The Gospel of Life Disciples + Dwellings (GOLD) is expanding its outreach with a new mission in the rural town of Cerro de Oro, a small village on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, where Blessed Stanley Rother lived and worked.
“Morada Apla’s,” morada means "dwelling," is led by Sister Maria of the Trinity and is supported by a diverse group of volunteers. The first group from Oklahoma visited last summer to lay the initial groundwork, assess needs and begin collaboration with the local parish community. A second team is preparing to return in March 2025.
Sister Maria said Morada Apla’s continues the legacy of Blessed Stanley by addressing the needs of the people of Cerro de Oro. She said the mission aims to offer love, compassion and dignity to all, especially the most vulnerable.
Cerro de Oro, meaning "Hill of Gold," is in a remote area with limited access to healthcare and basic services. These first mission trips focus on understanding the needs of the impoverished community and its members. Mission teams seek a deeper understanding of the people's physical, medical and spiritual needs and build collaborative efforts with local parishioners.
“This project was not my idea,” said Sister Maria, who said many people along the way have stepped in to offer their time, talents and resources.
Many of Cerro de Oro's older residents cannot access their already limited resources due to a 75-step incline, leaving little to no care for them. The mission hopes to create an accessible sanctuary, ensuring the sacraments are available to everyone, especially those in their final years.
Sister Maria's early vision for Morada Apla's began in 2016 during a visit to Guatemala. After meeting people firsthand, she said she felt a strong calling to serve the people of Cerro de Oro. It was during this trip she met Diego, a man whose story impacted her greatly. She would later meet a woman named Concepción, a 95-year-old widow with no one to care for her. Sister said these encounters fueled her desire to return and offer help.
In 2019, Sister Maria returned, along with a small group from GOLD. They assessed the needs of the people and, in 2023, returned to plan the initial logistics of the mission, including the building of a chapel and medical clinic.
"It's amazing how the Lord has worked this out," she said.
The upcoming mission trip in March will focus on three main areas: supporting local laborers, providing medical care and providing basic infrastructure.
The goal of building a chapel that is elderly and handicap-accessible requires volunteers to work alongside locals to provide the resources and workforce necessary to make this a reality. Volunteers will also support basic infrastructure needs, such as bringing electricity and water to a newly established building that will serve as a clinic and community space.
Volunteers with medical backgrounds will work to provide healthcare, including checkups, supplies and training to local caregivers. It is the desire of GOLD to work in tandem with local families and parishioners to provide aid to what they are already doing, as well as resources and equipment they may not have access to yet.
"The challenge right now is getting medical equipment there," said Sister Maria.
The March mission trip includes an array of volunteers with different backgrounds and expertise, including engineers, medical professionals, and students.
Cade Bond, a pre-med student at Benedictine, will be attending the March mission.
"Instead of just running a free clinic, we aim to train the caretakers of the elderly, teaching them how to provide proper care," said Bond. "We want to make a lasting impact."
Sara Lau, a pre-med graduate from the University of Oklahoma, is also attending the upcoming mission trip. Lau has been a regular volunteer with GOLD and says that experience shaped not only her Catholic faith, but deepened her desire to care for others, especially those at the end of life.
"Sister Maria encourages us to be bold and to listen to what the Lord is asking us to do," she said. "When I prayed about this mission trip, I felt called to go and see how I could help. It's not about what we have to give them, but about understanding what they need."
Each mission trip lays additional groundwork for future projects, including the hope to refurbish the church where Blessed Stanley celebrated Mass and provide necessary supplies like mattresses and medical equipment.
In the future, GOLD plans to expand its efforts, including providing hospice care for those without anyone to care for them at the end of their lives.
"This project is not just about providing medical care," said Sister Maria. "It's about offering love and support where it's needed most."
For more information or if interested in joining the mission or supporting the work through prayer, donations or volunteering, contact Sister Maria of the Trinity at (405) 778-1107 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Eliana Tedrow is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: (top) Sr. Maria of the Trinity and Concepción in Guatemala.
Future site of Morada Apla’s.
Sr. Maria of the Trinity and community members at Bl. Sacrament Chapel construction where GOLD will help in March.