Staff Blog

FOR WE ARE GOD'S HELPERS

Lay Mission-Helpers Association staff members share reflections and the stories of our lay missionaries.

Current Missionary Blogs

NANCY IN UGANDA

Read about the work of Nancy Magloire who is serving as a LMH in the Diocese of Kabale, Uganda.

MARIA LUISA IN PERU

Read about the work of Maria Luisa Garcia who is serving as a LMH in the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose de Amazonas in Peru.

MARK IN GHANA

Read about the work of Mark McGraw who is serving as a LMH in the Diocese of Damongo, Ghana.

JOSIE IN GHANA

Josie Cruz is assigned to the Diocese of Damongo, Ghana to serve as an accountant. She is a member of St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Delano, CA.

Lay Mission-Helpers serving around the world are sharing the joys and challenges of mission life on their blogs.

Returned Missionary Blogs

KAREN IN GHANA

Karen Hunka is assigned to serve as an accountant in the Diocese of Damongo in Ghana for the next three years. She is a member of St. Florian Parish in United, Pa.

JACOB & NANCY IN HONDURAS

Jacob & Nancy Pederson and their children Santi & Soliyana are assigned to the Diocese of Juticalpa, Honduras. In collaboration with the Olancho Aid Foundation, Jacob is serving as a school psychologist and Nancy as an English teacher. They are from Yakima, WA.

DIANE IN GHANA

Diane Yonga is assigned to teach at St. Ann's Senior High School in the Diocese of Damongo in Ghana. She is a member of Cathedral of St. Paul Parish in St. Paul, Minn.

DANITA IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Danita Kurtz is assigned to teach at St. Joseph Junior High School in the Diocese of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea. She is a member of St. Bartholomew Parish in Long Beach, Calif.

MARIA LUISA IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Maria Luisa Garcia was assigned to teach at Caritas Technical Secondary School in the Diocese of Kimbe in Papua New Guinea. She is a member of St. Matthew Parish in El Paso, Texas.

NEWBURN FAMILY MISSION

The Newburns — Pete, Joy, Joshua, Jessica, and Emily — served in Bamenda, Cameroon. Pete taught theology at the major seminary and served as an instructor and tutor with lay leadership training. Joy volunteered at the local Catholic school, helped with an HIV support group, assisted with lay counseling training, and volunteered with the developmentally disabled. The kids attended a local primary school and love horseback riding in their free time

AMY IN ECUADOR

Amy Anderson is a registered nurse who served in Clinica Guadalupe in the Vicariate of Zamora. She is originally from Northern California.

MARTIN FAMILY MISSION

Maura and Ryan Martin and their three young children (Honora, Clare and Patrick) served the people of Cameroon, Africa, by providing basic nursing care and social services.

HORNE FAMILY MISSION

The Horne family — Eric, Logan, Helena, James, Max, Isabelle, Sally and Gabriel — are from Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Alamos, New Mexico. They served as teachers in the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon.

MARCO IN ECUADOR

Marco Svoboda was assigned to serve in Ecuador. He is a member of St. John Eudes Parish in Chatsworth, Calif.

DEBBIE IN CAMEROON

Debbie served as a Teacher at Pius X Secondary School in Tatum, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. She taught English and computer skills to her students. Debbie grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif., the 6th of 13 children, and is currently a member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Pasadena, Calif.

ASHLEY IN CAMEROON

Ashley Hansen is a Lay Mission-Helper assigned to serve as a health educator with the Health Secretariat of the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon. She is from Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo, Calif. Prior to joining Lay Mission-Helpers, she served in two domestic volunteer programs, one in Appalachia and the other in Detroit.

BUD & SUE IN KENYA

Bud & Sue Ozar have previously served terms of service in American Samoa and Kenya. They also served at St. Clare School and Children’s Village in the Diocese of Meru, Kenya. They are from Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.

ALICIA IN CAMEROON

Alicia Adajar-Duante is a Lay Mission-Helper assigned to serve as a nurse at St. Elizabeth Catholic Hospital in Shisong, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. She is originally from the Phillipines and has two adult daughters. Alicia is a member of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Riverside, Calif.

MATTHEW IN UGANDA

Matthew Kadavy is assigned to serve as a project manager in the Diocese of Kabale in Uganda. He is a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Lincoln, Neb.

TONY IN UGANDA

Tony McConnell is assigned to serve as an IT specialst in the Diocese of Kabale in Uganda. He is a member of Our Lady of the Visitation Parish in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, CO.

ED & CATHY IN UGANDA

Ed and Cathy Medina are assigned to serve at St. Francis Hospital in Mutolere in the Diocese of Kabale, Uganda. They are members of St. Joseph Parish in Capulin, Colo. They previously served as Lay Mission-Helpers from 2001-2004 with their three children in the Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon.