FMA and Volunteers helping to save lives in the wake of the disaster

Update from Michelle in Ecuador!

Hello Friends and Family!

It has been a very long journey so far and so much has happened!

Firstly, some sad news: Sor Isabel passed away November 23, 2012. She wasn’t as elderly as some of the other sisters of the house, but she was very sick. We all still miss her but I am sure she has found peace in Heaven with our Lord.

Better news: The sisters who had been hospitalized due to accidents are all better now (or as best as they can be). They are walking with the help of walkers and seem to be pretty much back to normal. Everyone in the house seems to be content at the moment, so I am very happy for that. We also had two new additions to our family here at Los Rosales: Sor Aura and Sor Elisa. Sor Elisa is younger, she is here to help in any way she can, (very much like me!) and Sor Aura is from the Provincial House and is here to keep company with the many other lovely sisters at the house!

The Holidays went smoothly here. I, of course, had to work, but I didn’t want to be anywhere but the house during the Holidays, so that worked out fine by me. My mother also came to visit me and I am sure she had a wonderful time learning Quito and spending time with the madrecitas!

During the Holidays, I also made Rosary videos for the sisters here. They had one already, but it lacked graphics for each prayer. They really wanted a changing graphic for each prayer to be able to keep the attention on prayer time for the elderly sisters. I pulled hundreds and hundreds of images from the internet to put together a video for them to use with the audio that Sor Teresa (the director of the house) gave me. I had to cut and edit everything, even the audio! It was quite an experience! I am very happy to say they all loved them! I created four, 30 minute videos for each rosary, as well as four without the opening prayers, in case they wanted to use them all together and didn’t want to listen to the opening prayer four times.

I have completed many projects here and have a few still on my plate. The first one was organizing the clinic. That was very successful. It took a lot of time going through all of the medications and sorting them, finding out what they were for, checking the expiration dates… I also had to translate many medical terms and conditions because all of my research was, of course, done in English. I was able to organize all the medicine and equipment though, successfully labeling everything in Spanish. I am very pleased to say that our clinic is very much “up and running”!

My second project was to make folders and forms. There were few choices in terms of what I had to work with in the clinic already, but more on that later. I was successful in making forms for vital signs, medicine logs, administration of medications, as well as hourly time logs stating when certain medicines had to be given to certain patients. All of the forms were to make it easier in documenting the sister’s (patient’s) medical history and as a way of communicating between the nurses of various shifts. Sometimes we are all so busy (the nurses) that we don’t run into each other enough to explain what has or hasn’t been done. These forms and logs make it very easy to see what else needs to be done, in terms of medications or treatments. You can see how it could be dangerous when an elderly patient,with impaired memory, may not remember if the morning nurse gave the medication for the day or not. For this reason, I have started the habit among all of the nurses to write anything they wish to communicate with the others in the correct folder. Everything has been running very smoothly! I also wanted to  start the forms and logs for the doctors as well. Many sisters visit doctors, or doctors will visit here, and it is much easier if the sister can bring her folder, with all the medications and logs of problems she’s been having (or even if she missed a dosage) with her to the physician to treat her. It comes in especially handy when the sister may not remember everything to explain to the doctor as well.

As I stated before, my choices were few in terms of organizing the information into acceptable folders. My next project is to update the folders and organizing system we are using. As of right now, things are organized in a disorganized way. Having experience as a clinical assistant for four years, it is very difficult not to make this happen. I would like to get “special folders” that have brads to be able to hold and organize the information even more efficiently. I am working with the director in charge on making that happen.

Another future project is making a check up form. Currently, we (the nurses) are focused on the sick, very elderly sisters of the house. There are other sisters here who can still do little chores as well as activities of daily living on their own. Because they are so independent, they rarely see a doctor unless something is wrong. Also, because they are Salesian sisters, they rarely complain and just like to work hard! As a caretaker here, it is hard for me to see them not getting the adequate care they may need. I have compiled research already on check ups for the elderly so that we can do a check up on each sister once a month, or every other month. This way, the director of the house, as well as the other nurses can assess the physical, mental, and emotional status of all of the sisters, from minor problems and concerns, to whether or not medication is working properly for them. It will also make things like high blood pressure easier to detect before it is too late. I will need to form some sort of system for organizing this information in the clinic as well, but that of course will come later.

Finally, I would like to start an exercise program. One that can incorporate minor stretches and moves for the elderly sisters here. I would like to make an instruction book out of it as well (maybe even a CD for music too!) so that when I am gone, someone else can easily follow and keep it going. I think an exercise program, even a small one like the one I am planning, will really help improve the physical and mental clarity of the sisters involved.

I am very excited for these projects and can’t wait until they come together. I have even talked with a few sisters from the other houses, and they want me to send them copies of everything I create to be used in their houses as well. Maybe not just in Quito, but for most of Ecuador! In all of the houses there are one or two elderly sisters being cared for. So the forms really would come in handy for them too!

Well that about sums up what you’ve missed! I want to talk about my trip to Macas on it’s own, so be on the look out for that post!

Thank you for all of your support!

~Michelle

Continue to follow Michelle through her blog, “My Ecuador Mission”

New Jersey Office Welcomes 6 New VIDES!

The VIDES East+USA Office welcomes 6 new volunteer missioners who are currently participating in Formation/Service Camp before heading to their mission service sites. Keep them in your prayers!

Back (L to R): Tom Kent, Mike Zimmerman Front (L to R): Laura Kent, Hannah Ufnar, Kate Palla, Anne Koch, Sr Denise Sickinger

June 2010 Formation/Service Camp

Bishop Cantu with the Newly Commissioned VIDES Missioners

The VIDES 2010 summer formation/service camp was amazing. We had Bishop Oscar Cantu for the Commissioning Mass on 6/20. The Sisters at St John Bosco and the Provincial House opened their arms and hearts to receive us. So, did Fr. Salvador Pedroza, Sulema, and the people from Asherton.

We had a wonderful team: S Vuong, Sydney (Aspirant from Arizona), Alaina (Aspirant from Cristo Rey Parish in Austin), Allison (and I).

Then we had 14 committed, enthusiastic, and generous young adults preparing for mission: Vincent Ruiz-Ponce from MN going to Dominican Republic, Maggie Molfetas from NJ going to Rwanda, Tessa Krebs from OR going to Geneva, John McFillin from PA going to Kenya, Eric Large from WA going to Haiti, Monica Rust from ID going to Haiti,

Mary Ordos from WA going to El Salvador, Maggie P. from Austin TX going to Honduras, Nelcy Cardenas from Fort Worth TX going to El Salvador, Keelan O’Connell from Abilene TX going to East Timor, Jill Dominy from Coppell TX going to Corralitos CA, Rebecca Castellanos from AZ going to Honduras, Danny Mittnacht from DC going to Chile, and Elizabeth Isensee from Houston going to Haiti.

10 teen-agers from Asherton joined us as Junior Vides Leaders at the 80 kids’ camp.  Asherton families went out of their way to provide our evening meals, some noon lunches a couple of breakfasts, and the traditional hot dogs for all campers on the last day.

Finally, for the first time, four of the young people who have been attending the Asherton camp since it first started in 1998 have begun the application process to become VIDES members.

Our hearts overflow as we thank God for the abundance of graces received.

Sister Mary Gloria Mar, FMA

VIDES at the United Nations

Maria Carmen Castillon, VIDES+USA, shares from Geneva, Switzerland:

FYI… we will need all the prayers on June 4 to make our case…

Feast of Mary, Help of Christians!

On May 24, the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians was joyfully celebrated at Cristo Rey Parish in Austin with Mass a blessing of the new fence mural created by VIDES Volunteer Elise Plaisance, Sister Maria Rodriguez, FMA, and Vianney Venegas.

Sister Maria and Elise

Sister Maria Rodriguez writes: We celebrate with great joy the feast of our mother, Mary Help of Christians. This celebration is an opportunity for us to welcome Mary into our hearts, just as the apostle John, who stood at the foot of the cross, welcomed Mary into his home.

St. John Bosco is an example of a person who welcomed Mary into his heart. He lived with a profound experience of Mary as mother. He always implored the help of Mary Help of Christians, and he gave her to us as mother and model of the entire Salesian family. Mary, he believed is the best teacher and model for our children and youth.

St. Johns Bosco’s last Mass, which was celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome, lasted nearly three hours. The service was interrupted several times by his crying. When his secretary asked him after Mass why he cried so much during the Mass, the saint replied, “During Mass, I saw my whole life, as if I were watching a movie, and Mary was with me through it all!”

Brothers and sisters, as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of Mary Help of Christians…may we invite Mary to accompany us as she did St. John Bosco. May we invoke her help and protection during the difficult moments of our lives. Perhaps we might use the simple words of St. John Bosco in this respect: “Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.” As St. John Bosco once said, “Call upon Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles are!”

VIDES Board Member on “What Got Me Through this Cancer”

Linda Derr, one of our VIDES Board Members who has been battling with cancer had surgery in December. She now shares her secret with us of “What Got Me through this Cancer.”

VIDES Volunteer Vanessa Lively is Linda’s daughter. Both she and her husband Jason served in Ecuador and did a wonderful 2 years of service.

Let us thank God for the saints among us, take their living example to heart, and pray for and with them!

Peace, joy, and love from,
your Sister M Gloria

Linda Derr writes: First, let me thank you for all of your prayers.  I have felt nothing but joy and peace and love throughout this entire time from Dec. 2, 2009 when I first learned of my cancer, then got everything to work out so perfectly in finding the best doctors right away, then my breeze of a surgery, my fantastic recuperation period thanks be to God and all of you.  Please accept my sincerest thanks for every good thought you sent my way.  I felt each and every one of them.

Now I can share my secret.  It comes from a little book that is out of print now, but is called “Prison to Praise” by Merlin Carothers, (a Protestant Minister).  This book really touched my soul in a very profound way.  God knew long before now that I was going to be diagnosed with cancer and  would be needing to have faith, hope, love and peace so I believed He led me to read this book over and over again throughout the past 10 years.  Here is what I remember and have remembered for all these years, that has gotten me through every little and big hurdle in my life.

“In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”
ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love the Lord!
THANK GOD FOR EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIFE AND BELIEVE HE HAS
PERMITTED ALL OF THESE THINGS IN ORDER TO BRING YOU TO THE
PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

That’s my motto which I live by and have lived by for some time now.  It has allowed me to be happy in all circumstances, giving thanks for all things and in all things, thanking God in advance for being such a great provider and for insisting that I rely on only Him for my needs and wants.  So I do my part, I love the Lord with all my heart, I do what He tells me to do and I live a full and rich happy life.  It made such an awesome difference in my life once I understood this promise of Christ, but once I got it, I got it for good.  That’s why I Praise the Lord for everything, for my cancer, for my life, for my doctors, for my family and friends who love me and take care of my needs through visits and prayers and kind loving thoughts.

Remember that song “don’t worry be happy” well God came up with that idea long ago.  All we have to do is accept his will knowing it is for our best and will turn out just as it should in order for us to get closer to Him.  I am living, breathing proof it works.  God does not lie and I trust in Him completely.  Thank you so much.  I truly pray for you and hope my little ordeal has strengthen you in some way.  It sure has strengthened me and my family.  May the good Lord bless you and keep you in good health in mind, body and soul.  Love and more love, Linda.

Feel free to send this to anyone you know who has been praying for me or who loves me and knew of my illness.  I just don’t have many email addresses for lots of those people.  Just let them know I am Good to Go!  Praise the Lord, and Thanks Be to God!

Fr. Jayme Visits Central America!

From May 4-7  Fr. Jayme, beloved pastor of Cristo Rey Parish in Austin which houses VIDES, made a whirlwind trip to Central America to visit the missions where VIDES+USA volunteers currently serve. In just three days he and a friend made it to Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras; Soyapango, El Salvador and Santa Ana, El Salvador. VIDES volunteer David (currently volunteering in El Salvador) graciously served as the tour guide for Father’s visit.

5/4 Sister Mirna in Honduras writes that they played soccer with the girls (we do not know who won, but will try to find out) gave the good night to the internas (young ladies boarding there) and celebrated the Eucharist. Everybody was excited and enjoyed with the visit.

5/4 Nicole (VIDES Missioner in Honduras) writes: “Their time here in Santa Rosa was incredibly brief but their presence was enjoyed!”

5/5 Gina (VIDES Missioner in El Salvador) writes: “Thank you all for traveling so far to come see us in Soyapango. I know Sor Margarita Guillen, the sisters, the girls and I all enjoyed your too-brief tour of the school. The good thing is, that we can continue the stories and sharing state-side. In the meantime, here are a few photos from this afternoon. Con cariño desde Soyapango, Gina”

Father Jayme (center) with Gina, David, and the girls in Soyapango, El Salvador

L to R: Gina, David, S Margarita, Fr Jayme and Dan in Soyapango

5/6 Padre Luis (Ciudad de los Ninos, Santa Ana, El Salvador) writes: “Querida Hermana: He visto el folleto que nos mandó acerca de VIDES, y he visto las fotos de Jason, Mark, Sidney, etc. Los felicito por la labor que hacen. El padre Jaime y el señor Daniel están muy bien. En este momento están visitando Chalchuapa. […] Le deseo muchas bendiciones de parte de Nuestro Señor, P. Luis, Ciudad de los Niños, Santa Ana, El Salvador”

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Check back soon for more information about VIDES+USA, including updates from the missions!