Volunteer in Delta keeps the community in faith

Intermountain Catholic

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DELTA – For 10 years, Guadalupe Hurtado has helped her rural community grow in faith. With RCIA graduates, she goes door to door, praying and talking about the successes and goals of the St. John Bosco Mission in Delta, which has about 200 people.

For the past eight years, this evangelization continued despite not having a designated pastor, although Father Hernando Díaz was assigned to St. Bridget in October.

"When we don’t have a pastor in the community it’s really hard," Hurtado said.

Born and raised in Chihuahua, México, Hurtado spends several hours a day evangelizing. "The spiritual needs of the community here in Delta are many," Hurtado said, adding that without a pastor the work was triple, although she has help from others in the community.

In addition to Hurtado, Araceli Vega, Antonia Rodriguez and Minerva Vargas are some of the volunteers who help with the mission in Delta.

"I am very grateful for these people because without them I would be like a boat without oars," Hurtado said. "By myself I wouldn’t be able to do anything; all these people are like my right hand."

Although Hurtado thinks Fr. Díaz will have a lot to do, she is very happy and hopeful that he will help the community to grow and to be stronger in faith.

"It’s like being in the desert with no water, and when this pastor arrived, he is not drops of water, he is a spring," Hurtado said.

Among the mission’s main needs was a regular Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; this has been established every Thursday.

Hurtado works hard with the RICA graduates because she believes it is important that they keep building their spiritual growth. Young adults in Delta also are a very important part of the mission and they tend to participate in every event.

"I wish that we could have more and more events," said María Inés Juárez a youngster from Delta.

Last year as a result of the baptism and marriage classes, four weddings were performed in the mission, and on Nov. 13 a retreat will take place.