to her excitedly crying out, “Ramona, Ramona, the water company came while you were gone. They put your water meter back in.” Ramona shook her head, “No, we just came from there and they wouldn’t give us the contract.” He said, “No, they came and you already have water!” Ramona persisted, “I don’t think so.” But he opened the metal cover in the ground and pointed, “Look, there is the meter.” We went over to the tap, turned it on, and water came flowing out. We have two separate buildings, and she asked, “What about the other building?” All the kids took off running to see if it had running water too. Out gushed clear water when they turned on the faucet. 

We don’t know what happened. No one else in the neighborhood was given their water meter that day — not until they got the paperwork taken care of. But we have running water at our center and it has been flowing ever since. We pay our water bill each month, but the Lord must have taken care of the contract. Thanks be to God!

September 2014 - Fr. Nathan's Ordination

Several of us had the great joy of attending the ordination of a young man who grew up in our community — Nathan O’Halloran S.J., the eldest son of Mike and Mary Ann Halloran. Nathan grew up on The Lord’s Ranch and felt called to become a Jesuit priest largely due to the inspiration and example of Father Thomas.

After graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, Nathan entered the Jesuits in 2003 — the same seminary in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, that Father Thomas had entered back in 1945. Nathan took his first vows as a Jesuit in 2005 and Father Thomas was able to be there for the event. “He cried during my vows,” Nathan recalled. “He told me that he saw a light coming down as I made my vows. That was so encouraging for me to hear.” Then 9 months later Father Thomas passed away. 

Father Rick Thomas at Nathan's 1st vows.

Nathan completed 11 years of formation and was ordained a priest, along with four fellow seminarians, on June 14th. Before going to his first assignment, Fr. Nathan came to El Paso to celebrate Mass for us. He shared this during his homily:

“Right before Father Thomas died, he asked for Isaiah 35 to be read, which says: Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear!  This was the garment that Father passed onto us, this spirit of courage and strength that he had, which came from the power of the Holy Spirit. He is praying for us right now.”

We feel sure that Father Thomas is praying for us, and for all of you who are such an important part of the ministries that he started. May we not be afraid to do all the Lord is asking us to do in His service!

Fr. Nathan celebrating Mass at our prayer meeting.

Please pray for Fr. Nathan as he begins his priesthood. His vocation is one of the beautiful fruits of Father Thomas’s life of holiness. 

August 2014 - Beans multiplied

The parish priest in the area around The Lord’s Food Bank in Juarez, Mexico, is in charge of the 5 churches closest to us. He planned a party to honor all the volunteers who help him with the ministries of those churches. The Food Bank is under his pastoral care, and we were invited to attend the festivities. We were asked to bring two huge stock pots of beans to share with everyone. Misunderstanding the request, the cooks put 4 two-pound bags of pinto beans to boil, which ended up making only half of one of the stock pots. When one of the organizers entered the kitchen, she exclaimed to Ramona (the Food Bank director), "That's only half a pot of beans. It’s not going to be enough! They are expecting 300 people at the party." Ramona said, "Well, let's quickly cut up some hot dogs and chorizo sausage and throw that in to make it more.” With the added meat, the one big pot was now full. Saying a fervent prayer over the beans, they headed to the party. 

Bringing the chili beans to the food table, the parish organizers were dismayed, saying, "We asked you to bring two stock pots, not just one. There will never be enough to feed everyone! The only other food we have are tacos and the fixings (guacamole, salsa, lettuce, etc.) But Ramona assured them, "The Lord will provide. Don’t worry."

Knowing that’s all they could do, our volunteers joined in the fiesta and fun. Soon it was time to eat, but no one told the servers to go easy on the beans, and they filled 14 ounce paper cups full of the bean/sausage mix, handing them to person after person in the long lines.

After the party was over and things were winding down, Ramona asked Conchita to go get the stock pot so they could take it back to the Food Bank. When Conchita went to get it, the parish ladies told her, "Come and look. The pot is still more than halfway full! We can’t believe it!" Going back to Ramona, Conchita told her, "They won't give me back the pot because it still has beans in it."

The next day some of the parish volunteers brought back our pot. “We are witnesses ourselves now of what God can do.” They shared that all the party organizers divided up the remaining chili beans to take home, and only then was the pot empty.

That's the story of the Lord’s Food Bank. God always provides!

Conchita with the pot from which

the beans never ran out.

July 2014 - Packaging Beans

In the picture below you can see some of the men who volunteer at the Food Bank gathered around a big tin tub which is full of pinto beans. The men dump out a 100 lb. sack of beans at a time into the tub and then scoop 2 pounds of those beans into small brown lunch sacks that are afterward sealed with tape. These smaller bags of beans are what we distribute each week, along with rice, fresh produce and dairy products to the families in need of food. We use 1300 pounds of beans every week so that is a lot of scooping! 

Jesus told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost."   

John 6:12

After the men fill the weekly quota of sacks, they very painstakingly pick up any stray beans that fell to the ground in the process. Dusting them off, they save those beans for next time.

Father Rick Thomas taught us how important it is to be good stewards of the gifts God gives us. He often used the example of Jesus telling his disciples to gather up all the leftovers after the multiplication of the

loaves and fishes. Food is a precious commodity that we often take for granted, but we don’t want any of the food we buy to go to waste. It may seem inconsequential to pick up a dozen or so small, dried beans, but these men take their responsibility seriously, knowing what it’s like to feel hunger.

Volunteers prepare the fresh produce

for distribution at the Lord’s Food Bank.

I wonder if that is one of the reasons why Jesus continues to multiply food at the Lord’s Food Bank. We have another great story to share with you about that next month. 

June 2014 - eyesight healed

Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) We are privileged many times to see this beatitude fulfilled in the lives of the poor that we serve. The people we work with may be lacking in the material necessities of life, but they are often rich in faith – faith that moves mountains.

This was the case with Crescencia Tapia. Crescencia was going blind as a result of a stroke she had suffered. Not being able to afford the operation she was advised to get, she turned with childlike faith to God. She shared the following testimony with me:

Two years ago I had a bad stroke. I was losing my eyesight. Day by day my eyesight got worse, to the point where I wasn’t able to see much at all. The doctors told me that I had a lot of blood in my brain from the stroke which was damaging my vision. The eye doctor told me, “The only way to remove that blood from your brain is for you to have an operation.”

I left feeling very sad and discouraged. There was no way that I could afford an operation. But then I remembered my faith in my Savior Jesus. “Lord God,” I prayed, “You know that I can’t afford an operation. Will you please operate on me instead?” After I prayed, I felt that operation! I felt something going on in my head. God heard my prayer and operated on me.

For that reason now I can see – because the Lord operated on me. My sight is restored, and I can see fine!

I went back to the eye doctor, and he told me with disbelief, “I don’t understand it, but the blood is gone. There is nothing wrong with your vision now.” I don’t think he believed me when I told him Jesus had operated on me, but it doesn’t matter. Because I am healed and now I can see. Thank you to my beautiful Lord, Doctor Jesus!

[I’m sorry that I forgot to take Crescencia’s picture for this newsletter.]

May 2014 - watermelon multiplied

We have been going through old photos and documents to organize our files and archive the many marvels that the Lord has done in our community. I came across the testimony of some of the people who participated in the jail ministry on a day in 1994 when a watermelon was multiplied. Here is the firsthand account from one of the team members: 

 

“Today we went to the jail in Juarez and this day the Lord let me see a great miracle. Once again, Jesus came walking among human beings doing His miracle of multiplication. He still does that because His promise is that He will be with us always until the end of the world. And again we have proof of that.

“When we arrived in the morning, a group of us were praising God in song while other groups went and spoke to the prisoners in different parts of the jail. As we were singing, an image came to my mind of people carrying trays piled high with watermelon. I didn’t understand what the Lord was trying to tell me, so I forgot about it and kept on singing. 

“Later on we all gathered together as we usually do to share how the ministry went. One of the ladies told us that early that morning someone had given her a watermelon to take to the jail [we always bring food to share with the prisoners since they are not fed regularly in the Juarez jails]. She wondered what she would do with that one watermelon since there would not be enough to share with all the prisoners. She decided to send it to the women’s cells because there are never as many women in jail as there are men. Then if there were any slices left, we could take those to any prisoners locked up in solitary confinement that day. So that’s what they did — they started sharing the watermelon with the women prisoners. Then to the few men who were in solitary confinement. Still having leftover slices, they kept on going to the men’s cells. From that one watermelon, 60 people received a regular size slice of the juicy, sweet fruit. I understood then what the Lord was trying to tell me in the image I received in prayer. He hears the cry of the poor and can supply what we lack in our service to them. I give thanks to God, glory to God, because once again He allowed me to see His marvels and miracles. Woohoo!”

I thought you would enjoy that story.