There are moments in missionary life that stay with us forever. A child pedaling a bicycle down a dirt road for the first time. A meal shared after a long day of work. A prayer whispered as floodwaters rise. And sometimes, a farewell that tells us something sacred has been completed.
When the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity accept a new mission, we do so with a single hope. That one day, we will no longer be needed. That the people we serve will be strong, faithful, and united enough to carry the mission forward on their own.
This hope flows from the vision of our founder, Fr. Thomas Judge. He believed that the Church is built not only by priests and religious, but by ordinary people living their faith with courage. His call, “Every Catholic an Apostle,” continues to guide our work. We know a mission has truly taken root when faith is no longer borrowed, but lived.
For this reason, we believe that missions are not buildings or programs. Missions are people.
With that in mind, we share that this month the Missionary Servants have completed our mission in Guamal, Colombia.
Answering the Call to Guamal
In 2006, at the invitation of the bishop of one of Colombia’s poorest dioceses, the Missionary Servants arrived in Guamal, a parish made up of dozens of small, isolated communities spread across miles of dirt roads and flood-prone land along the Magdalena River.
What we encountered was profound poverty. Families displaced by civil unrest lived in fragile homes made of cardboard and plastic. Roads were often impassable. Flooding regularly destroyed what little people had. Many children walked miles to school or stopped attending altogether. Hunger and illness were constant realities.
What we also encountered was something just as powerful. Resilient faith. Quiet determination. A people who believed that God had not abandoned them, even when the world seemed to have done so.
Walking Together in Mission
For two decades, and thanks to the generosity of friends and supporters, the people of Guamal transformed their parish and their communities.
A simple idea became a life changing program. In the early years, Fr. Gilberto Rodríguez, S.T., launched the Bicycle Program, enabling children who lived far from school to attend regularly while inviting parents to play an active role in parish life. What began with a handful of bicycles opened doors to education, confidence, and opportunity for hundreds of young people.
When devastating floods struck, the rectory kitchen became a place of refuge and nourishment. What began as an emergency response grew into a permanent feeding program that now provides daily meals to children, the elderly, and people living with disabilities. Under the leadership of Br. Raúl Mejía, S.T., these efforts expanded to include cooking and baking programs that equip women with practical skills and opportunities to earn income. Today, community members help sustain both the meals and the training, ensuring that nourishment and dignity go hand in hand.
Health and wellness outreach brought dignity and care to the most vulnerable in Guamal’s remote communities. Beginning in 2016 with the mission’s first medical clinic—where nearly 200 poor and marginalized people received care—these efforts grew into ongoing health clinics supported by trained community health promoters. The mission also expanded access to clean drinking water through water filtration systems paired with education, while providing nutritional supplements, basic medical supplies, and mobility assistance to the elderly, people with disabilities, and those living with chronic illness. Together, these initiatives improved daily life and restored dignity for hundreds of people across the mission.
Throughout it all, something even more important was happening. Leaders emerged. Responsibility was shared. Faith moved from survival to stewardship.
Our years in Guamal were also marked by profound sacrifice. We remember in a special way Brother Andréthène Alexandre, S.T., a seminarian whose life was tragically taken while serving on mission in 2015. His witness of faith and generosity continues to inspire the mission and the community, reminding us that missionary life is built on love given fully, even when the cost is great.
Knowing When It Is Time to Leave
Today, the parish in Guamal is alive. Local leaders are prepared to continue the work. Families care for one another. The mission is no longer abandoned.
And that is how we know it is time to leave.
Leaving does not mean forgetting. It means trusting what has been built together. It means honoring the people of Guamal by believing in their strength. It means recognizing that mission has accomplished its purpose.
We leave grateful for the years we spent walking side by side with our brothers and sisters in Guamal. We are especially grateful for those who accompanied this mission through prayer, sacrifice, and generosity. You did not simply support a mission. You helped build something lasting.
Please keep the people of Guamal in your prayers, as well as our priests and Brothers who are now being sent to serve in new places where the need is once again great.
The work in Guamal continues. And so does the mission.
