Posts by Mark Hiland
Home Gardens can bring a community together
During Saint Francis’s lifetime, he once encountered a vast and beautiful wildflower meadow, which deeply captivated him. He saw it as a powerful symbol of living in a way that respects and honors nature as God’s creation. Inspired by this experience, he envisioned and encouraged Friars to create a garden – a harmonious blend of…
Read MoreShoes Make a BIG Difference every year in Guaymas
My dear sisters and brothers, ASK THESE CHILDREN IF WE ARE MAKING ADIFFERENCE!! Each year we discover more children deprived of education becausethey don’t have shoes to attend class. Last year you opened yourhearts AND a path out of poverty for 2,150 children. You fundedshoes giving them the opportunity to go to school, 32% more…
Read MoreCFO Annual Board Visit to the Mission
February 15 – 18, 2024 some members of the CFO Board visited the Mission. Thanks to you and anamazing staff, the programs to walk with the poor are thriving. Here are only a few:
Read MoreThe Resurrection Door
My dear sisters and brothers, There is a door at the Mission that, due to its design, we call the Resurrection Door. However, I think ofit as the Resurrection Door because of all the lives that have risen from pain and hopelessness throughour programs. A few examples are: the volunteer at the Meson who is…
Read MoreA Guiding Light?
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…
Read MoreOur New United States Citizen
On October 6, 2023 I was honored to attend the ceremony where our beloved Fr. Martin became a U.S. citizen. It was on his 19-year journey to citizenship that he was guided to a parish in San Jose, CA. where he was introduced to the Franciscans and found his vocation! The citizenship ceremony was amazing as…
Read MoreDiabetic Education Program a Reality
Señor Gomez is a 53 year old diabetic with high blood pressure and resulting amputations of the right leg and left foot. He is one of 30 similar diabetic sisters and brothers that our new specially trained diabetic education team will follow. The hope is that, if taught to manage diabetes, their quality of life…
Read MoreYour impact in 2023
Imagine never having a pair of shoes
My dear sisters and brothers,SHOES! Imagine never having a pair of shoes or imaginesharing shoes with siblings to take turns going to school!! Each year we discover more children deprived of educationdue to not having shoes to attend class. Last year you openedyour hearts AND opened a path out of poverty for1,467children by funding shoes…
Read MoreHome Gardens sustain life in Guaymas
My dear sisters and brothers, Last year we started a pilot project of home gardens that was an overwhelming success! This is another version of “if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”. The idea…
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