Things that other people can teach us about ourselves

A few years ago on our trip to Playa de Oro, I was introduced to Otto Bautista, affectionately known as Pichi, by his friends. Otto runs and owns a couple of businesses' in the Playa de Oro area, where he employs and knows many of the members of the community. And the village had just recently voted him in as their new COCODE (Comité Comunitario de Desarrollo) is an elected Community Development Council that represents local residents, advocates for essential resources, and initiates development projects within their community. They serve as the highest local authority for citizens' issues and needs, composed of a resident assembly and an executive committee. In the short time that he has been the COCODE he has done some amazing things for the community. Thins that Love is the Mission dreamed of- Otto made come true! (road work, bussing, Mass)

Otto is a selfless man who works hard, plays hard, prays hard and loves hard. The one thing he does not do very well is take care of himself!

He is so busy taking care of everyone else around him, running his businesses, fulfilling his role as a family man and a COCODE that he neglects to take care of himself! He forgets to take his medicine in the morning as he is running out of the house for work. He forgets to drink his water during the day to keep himself hydrated. He forgets his health is important.

On this last trip, Doctor Jesika Da Silva, sat with Otto, ordered tests and emphasized the importance of self-care, warning him that neglecting his health would prevent him from taking care of EVERYTHING else! I do not know how personally that hit Otto, I hope it did, but one thing I do know is it hit me right between the eyes!

Otto and I share a united bond in our Catholic faith, in our humanity and in the fact that we love so hard that leads us to take care of everyone and everything around us before we take care of ourselves! Today, I want to express to all of you and most importantly to myself and to Otto, because I love you all, because Love is our Mission, I vow to take care of myself better and ask and pray that Otto does the same because Love is the Mission needs him to be around for a long, long time!

In Him who first loved us, Rhonda

Pray for it, on it and over it!

This has been my philosophy for the past 7 years of Love is the Mission. And I thank God for the ability to do be able to do it. There is so much anxiety in the world, so many things to worry about that I cannot sanely worry about!

To be able to run Love is the Mission there has to be a lot of prayer, planning and a lot of letting go. Not one thing, since the beginning, has happened on "Rhonda's time"! I am a "get er' done" type of girl! But still and only by the grace of God many things have taken place in "God's perfect timing." I have to remind myself, since the beginning of our Mission in Playa de Oro, the Lord has been opening doors and leading and guiding. He has been answering prayers and yes, some of them have been answered with a "no or not yet".

That is the beauty of the mission. Knowing it is not mine/ours, but it is HIS! HIM allowing me to let go is allowing HIM to do things, His way, the right way. Because I am a "get 'er done" girl, I would have thrown all my time and energy into building the mission on "rocky ground", because of my impatience. The Lord is calling me to have patience and wait for the perfect "soil" for the mission to be built on. So I will wait, pray, hope and trust knowing He is still opening doors and leading and guiding!

The Lord is not only trying to teach me patience but each trip I take teaches me something new about myself. We just returned from our July Love is the Mission Guatemala trip.

During this trip the Lord asked me not to get too comfortable, complacent and expectant with the planning of each trip or with the way trips in the past have gone.

For example during our last three trips we have stayed at the same site and have enjoyed hot water showers. This year the hot water showers were pretty non existent, just as they had been in years past, but my attitude about that was different. I had come to expect hot showers. If I am asking my people to "live without and to go with the flow", I should be doing the same!

When I remember what Love is the Mission in Playa de Oro is all about, I remember the Lord's words to us and to His disciples in Matthew, Mark and in the washing of the feet in John, we go to serve and not be served! Whatever inconvenience I may encounter, like waking up without coffee-;) - not once but two days in a row (and for those who know me, know that Rhonda without coffee is not a good mix) is just that, an inconvenience and "it's fine" (in the words of my two year old grandson Kaja- when he sees the vacuum)!

So as I reflect and start planning for January Love is the Mission Guatemala Trip, I will remember these things the Lord has taught me and I will go again having grown, having learned from our participants what I needed to learn. With that I thank you all for all the lessons. A special thank you to our Doctor Jesika and her husband Mario for joining us this year and teaching me to slow down in the clinic and explain every and anything needed to our patients!

AI vs. Real People: What's the Verdict on "Love is the Mission"?

Love is the Mission- If you are here it is because you have heard of us. Many of you have heard this phrase quite a few times over the last 7 years after that first trip to Playa de Oro Guatemala.  Hopefully you have also heard that this name comes from the First Letter of Saint John (the disciple that Jesus loved) Chapter 4 Vs 19. It was the only way we had to explain how we could love so deeply people we had just met.   If you look up 1 John 4:19 on the internet this is what the AI Overview says;

1 John 4:19 says, "We love because he first loved us". This verse has several meanings, including: 

• God's love changes us: God's love changes our hearts, making us capable of love. 

• God's love is an example: God's love is an example that reminds us to love others. 

• Love is the essence of God: Love is the essence of God and is the driving force behind all God does. 

• Love is how Christians are recognized: Love is the primary way Christians are to be recognized. 

• Love for others is required: Those who claim to love God but hate others are liars. 

After spending 8 days with the people of Guatemala and 6 days with our friends from Playa de Oro, loving them and receiving their love it is hard to explain the feelings and the emotions that you feel. 

I think that Fr Andy summed it up best in his last homily to the group on Saturday evening.  He said there are two options in loving others- one, to close your heart so that it doesn’t break or two, to let your heart break so that it can heal.  In that healing it allows your heart to grow even bigger for the next person who shows up in front of you needing to be loved.  As Christians this is what we are called to do.

As we come back, we are called to love as the mission of our lives.  To love even more in our homes, in our workplaces, in our city and in our country.  What that looks like for each of us is a bit different because of our individual circumstances. But one thing is true for every one of us.  God’s love for us has changed us and by using His example we don’t do this alone- we love well because He has loved us first and completely!  Rhonda Kelsey

"Life changing, great trip, soul-renewing"- all phrases the team identified as a way to describe the mission when asked on our return.  Over the past couple of days, I have thought a lot about these words and how to actually describe my third trip.  The truth is, I cannot describe it in words, at least not in a reasonable amount of words.  Over the last five years, I have watched Love is the Mission transform a village through clean water, healthy food, medical care and education, but what I really believe, is that it is the love shown by Rhonda, Taylor and each team member that travels there that changes the hearts of both the people of the village and the mission team.  

This trip was my third trip as a medical provider in the clinic that we hold in the village school, and while we saw nearly 160 patients again on this trip, I assure you I am receiving far more than I am giving to these families.  On this trip I was blessed to be able to take my daughter who is currently a nursing student.   Watching her experience what I have tried so hard to explain after previous trips, was an incredible experience.  Just hoping the love and hugs from the children can tide me over until we meet again next year!  -Kala Shepherd

Preparing for the mission trip, I was a bit anxious and so I prayed for safety, I turned my fears over to God. Day to day during the mission, my emotions overtook all my fears. My prayers were replaced with hope, love and peace, that the villagers of Playa de Oro be filled with our love for them. No words were understood by most, just our touch, smiles and actions. In Playa de Oro, Love has no borders, no conditions. Love IS the mission. - Nancy Wetering

I was told by members I was traveling with that I would leave Guatemala feeling like I received more than I gave, but that concept was difficult for me to grasp until I was in the village. It was truly an honor and privilege to serve the people of Playa de Oro, and the love I received from them changed my heart. I only pray that I can serve them again someday. -Sam Miller

When Kala asked me to join the group, I felt this was something I needed to do, both for the people of Playa de Oro but also for myself as my drive to practice medicine was waning. I reviewed the previous blogs and pictures but really had no idea what to expect and was pretty anxious about meeting the group, the people from the village, and working in the clinic with very little resources. What I experienced is difficult to put into words. The group was so welcoming and eager to answer any questions or ease my apprehensions. The people we served were very kind and so grateful for what we were able to provide on such a basic level. The children were incredibly sweet, loving, and so well-mannered. The translators were amazing and I am happy to have gained their friendship as well. I have made so many new friends. My passion for medicine and faith in humanity has been rekindled. I hope to be able to join this group in the future! -Eric Curtis

Love is the Mission | Playa de Oro, Guatemala 🩵 January 2025

Reflecting on another amazing, cup filling, unbelievable trip with new and old friends. More of my heart stays in this village with these sweet kids and families each time, and I can’t wait to go back again. -Megan Permann

Playa de Oro, Guatemala | Love is the Mission- Love truly is the mission. Fulfilled is an understatement when it comes to describing this experience. The days were filled with many hugs, lots of coloring, bracelet making, and most important of all, love. Having the opportunity to love and serve the people of Playa de Oro is an indescribable feeling and I look forward to returning again very soon. -Emily Shepherd

So AI vs Real People- What is the verdict? Tell us your answers in the comment section!