KIVA LOANS MADE IN JANAUARY 2024

 

                                    KIVA LOANS 2024

Duygu's story Duygu is 30 years old, one of the 3 daughters of a family of five. Duygu, who has an associate's degree, has been working as a florist for 1 year. At first, Duygu worked in a flower shop and then opened her own shop.  With the support she will receive through Kiva, she aims to buy more flowers and make more sales in her shop IN TURKEY .

 

Maria Pilar is from ECUADOR and her family lives in Portoviejo which was affected by the earthquake of April 16, 2016. The city is rich in the production of vegetables, legumes, and tropical fruits for domestic consumption Maria Pilar has been building small apartments little-by-little with the help of loans. She rents out these apartments.  She also has some commercial spaces, and the renters pay their rent monthly. Thus, she receives her income monthly

Aisha's story  Aisha is 23 years old and lives in the town of Kayunga in the Mukono region of UGANDA. She is married and has 2 children with 1 of them currently in school. For the past 8 years, Aisha has been working hard to manage her business, which sells coffee . To help expand her business, Aisha has requested a loan of 700,000 Ugandan Shillings from BRAC Uganda. The loan will be used to buy more coffee seedlings to plant to sell coffee.  This will help Aisha to generate greater profits and her production will increase and attract more revenue. She will manage to buy food for her family and pay school fees for her child. Aisha hopes that in the future she will be able to set up more coffee stores in town.

Vi̇ldan's story ; Vildan lives in TURKEY and is married and a mother of two children. Vildan is a primary school graduate. She runs a flower store with her friend to bring additional income to her household. She will buy various kinds of flowers with the support she will receive through Kiva.

Merlyn Zenaida's story ; Merlyn Zenaida is 34 years old, has five children, and lives with her family in the Victoria municipality in HONDURAS . She has worked by growing and selling corn for ten years. Before that, she worked by farming coffee.  She is asking for a loan to invest in purchasing agricultural fertilizers and pesticides to assist with her crops technically. She plans to have a better product to offer at the market and sell it at a better price. Also, she aims to improve her family's economic stability and cover their needs.

Halimah's story Halima is 30 years old and lives in the town of Kayunga in the Mukono region of UGANDA. She is married and has 3 children who are all currently in school. For the past year, Halima has been working hard to manage her catering business, where she owns a school canteen that sells snacks. The loan will be used to buy more cooking oil and flour, and it will help Halima generate greater profits, which will accumulate and be used to pay back the loan on time and provide some basic needs for her family

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION OPPORTUNITY

 

Spiritual Direction (or Spiritual Companionship) is the practice of being with people who wish for a deeper spirituality and personal relationship with God.

The Adult Spirituality Team is extending an invitation to anyone interested in exploring this valuable process.  St. Charles of Brazil is fortunate to have two Spiritual Directors who are members of our community, they are experienced and possess a high level of expertise in this special and unique ministry.  Both Mother Monica Kennedy and Alice Jo Weaver would welcome the opportunity to accompany you on your journey. 

 

Contact either of them with any questions or concerns:  Mother Monica Kennedy (443-895-6322)  Alice Jo Weaver (443-848-7439)

 

GREEN PRAYER BOOK

 

     Most, but not all of our Parishioners may be familiar with our Green Prayer Book.  On Easter it made it's reappearance on the table in the foyer.  Our tradition,  as established in 2013 was to leave the book out before liturgies so that people can write intentions, prayers of thanks or whatever the spirit moves them to share,  and then bring it up with the Gifts and place it  on the altar. It then becomes part of our prayers that we offer during the consecration. 

     We hope that everyone will take the time at some point to add to the book. We have included in the pictures a sample from the first page of the book.  The first entry was made nine years ago on May 26, 2013.  We are looking forward to many more years of  offering prayers. 

TITHING MINISTRY / WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU

 

Starting in June we have designated three organizations to receive 10 % of what we receive in offerings. We have given to three very different and worthy groups; Mt Vernon Virtuoso, Community Change .Org and MD. Food Bank. The Tithing team is meeting this week to select more groups for 2022

We have decided that we wanted to use a formula that will allow us to have a consistent amount that we would allocate each month.   

We arrived at an amount of $ 160. 00 per month.

The generosity of our parishoners has allowed us to set this designated amount .

However, we also need your help in a very important way.  Our goal would be to have every member of our Parish Community involved.  We are committed to communicate to the parish on a consistent basis to encourage your participation and to submit suggestions for worthy groups.

 Again, we want to hear from you and have everyone in our Parish Community involved in this very important ministry.

We also have set a goal of inviting a representative of the groups that have or will receive a donation to come speak to our Parish Community.  We have agreed that this is an important aspect of this ministry so that everyone in the parish can see first hand how their contribution is being used.

We have formed a team that will be responsible for “vetting” and selecting the groups.  If you think you would be interested in being part of this team please contact Jacke Ryan, Charlie Ernst, Alice Jo Weaver or Jane Papenberg

 

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR THE GENEROSITY YOU HAVE SHOWN THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THIS

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

 

HOLY THURSDAY MASS OF THE LORDS SUPPER

THURSDAY MARCH 28 @ 7:00 P.M.

 LORDS PASSION GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY

   FRIDAY MARCH 29 @ 7:00 P.M.

DECORATE ALTAR WITH EASTER FLOWERS ON EASTER SUNDAY

WE ARE INVITING EVERYONE TO BRING AN EASTER FLOWER TO DECORATE THE ALTAR  ON EASTER SUNDAY

DUE TO OUR CURRENT SITUATION WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU TAKE THEM WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE.

 

 

Taken from Richard Rohr’s Weekly Newsletter from the Center for Action and Contemplation

Author Tiffany Shlain offers a practice she calls a “Technology Sabbath” as a way of reducing our addiction to technology and our personal devices. She writes:  

How often have you looked up from your screen, eyes dazed, and realized you’ve just wasted thirty minutes or an hour or more? You look around and see everyone else with their heads down staring at their screens, too. You worry about how this is affecting you as an individual and society at large. You think you should do something about it, then your phone buzzes, you respond to the text, and you’re pulled back to the screen again. We’ve become ostriches, burying our heads in silicon sand                                                                                                                                     

Researchers have compared the sense of technological dependency—the feeling that we must be accessible and responsive at any time—to that of drugs and alcohol. It’s all because of the hormone dopamine, which is related to mood, attention, and desire. When you find something that feels good, dopamine makes you want more of it.                                      

What brings you joy ?  Think about all the (screen free) activities you enjoy doing that you just don't do enough       

Consider your own tradition or history.  What foods, practices from your childhood,  family , faith or culture would make the day more meaningful for you ?   

Consider your intentions  What qualities do you want to develop ?  What habits do you want to break ?  How do you want to feel when the day is over ? 

How to prepare for 24/6     A little think ahead will help you get more our of the day.

Plan your first Tech Shabbat Look at your calendar and plan what weekend day or (weekday)  you are going to start. Mark down several weeks in a row.  The power and beauty of this practice comes with it's regularity. In time you will look forward to it each week, Look at the list of things you want to do more of. Plan to fill your screen free day with activities from that list.  You can even print the list, post it on your fridge, and reference it throughout the day.  Or fill the day with doing nothing, if that's what you need and want. Invite anyone you want to join you for a meal, an activity, or the whole day. Tell people in your life you are planning to do this.  Don't come from a place of apology, but a place of strength and excitement.  If they express concern or curiosity, invite them to a Tech Sabbath dinner so they can experience it with you.

                                                                                    

KIVA LOANS MADE IN OCTOBER / FOUR INSPIRATIONAL STORIES

 

Rami's story is 43 and lives with his family in Bethlehem, West

Bank in Palestine. He Rami, is a hardworking refugee who tries his utmost to help his family live a decent life. He works in the construction field, which is hard work and requires a lot of effort. He turned to Palestine for Credit and Development FATEN to request a loan to buy construction equipment. This equipment will improve his work and enhance his income. He hopes you will help by funding his loan.

María Magdalena's story .Maria and her family live in the Bajos de Montecristi in Ecaudor A  place that stands out for their crafts made of toquilla straw, wicker, piquigua, and wood, fine toquilla straw hats, recognized around the world as “Panama Hats”, well known throughout the country and abroad.  At home, Maria Magdalena has a small pig farm where she works every day, feeding them and keeping them healthy. When they are grown and have a good weight, she sells them alive to merchants who come to buy them. Her children also have a wooden shop at home.  This loan is to buy small pigs, food, medicines, wood, sandpaper, paint, pay electricity bills, etc.

Sawiyah's story. She is pictured here with her son.   Sawiyah is 41 years old and married with one son and one daughter. She and her husband run a business of handcrafts in Indonesia.  One of her children is still in school. As a mother, Sawiyah is very concerned about the education of her children. She is asking Kiva for support because she wants to pay the school fees which are in arrears, because she thinks that education is the key to a brighter and better future.  So, she has applied for a loan of 1,800,000 Indonesian rupiahs (IDR) from KBMI at Curug Branch to pay for her child's school fees in arrears. Her income is not enough to directly pay these costs, but she will be able to repay the loan received in installments using the profits generated from her business.  Sawiyah is a hardworking mother who always strives for the best for her children to improve their living conditions and provide a bright future for them to pursue their dreams. She is very grateful for the opportunity and wants to thank all the lenders.

Elbia's story  This is Elbia, a micro-businesswoman who is happy to be able to be her own boss. She is also a pillar in her own family. Today, Elbia is the owner of an office supplies shop. Elbia knows about the work these two groups do because in the past they provided her with financial support which helped her fortify herself.  At this time, she is asking for a new Kiva loan through MiCrédito to buy 2 computers and 10 reams of paper. With this valuable investment, she will be able to provide her service to more customers and her profits increased. In addition, in the next few years, she is planning to open another office supplies store.

FROM GLOBAL SISTERS REPORT

 

In the footsteps of the Ukrainian people's Way of the Cross

Link to article below.  Thanks to Jeff Konyar for forwarding this 

https://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/ministry/column/footsteps-ukrainian-peoples-way-cross?utm_source=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_campaign=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_term=PANTHEON_STRIPPED

EXAMPLES OF BREATH PRAYERS

 

Minister Adele Ahlberg Calhoun suggests a form of breath prayer that allows us to bring our heart’s deepest longing into our intimate relationship with God:   Breath prayer reminds us that just as we can’t live on one breath of air, we can’t live on one breath of God. God is the oxygen of our soul, and we need to breathe [God] in all day long. After all, it is in [God] that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Breath prayer reminds us that each breath we are given is God’s gift and that God’s Spirit is nearer to us that our own breath. . . . To practice breath prayer, ponder the nearness of God. Settle deeply into the truth that Christ is in you. Deeply breathe in, repeating any name of God that is dear to you. . . . As you exhale, voice a deep desire of your heart. When you exhale, offer up the desire of your heart. The brevity of the prayer allows it to be repeated over and over throughout the day. Examples of breath prayers are ·         breathe in “Abba,” breathe out “I belong to you.” ·         breathe in “Healer,” breathe out “speak the word and I shall be healed.” ·         breathe in “Shepherd,” breathe out “bring home my lost [ones].” ·         breathe in “Holy One,” breathe out “keep me true.” ·         breathe in “Lord,” breathe out “here I am.” ·         breathe in “Jesus,” breathe out “have mercy on me.”