I have been thinking for a long time & finally I'm putting my thought into action. well, I wanted to write in a few sentences & photos what I can say has been my life. I left Spain when I was 19 years old, first to Belgium, Holland & finally France, where I spend around 2 years, helping in Old folks homes & other related missionary work. In the few months in Holland I was setting up a center for missionaries, typical handyman work, renovating an old big house, carpeting, wallpaper, painting, making beds, tables, etc. I had quite of training while in Spain as I joined the Legionaries of Christ & pioneered a center in Moncada (valencia) during those 3 years, besides getting training as a Catholic Priest I was helping setting up the building that was bought from another denomination called Cambodian missionaries. we were around 120 teenagers in that school
From France I moved to Austria, while I spend a few more months, fixing another missionary center & finally to Hungary where I found the love of my life & till now we had 8 lovely children. Am I going to fast? If I put down all the mayor things, will take me to long, I'm determine to make this simple & fast, at list get it done.
I'm 41 going to 42 & better late than never, so this is my chance to do it, today!
My children have been born in different countries, as I traveled with them. Sorry, each time I move countries, is not easy to keep many things with me, so I didn't keep neither photos or other proof of the work.
I spend 7 years in Romania where I do have many photos of some of our activities & let's go & travel through them, at least a few of them.
By the way, I'm that clown in the middle of the group, one of my activities was with handicapped children, bringing laugh & joy to them.
I spend a few years with regular visits to the association called Sperando. We became good friends
One of their thank you letters for our help, Andrada, Daniel & Team, I miss you! I miss Romania!
Here is one of the hospitals that I frequented monthly, doing magic tricks, modeling balloons, puppet theater & giving toys & other gifts. every month I do the visiting & bringing happiness to those in need. Baia Mare (Romania)
In the TBC Hospital, another precious hospital where I spend many hours cheering children.
I always leave a encouraging message through this beautiful posters & a little prayer before leaving.
Some more thank you letters from the hospital, well, that's what I call them.
& one more from the TBC hospital in Baia Mare.
With a Puppet show at Christmas in a poor area, a bit raining though.
For two years during the winter months we distributed food to those in need around the train station, usually we give sandwiches except on special occasions like this one.
This Young man is Radu, he closed his computer business & followed us helping others around him. His wife was also a Doctor & together became missionaries.
Many were thankful for warm food & the love that we share with them.
For about 6 years we were part of the Prison, in the sense that we were very often inside, sometimes weekly for many months, here are some of the projects.
We introduced a new system in Romania, actually we made history! Just imagine after being communist for so many years, no way that we could go inside, even though we tried, I actually had the experience in France & Hungary, but Romania was no the same. Well, we did so many positive changes in that prison that we literary had free entrance whenever we wanted & even in all the prison of the country & we used that freedom. We set up a program for woman's that every 3 months 10 of them will learn how to sew & chances to get a diploma together with work once the time is over for their sentence.
It was lot's of fun & they appreciated our help very much, we give them hope for qualification as we had a professional teacher coming daily to train them. Many of them ended up working in a factory or being self employed.
This occasion was for the woman's day, we had a great time, writing them letters & having a work shop for them to participate, we celebrated so many occasions that we often were with them.
Very sweet of them to show their appreciation. We had weekly Bible classes.
On Christmas we decorated the man's section Christmas Tree as a inspiration for them.
My brave & lovely wife, putting her whole heart into making a little heaven on earth for the prisoners.
Some caroling for the inmates, cheering their hearts with a bit of love.
We also had weekly Bible classes, I did magic tricks for them, music & Art therapy, As I mentioned before, we had free entrance & told that we could do anything we desire as the results were more than expected, people really change & the words spread to many more prisons, we visited others & in Christmas we mailed to all the prisons of the country a postcard with a prayer & an encouraging message for each man & woman. We were surprise when we received a few weeks later various letter from top official how much this has meant to many of the inmates, some where crying to have received such a letter from us & encouraging us to come for a visit.
Can you recognize me? Is not that hard is it? Old Folks home, they really need love!
Another of this Thank you letter!
I didn't mentioned before but our children are the ones that should have the glory, for they participate in many of our activities, yes, even in the prison, they have come many times with us, never afraid of anything or anybody, just shinning & being a blessing to others. Old people love children & hug them often, by the way, for many years we visit them each month celebrating the birthday of those of that month & bringing them a present, having a party with snacks & drinks. They hardly wait for us to come & have a party with us, some passed away during those years to a better place.
This is Satu Mare, another city that I visited often & ended up living there for 1 year before leaving Romania. A Christmas program.
Oh, I found this one, from the musictheraphy in the boys ward. we brought musical instrumentals to the prison & many were talented to learn fast.
Actually we smuggle this organ to the country, somebody donated in Switzerland & put it in our van, arriving at the border, we didn't declare it as it was hidden. it has been a blessing for the boy's ward.
All started by poor people & children coming at the door for food, I give them & soon start to grow, more & more coming often. we approached some supermarkets like Metro & agreed to give us, broken bags & dented cans, I ended going often & filling our van with so much that soon we have to find another place to give food as one neighbor got upset at us & police where on our door. As I was the president of our NGO & fully registered, the police left as couldn't do anything about it. All the neighbor on our street loved us so much that support us & protect us all the time, except that one that complained but ended being a good neighbor & friend, ha!
I wanted to be nice & found another place where I could take the car once a week & had 35 families to feed. Numbers grow but I was making the bags at home & 5 extra only, otherwise I had the whole town begging for food.
I intended to give whatever was necessary for a family for a week, pasta, sugar, flower, bread, oil, sweets, vegetables, fruits, can food, etc. The place was close to our house, next to the stadium & in the evening, I was making sure not many people were around & joining the numbers.
I did kept records & each one has to sign the papers, I wanted order & in a proper manner. Sometimes we had lot's of cloths to give & everyone was happy with them.
God always supply for His children! Give & it shall be given unto you!
In a kindergarten, children always has been my calling, I'm happy making them happy!
Aren't they cute! they have been always on stage since very young.
In a school, we did a tour to so many schools all around the country. year after year!
They have grown up fast, my big girl is already 17yo. not long ago was a little girl...
It's hard to choose from so many pictures of shows, well, let's get it done!
After each show we like to donate things for the children as a present!
Children are captivated with the puppets, such an impression to them, I love it!
Lucia, giving a special Christmas message for each one, what a bold girl! Always ready.
We visited some industrial areas with our music & bringing a bit of love in each heart we come to. Music has been & continues to be a key to many people's heart. Specially children singing.
In another factory, people will rest for a few minutes to hear the caroling. followed by many hugs & clapping from people, oh, those days!
That's all I have for now. It has been a little pick into some of our main activities. We also lived in Slovakia, Czech republic, Serbia & Hungary. Many things got accomplish in those countries & lives changed. Now I have been two years in the Philippines & www.familiamission.org has some of our activities in there. I'll post next time photos of our work in here.
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