Miracles still do happen...

It is with great joy and much anticipation that I am finally able to make this news public!

I have been holding in my heart for the past 3 years a call from the Lord

to turn the old orphanage here in San Lucas (called "Casa Feliz")

into a center for the abandoned elderly.

This building has the potential for many services-

(feeding center, nursing home and even hospice)...

but God will reveal His plan in His time.

As life would have it, the orphanage was roped into legal settlements

that the Mission went through after the death of Fr. Greg Schaffer

and in 2015, it was bound by law to be sold at a certain price...

which was way out of my potential or capacity!

Most of you know my history here in San Lucas,

but I began working with the elderly 2 years ago with the hope that God

would send a donor to help me purchase Casa Feliz.

Exactly 2 years after leaving the position 

as the volunteer coordinator of the Mission in San Lucas,

the Lord sent me a donor.

God willing the purchase will be finalized next month

and I can begin the work of converting the orphanage 

initially into our main center where we can continue to feed the elderly 

and bring them together for organized activities.

I've attached a video below (separated in 2 parts)

showing the history of the orphanage, 

the work that has been done with the elderly here over the past 2 years,

and ultimately the reason why I continue to live here in Guatemala:

to answer the Lord's call (Matthew 25:40)

and to honor the purpose which Fr. Greg wanted the orphanage to be used for

(to serve the "least"...the most poor and vulnerable in the community).

I feel that this project will bring to life once again the spirit of the Gospel

which Fr. Greg allowed to flow throughout Casa Feliz years ago.

As you can imagine, there is MUCH work to be done

in the restoring and preparing of the buildings for their new functions

(the building has been abandoned for almost 3 years).

The purchase includes (2) two-story buildings which together contain:

39 rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 pantries, 2 huge dining rooms,

7 private bathrooms, 4 communal bathrooms, a laundry room,

a basketball court and garden area.

If you feel called to support the humble beginnings of this incredible opportunity, 

you can donate the following ways:

1). (For smaller donations) Click the "donate" button on the top right to donate through Paypal.

2). (For larger donations) Make a check out to "Foundation for Saving Sight", place in the check memo "LEAST" and mail the check to:

Katie Wallyn 

1204 Lewis Ave.

Hutchinson, MN 55350

San Lucas continues to be blessed not only by the missionaries

who give their lives to work and live alongside the people,

but it is also blessed by people like you who feel called and inspired

to reach out and help us with your prayers and financial support.

May God continue to be glorified and the Heart of Jesus continue to be consoled

through our service to the poor in this humble village!

Part one:

Part two:

Fr. Brian's Construction Group- Day 4

Friday was our fourth and last day working on construction

and the group was able to finish a kitchen AND house

by 3 pm!

(Above): Lucia and Fidel's kitchen before...

(Above):  The finished kitchen

It only took 4 hours to build...amazing!

Our last project was building a house for this humble, humble man named Juan

who is an orphan in the community with no family.

(Above left: Juan / Above right: Juan's old house)

(Above: preparing the foundational posts)

Team work!

(Above: Juan still in shock of the generous gift given to him!)

Thank you all who made this amazing week possible!

So many great memories, hard work and awesome conversations

to give thanks for...and 3 families who will be forever grateful for your support.

God bless you all...your presence will be missed!

Fr. Brian's Construction Group- Day 3

Meet Fidel & Lucia Arenales Jacinto!

I have mentioned Lucia before...she is the mother of one of my cooks

and even though she is in her 60's, Lucia has been bed ridden for 4 years now 

with 2 herniated discs in her back and a broken right arm 

(surgery is not an option because of her severe osteoporosis).

Lucia and her husband met at the Mission's first clinic:

Fidel was the patient and Lucia the nurse...the rest was history 😊 

(Above left: The old house / Above right: The happy couple 😉)

(Above photos): The brave souls who tore down the house Wednesday morning.

(Above photo) It took about 1.5 hours to tear down the old house...

(and about 30 of those minutes were spent dodging 

the numerous spiders and fire ants that were EVERYWHERE!)

 (Above photo) Wednesday afternoon, 

we had a different crew help place the foundation and posts.

Thursday we were given a day with NO rain and we finished the house by noon!!!

Thank you again for giving another poor family

a gift they always hoped for... a beautiful new home

and new friends with the love of Christ in their hearts!

Fr. Brian's Construction Group- Day 1 & 2

This week we are busy

with an awesome group from western Minnesota

(and some also from Nebraska, South Dakota,
Iowa & North Carolina)!

On Monday (while the group was traveling)

I was able to do a kitchen with 2 other Guatemalan workers

for an elderly lady (Candelaria) who struggles with diabetes

and who receives little financial support from her family.

(Above photos: Candelaria & the old kitchen)

(Above photo: new kitchen)

On Tuesday, my Guatemalan workers and I were joined

by 4 hard working women with beautiful smiles...

 Despite the rain (and REALLY stubborn wood that didn't want to be nailed!)

we got through the day making great memories 

and getting half the house finished!

Today we had 10 awesome workers that finished the house by noon!

(Above: Old house)

(Below: New house)

Giving thanks for all who are here serving with their hands

and to all those who are afar serving us with their hearts and prayers...

we feel the love and the support and are so thankful!

Un poco de todo...

"A little bit of everything"

...that just about sums up this past month!

Again...in being a missionary, it's not so much what we "do",

but how we give ourselves and open our hearts to those around us.

And this includes remaining with the people...

in their joys, in their sufferings, 

in their hopes and in their despair...

This past March, our dearest and oldest elderly in the program
(Andrés, who will be 100 years old on December 1st)
was unfortunately backed into by a "tuc tuc" taxi

as he was making his way into our weekly feeding...

and being his age and fragile condition, 

Andrés broke his right knee and dislocated his right hip;

which means he will now be bed ridden until the day he dies.

There is no medical insurance in Guatemala

and there is no way a person who is 100 could undergo

a double knee/hip replacement surgery and survive the therapy.

The reason I share this tragedy is because this is life here...

it is raw, it is real and there is no way to cover it up or run from it.

Andrés humbly accepted his fate 

and continued to sleep in his delightful spring-only bed frame 

with cardboard as a "mattress" (photo above left)-

with a broken hip and knee (photo above right). 

One cannot help but be moved to make this person's cross lighter...thanks to the LEAST fund, 

we were able to buy Andrés a new bed (picture on left)

and thanks to the generosity of Fr. John Goggin, 

(who now is going on 50 years of being a missionary priest here in Guatemala!), 

Andrés was able to receive the Anointing of the Sick (picture on right).

 

And of course, we celebrated a beautiful Holy Week 2 weeks ago

and were able to make the elderly their favorite dish:

                                                    -White beans with pork and rice (left picture)

                                                    -The traditional Holy Week sweet bread (right picture)

It brings so much joy to see the friendships that have been made
and fellowship that the elderly enjoy

after almost 2 years of consistent meals provided!

More additional activities have been 

taking some elderly to the hospital for emergencies (above...) 

 

...and some joys have been collaborating with Butch Mueller

to provide some elderly with beautiful new stoves.

(Before and after stove for Gumercinda & Alejandro in photos above)

Our last housing project from Mission St. Luke was also finished last week (above left)...

and yesterday, we lost one of our elderly (Román, 70 yrs old) 

to a sudden heart attack as he was coming home for lunch.

As hard as it was to walk with the grieving family today to the cemetery (above right)

to bury their husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, friend...

is this not the least I can do?

Is it not as valuable to these people to give them my heart, my emotions, my sorrow, my faith...

and not just material things like a stove, or a house, food or medical care?

"We just finished with Lent up through Easter
and we were asking to enter into the suffering of Jesus
and we can enter into the suffering of Jesus
through prayer for those in the world who suffer and are less fortunate than ourselves."

-Kim Lamberty (Catholic Relief Services)

Mad Construction!

Last month we were blest to have the
Mission St. Luke / Little Man Ice Cream group
from Texas, Oklahoma, & Colorado
come and do some mad construction...
2 houses, 2 kitchens, and 1 bathroom in 4 days!

Day 1: New home for the Juarez family!

This elderly couple (with their daughter and 2 grand-daughters)

were so happy to finally leave their metal housing 

for a new wood home...

(Metal housing causes extreme temperatures:

really hot during the day and really cold at night).

Words cannot express how thankful this family is to have a new home!

Day 2: New house for Petronila & Rodrigo!

This couple may look familiar:

Last year, the Mission St. Luke group built them a much needed kitchen

and now this year, they have patiently awaited for them to come back

and build them a much needed new house:

(Above left) The old house...you know, dried sugar cane stalks for the back wall?!

(Above right) Day 2 morning...demo and leveling the house floor.

The second house was finished by Wednesday afternoon (Day 3)...

many hands make light work!!

Some of you might also recognize this man from last year (above photo)-

Lorenzo, the blind widow who was the first house we ever did!

This year, Lorenzo did his own demolition of the kitchen

(even though I told him we would do it!).

He wanted to make our burden light... such are the hearts of the poor...

always looking for a way to give back.

Kitchen before...

(Day 3) Kitchen finished...

Again, words cannot describe what a joy it is

to seek out the "least" and forgotten of society

and give them what they most need...

Day 4: Our last project that we literally squeezed in at the last moment

was a new kitchen and new bathroom for this elderly couple, Alberto & Zotera, 

who have no way to improve their living conditions.

Alberto suffers from dementia and is frequently found out wandering in the community

and his wife Zotera broke her wrist 10 years ago

and for lack of finances, was never able to be operated on.

She lost her ability to weave and thus her ability to make money.

Providing Zotera with a new kitchen was the least we could do 

to make her life a little less burdensome...

Kitchen before...

Kitchen after...what a difference in her smile!  😊

A big THANK YOU to Butch Mueller from Paynesville, MN

who donated the stove and found workers

to build it in such a quick and efficient manner!

Last, but not least...how about a bathroom makeover?!! 

 

The left photo was the old bathroom that this elderly couple was using

(with a perfect expression of how we all felt about it, compliments to Ronnie 😉)

The photo on the right is the finished product...

all completed within ONE day!

Again, a deep and heartfelt thank you to all who participated in this crazy but blessed week!  

Can't wait again for next year...