Reunion: 'An Old Friend'
By Jim Zoschg Special to Endeavor News

The writer in Yucatan, Mexico helping repair structures that were damaged during a hurricane.

Members of the Saint Mark parish in Emporium are involved in a unique ministry that directly blesses the lives of families and church members living in poverty in the state of Yucatan, Mexico.

St. Mark, through the Erie Diocese, has teamed up with a "sister church," San Antonio de Padua. Goal is to help the church and its ministries, both financially and through prayer and spiritual support.

Since 1999, St. Marks has been helping to support San Antonio. Parishioners in Emporium have accomplished this through a variety of means. On this year's trip, for example, they helped to distribute emergency supplies to hurricane victims.

Earlier, they supplied funds for the purchase of a truck that Father Teodoro Baquedano could use to travel to the 13 mission churches that he also pastors.

St. Marks also supports the operations of the Mision de Amistad in the nearby city of Mérida, helping families in need, as well as a girls' shelter and a day care.

In 2001, St. Mark helped three members of San Antonio come to Emporium. Among them was Buenaventura, who lives in a small thatchroofed house in the village of Kaua.

Led by the expert navigational skills of Joe DiBello, our group surprised Buenaventura on our recent eight-day trip to the Yucatán.

Buenaventura was full of joy to see us. He does not have much by our standards, but it was evident that this man was quite blessed. Throughout our visit, he thanked God for his blessings, including his family and for the recent protection from hurricane damage.