Family Of Jesus The Healer

What is a Desert Day?

wp@admaster — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:33:40 +0000

Each month our community takes a day off from the normal routine which we call a desert day. It is a day for silence, being with nature, seeking the Lord in prayer and for bonding with others. This is how we live a typical desert day.

The day begins in the chapel with Mass and afterwards a theme to orient our day such as “being thankfull” or “When have we fealt most abandoned and when most loved by God”

Fr. Lucas prepares a simple lunch

: Then we drive out of the noisy city

Leaving the city into the fresh air of the countryside

Arriving at the recreational park

When we get to the park we all spread out and find our special place where we can pray, study, meditate and appreciate God and His beautiful creation.

A dessert day is a very special moment for us. It is a time to spend quality time with God and with one another. It is a special day of rest with its own special rythm so that our relaxation is re-creative and not just sitting around and doing nothing.

Fr. Lucas immersed in the Bible and spiritual reading

Elizabeth contemplates the beautiful stream

: Fr. Isaac prays the rosary

more of nature´s beauty

After lunch we get together to play nothing like a good game of volleyball

Finally, after playing (volleyball or risk or cards, etc. ) together which is also an important event, we get together and sing songs of praise to the Lord and share what we reflected upon or what we percieved the Lord telling us during our time of reflection and prayer. We then go home and order a dinner and watch a movie that will inspire us on our journey.

Maybe you can think of ways you can have your own desert day with your family. Be creative. Recreation does not have to be expensive going to Chucky-Cheese or other specialized places. It is nice to go to a park and read your kids a Bible story and talk to them about virtues and then seek out a good, clean movie that model these virtues to watch together in the night and then talk about afterwards. There are many ways to create a desert day, but always include God. He is so often left out of our recreation. God loves to recreate us in and into His Son.

The Untold Story of Chaos in Puerto Maldonado

wp@admaster — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:39:55 +0000

The untold story of the chaos when the minors and the police had violent confrontations all around our city block was that, I, as being in charge, told the others that if a tear-gas bomb went off near the house that the sisters would go into the downstairs bathroom while the men would go into the upstairs bathroom. The bathrooms, being in the center of the house would receive the least amount of the gas. They all agreed. In just a few minutes I saw a smoking tear gas bomb fly down our street and land in front of our house and begin to let out its eye and throat stinging smoke. I commanded all to put our plan into action. We men went to the upstairs bathroom and heard that Matthew, a visitor from the states, was in the middle of taking a shower. Upstairs, therefore, was a no-go. We all rushed to the downstairs bathroom. Storming the door we found it too to be locked. I shouted, “is somebody in there?”. Fr. Francis María (the name has been changed) sheepishly responded, “uh, I am.” I then said through the door, “Well, are you going to be long?.” He responded, “Well, uhhh, you see, hmmm.” I got the idea and then commanded all, “To the kitchen!”. It´s always good to have a plan B. I believe God most of the time has to setttle for plan B or C because we never seem to be ready for His plan A. Too love all in Jesus Christ who has raised from the dead. In the end all turned out well. The kitchen turned out to be as good a place as any. This, my friends, is the untold story from the day of chaos in Puerto Maldonado. If you want the rest of the story it is below. –Fr. Isaac

Today was a terrible day in Puerto Maldonado. The gold-miners had come to town five days ago and today the situation became violent. They wanted to burn down the open-air market and take posession of an observation tower and a park named Bolonesi. We happen to live in between these three sites and it fealt like we were in a war with the miners throwing rocks at the police who throwing the rocks back at the miners and shooting with rubber bullets and tear gas bombs. We even had a hellecopter overhead that blew debri into our house and dropped teargas bombs in the near by park.

Our eyes and throats were burning from the teargas and we were told to put buckets of water near us and to hold a wet towel in front of our faces to soak up the gas. It was affective to a certain degree.

The miners were fighting the police right in front of our house and even stole our trailer which we use to haul materials from Puerto to wear we are constructing our house. We have some kind neighbors who saw it down the street and brought it back. During the chaos we had Mass and then two hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and we prayed a rosary at the end. We then started the daily routine of cooking and cleaning with Fr. Isaac and Sr. Mary Therese continuing to pray and seek for God´s voice. Sister percieved God telling her that it would end that night and until now this has been the case. I percieved God telling me that it was His will that we be in the middle of the chaos praying and doing our chores with faithfullness and that was bringing some sense of order and His Kingdom in the middle of disorder, rage, killings and fear. We all sensed peace, fruit of our trust that God is in control and He will take care of us.

God bless you all and may you have peace in your land.

Latest Advances on the Construction

wp@admaster — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:27:01 +0000

The new bridge helps us and the materials for the construction get to the land faster and cheaper. It is the longest bridge in Peru and Fr. Isaac blessed it during its construction. No lives were lost, praise the Lord.

This will be the sister´s temporary housing until thier module is built. It is a bungalo style and will be used for guests in the future.

This is our new road which was needed because the soil tends to turn into jello when the heavy rains come and then no vehicles can safely enter.

These our our well diggers who should be finishing the 30 meter well in the next couple of days so that we can have water.

Working on the Land

wp@admaster — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:41:51 +0000

Sister Mary Therese tending to a pot on the woodburning stove

As the construction of our House of Formation for the brothers and the bungalo where the sister´s will be temporarily housed are getting closer to completion, we are getting more active in helping with the work on the land.

Fr. John Mary helping out with the cooking

Fr. Lucas empties his wheelbarrow that was full of concrete

The men have been helping with filling and placing bags filled with concrete in order to protect our riverbank from errosion.

The bucket of cement passed down to the area to be protected

We are calling the property where we are constructing our formation house, “Nazareth on the Riverbank” as it will be a place of silence, of reflection, and growing in family relations. We pray for the intercession of St. Joseph every day that our house may be well constructed and with a beautiful simplicity. We also pray that all of us involved, including our hired workers, will grow in solidarity, sacrifice, and conversion of heart and that this house will be ever pleasing to God our Father.

Our roof is almost completed

This is a bungalow under construction where the sisters will live until thier formation house is built.

Father Philip has recently arrived her in Puerto Maldonado and we see him in the following pictures reviewing the progress in the construction.

Fr. Philip with our roofer, Sr. Alberto, with the finished roof in the backgroud. A jog well done!Fr. Philip looks on the project to save the riverbank.Our roofer, Alberto relates the challenges he faced in building the roof to the sisters. The young girl in the picture is Lorena who is Columbian and is discerning a vocation with the sisters.The chickens have moved into thier new house before we have. The palm leaf thatching for the roof makes it a cool place for them to live and protects them from the wild cats who have killed various hens.

A tribute to a good friend

wp@admaster — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:00:19 +0000

We regretfully announce that our accountant, Mike Fuller who has been donating his time in helping the community since it´s conception has passed away on the 29th of August in Odessa, Florida. Not only has he been of great help to us in finances but he has also taught us with great skill the art of apologetics. He shared with us an intense love and knowledge for the Word of God. He has modeled for us generosity and integrity in the face of many trials culminating in his final battle with cancer. While this aggressive cancer had victory over his body, his suffering only united him more with Christ. When the time came he was ready to be lead by Jesus and Mary into his Father´s House. We bow our heads and thank our beloved Father and Creator for the privilege to have been befriended by such a holy man. May he rest in peace and joy.

Mike, we look forward to seeing you soon. We love you.

Your Family in Jesus

Stefany Has now had her operation!!!!!!!

wp@admaster — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:06:05 +0000

Stephie had her operation on January 31st. It was an all day surgery with an expert team of Physicians working from thier special fields of expertise. They were amazed at how easy the operation went. She is already taking liquids and is back to being herself. There will now be a long recovery time. We are praying that, while the operation was a miracle of God´s grace working through the expertise of the doctors, Stephie will be able to walk again which is beyond all expectations and could only be a work of our Loving Father God. Please continue to keep her in your prayers and that this little saint will be able to walk one day.

World Youth Day was a unique experience

wp@admaster — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:30:57 +0000

Thank You for your prayers and support, because without your help we would not have made this dream come true for the 10 youth that went to Madrid.

Ordination of Two Brothers

wp@admaster — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:13:24 +0000

Bishop Paco lays hands on now Father Lucas Mary

Praise the Lord! On the 6th of August brothers Jose Maria and Lucas Maria were ordained to the priesthood in Puerto Maldonado by Bishop Francisco Hernandez Gonzalez at 11:00AM. It was a beautiful ceremony. You can see more photos in the photo gallery un “Ordination Shots.”

Fr. José María celebrates his first Mass in Santa Cruz parish