Namesake

During our time of service in mission, it is not uncommon for someone to name a child after you. Sometimes it is a friend or someone you work. Other times it is someone who hardly knows you. But it is always an honor.

Mitch Tolbert, who has just concluded 10 years of service in the Peten region of Guatemala, shared a story about one of his "namesakes":

I'm attaching a photo of a boy about a year and a half old. He's
the son of Domingo Ca'al, one of our head catechists in the parish,
who lives in the village of Las Flores. A few days before he was
born, Domingo called me to say he was worried that there might
be a problem with the birth since the last time his wife had given
birth the placenta did not pass as quickly as normal. A few days
later I got a call at midday. Domingo said that his wife had had a
son but that two hours had passed and the placenta had not come out.

So I got in the car and drove two and a half hours to Las Flores.
They have a one-room dirt floor house. They had used some large
sheets of black plastic to separate off an area to be used for
the birthing. After a few minutes we were able to get Manuela, his
wife, into the car, and I took them and the newborn to the hospital
in Poptun, where they treated her and checked out the baby. Mother
and son turned out fine.

Now, the tenth child to be born into the Ca'al family was named
Manuel Esteban, but in recognition of the events surrounding his
birth, they call him Mitch (or Mich as they write
my name here). So, whenever I go to their house now and hear
my name called, I have to think twice before realizing they're
not necessarily referring to me.

Hopefully, he won't have to carry such a funny moniker too
much longer. Maybe, before too long, they'll start calling
him Manny or something normal like that.

- Mitch

Jan Donohue

Here I am Lord". That is what I tearfully whispered in church the week after my husband died, and God lovingly reminded me of the dream I once had of becoming a missionary. From that moment, I pursued the possibility and found the organization called Lay Mission-Helpers. They encouraged me, accepted my application and now, after six months of paperwork, perseverance, and prayer, I am beginning the adventure of a lifetime. With God's help and grace, your prayers, and my children's support, I will serve by teaching English in Africa. It hasn't been an easy decision or without stumbling blocks but as I leave for the mission house and my four months of preparation, I can honestly say, "I have heard HIM calling in the night".

-Jan Donohue

Newburn Family

We are preparing for the adventure of a lifetime! It is a big change to leave our home, our friends, and our parish community of almost nine years. We have been so enriched and blessed by so many of you! Thank you for loving us and supporting us.

We will be living in Los Angeles at the Mission House for almost five months. There will be eighteen of us in the house, including one other family with children about the same age as ours. While the kids are attending St John Chrysostom School in Inglewood, we will have formation and discussions in various topics to prepare us for mission, including theology, Bible study, missiology, cross-cultural issues, and personal and spiritual development.

Amidst a lot of uncertainty, we are very excited about this opportunity to "share our gifts, live our faith, and change the world--and let the world change us!" (the motto of Lay Mission Helpers). We are confident that God is calling us, and that He will be faithful to provide for us and bless us in all sorts of new and exciting ways!

-Peter, Joy, Joshua, Jessica, and Emily

Kathleen Mathews

Here are some thoughts from another one of our candidates for mission:

"My name is Kathleen Mathews and I have the privilege of being accepted into the formation program to become a Lay Mission-Helper.

This process began for me last year, as I found LMH through the Internet. I was previously part of a 10 day medical/construction/pastoral Catholic missionary group to Honduras. The experience changed my life and my priorities. I began looking into long term missionary commitments, thus finding LMH and filling out the extensive paperwork and joining others for the weekend discernment this past September. Much to my delight I was accepted into the program.

I am now filled with excitement, fear, and anxiety as I am beginning this journey. I have the support of many of my family and friends, with others believing that I have lost my mind! I can only say that I pray constantly about this life changing decision and the only reason I am doing this is I truly feel a calling from God. I have been so very blessed in my life and after witnessing the abject poverty and need of so many in Honduras I feel the calling to give back and share my gifts with others and hopefully touch others lives.

Please keep me in your prayers, I really need them!!

Thank you,

Kathleen"

Elizabeth Warpinski

In less than two months, the LMH Class of 2012 will begin their 4-month formation. I've asked our candidates to share a little about themselves and their reasons for wanting to be a Lay Mission-Helper. Below are a few words from Elizabeth Warpinski, a young woman from Wisconsin:

"I don't think I'm anyone's standard for a missionary. I drink too much, swear too much, and adore science fiction. It just goes to show that no matter who you are, when God calls, you answer. I first received the call when I was seventeen, over six years ago, and it has been a constant source of guidance ever since. There are a lot of things in my life I don't plan for, preferring to fly by the seat of my pants, so the intensity with which I knew I needed to mission proved to me the sincerity of its divine origin. When I am asked why I am doing this I often flounder at an explanation beyond "because I have to". I suppose it would be more correct to say "because God told me to."

I grew up on a small farm in Wisconsin where I learner the various crafts of herdsmanship, husbandry, woodworking, plumbing, cooking, and sewing. My parents instilled in me a love for the Church at a very young age, but I don't think they expected it to carry me so far. Dad's proud. Mom's terrified. In high school I was involved in theater, swimming and 4-h. At university I started as a wildlife major, but ended with a Bachelor of Arts in English lit. And I once again became involved in theater. I just really like telling stories.

I am impatient to begin my training with the Lay Mission-Helpers. I cannot wait to dive into the work God gave me. I will miss home a bit, miss my dog a lot, but nothing can stop me from doing the work I was called to do."

Peace be with you,
Elizabeth J. Warpinski

Full Circle

The LMH Class of 2011 has been commissioned and they are preparing to depart for their mission sites in the next few weeks. We go on mission to share our gifts and live our faith. Living in another culture changes us. At the end of three years, we often realize that we received so much more than we gave. Most of us will never know if we made a difference. But I guess that can be said for just about anyone in any place - we don't often see the "fruits" of our labor.

Lay Mission-Helpers have been sending lay missionaries overseas for 55 years. The people in this year's class have been requested for their mission assignments because of LMH'ers who served in the past.

In the late 1960's, George Nkuo was a Form I student at Bishop Rogan Minor Seminary. His biology teacher was Betty Risley - a Lay Mission-Helper. He is now Bishop George Nkuo of the Diocese of Kumbo. He remembers Betty as a dedicated teacher who lived out her faith and was an example to the students. Now that he is a Bishop, he is requesting LMH'ers to serve in his diocese. He sees not only the value of the skills they share, but the faith they witness and the friendships that are developed. Debbie Bauer and Frank Olszyna are the most recent in a long list of LMH'ers to serve in the Diocese of Kumbo.

Fr. Bernard Njeru was just a young boy when he met LMH'ers like Addie Coronado who served in Kenya in 1962-68. Years later, when he became a priest and worked in the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Meru, he worked alongside LMH'ers such as Mike & Yuki Ohashi. Now that he has his own parish, he has requested that LMH'ers Jeff & Dorothy Flint help him build up his parish. He knows that working together, we can build up the Kingdom of God.

With 55 years of service, and over 700 LMH have served, one can only wonder what impact each of us has made. All we can do is follow God's call and trust that God will do the rest.



Fr. Eugen, Frank Olszyna, Bishop George Nkuo, Debbie Bauer



Jeff & Dorothy Flint with Fr. Bernard Njeru

Preparing for Africa

Our LMH candidates are in their last month of the formation program and will be commissioned as Lay Mission-Helpers on May 22nd. Last month they received their official assignments.

Jeff & Dorothy Flint - as Pastoral Associates in Mikinduri, Diocese of Meru, Kenya
Deborah Bauer - as a Teacher at St. Pius X Schools in Tatum, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon
Frank Olszyna - as a Teacher at St. Augustine College in Kumbo, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon

In addition to classes that focus on Spirituality, Cross Cultural Issue, and Personal Development, they are learning more about the people and places where they will serve. Please keep them in your prayers as the continue their journey.