Day #1

Perspective and Context

The team of 26 missionaries arrived safe and sound this afternoon.  It’s a nicely mixed group of adults and high school/college students.  It’s also a mixture of new folks to MP and some returning team members.  In the group is Louise Formica who came on the very first mission trip almost eight years ago.  She was stunned at the progress over the years.  Same is true for those who came a year ago.  When they saw the progress of the second neighborhood, the new Church, and the families engaging in the life of a real neighborhood, they were stunned/surprised/grateful.  Context is everything.  What a difference a year… or eight… can make!!

Their experience and noticeable awareness of the progress of our communities is only possible because of their hard work, along with those who have come  before them.  It’s also only possible because of YOU and your support for Mission Possible.

They arrived in the community around 4:30 pm and were quickly greeted with PB & J sandwiches – the staple of the week.  We gave them a good tour of both neighborhoods and showed them who we are trying to help.  At the end of the night, I asked them for some thoughts.  Overwhelmingly, you could hear and tell that they were already starting to put things into context.  I shared with them three times today that the solution to world hunger and poverty is NOT that they (we) should also be poor and live in poverty.  The solution to world poverty and hunger is the realization that we are richly blessed with resources and opportunities which we need to embrace to help us be our best selves.   The MP experience will help shape their perspective.  Our prayer is that each team member will come home more committed to learning, growing, being their best selves and  using their gifts and talents to do great things, have wonderful jobs, and help support efforts like MP to create homes for the poor and feed those who are hungry.

Over the past year, we have been working hard to foster some good partnerships that will greatly enrich the life of the community.  Today, we received great news….at an impromptu press conference….we announced that the Police will staff a police station in the new community.  This will go a long way to keep everyone/thing safe.  We also received word that the septic system will be installed by the government starting on Wednesday.

Tomorrow, we start working to finish five homes so we can have families move in this Friday.  We will also start the foundations of five new homes with the hope of completion during the fall season.

There’s much to do….but today was also a reminder of how much we have done, and how far we have come… thanks to those who have served as missionaries.  Today was also a moment when I was so grateful for all YOUR help and support which makes the mission possible.

God bless you.  Pray for our mission team.  We have ‘wave two’ rolling in on Friday.  We will have both groups together for the weekend.  Should be fun!!?!?!

Take care.

Watch for more news tomorrow.

Father Bob
Jake Bihari
And the MP team