A deepest desire of my heart is to be as the sunflower who with her face and entire being testifies her fidelity to the sun living a life that expresses and invites the way of love born of deep trust in the Divine alive in all of creation. I pray as I make the journey toward a spirituality of radical freedom in community with those around me, that we might rewrite the master narrative by making transparent the realities of all people, and with grace transform the world of oppressive social structures. May each action and word be a prayer, a dance, a song to continue the work beyond sweet sleep. In celebration and gratitude…
Hello Kelli, reading your blog has been truly inspiring. I loved the way you beautifully compared a sunflower’s faithfulness to the sun to a relationship with God. I have never thought of a something as simple as a sunflower in that light. I too, would like to have a relationship with God that resembles the sunflower and the sun. Thank you for being able to express views that relate to faith in God and abiding by his teachings. I hope one day that mankind will be able to change for the greater good because I know that “the Spirit of the Lord has been given to us, for the Spirit has anointed us.” Kelli, I wish you the best in your journey toward a new and free spirituality. Continue doing what God has sent you to Peru to do. May God bless you and everything you do.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning from San Antonio Texas, Kelli,
ReplyDeleteI noticed in your blog that you wrote;
“I pray as I make the journey toward a spirituality of radical freedom in community with those around me, that we might rewrite the master narrative by making transparent the realities of all people, and with grace transform the world of oppressive social structures.” I join with you in your prayer, and ask that God show you the truth of following Jesus Christ and not the world as you are filled with His Spirit. As I see your devotion to others, it is an inspiration to all of us.
In our class with Sister Martha, we are learning to explore and experiment with nonviolence as a way of life, to examine our current beliefs and practices with regard to violence and nonviolence, to obtain practical skills for responding to violence. To connect with a community of people which supports, encourages and challenges our practice of nonviolence and to take nonviolence action together as a group. I think it was so appropriate to hear from both you and Emily in regard to our goals in class. It really helped me see into the world of Peace and nonviolence because of your visit.
As I was studying the “Great Commission” in my morning time with God the other day and was struck by the far reaching command of our Lord Jesus Christ to each and everyone of us;
Acts 1:8 NLT But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
I thought of you and Emily when you came to our class with Sister Martha and your grand vision of helping others “to the ends of the earth,” while we are here in San Antonio our own little Jerusalem and Judea.
Just a few words of encouragement about what you had written.
Radical Freedom in community, it is by what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross, that we and those we minister to can achieve real freedom, not by anything that we can do. Rely on Christ.
John 8:36 NIV So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Societal injustice, look at the promises of the Sermon on the Mount paying carful attention to who delivers these rewards;
Matthew 5:3-12 NLT
(3) "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
(4) God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
(5) God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
(6) God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
(7) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
(8) God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
(9) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
(10) God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
(11) "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers.
(12) Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
I really admire your desire to alleviate suffering in the world. When we sincerely share the “Great News” of Jesus Christ the one and only gateway to true social justice, we can truly change the world. Your selfless desire to join with the Sisters of Charity in their journey to heal the world and to help those suffering from HIV/AIDS, women and children living in poverty and the elderly who face each day alone sets my heart ablaze. Your work and willingness to heed the call is an inspiration to us all, keep up the great work Kelli!
Hello Kelli! :]
ReplyDeleteYou probably don't remember me, but you visited my 1:30 Prayer & Spirituality class at UIW a few weeks back.
From the sound of your blog, it seems as if your inspiration & strong will for a better, more just tomorrow are giving you the perseverance to handle any faults, difficulties, &, of course, joys that may come your way, which is really quite lovely! With that in mind, I just wanted to thank you, truly & sincerely, for taking the time to record your experiences. From your writings (which are really quite brilliantly constructed by the way), that portray your fervent desire to make "transparent the realities of all people" & "transform the world of oppressive social structures" are more than simply touching, but wonderfully inspiring as well.
In our workbooks that we use for class, the main message is that of a nonviolent view which is to be enacted in a world that is obviously one of violence. There's a quote there which states, "Nonviolence is not primarily a tactic. It is a way of living and being and expressing the truth of your soul in the world." Defining the term "nonviolence" tends to be quite debatable in our class and atmosphere, but, in all honesty, I find you personify such sentiments in your goal to delve your entire being into this project in order to create a sort of peace that will inhibit the area far after you are gone.
There's another booklet we received that mentioned the mission of the Incarnate Word Family. It describes the extreme conditions of poverty Peru is currently plagued with (the fact that 65% of the population is in poverty simply numbed me). Although this is probably not news to you, it is enlightening to me as an individual knowing that something is being done, & you are a part of this aid.
With that in mind, I truly hope to one day find a way to promote my own sentiments in such a beneficial way (with you being my inspiration, of course! :] ). It is people like you that give me hope that we are not too far gone. There are truly angels among us, I believe.
I read that you love literature (I do too!), so I'm gonna leave you off with one of my favorite quotes from Oscar Wilde:
"We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars."
Here's to the star-gazers of the world.
Thanks again Kelli!
Have a lovely, lovely day & a simply wonderful experience in Peru! <3
Yours truly,
Lauren Elyse Garcia
"Safeguarding the rights of others is the most noble & beautiful end of a human being."
Kahlil Gibran
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Hi Kelli, I am glad to see that you are taking such a big journey that is forever life changing. I like what you say in you blog:
ReplyDelete"Such a challenge was expected and something I wanted greatly in order to stretch myself in new ways so as to continue seeking the way of love, the way of Jesus, but thinking about the difficulties was so much easier than living through them (go figure)."
I too plan on doing mission work as you are doing and stretch myself spiritually and physically. No matter how big or small the difficulty we may be going through GOD always has a solution to them. Just reading a few facts about Peru and their 65% of children living in poverty is very hard to take in. No child should be without and I am glad you are there offering a helping hand. You are in a way healing wounds by giving them hope to a better life.
GOD Said "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds" (Psalm 147:3)
Your efforts to provide education, spiritual formation, healthcare, and social services will greatly impact their lives forever.
Kelli I wish you the best and I encourage you to keep going and stay strong in everything that you do you will accomplish. Through GOD all things are possible. I will be praying for you and your journey in Peru!
Looking forward to more of your blogs keep us posted.
THANKS and GOD BLESS!!
Dear Kelli,
ReplyDeleteMy name is James Murry and I'm in Sr. Martha Ann's 1:00 Prayer and Spirituality class. A couple of weeks ago you came to speak to us, you probably vaguely remember, but let me start off by saying that this was heart warming and seemed very sincere. You're very brave to be making this long strenuous journey to Peru. To be sacrificing this much says a lot about your character. Being gone from my love ones would kill me, I don't think I could ever do something like you're doing. I truly respect the fact that you're doing this in the name of making a difference. "I pray as I make the journey toward a spirituality of radical freedom in community with those around me, that we might rewrite the master narrative by making transparent the realities of all people, and with grace transform the world of oppressive social structures." When I heard this quote I was very moved and made me think of how I can make a difference in my community. Seriously if the world had more people as great as you, it would be a much more pleasent place. I want to keep this short so I want you to know that I really appreciate what you're doing, it is helping to change a lot of lives. You're are shining a light upon the darkness; you're giving hope. May God bless you and keep you safe on your journey.
Sincerely,
James Murry
Hi Kelli,
ReplyDeleteI am a Senior and student in Sister Martha Anns 3pm class for Prayer and Spirituality on Mondays and Wednesdays. I just wanted to thank you for serving the lord the way that you have. Not everyone can just pick up and go like you did in order to serve others. Your words above are very inspiring, your unselfishness to help others is beyond words. I like when you said
"May each action and word be a prayer, a dance, a song to continue the work beyond sweet sleep." I believe that this is how we all should live everyday, spiritually happy. "Give me lord, a heart that knows how to listen." I like this quote for you as you are learning to listen to people around you. Listening to their words, needs, ideas, answers. I like it because it reminds you to Listen with your heart, not as not with your mind. As you continue throughout your journey i wish you nothing but the best as i know you are going to do great things.
Clarissa Botello
Hello Kelli,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to take the time to thank you for your sacrifice of time and effort to help others. I find you and the other Incarnate Word missionaries a great inspiration. The imagery you use at the beginning of this post is absolutely beautiful and reflects well what kind of person you are and what you enjoy to study and do in life. Currently I'm studying in my prayer and spirituality class and in one of our books it mentions the work being done in Peru. My book says that your mission is to "provide education, spiritual formation, healthcare and social services in the community." I myself would like to learn first hand exactly what that means and I am motivated by your dedication. You have separated your wants and needs and have put others before yourself. Albert Einstein describes a human being as this, “ a part of the whole that we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. [We] experience [our]selves, [our] thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest- a kind of optical illusion of [our] consciousness. This illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest to us. Our task must be to…widen our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and all of nature.” You, Kelli, have already taken steps in doing this and we are very blessed to have a person like you helping out in this world.
God Bless and stay healthy,
Clarisse
Hey Kelli!
ReplyDeleteI am a student in Sr. Martha Ann's Prayer and Spirituality class. First off I wanted to thank you for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and intrests to our prayer and spirtituality class. This action was much appreciated.
When I read your blog I was taken back by the vigor in your desire to do mission work. I think it truly admirable of your pure intentions to contribute your knowledge to this world in such a selfless way so that it is benificial to others. By doing what you are doing in Peru, you are continuting the legacy of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Just as the Sisters mission was to, "Bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives...[and] to proclaim the Lord's year of favor.", your mission is to, "rewrite the master narrative by making transparent the realities of all people, and with grace transform the world of oppressive social structures."
I comend you for your courage to travel so far away in hopes of bringing peace and aid to countries that are less fortunate than ours. It takes a strong person full of moral capacity and honest will to do such a thing.
Another aspect I enjoyed about your blog is its poetic nature. It makes it interesting to read and shows the beauty of your mission work. Through it I can see the devotion that you have for your work and I greatly respect that.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us both in class and through this blog. I look forward to reading other posts by you in the future and absorbing from it a will to find and do what I love with just as much enthusiasm as you have about doing what you love. As your journey progresses I will also keep you in my prayers.
Stay safe and Take care,
Taryn Parris.
hola kelli!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Hayley Starr and i am also a student in Sister Martha Ann's 1:30 Prayer and Spirituality class. i know you see houndreds of faces everyday and hear numerous names so im sure you dont remember me when you visited but i remember you and your actions and words have truly been inspirational and moving. Thank you so much for all that you are contributing to and making a difference. What you are doing in Peru is just amazing. The world needs more people like you! I hope Peru is treating you well and you are living a nonviolent, safe life over there!
"Nonviolence is not primarily a tactic. It is a ways of living and being and expressing the truth of your sould in the world."
Also, i hope that your time there is spent making numerous impacts on the people of Peru and changing their lives in so many wonderfully positive ways.
"May Jesus and Mary guide you always, may they hold you in the palm of their hands. May the Holy Spirit breathe His spirit into you and give you faith, hope and joy all your days."
Kelli, my prayers go out to you each and every day. You are an amazing person and truly an angel of God. You are so brave and sincere for devoting all your time to the missionary work and the people who are in need of it the most. As i am getting older I am realizing that it is about time for me to start doing something with my life and as my love for God grows more and more each day I am strongly considering doing misionary work to change peoples lives just like you!:)
Again, thank you so much for all that you do and you are my role model!
God bless you & goodluck.
love,
Hayley Jo Starr
Hey Kelli,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Eric Alonzo, and I am a student in Sr. Martha Ann Kirk's Prayer and Spirituality class. I was present when you and Emily came and explained your mission during one of our classes. I was intrigued by such an honest snd driven decision you were making to help the lives of those less fortunate.
You wrote in your post about your "journey to a spirituality of radical freedom," and that got me thinking about your time in Peru. How interesting to leave a commonly viewed superficial country with a Starbuck's on each street corner, a Blackberry in each hand, and a constant glow from a monitor in front of our faces to a place that is stripped of all those seemingly minute luxuries. A place where your sole purpose, is to help others. I commend you for making such a life changing experience, for not only you, but the community you will be servicing as well.
There is a quote in our IW Family Booklet that was given to our class by Sr. Martha Ann, and it states: "Giving back and sharing what we are given and be changed by what others can give us." I thought that it pertained closely to you and your colleagues. To think of the wisdom and wordly knowledge you all are going to acquire is awe-inspiring.
Thank you for blogging about your experiences and thought processes on this mission to help the lives of our fellow people, and I look forward to reading more.
Sincerely,
Eric Alonzo
hi kelli.
ReplyDeletemy name is jeremy carson and i am in Sister Martha Anns 1:30 prayer and spirituality class. When you came to talk to our class I was really impressed with your motivation and enthusiasm to go to Peru. I really commend you on doing what your doing because people are suffering and your helping them.
I wish you the best and hope that your living a "nonviolent" lifestyle over there. "Nonviolence is not primarily a tactic. It is a ways of living and being and expressing the truth of your sould in the world."
Your actions are those of someone who loves God and works in his way. The people in Peru are very grateful to have you. "May Jesus and Mary guide you always, may they hold you in the palm of their hands. May the Holy Spirit breathe His spirit into you and give you faith, hope and joy all your days."
I hope you enjoy the rest of your time there and that you are safe. Thank you for doing all that your doing, your making a difference in those peoples lives and in this world. I hope to be like you one day!
YEAH!
sincerely,
Jeremy Carson
Dear Kelli,
ReplyDeleteIm very impressed with your courage to leave everything that you have behind and start a journey that will change your life forever. To leave behind the life you know and the commodities in order to help others that are less fortunate than you. I went on a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico and did the same thing. It was very satisfying to see how the children's faces lighted up when we took them food and when we played with them. Of course I don't think that this compares to the sacrifices you are making by leaving your country and going someplace completely unknown, with not knowing what to expect. I really pray for you and for people like you, because I cant even imagine how difficult it must be for you, but I can understand how gratifying it must be. Personally, the trip I made helped me learn to appreciate what I have and to grow as a human being, it made realize how the real world is and that not everybody is as fortunate as I am. It also helped me get closer to God and have hope that soon, the poverty and the mistreatment in the world will end. I admire you and your strength and I will keep you in my prayers. I wish you the best of luck, may God bless you in your exciting new journey.
Love,
Daniela