January 2007

As we close the year 2006, we as a Ministry want to Thank God for all the prayers that have been answered both from those who have requested prayers over the internet and those who have come in the store to sign in our book. Our prayer is that we continue to do His will for this ministry in 2007.

We pray for the financial assistance for the Resource Center that we all have focused on and ask for the guidance to find the benefactors for this project.  We were able to purchase the program to search for foundations and have sent out hundreds with a lot of positive encouragement and three that are good possibilities for the near future but no financial assistance to date so we still rely on donations from our benefactors as well as fundraisers to keep us going.

The web site is awesome as I am sure you see and we want to thank Julee Davis for the awesome work she does for us. We welcome her also to the Board of Directors effective January 1, 2007.

Also elected to the board is Joey Garcia who is our main volunteer now and is spotlighted on the President’s page for December and Rebecca Warnick who has been with this ministry as a prayer partner, volunteer and friend for the full twelve years we have been here.  We are adding the “associate” page that will spotlight a lot of our other members and prayer partners.

As the year closed Mariachi Reyes “went to school” to play for the children. They play at St. Augustine Cathedral and Santa Cruz for masses every month as well as other charitable events throughout the year. We are so very proud and happy to have them as part of this ministry. This month, Mariachi Reyes also played at the Arizona State Capital for the Inauguration of the Governor of Arizona. What an honor!

With all the wonderful things that have gone on in 2006 which include Martin’s reflection page (the most popular page on the site and has been quoted by Priest’s in their homilies this year) the awesome slide shows that call attention to our on going call to take Priests to holy places on pilgrimages we have also had our share of losses as well. We lost Deidrea Weiss in September and now I have to report that we lost a very good friend last week.

Herbert Sauber passed away on December 28, 2006. If you have been in the store you probably have wanted to purchase the large wall rosary that hangs over the door that goes from the front of the store to the back. That was made for me by Herb in 1995 when we opened the store.  He is the one that found the original shelves and brought them to us to get us started. He was always there for us as the years went on along with his wife Betty who I am proud to say is one of my best friends of all time. She was the one that Our Lady used to point out the place (in the pouring down rain) that we rented and are still located at. She went on pilgrimages with me helping out all the time and was the first volunteer in the store. We would not be here without this wonderful couple. They were very faithful to the prayer groups they belonged to with a tremendous devotion to Our Lady.  Herb would say “I’m not rich in money but I’m rich in love”. Herb and Betty were the “ideal” couple having been childhood sweethearts and married for 54 years and all rooted in their love for the Church and their family. There are not enough words to say how much their influence has affected this ministry from day one. We are very grateful for all the time they shared with us over the years. Our very special prayers are for Betty as she has to face each day without his physical presence, we know he will watch over her as he always has from his new heavenly home.

I wish all of you a VERY BLESSED NEW YEAR. As we pray for you, please keep us in your prayers as well.