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Midnight Run NYC: February 20, 2011

It has been about one month since our team returned from our mission in Ecuador and the fire is still blazing within us. We are continuing to spread Christ’s love, but now, to people in our own communities. As you have read, Tina recently spoke with her young students about missionary work. KK and Justin have attended several youth group meetings at Holy Name of Mary Church in Valley Stream, NY, to spread their missionary zeal. A small group of us are even kick starting an effort to encourage young people – junior high and high school students, youth groups, confirmation classes, etc. – to set Long Island ablaze and to do God’s work.

Last night we brought the love of God to the streets of New York City during our “Midnight Run.” A group of ten students and four adult volunteers (including Marianne and Matthew) packed a van full of warm clothes, toiletries, and hot and cold food and drinks, and trekked into Manhattan to care for the homeless of the city. This night would come to remind me so much of our work in Ecuador and really showed us all that poverty is very real in our own country.

We made three stops over the course of the night. Our first was near some midtown public housing buildings. There we served five very gracious and friendly men who had been waiting for us to arrive. We handed out “slammin!” hot soup, sandwiches, and drinks, as well as clothing and shoes – all of it generously donated by our university and local communities and sorted by several incredibly caring individuals from Adelphi’s Resident Student Association.

One man at this stop, named Darryl, has been living on the streets for the last thirteen years. We struck up a great conversation after I learned that he previously lived in Syracuse – my hometown – but, like most others, couldn’t take the cold winters any more. The weather in NYC has been bad this year, too, but Darryl mentioned that in his many years of poverty he has experienced worse.

Our next stop was only a few blocks away, but here we were met by an even larger group, waiting for the “midnight run.” This site was right outside of a large office building, but the entrance was surrounded by cardboard dwellings – a perfect display of the huge socioeconomic gap that exists in our country and our world. Several of our teammates worked to waterproof these meager structures with garbage bags while the rest of us sifted through boxes and boxes of clothes to find the right sizes for the ten-plus people looking for help. The scene was life changing. Never before had I seen people living in cardboard boxes. I had met people experiencing this level of poverty before, but never in their own environment; it was heartbreaking.

Katie and I spoke with a man named Vic who had traveled to New York from California for work. He told us of his privileged upbringing and we discussed at length his business venture in music education, for which he has already received two patents. If I could read his résumé, I would never guess that Vic was living on the streets! Vic is an example of how poverty can hit anyone during these difficult economic times.

The last stop of the night was in front of a Methodist church another few blocks away. Here were set up even more box shelters. We only met two or three of the inhabitants of this small community, one of whom is Marianne’s good friend Gus, but we left bags of food and clothing for those who were already asleep for the night. At this one site, there were seven people sleeping in boxes and three more protected only by sleeping bags. After distributing food to our sleeping brothers and sisters, we concluded the night and prayed that the Lord lift them out of their poverty.

The New York/Long Island area woke this morning to about two inches of snow and freezing temperatures. For most of us this was a minor inconvenience. But for the people we met last night, those lucky even to have cardboard walls, bad weather can mean life or death. Please pray for Darryl, Vic, Gus, and all of the people we met last night and all of those who live in poverty every day.

 - Kyle Blackmer

Being the Light

Mission work does not end when the mission trip is complete. We have all been called to be missionaries where we live. We have been called to be lights of Christ and to spread His word.  

 I had the opportunity to be the light to a group of second graders this past Friday. I worked with a second grade class at the California Avenue School in Uniondale this past semester and when Mrs. Chaplar, the permanent teacher, heard I had gone to Ecuador she asked me to speak to the students about it. I had the chance on Friday to give a talk to 18 second graders about what I had experienced in Ecuador. I was not going to give up that opportunity. Since it was a public school, I was unable to talk about the religious aspect of our trip, but I showed them a world that they did not know existed. I made up a slide show of pictures of the school buildings we were in since Mrs. Chaplar’s class has recently read a story about schools around the world. Most of the students in the class did know that there were schools where there was only one classroom, there weren’t enough chairs, and there weren’t enough books. The second graders were silenced at what I showed them. Even though the students found that the children of Ecuador have very different things, I showed them that the children were also very similar to them. I showed them pictures of the mission team playing games with the children, and I told them stories of the children we met. I told them that the children of Ecuador still like some of the same things they do. They have the same wants and needs as them.  

 
After I finished showing the students pictures, I asked them, “How are the schools in Ecuador different from the schools here?” One student said, “We have more than one classroom.” Another student answered, “They don’t have desks.” Many others answered in similar ways. Then I opened it up to questions. I have never seen so many hands raised. The students were so curious about these kids who they didn’t even know. I got asked if the people had shoes, if the people had jobs, if they wanted to live where they did, and so many more. I had to stop them from asking questions because we ran out of time! Then one of the students asked if we could raise money for them. He immediately wanted to jump right in and take action.

I was so happy at how the students reacted towards my talk. I was nervous because I was speaking during their snack time which is a time when they normally get to talk to each other. I was afraid none of them were going to pay attention to me. I have to say that I have never seen these students so focused on something. They were silent when I was talking to them. I have never seen them so well behaved. They were genuinely interested about what I had to say about the people of Ecuador. I feel that if I did nothing else, I showed this second grade class that there are places around the world that aren’t like here.  

Now I challenge you to be the light of Christ. Go out and be missionaries and proclaim His word.

-Kristina Viscariello

-Photos by Caitlin Stamm and Kristina Viscariello

Tres Hermanos Part I: The Journey

On Sunday I overheard our group leaders discussing our itinerary for Monday. I was incredibly excited to hear that we would be hiking to a remote village called Tres Hermanos (Three Brothers). This kind of work was what I had been waiting for! We were going to trek into the jungle, cross rivers, encounter some physical hardship, and bring Christ to a small village - this was what I thought missionary work was all about. Though I came to Ecuador without many expectations, in an attempt to be ready for anything, Monday's mission was beyond anything I could have anticipated.

Through my years adventuring in Upstate New York as a Boy Scout, I had done much hiking, climbing, and almost every other wilderness activity you can think of, and several of my teammates are avid outdoorsmen as well. Nothing in the U.S., however, could have prepared us for our journey to Tres Hermanos. It was an adventure like none other.

We set out bright and early, rising at 6:30 to eat breakfast and pile into a couple of trucks at the Church with the nuns and Mercy - the sister of one of the nuns who amazed us all by giving so much of her time and energy to the people of Napo. During a 45 minute truck ride, we passed through Pununo and Palmeiras until we were greeted by a small boy on horseback at the head of a sloppy trail. We should have taken the filth covered horse as a sign of things to come, but nothing was going to dampen our spirits this early. We got off the trucks, passed out lunches and gifts to be carried up to the village, and started on our way up the muddy path. We had rented boots from a shop in Misahualli before leaving - some of us doing so reluctantly believing that our own boots would suffice - and I can remember thanking God over and over again on the trail for those tall, tight, rubber galoshes.

The hike started out very pleasantly; we were laughing when Will fell, making jokes about Madre riding on the horse way ahead of us, and generally ignoring the mud as much as possible while still being attentive as to where we stepped. But soon those laughs would turn into gasps, the jokes into envy, and the ignorance into a preoccupation. There didn't seem to be a place to step where we weren't deterred by a sinkhole of mud, impenetrably thick jungle brush, or a rancher's barbed wire; yes, there are cows in the jungle. Our hike was as mentally fatiguing as it was physically exhausting because as our bodies tired, it became increasingly important to watch our every step, lest we create more work for ourselves by losing a boot in the muck.

We stopped at a spring maybe ninety minutes into our trek, though I can't be sure of the time as I didn't checked my watch. There we rested, washing our hands and boots, posing for a few photos, singing a praise song, and taking in the beauty of God's creation. After about five minutes our break was over. Madre and Mercy headed up a shady path along a creek bed, but the little boy who met us earlier was urging us to take another way. I spoke with him, and trusted his judgment - he being from Tres Hermanos - but we had to follow our leaders because Mercy and Madre had been to the village before as well.

We went up the shady path, walking in the passage of the spring which previously refreshed us, and I quickly acknowledged that this was the most amazing trail I had ever hiked. The landscape was like something out of Indiana Jones or Conrad's Heart of Darkness. We were surrounded by 360 degrees of dense green, walking along slippery, mossy, creek-eroded bedrock, and serenaded by hundreds of phantom birds whose appearances we could only imagine. For maybe fifty yards along the path, we walked through a corridor of rock rising fifteen feet from the creek on each side. Deep, thin crevices had been cut into these walls where we imagined many animals might live. I was literally speechless. Regardless of whether anyone captured an image of this place, and I am unsure if anyone did, I will never forget it for as long as I live.

When we reached a small clearing, we realized that half of our group had followed the young boy. James and Kevin were not particularly happy with this, but when we approached a small house and the inhabitant informed us of our error, we knew that the others were in better shape than ourselves. We headed back down through the picturesque jungle, and while I thanked God for sending us the wrong way through such a beautiful place, I prayed that a flash flood wouldn't tear through the narrow passage and wipe us off the mountain!

We returned to the true path and followed in the bootprints of our teammates. Determined to reach the village and blessing the men who had lain the occasional log steps, we pressed on toward Tres Hermanos - for real this time. It was during this stretch that I received a tremendous blessing and challenge. God gave me two specific tasks before we left New York; I was to become more patient and less proud. Needless to say, the hike humbled all of us that day, but true humility includes not only being gracious for your own gifts and accepting your own limitations, but also acknowledging those of others. Throughout the course of our trip, each one of us was asked to use our individual gifts to serve the people of Ecuador, but also to help our teammates to overcome our weaknesses without expecting praise or recognition.

Though trudging uphill through mud did not come easy to any of us, some have been gifted with more experience in such situations and greater physical strength than others. We were called on during this trek to support and encourage our teammates who found more difficulty in reaching Tres Hermanos. A tremendous blessing was bestowed upon me when I was able to support and guide one of my teammates - who with the strength of the Holy Spirit would push herself well beyond her limit that day - up the mountain and onto the 'dry' ground of the village. Her perseverance and determination that day and throughout the week were, and continue to be, an example for each of us on mission. Her gifts of humility and patience to me were only very small parts of her tremendous contribution to the mission - and were dwarfed only by how much she gave of herself to the people of Ecuador - but to me these blessings made a world of difference.


The detour we took, though breathtakingly gorgeous, was rather disheartening and we were all ready to be at Tres Hermanos celebrating mass. That was often the rallying cry, for when we arrived in the remote village, we would be delivering Christ in the form of the Eucharist to those people for the first time ever! This encouraged us throughout our journey and made all of our discomforts and efforts worth while. As many of the missionaries said of the melodramatically named 'death march' - a term for which I must take responsibility - "I would hike that trail one thousand times over to be with those people and to bring Jesus to them." Everything about our journey to Tres Hermanos was beautiful; the environment, the struggle, the friendship and support, and especially the meaning of our mission that day.

- Kyle Blackmer

- Photography by Alyssa Smith and Claire Flynn

Misahualli Youth Night!

After a fun day of prayer and soccer, it was time to prepare for a Youth Night for the kids of Mishualli and its surrounding villages.  Following dinner that evening, the group met to make some final preparations for the event.  The night would include an opening prayer, free time for various games and activities, an egg toss, a skit, and a short adoration period where Father Lachlan would expose the Eucharist for the children.

"Dancing in the Streets"

Once the group was organized, we walked down to the town to do some last minute promotion.  Armed with a rehearsed Spanish phrase, the team invited every child we saw for some prayer and fun.  Once 7:00pm arrived, people began entering the church. 

While waiting for the festivities to begin, I started talking to a ten year old boy named Jorge.  At first, Jorge was very quiet and reserved, so I asked him simple questions I knew in Spanish to start conversation.  He would answer with quick responses, but seemed reluctant to talk for long.  After a few minutes of small talk, we began to toss a beach ball to each other, which is when Jorge began to show his true colors.

Following the opening prayer, we went outside where I started to kick the soccer ball around with him.  I attempted to do some tricks with the ball to impress my new friend, but failed.  After my third failed attempt, he began laughing and trying to mimic the silly things I was doing.  From this point forward, Jorge and I did not stop laughing, which is when I knew I would have a great night.  The language barrier was no longer an issue in our relationship, which made the rest of the evening one of the most memorable of the trip.

The Egg Toss

Jorge and I participated in the egg toss, coming up short by a few rounds.  After the toss, he took me around the plaza to show me some of the monkeys where we would imitate their actions together.  Our monkey imitations led to me teaching Jorge one of my favorite dances, which he then performed for some of the team.   We were having a blast, but it was time for the most important part of the night, adoration.  

Before adoration, Alyssa, Chiara, Will, and Joe performed a skit for the kids.  The performance was a silent production where Alyssa was scared to show her friends her faith.  Will, playing the role of God, showed Alyssa that his love was worth showing the world, which inspired Alyssa to share with Joe and Chiara.  The skit translated well, and was a good preparation for adoration. 

When Father exposed the Eucharist, it was great to see Jorge calm down from the fun and take time to pray.  Seeing Jorge behave in a proper manner helped me realize he understood the reason we held the event.  The purpose of the evening was to show the children God’s love, and we were present to physically display that.  It was such a blessing to witness the love that was being shared that evening.

Jorge and Justin: A Couple of Jameses

I truly believe that our team inspired each and every child that was present in the church, which is what the trip was all about.  We were able to shine God’s love onto the innocence of Mishualli by simply paying attention.  From dances, to activities, to every laugh and smile in between, Gods children were together as one.  I hope that I impacted Jorge and was a positive example for him to follow.  He may not know, but he was certainly an example for me.  He proved that God was present that night simply with his smile.  My time with Jorge was one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip.  God was present in the village that night, and there was no hiding from the light shining in Mishualli.

- Justin Magaldi

- Photography by Danielle Natorski, Claire Flynn, and Rosie Scavuzzo

God Loves You

God loves you. YOU, in particular. He loves you more than you can possibly fathom. He loves you MORE than the crucifixion HURT. We know Christ’s passion and death was brutal, but have you ever really thought about how intense His suffering was? Dr. C. Truman Davis took it upon himself to explore the physiology of Jesus’ Passion, which he explains in “A Physician Testifies About the Crucifixion.” He confronts the question, “What did the body of Jesus of Nazareth actually endure during those hours of torture?”

The gruesome answer is overwhelming. What Christ’s body underwent is absolutely horrific. However, it is essential to learn about it because you will come to understand God’s love for you in a way you never have before. And you will never be the same. Seriously take the time to read and pray on the following excerpts from Dr. Davis’ article, and as you do, remember this: GOD LOVES YOU MORE THAN HIS PASSION AND DEATH HURT.

An Unlimited Potential to Love

We have seen that our world is broken. People live every day in poverty. Depression, loneliness, sinfulness, deprivation and separation from God’s love are all rampant in our society. In our own country, in our own communities, even in our own homes, Christ’s love is present, but ignored. So many live in agony. We know them and we know their anguish.

But we also know the love that our God has for everyone. He loves you, individually, so much that he died for YOU! He endured a physical pain unbearable to any mortal, inconceivable to any one of us! Even more, he carried the burdens of loneliness and betrayal. Our Lord was cast out by his people, denied by his best friends, shunned, ridiculed, mocked, humiliated, tormented in every mental, emotional, and physical way that you can imagine, so that we would never have to experience such loneliness, persecution, humiliation, and despair. Our God and Our King became human and suffered through everything that afflicts us and did so to a degree that we will NEVER experience, because of his eternal love for us and so that he could be with us andsave us from those incredible burdens. None of us now must live through such pain, because God’s love protects us. We need not be lonely, we need not be depressed, we need not be afraid, or worried, or embarrassed, or in pain, because HE IS WITH US! Always. When you are all alone, HE IS THERE. When no one else understands, HE UNDERSTANDS. When you simply can’t, HE CAN.

What a tremendous gift.

But as we know, there are many still in the dark. Our brothers and sisters still live with these needless afflictions of every form of poverty. This is where we WILL create change in the world. This is how we will shape the world and serve God’s people, our sisters and brothers. Each of us commands a tremendous potential to create change in the lives of others. The ability that exists in every person to spread the love of Christ is unlimited. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO GOD’S LOVE. That being said, there is no limit to the change that you can create in this world. Know this, and believe it.

Each one of us has the responsibility to spread the love of Jesus Christ. This is a challenge that we take up joyfully because of its liberation of ourselves and those we are serving. I invite and encourage everyone who reads this to share your tremendous God-given talents, and use those talents to share the most amazing gift that we all have in common: share our Lord’s love. This is not something that requires you to travel to the jungles of Ecuador or even venture outside of your own community.

Smile. Through God’s love we have been given this tremendous, infectious blessing that will change someone’s day for the better.

TALK ABOUT YOUR FAITH! Urge people to come to mass with you, to pray with you. Share this most glorious gift with everyone you come in contact with. Know that as you share and give to others, your faith will grow and your convictions will be strengthened.

Take time to listen to friends, classmates, co-workers, anyone that you suspect is having difficulty seeing God’s love in their life. As you know, many of us experience the very same discomforts and tribulations, and NO ONE STRUGGLES ALONE.

KNOW that you are making a difference – your actions are changing lives all the time – and that you are doing the work of the Lord. Together, by living in the example of Jesus Christ and the Apostles and Saints, we are building His universal kingdom and undeniably making the world a better place.

And just as each member of our mission team caught the fire of God’s love in Ecuador, and maybe as you are catching the fire reading about our experiences, those people – friends, family members, neighbors, complete strangers – all our sisters and brothers in Christ will be ignited by your love: by Christ’s love in you.

-Kyle Blackmer

- Edited by KK Lukasavage

-Photography by Danielle Natorski, Rosie Scavuzzo, and Stephany Velosa