Novena of Praise and Thanks
FMC’s Response to COVID-19
We’ve put together an FAQ page in response to and in anticipation of the many questions you may have about our missionaries and our response to the current pandemic.
A Missionary Family
Some days I feel like I’m not doing much—I have this vision of getting up in front of the congregation, preaching the Gospel from my heart to a church full of people and playing guitar while leading beautiful hymns. Then reality hits: I don’t speak Spanish that well, and I can’t play the guitar. This missionary life has been a lesson in putting what little I have at the disposal of the Holy Spirit, even my weakness.
Gabriel and the Wooden Airplane
I looked in his eyes and told him he was a special young man. I asked him why he did it; His response was simple, “It’s what Jesus would have done.”
Meru Children’s Home
Doktors in Taiwan
The first night was interesting for sure. The nights still got down to the 40s and, without heat, we were a little chilly. There were a bunch of noises, too, to feed our imaginations: some weird squealing (which we think now is a nighthawk), a rooster who must be jet lagged too as he started at 2am, and then stray dogs barking for what seemed like hours at a time. We were rattled by the initial shock of being in such a different place. The next morning, the reading was from Mark 4 where Jesus calmed the storm and I felt like the Lord was speaking to me when he said, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Dependent on Others?!
We were visiting the States without a home, without a vehicle, and without a lot of money. We were not sure how it was going to work out. A family of seven takes up a lot of space in a home, eats a lot of food, and requires a large vehicle.
Youth Retreat in Kenya
Karen Carmody tells the story of her family putting on a retreat for young people in their diocese in Kenya. Lots of photos and videos!
Forget Not the Poor
I burst into tears. Perhaps one of the hardest things about being a missionary is seeing that, in spite of our efforts to live in solidarity with the poor, there exists a world of difference in the opportunities available to us and to them. Try as I might, I’ll never truly understand the plight of the poor.
When the Poor Became My Family
I began to cry quietly in my little spot in the dark. It was an invitation. An invitation to poverty and generosity in a way that I had not yet known. An invitation into this part of Jesus’ life––and it felt impossible.
Five Years of Our Calling
Our first session on the Great Commission blew us away. And then it just got better and better! Why did we never hear all of this stuff growing up and going to primarily Catholic institutions our whole lives?
Good King Wenceslas
Thanks to the charitable life of an 8th century Duke of Bohemia, the Wilde family learns more than just a Christmas carol.
Visiting Homes in Kenya
How Kids See the World
We’re in a large port city off the Amazon River called Iquitos. One of the poorest areas that we’ve been visiting often is called Belén. I just learned that Belén is the Spanish word for Bethlehem. That realization was so profound to me because we have encountered Jesus in His poor and lowly stable every time we’ve gone to this Bethlehem.
Anything But Ordinary
I passed by a simple concrete home where a woman was standing outside sweeping. We exchanged customary greetings, and when I asked her how she was, she responded with something about being in her home all alone. That was a clue from the Spirit that I need to stop here.
Did God Lie To Us?
Erik and Bridget Martin hang on to the roller-coaster of God’s providence. Donated land. A new house. A phone call…
Our Journey to a Place Called “KFC”
Jonathan and his boys scouting troop – “Caballeros de San Jose” or “Knights of St. Joseph” – leave the jungle and enjoy a fun day in a big city. “With a population at around 45,000, it would be the largest city the majority of them had ever visited. What I experienced on that day I will never forget and I suspect neither will the boys.”
Nairobi
Karen Carmody recounts a trip through the slums of Nairobi and into an orphanage run by nuns. A story told in words, pictures, and videos.
