Posts by Helen Houser

We are all familiar with the story of Baby Jesus asleep in the manager with parents and a guiding star to provide protection, love, and care – every child’s need and hope.  Four year old Sergito’s and six year old Carlita’s story is very different. One day he and his sister walked hand in hand…

My dear sisters and brothers,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mexico’s marginalized populations are at higher risk of developing diseases like diabetes – a sickness costly to manage for low-income individuals. Mexico has a diabetic rate of 1 in 6 adults. With the poor, it is higher resulting in heartbreaking disability, amputations, kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and inability…

Photo by Rick Rusch: San Xavier Mission Tucson, AZ on the way to Casa Franciscana, Guaymas, MX Eclair is an international magazine about celebrities, fashion, art and beauty . So how did the article, Humanitarian  Travel: A Journey of Impact and Hope (Volume 41 Issue 184) , about the Casa Franciscana Mission happen to be…

The Casa Franciscana Mission brought tears of gratitude, smiles of happiness and a message of God’s love to almost 400 mothers amongst the poor and elderly. Many of these women are grandmothers raising grandchildren. The Mission staff and volunteers went out to the barrios and walked through dirt, ruts and stones to hand deliver flowers,…

My dear sisters and brothers, During the Christmas season, we naturally think of children. This year, little five year old Rigolito or Rigo is especially in my thoughts. We met him on a hot humid Guaymas day while we were visiting the sick and delivering food boxes. His sister came running to us; telling us…

We are all called to serve the Lord’s kingdom here on earth in different ways. Some to pray, some to lead, and some as soldiers. Ron Cope answered the Lord’s call many years ago with a service retreat to our Franciscan Mission in Guaymas, Mexico. Whatever happened on that trip changed Ron’s heart forever. Ron…

On Earth Day 2022,we shared our new pilot project of home gardens.  The vision is that the fruit and vegetables will provide wholesome vitamin rich food for the family and to share with neighbors. Perhaps, in the future, they will grow large enough gardens to sell some of their produce to other villages. One of…

My dear sisters and brothers , SHOES!  Imagine never having a pair of shoes or imagine sharing shoes with siblings to take turns going to school!!  During COVID, our Casa Franciscana Mission buildings were shut down; so we took our ministries directly to the people. We discovered even more children deprived of education due to…