Gracias a Dios, Gracias a Our Lady of Sorrows

The Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic community once again shared God's grace in a concrete, lovely way this year. During the Advent season, a large amount of money was offered by families, by individuals (by Fr. Muller!!) and sent to the care of two Daughters of Charity who live and work in Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico. In all, 22 homes were provided for people who were in dire need. You can some before and after pictures here, and just a bit of a light into their lives.

Oralia Vazquez

House number 17 was built for Oralia Vazquez, a 41 year old woman who lives alone with her 20 year old son. Her son works as a bricklayer, making about $ 60 for a forty hour week. Ms. Vazquez said, “This house is the best thing that has ever happened to me. My son has tried and tried to save some money to build us a small place, but he never could, so this is like a gift from heaven. Please tell those who gave us this house that I will pray for them each and every day; and even though I don’t know them, I offer them the largest hug I can give.” (The dog looks fiercer than it is. Oralia claims that the dog is a coward, "but I like him all the same," she says).

Hilario and Lucia Morato

Mr. And Mrs. Hilario Morato are grateful for their new home. Mr. Morato and his son are also bricklayers. Mrs. Morato is no longer able to work, having come down with crippling arthritis. They moved to the border hoping to find work, and spent their meager savings in a fruitless search for a decent job.

Angelina Hernandez

Angelina Hernandez is 57 years old and lives with her 17 year old son Abundio. Her husband left her 20 years ago; they had had 9 children together. None of her children finished school, as they all had to work at a young age to keep from starving to death. Abundio is her youngest son and he works in construction.

Maricela de la Rosa

Maricela de la Rosa is a 57 year old woman who has a 29 year old daughter living with her as well as two small grandchildren. Mrs. De la Rosa makes $ 70 a week as a factory worker, although she suffers from hypertension and is worried that she might have a stroke. “You have no idea how grateful I am for this house; my other house was falling in on our heads. Thank you for taking note of my need; I really had lost hope that I would ever live in a decent place again.” She uses an outhouse, as she has yet to get together the money for a sewer connection. She hopes that with the new house, she can now save toward that decency.

Diana, Ivan and Esther

Diana Vasquez is a young, single mother who was abandoned by her husband soon after she became pregnant with her son. She sells soap and brushes, making about $ 65 a week, although she has discovered just how expensive a child can be. “May God bless you, always, and often,” she prayed.

Francisco and Nayeli

Mr and Mrs Francisco Martinez are a young couple with two children. His mother became ill with breast cancer. Soon afterwards, Mrs. Martinez was laid off from her work. They went to live for a time with his mother, and, upon return to Matamoros, discovered that thieves had broken into their small shed and had stolen all that they had—clothing, dishes, small pieces of furniture. A week later, Mr. Martinez returned to discover that someone had removed his aluminum roofing (to sell it for scrap). Mr. Martinez said, “All I could do was ask the dear Lord for help; and He did help us. Blessed be God.”

This is the 22nd house that was built, thanks to the generosity of the people of Our Lady of Sorrows, the goodness of the local community in Matamoros, and the strong goodness of Sr. Phylis and Sr. Sharon, Daughters of Charity, actual grace, each and every one.

Advent prayers bearing fruit. . .

This past Advent, the parishioners at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church donated funds toward the construction of homes for people who live just across the Texas border in Matamoros, Mexico. Since that time, five homes have been built; with five more to come. (If you double click the photo, you should get a better view).

Alexa is happy!

This is Alexa, standing in the doorway of her former home. Her father is a newspaper barker, and makes only $35 a week. His wife is ill and can't work; they barely come up with money for food and incidental expenses. A number of friends from St. Louis, Missouri came down to help with putting the home up. Alexa chimed in with her paintbrush.

A World of Difference

Luis makes about $ 55 a week working in a local school. He, his wife Sarai, and his son live in deplorable conditions.

They cook over a wood fire in the small space in front of their shack.



Their son uses an old dog house to keep out of the rain. Sarai says, “I am so grateful to know that you are helping me have a home. Please tell the good people that I pray that God bless them.”

A decent place for my children

Rafael and Rosa Elena have two daughters. He is a part time laborer, making about $ 60 a week. They are trying to get their kids through school, but are having a hard time paying the different fees. Rafael only gets work once in a while. Mrs. Rico herself has searched in vain for work; she says because she is 47 she is considered to hold to hire. Mrs. Rico said, "May God bless you all, especially as you have come to me in a time of great need.”

Shelter from the rain. . .

Carlos and Judith have four children in the family (Judith, 6 years old; Jessica, 3 years of age; Miguel Angel, 8 years old and Jonathan, 7 years of age). Carlos makes about $ 45 a week as a bricklayer, when there is work. Mrs. Vasquez says, “I have asked to have someone help me, as our former house was horrible: the roof was cardboard that had rotted through, but we just never have enough money to start a new house. We only have enough to eat and to send the kids to school. I sell flowers twice a year, on Valentine’s Day and on Mothers’ Day, that helps some. But then I got sick, and the doctor gave me complete bed rest, which I can’t really do. . .thank you for helping me.”

The Chief in charge of the chiefs

Sr. Sharon Horace is a Daughter of Charity. She has graciously agreed to coordinate the project. This is a good thing, as she knows what she is doing. Although some of the men don't seem to think so. . .

Thank you, Mil Gracias, a thousand times, thank you.

Creating Places for Christ to Lay His Head

Hundreds of parishioners from Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Birmingham, Alabama, spent last Advent making generous offerings of money that ended up radically changing the lives of several families that live in Matamoros, Mexico, a city located just across from Brownsville, Texas. Over $24,000 was collected during a three week period--a stunning demonstration of goodness and faith. The money has been used to build small, two room homes with cement floors and tin roofs. Modest, by any American measure, but a God-sent blessing to families that lived under rotting cardboard roofs with dirt floors. Here are the stories of some of the families. (If you click on the photos, you will get a nicer view).

Francisca Lozano is 58 years old and has three children. She cleans houses and sells Avon and Fuller Brush products. She works in a day care center, where she makes $ 60 a week. When I approached her about building a little home for her, she looked at me as if I were from outer space. She and her children moved in with a neighbor for the week that it took to tear down her old place and put up the new structure. When she saw her new home, she wept.

Maria Elena Macias is 32 years old and single mother. She is a tough woman who has unfortunately learned not to trust anyone. She is a Catholic, but up until now did not see much sense in going to church. She makes $ 30 a week working in a bar. She can’t keep thieves from coming into her home at all hours of the day or night (the house is so flimsy). (The photo is of some friends framing up her new home).

Juana Maria Escalante is 31 years old and has three children of 13, 11, and 9 years of age. She works as a quick order cook, and makes $ 45 a week. Four years ago, her husband immigrated to the USA and they have had no word of him since that time. "When my husband left me, he said that he was going to the USA so that we could change our lives for the better. He left with that same idea of the “American Dream,” that all those who leave us have. Well, things definitely did change, because he never came back for us. Some months after he left, his mother came to tell me that my husband had married someone else in the US and that he wasn’t ever coming back to us. He began to send my children $ 100 each through his mother; as if they could live on $ 100 a year!" Juana was stunned to be able to get rid of the shack that was home for them; when it would rain, water would sprinkle over the whole house. There was no place you could be and not get wet. The house smelled, always, of rot. “God bless you all,” she says.

Sara Torres Ramirez Her husband makes concrete blocks and earns $ 3 a day. She found a vacant lot on the outskirts of town, her sister had purchased it years ago and then had moved to the United States. She was paying $ 100 a month to rent a shack; now they will use that money for food. "Please tell all those who have helped me that I am so grateful and know that God will bless them in many, many ways. I would like to pay them back for this dream. I feel like I am dreaming; how could something so good happen to me?"

Cristina's husband Miguel is a carpenter. He makes $60 a week, when he can find work. There is no water or sewer connected to the family's house. Cristina notes that they do have electricity wired to the house, but that she has to choose whether to have electricity or go hungry. She admits that she has a hard time getting along with her neighbors; her father had left the family when she was young and they grew up dirt poor, fighting all the time just to get by.

Maria Esther lives with her son David, who is 28 years old. She cleans houses when she can find work. Her husband abandoned her when her other children were still small. Her grown children occasionally give her $20 a week to help out with costs. Her son has been diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia. She stays with him most of the time, as the children in the neighborhood taunt him and throw rocks at him, which makes him even worse. (In the photo, the family has gathered in front of their new home).

Frumencio Hernandez Hernandez and his wife Martha have three children (ages 9, 8, and 3 years). He is a carpentar's helper, for which he makes about $ 70 a week. In their previous home, they paid $ 50 a month for rent, but the roof had caved in and when it rained, everything they own would be soaked. They had asked help from an evangelical Christian group, but were refused. They will baptize their children into the Catholic Church at Christmas.

8. Paulina Zunia Samaniego is a 79 year old widow whose diabetes had left her sightless. She was living in a wreck of a home. We had a hard time convincing her to let us build her a place as she said, "But my husband worked so hard to build us this one. I don't want to embarrass him." In the end, she agreed, as the home was really unliveable. Her daughter lives with her and cares for her, although she has her own burdens--her seven year old had been hit by a car and requires much care.

9. Refugio Jaime Guillen and his wife Blanca will live in a home that will be a bit smaller than the others that we have built. Building materials have gone up in price. He is another man who works in carpentry, when there is work to be had, but only earns about $70 a week when there is work. Blanca cleans homes for about $60 a week. They have no running water or sewage. This is the hardest place that I have ever visited—the filth was indescribable and they are difficult people. Sometimes Jesus comes disguised in distressing manners.