MISSIONER NEWSLETTER – Spring 2025

Louise Locke, Bolivia

Jenifer’s radiant smile and open heart showed Louise that love has no boundaries—and neither does God’s call.

And a little child will lead them… – Isaiah 11:6   

COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA—When I joined Maryknoll Lay Missioners over three years ago, I was fairly certain that I was NOT going to work with children. From my mid-30s, I thought that my passion and purpose was to accompany seniors through aging, decline, and eventual death. I felt that it was my vocation gifted to me by God and I was grateful for the certainty of it.

However, as I now stand on the threshold of making another major transition in my life, I realize that God has been wanting to open me up to other possibilities and, in fact, is chuckling at my notion of “vocation.”

It all started when one of the Maryknoll priests, Father Greg McPhee, introduced me to a local psychologist in Cochabamba with a passion for helping women and children in vulnerable situations. RosseMary was born among the poor mining communities of Bolivia to a 15-year-old girl who subsequently abandoned her, and she essentially raised herself. Because of her background, she has a vision of assisting vulnerable mothers and, especially, their children.

RosseMary is passionate about this work as she was given critical assistance from a Catholic organization when she herself was a child living in poverty. At the age of 9, she was accepted into a boarding school and given shelter, food, and an education that allowed her to have a successful career. She wants to give back to her community and allow others to thrive, grow, and become catalysts for change themselves.

Because of Jenifer, Louise discovered a new purpose she never saw coming. Sometimes, the smallest hands lead us to the biggest changes.

The women she wants to help live in abject poverty with few resources and limited employment opportunities, are depressed, and have little hope of improving their lives. Their children fall behind in school because the women don’t have the time or educational background to assist with homework. At times, the children are left alone while their mother is working, leaving them prey to all kinds of violent situations and people.

Her dream was to open a center for these women to attend classes and educational workshops and be provided with group and individual counseling to increase their self-esteem and self-worth. Combined with focusing on the women, she wanted to offer the children of these mothers a safe place to come after school for homework help, compassionate care, and love.

Although I loved RosseMary’s passion and understood the importance of what she was trying to accomplish, I was still hesitant to get involved because of my conviction that God had other ideas for my life than to work with children. Not having any of my own, it was hard for me to picture myself doing this kind of ministry.

But, into my life walked Jenifer.

I first met Jenifer when RosseMary was introducing me to some of the women with whom she was working. Lourdes, a mother of five living in very humble circumstances and a victim of domestic violence, was one of the first. When I walked through her door to meet her and her children, this small 5-year-old bundle of joy ran up to hug me without holding anything back. The unconditional love and acceptance I immediately felt from this precious girl took me completely by surprise. The other children were much more reserved in comparison, and I was totally disarmed.

This experience was a turning point for me as I pondered the completion of my three-and-a-half-year commitment to Maryknoll Lay Missioners this coming May. I definitely felt an invitation from God to at least consider helping RosseMary fulfill her dream. Fast forward a few months and, with the help of generous donors, Fr. McPhee and other volunteers, we now have a place where we are testing the viability of this ministry for six months. As a result, I have decided to extend my time in Cochabamba until the end of 2026 to hopefully establish a permanent ministry for her work.

Our God is a God of surprises! Even though the verse from Isaiah may not reference human beings, it was the verse that spoke to me as I contemplated where God was leading me. I am grateful for all the ways I have grown and changed during my mission years and am ready to embark on something new, confident that God (and Jenifer) will be with me.

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!