Bringing Christ to Homebound Elderly & AIDS Patients by Chris

As we have shared about earlier, we have struggled with how to get out to homes of the people without starting a tidal wave of demand for material things from the people that live here that need so much.  So, we prayed about it and God answered our prayers and sent help.   One day, I was in our market here in Mikinduri and I saw a nun.  So, I went up and introduced myself and she did the same.  Her name is Sister Anna Mary and she is originally from neighboring Uganda and is living at the next closest parish to us.  I shared the struggles that we are having with how to get out to visit people without causing a flood of requests for material things.  She shared how she has her ministry during the week to go out to visit the home-bound elderly and AIDS patients to pray with them and administer the Eucharist.  She invited our family to accompany her to see how she does it and we gladly took her up on the offer to "Go and See" what exactly she does.  

We headed out early one Wednesday morning in our Land Rover and since it is rainy season, we had to use 4x4 low to climb up the steep slopes on the muddy roads.  We climbed and climbed and climbed and finally arrived at our first destination.  We parked alongside the road and then hiked a short distance to our first visit.  The first visit was a bedridden woman who could no longer speak.  We don't have a picture of her but we have a picture of her mother who is taking care of her although she is in her 80s.  

Sister Anna celebrated the short communion service and then we had time to visit with the people.  The bedridden woman showed us a small photo album of herself when she was younger....photos of her only son.....lots of fun photos of days when her health was better.  We had a nice visit with her and we agreed to get her a new mattress as hers was very worn and soiled which Sister Anna will provide to her.  We visited quite a few houses in the morning, stopped for lunch and then continued in the afternoon on the other side of the highway with about 6 or 7 more visits.

Sr. Anna Mary & Karen - Sister told us that "These people grow tea, when you touch the tea leaves you can better understand the people and their lives."

Here is a woman with all of her grandchildren.

Here is Karen with this woman who is in her 90s and who had traditional ear lobe holes where gauges once resided.

We found one man laying on a mat outside of a small wooden hut.  He was very thin and moved very slowly.  Sister Mary greeted him warmly, gave him some advice to "Eat what he is given and to not give up fighting and not to lose hope!"  

The man on the mat receiving communion....you can see how thin his ankle is!

Here is a video of Karen and a 103 year old woman that we visited.  She later got up and danced with Karen!

We had a super blessed time doing home visits with Sister Anna Mary!  One of the men that we visited was dying from AIDS and he actually passed away the next week.  Anna crossed paths with his son at a youth group meeting and he told her how moved he was that we came to bring his father communion when he was dying.  We never know how the little things we do in life will impact the lives of others.  I know Anna was blessed to be able to hear from this young man about our day of home visits.  We are working with some people here at the parish to coordinate doing our own home visits the way The Holy Spirit is guiding us to do them.  Please pray for all of these people that we go and visit!

We'd love to hear from you via email:

carmodyfamilyonmissions@gmail.com

If the Holy Spirit is nudging you to support us financially 
so that we can continue serving those in need, please visit:

https://www.familymissionscompany.com/project/chris-and-karen-carmody/

OR

call Family Missions Company at (337) 893 - 6111.

Thank you and God Bless!