MISSIONER NEWSLETTER – Advent 2024

Louise Locke, Bolivia

Lurdes has five children all under the age of 10 (four of them are pictured here) and the youngest was born with developmental delays. Her partner gives her very little money to provide food or care for their family and regularly abuses her as well. The situation is dire, but we were able to buy Lurdes a “carrita” to help her start her own business selling cooked food on the street.

“Peace Pilgrim [20th-century American spiritual teacher, mystic, and peace activist] helped me see how important inner peace is. It is that sense of God’s presence in our lives that allows us to trust in the power of God’s peace even when we do little.” – Henri Nouwen    

COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA—As I approach the end of my third year with Maryknoll Lay Missioners, I can’t help but wonder: What have I accomplished? Have I made a difference? These questions resound within me and give me pause to reflect on the sacredness of my time in Cochabamba.  

As someone from the First World who has been programmed to produce quantifiable results, I realize that as I ponder the value of being in overseas mission, that vastly more important than “results” is the inherent sacredness of the present moment with the frail, abandoned, and traumatized people God has brought into my life through my ministries.

Is there a value in performing hygiene care, such as cutting someone’s nails, for instance? I often wonder as I perform these ministrations with the elders and the men I work with: how is this producing “results”? What is my grade in mission? Have I impacted the plight of the poor in Cochabamba significantly?   

But these questions pale in comparison to the times when I am just sitting with someone who is emotionally and physically scarred and hurting, providing some sort of act of service, and this overwhelming feeling of peace and joy comes to us in that sacred space. Both of our spirits are lifted in that moment and it seems to be an affirmation of the presence of Another who is with us and helping us both know our own inherent value that has nothing to do with quantifiable results.

It is pure gift and I am so very thankful to God for helping me appreciate these sacred moments. It also affirms my deep conviction that “results” can also be measured by how much space we open up to allow God to enter into our own immediate reality which can affect change and transformation far more than our own human efforts.

In this Advent time as we are heading into Christmas, I think about how Mary and Joseph did just that as they welcomed the Christ Child into the world.  

My contract with Maryknoll Lay Missioners ends in May 2025, and I’m now in the process of discerning my next steps. 

My work with the elder women at El Buen Pastor has made me much more aware of the plight of women in this country. Violence, abuse, and neglect, especially of women living with mental and physical disabilities are quite common, and there does not seem to be many safeguards to help protect this most vulnerable population, nor are there significant efforts to help them become more self-sufficient. They rely on their abusers for basic necessities and have no way out of their predicament. Many of the women I accompany at El Buen Pastor were found in situations of abject poverty with no resources or ability to feed or care for themselves or their children.

Thanks to my journey with these women, I am now exploring opportunities to help younger women in these vulnerable situations stay independent and keep their children with them. One such opportunity is partnering with a local psychologist, Rose Mary, who works directly with such women.   

Thanks to your generous donations, I am able to provide initial funding for women, such as Lurdes, to start their own businesses. Lurdes has five children all under the age of 10 and the youngest (one year old) was born with developmental delays.

According to Rose Mary, her partner gives her very little money to provide food or care for their family and regularly abuses her as well. The situation is dire, but we were able to buy Lurdes a “carrita” to help her start her own business selling cooked food on the street. This is a very common way the poor in Bolivia earn money to make ends meet.

We also plan to meet with her regularly and explore ways she can build her business and have enough of an income to provide the basics for herself and her children. I am excited about this idea and will keep you informed of our progress.

Thank you once again for your support of my simple efforts here in Cochabamba. Your contributions, prayers, and encouragement mean the world to me. May you have a very blessed and peaceful Christmas!

Much love,
Louise

Please consider supporting my mission work in Cochabamba with a donation through the link below.

I invite you to walk with me as a “COMPANION IN MISSION.” Companions in Mission are friends and generous donors who give financial gifts on a regular (usually monthly) basis. For more information, visit Become a Companion in Mission. Thank you so much for your generosity!