Editor’s note: In the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Archbishop José H. Gomez, following consultation with Bishop James A. Tamayo of Laredo, requested priests to ask for a second collection to assist the people of Eagle Pass. Contributions can also be made through the Office of Social Services, Catholic Diocese of Laredo, P.O. Box 2247, Laredo, Texas 78044-2247.

    Various individuals and groups in San Antonio who had been visiting and working with parishes and organizations in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras responded to the great needs there following the border tornado in late April.

    Following are accounts from Deacon Jerry Campa from St. Mary Magdalen Church in San Antonio, who, along with his wife, Mary, have been conducting “Feed My Sheep” mission trips to the area for years.

    Just days after the tornado hit, a group of brothers and myself went to Eagle Pass on April 29 to take the donations that many of you provided for the victims of the tornado in Piedras Negras. The task is overwhelming, and we can’t possibly solve the problem. Only God can take care of these things. We bring our few loaves and fishes and pray that God bless them and share them with those in need. Every now and then God lets us know that he really is taking care of the big picture and that our work is important. May God unite and bless everyone involved in this endeavor, especially the people affected by the tornado.

    The morning after the tornado hit, I was listening to the radio for news on who was affected. A large news radio station in San Antonio was discussing the church that was destroyed in Piedras Negras. The announcer said that he was sure that the Archdiocese of San Antonio would be there to help out. The announcer recalled that the archdiocese was one of the first groups to respond with aid when Piedras Negras was hit by floods in 2004. As I heard the announcers discussing that situation, I knew that our group and the ACTS community here in San Antonio had been the group that took over our donations and a large donation from then-Archbishop Patrick F. Flores and the archdiocese to the bishop and the people in Piedras Negras. Sometimes we wonder if the things we do ever make a difference, but every now and then God gives us a chance to realize he calls us to be his light to the world.

    We encountered rain about 30 miles outside of Eagle Pass. I was thankful that we had left early and didn’t have to make much of the drive in the rain (our vehicles were pretty well loaded with supplies). In Eagle Pass we got a chance to meet Father Roberto Peña, OMI, for the first time. He is a priest from Sagrado Corazón in Eagle Pass. After we had unloaded the supplies, we visited and prayed. Father Peña was very moved by the generosity of the people in San Antonio. He reminded us that the next day was the feast of Jesus the Good Shepherd. He said he would use our story in his sermon. He prayed that through the supplies we brought and the work that people would do, that more and more people would come to know Jesus as their Good Shepherd. It is the same thing we pray for when we do our missionary work every month. Father Peña blessed us and we went on our way.

    We then saw some of the area in Eagle Pass that was hit by the tornado. The volunteers were all over the place in Eagle Pass. They had trailers giving out food, water and supplies. They had trucks, bulldozers, man power, etc., to help. It was good to see so many answer God’s call to love in the face of all this devastation.

    The June mission to Piedras Negras went very well. We had a chance to visit Sagrado Corazón Church and the Orfanatorio Nazret girls orphanage, which were damaged by the tornado.
    Work has not yet started at the church. We are told that the government is assisting in helping those who were affected by the tornado, but at their own pace. As of now the bishop and priests are working with the authorities to try and get the process moving more quickly.
    You could still see the damage on the girls orphanage. Many of the windows are still missing. Most of the donations we have received are going to help this orphanage. Your donations have been used mainly to replace damaged furniture and air conditioning systems as well as help with many miscellaneous items. We are also still sending more donations to help with the work that is needed.
    The roofs on both the boys and the girls orphanages have been replaced, the buildings are being painted inside and out, there is new furniture everywhere, etc.
    One of our benefactors, a well known artist, hand painted an icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe that hopefully will be placed in the new church when it is finished.

    The journey in July was one of our most special trips ever, even though we had our share of troubles. We had non-stop rain almost all of the day. I can’t remember in seven-plus years having so much rain on one of our trips. Some of our group went out on Highway 90 and had to turn back because of the flooding. We usually do our work in Eagle Pass outside in a driveway. We had to improvise and make some changes. We all got a little wet but thanks to God we made it safely.

    When we were through having lunch, it had been raining so much I offered the volunteers a chance to call it a day, but they wouldn’t hear of it. We had come so far; we had to try to finish the journey. We encountered heavy flooding in Mexico as well. When I pulled up on the street next to the church, it was covered in about eight to 10 inches of standing water. Many of the streets we drove in and around were flooded. When we got to the church things finally let up for a little bit. I don’t speak Spanish well, but I did manage to tell them of God’s great love for them. I told them that they have all of you, their brothers and sisters in Christ who live here in Texas, and we pray for them always. I told them we were there to share God’s gifts with them our brothers and sisters. We also spent a few minutes teaching the children about our faith. I didn’t keep the people there for long. Because of the rain we were running late and they had been waiting a long time for us to get there.

    In September and October, “Feed My Sheep” will collect new and gently used children’s clothes for their pilgrimage, as well as other types of items, such as medical supplies, hats, caps, gloves, candy and travel-size soaps, shampoos and lotions.

    Campa welcomes others to join in this effort by calling (210) 561-7727. One Saturday a month, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., participants assist in hauling, packing and distributing food and supplies. Musicians and prayer leaders are needed, as well as Spanish-speakers for communication. For those interested in staying overnight to continue in service, the Benedictine Sisters there can be contacted at (830) 816-8504.

    According to Mary Wisniewski, director of the archdiocesan Office of Mission Awareness, Emilio Rojo from St. Luke and Father Paul Raaz from Sacred Heart in Gonzales have long established friendships with the priests and sisters who run the orphanages and parishes that suffered from the storms.

    Those interested in donating can contact the Mission Awareness Office for more information at mwisniewski@archdiosa.org.