The story of an on-going miracle – orphanage in Peru.

Firstly, dear members and benefactors, generally, God picks unqualified and incompetent individuals
to undertake His tasks. This is certainly my case. This is proven in the Bible and in history. Jesus
himself chose a pathetic “board of directors” to face the Romans and the world. Our Lady Mary chose
Bernadette Soubirous and the three children of Fatima. Who were they? Just poor illiterate, little
shepherds. God does not think and act as we do. We must have an open heart to God. Just say yes to
God, thrust Him and move on.

The first Sunday of my arrival in Peru, in 1977, I went with a humble priest in the middle of nowhere,
a desert place – pampa – Buenos Aires for the first Holy Communion of children who lived there, poor
little girls dressed in white and shabby little boys. My heart went thick! I loved them at first sight!
Now I realised that God was preparing me so early to do a job for Him – but what was it? Time went
on. I was appointed parish priest in a parish of Arequipa city, in the periphery. In those times there
were shanty towns. Among the poor I noticed several intellectually challenged children. So I built a
school for them with 3 classrooms. Caritas provided qualified teachers for these special children.

Caritas asked me to join their programme for disabled children. There were two people on this
committee, Dottore Mary Luz Barreda Rodrigues - a paediatrician and Hermano Jesus Diaz a De La Salle
brother. As I joined the committee, I went to the offices of UNICEF in Arequipa to get more
information about their programmes and related information about mentally and physically disabled
children. As a general rule, priests did not know much about such disabled children because they had
so many other pastoral and administrative work to do. I went along to seek out such children together
with members from the Legion of Mary. These lived in dark, miserable, dirty, isolated chozas - huts. I
spotted a number of children with severe disabilities living like dirty animals. It made my heart race
with willingness to help them out.

Mary Luz and Hermano Jesus, took me with them to visit children in inner suburbs of Arequipa and
gave them clothes and food. I saw multiple disabled children confined to unsuitable rooms. Children
created in the image of God! Among the poor you saw them roaming around in markets or on the
streets, those who could walk. These children you had to search for them. Mary Luz told me that such
children are disposed off – killed. At that time poverty was rampant.

Mary Luz, Hermano Jesus and myself after such visits used to ask ourselves …. What can we do for
these children? What is God asking of us? I used to ask myself, what is Mons. De Piro, our founder
and director of six orphanages, asking of me?

One time, when I was at the school with these disabled children, there and then I decided that I had
to build a shelter for such children. “God”, I prayed, “You have to provide me with land, helpers and
money!” “Lord, I will help you!”

Later I organised a committee of three, Amerigo, Mercedes (Compassion) and Amparo (Port). These
female names are titles given to the Virgin Mary.

We had our first fund raising. The girls prepared buñuelos – doughnuts and from this activity we
managed to make three soles – one dollar! I felt God telling me “Trust in Me!” We started to pray the
rosary and put the idea of the orphanage in Mary’s hands!
I tried to find land on which I could build the orphanage. But the owners asked for big money. So I
said “Lord take over, I will help you!”

It happened that in my parish there was a big parcel of land with some offices which the Minister for
Transport and Communication wanted to donate to charity. I applied for it and after two years of
paperwork it was given to me. A huge miracle! I gave the good news to Mary Luz. She was excited
and immediately brought a group of mentally and physically disabled children to make use of the
shabby rooms there were.

I asked Mary Luz to take charge of the proposed orphanage, and that I will continue to help her from
wherever I ended up - I sensed that I was going to be transferred to another mission, and maybe in a
different country. I pointed out to her two Saints - Saint Jeanne Jugan, founder of the Little Sisters of
the Poor and Father Edward McGrath MSC co-founder with Eileen O’Connor of the Our Lady's Nurses
of the Poor. So I was sure that the same would happen to me. In fact the news spread within the
congregation that Padre Manuel – Mr. Nobody (and I am proud of it) – was starting an orphanage for
disabled children. Shortly afterwards, I was transferred back to Malta. With the help of God I have
forgiven all those who spoke badly and opposed this idea of establishing the orphanage for the
disabled children.

In my next reflection, I will explain more about the children.

Spiritual thought:

Friends, helpers take seriously the spiritual life. Be people that live not exist. You have your dignity
and be united to God as He is united to you. Grow and mature in spiritually. This is the core of the
Christian life.

Sing:

God will find a way - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o

Jesus Christ you are my life - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cri2XbOhNTQ

Sweet Heart of Jesus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lInwTMuUWxI

God is so good - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqsRS6-hBpc