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Pictured above is a recent mission trip in which Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists and Non-Denominationalists helped out the residents of a small Peruvian village suffering from severe poverty.

This missionary group included Fr. Gus Calvo -- second from left in front -- the pastor of Batavia's Anglican Community Church (see January article on his first service).

Having recently returned from this trip, Calvo was happy to share the experience with The Batavian and extend information about the program to anyone in the area who might be interested in next year's trip.

Calvo has been going on these missionary trips -- most of which last about 12 to 14 days -- on an annual basis for the past seven years. It all started when he was working in Honduras under the supervision of another missionary leader.

"My friend and ministry colleague Jeff Miller and I met in Honduras," Calvo said. "Our leader later left that area, so we got together and decided to put together a team each year for mission trips."

They then contacted SAMS -- the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders -- an organization that sponsors various projects in needful areas. All of the missions Calvo has been involved in these last seven years have been acquired through them.

Since getting started, Calvo and Miller have worked with participants from about 55 different churches, with an average of 15 to 18 people from each church. This past trip was a deeply ecumenical project that included people from the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Albany and Philadelphia, the Episcopalian Diocese of Albany and CANA (Anglican), as well as members of a Methodist Church and a Non-Denominational Church.

Destinations are usually South American countries, although last year's trip was to Texas for Hurricane Ike relief work. Calvo said that he and Miller are looking at a couple of South American locations as possibilities for next year.

The trip to Peru took the team to seven sites, including the village pictured above. This village was home to marginalized indigenous people who had been forced out of their homes in the Andes Mountains by a terrorist group.

"The government granted them a stretch of land to live on," Calvo said, "but it's basically a wasteland. On top of that, their circumstances force them to live in cardboard boxes -- literally. These homes are about 10-by-10, and some of them house multiple people."

Like all of these trips, this one was preceded by a year of careful planning, a key aspect of which was needs assessment.

"We always ask [the people in need of assistance], 'What are your needs?'" Calvo said. "That way they have some ownership. We respond by incorporating them into the project. We provide the materials, but then they put it together."

The whole approach is very different from the patronizing attitude that might come to mind when you think of missionaries -- namely, of being a major blessing to the "ignorant savages" they're visiting. Calvo and his fellow missionaries always go into the mission with the idea of mutual benefit.

"It's not just that we're a blessing to them. They're a blessing to us as well."

A major benefit that members of these trips experience is the opportunity to deepen their faith.

"One of the most common comments from religious leaders of all denominations is that American faith is six miles wide, but only about an inch deep," Calvo said. "These trips add depth to one's faith. After coming back from them, people are more invested and involved in their churches, and they know their faith in a more intimate way."

Throughout the course of each trip, every participant is asked to provide a five- to ten-minute reflection -- in the morning or in the evening -- on a given Bible passage or on an insight gained from working with the poor and needy.

Faith, according to Calvo, is the primary component of these missions, both in terms of personal and extra-personal benefits.

On the personal level, the Christian missionaries get to experience faith in action, discover what unites them with Christians of other denominations, and study passages of Scripture in a way that, in Calvo's words, "probes the many layers of Gospel passages, as opposed to superficial surface presentations."

The extra-personal benefits have to do with the sacramental nature of their faith.

"We follow Jesus' model of spreading the Gospel through word and sacrament," Calvo said. "We tell people about our faith and about the love of God, but we also show them what it looks like. Our work is also sacramental in the sense that there is something visible and tangible going on, but at the same time there are things connected to it that can only be perceived through hearts of faith."

Calvo welcomes anyone in Genesee County who thinks he/she might like to be a part of next year's mission, and he encourages people to form prayer groups in support of missionaries at their respective churches.

"That way the whole church walks together," he said. "It gives people the chance to be missionaries right at home."

But before someone goes off on a mission trip, there are some necessary steps to take.

"You want to discern the nature of the call," Calvo said. "Pray about it, consult your pastor, and then if you find that God really is calling you to work with us, contact me."

All applicants will need to go through a screening process and formation time. A mission trip of this sort requires a certain level of spiritual maturity and strength (pastoral endorsement will certainly improve people's chances of being chosen for the mission).

"A lot of people think of a mission as a sort of vacation with a purpose," Calvo said. "But you're really stepping out of your comfort zone and going to strange places."

In particular, he emphasized the suffering and poverty missionaries encounter in their travels.

"It's one thing to see suffering in movies or commercials, or even to learn about it through training programs. But when you actually see it up close, that brings out a whole new level of emotionality."

The aforementioned Peruvian village was a case in point.

The population suffered from high rates of tuberculosis, physical disabilities and HIV/AIDS. Social problems such as alcoholism, drug abuse, lack of education, and unemployment are prevalent.

Malnutrition is also a problem -- so much so that it's not uncommon to see 12-year-olds the size of 5-year-olds.

And that's not the worst of it. This area also sees a lot of child abduction, which is followed by trafficking in the slave market.

Needless to say, you've got to have pretty thick skin to get involved in something like this.

In the end, though, this is another means of deepening one's faith and Christian identity. Calvo sees the experience of suffering (as distinguished from the evils of it) as having the power to draw people closer to Christ and His suffering.

"We're able to find meaning in suffering," Calvo said, "because we're united in Christ's suffering. Personally, I find it helps me to redefine my humanity. [Suffering] can be a stumbling block for many people, but it can also be a stepping stone to a higher level of faith and a different way of thinking. And as Christians, we know that ultimately we will be released from pain and suffering."

Any person and/or church in the Batavia area interested in getting involved with Calvo in his SAMS missions should -- after a period of prayer, discernment and pastoral consultation -- contact him at 584-3694, or e-mail calvo_gus@yahoo.com.

Photos submitted by Gus Calvo

If you like good wine, you'll love a new event coming to downtown Batavia in early October. The premier of the "Taste of Fall Wine Walk" will introduce you to 15 of the finest wines produced in Western New York.

And it will give you a chance to take your own sweet time visiting 15 participating businesses and see what they have to offer. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Oct. 2, anytime from 5 until 9 p.m.

Tickets are $15. The Wine Walk ends with a raffle for prizes.

It is sponsored by the Batavia Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

The self-guided tour begins at the chamber office -- at 210 E. Main St. -- where each person will be given an etched wine glass and a program to guide them from location to location.

There will be plenty of hors d'oeuvres to sample along the way, too.

In preparation, businesses will be going autumnal in decor. BID Executive Director Don Burkel said that he and the BID Promotional Committee hope to get started with decorating after Sept. 11.

Burkel also said that anyone who'd like to help decorate is more than welcome.

"Just give us a call," he said, adding, "We'd like to see the businesses get creative with this. For example, each business might have a different type of scarecrow to distinguish itself."

Michael Anthony's Salon & All-Star Barbershop is way ahead of things. The proprietor has gone well beyond scarecrows, creating stunningly beautiful wreaths and floral arrangements that he made himself. He also sells the needful beauties. Many are on display in the salon and he crafts custom-made ones as well.

The impetus behind the Wine Walk, according to Dawn Ireland-Monsees, the chamber's tourism information coordinator, is to promote Batavia as "a great place to be in the Fall."

"It's also a great social opportunity and a reason for people to get together in small groups," Ireland-Monsees said. "Wine tours have always proven to be very popular."

Did you know that Western New York is second only to California in wine-grape production in the United States? And it offers wines that can stand up to long-famous European vintners, particularly its white varieties.

The regional portfolio includes perennial favorites like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Gris, and more.

Forget about "forward" "nose," "finish" and other wine terminology used by aficionados. Most wine experts say a good wine is simply one you enjoy. Price does not necessarily dictate taste.

Tickets can be purchased on the evening of the event, in advance at the chamber or at these businesses:

• Adam Miller's Toys & Bicycle, 8 Center St.
• Michael Anthony's Salon, 43 Jackson St.
• Next Level Fitness, 85 Main St.
• The Daily Grind, 85 Main St.
• Valle Jewelers, 21 Jackson St.

You may also reserve your tickets by calling the BID at 344-0900 or the chamber at 343-7440.

For more information, visit www.downtownbataviany.com.

Some of our readers had questions about the Bell Tower Restoration project at St. James Episcopal Church.

After the Aug. 25 article, church officials and committee members were kind enough to answer some additional questions about the nature of the tower's condition, the cost of the project, and other issues addressed by our readers.

They submitted the following information via e-mail:

The deterioration that we’re trying to address is structural in nature. This stems from water infiltration and the use of an overly hard mortar when the Church was re-pointed in the 1950s-1960s. As you can see if you look at the Bell Tower façade, some sections of the stonework have actually fallen off and we have had to rope off the front of the building.

We believe that the first phase of the Bell Tower reconstruction project, which includes rebuilding the top 10 feet of the tower and the roof, will cost no more than $500,000.

After completion of this first phase, we will attempt to address the additional issues relating to the stonework façade of the Bell Tower and the remainder of the Church in a multi-phase process. While the additional costs relating to the façade repair may run twice the cost of the original phase, the additional phases will no doubt take many years to complete.

The reason the cost is so high is that the project is very labor intensive, involves heavy materials and the work involving the first phase must be done at a height of 70 to 80 feet above the ground.

Neither the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, nor the Episcopal Church of the United States are directly involved in the project. Nor under our form of church governance would we expect them to be directly involved.

Even though the building is a source of concern, it does not diminish our desire to reach out to the community to fulfill our missions. St. James’ outreach to the community comes in many forms:

- George Rupprecht Fund: This summer, over 150 girls from 84 families have received school clothing, footwear and school supplies. At Christmas, we will again help the same number of girls with Christmas gifts. Year round, we help pay for extra-curricular activities and work to assure that each girl has a comfortable bed in which to sleep at night. This year, our budget is $72,000.

- Thrift Shop: St. James expanded its shop hours in 2010 to serve the community. Apart from clothing, we sell household items, books, toys, small furniture and lots of bric-a-brac. Persons coming to the George Rupprecht Fund are often given bags of clothing and household items for free. Four times a year, we host clothing giveaways.

- Episcopal Community Services: Serves the underprivileged in the Diocese of WNY.

- Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation: Sponsors children in Uganda to assist with schooling and medical needs.

- Comfort Food Dinners: Two dinners were held at St. James this past winter. All proceeds went to local charities.

- St. James is the local meeting place for other churches in the Deanery.

- St. James donates to the local food pantry, collects school supplies for children and, each Christmas, selects a local charity to support.

- We host many programs in the church so that the community can enjoy the ambience and the musical acoustics of the building, such as the Genesee Symphony, Genesee Chorale, Go-Art! and Crossroads House.

We have made the hard decision to stay at this location because of its viability to the community. St. James would exist and function without the building, but the building needs a caretaker and we have chosen to take on that role.

The alternative would be to leave a large untended building on Main Street. If we did not try to take care of the building, we would not be very good stewards of the building or good members of the community.

For more information, please call the church at 343-6802 or visit its website.

It all began with Hunter James Kelly, the little boy who wasn't supposed to live to see his second birthday.

Shortly after he entered this world, Hunter was diagnosed with Krabbe disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects one in every 100,000 children.

While his battle with the condition did ultimately cost him his life, Hunter beat the odds and made it to age 8. This was partly owing to his own strength and will to live, but also to the tireless efforts of his parents, who worked very hard to make sure he had the care and support that he needed -- both medical and personal.

His father is Jim Kelly, former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. His mother is Jill Kelly, a former model, a longtime Attica resident and an alumnus of Notre Dame High School in Batavia.

The Kellys were devastated by the loss of their son, and this devastation could easily have shattered their family.

Instead, it brought them closer together.

The same devastation could also easily have snuffed out any faith they had in the possibility of any meaning, purpose or goodness in the universe.

Instead, it drew them into a close, personal relationship with a loving God.

Hunter's ordeal, the hurdles Jim and Jill faced in their marriage, their love for their children, the faith they both found...these are some of the subjects that Jill covers in her new memoir, "Without a Word: How a Boy's Unspoken Love Changed Everything." 

"Without a Word" will be Jill's third published work. The others are "Prayers for Those Who Grieve" and "Prayers of Hope for the Brokenhearted."

As you might expect, the memoir is told mainly from Jill's perspective. But it also includes contributions from Jim and the couple's two daughters, Erin Marie and Camryn Lynn. Each member of the Kelly family shares his/her experience as part of a family that has suffered together, loved together, struggled together, and believed together.

Jill will be featured on NBC's "Today Show" on Sept. 10 (the day after the book's release) and on "Fox and Friends" on Sept. 11.

In the meantime, she was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk with The Batavian about the faith that has sustained her throughout all of her ordeals and given her a strength, peace and joy that inspires everyone around her:

Q: How has your faith journey played out through all of this (the loss of your son, etc)?

A: My faith is what sustains me, even to this very moment. But I didn't turn to God or realize I needed Him so desperately until Hunter got sick. I never thought about the things of God with any depth until that point. I grew up with the religion aspect of faith, but I didn't realize that God was as real and as involved in my life as He actually was. He's an intimate God. He cares about all the details of our lives and orchestrates the things around us in order to help us draw closer to Him.

I think people have a choice -- in troubled times, they either turn away from God or they run to Him. In my desperate need for hope and heaven and healing -- because I was devastated -- I ran to God. And I was surrounded by other people who walked by faith, which was very encouraging. They helped me to seek God and to learn more about Him. It changed my whole life, the way I look at our very breath.

Q: Your friends say you and Jim have been "transformed" by your faith. In what way?

A: In every way. We live every moment in light of eternity. I live with the knowledge that I'll see Hunter again, that heaven is real, and that God has a purpose in our pain and suffering. Although we still grieve (for Hunter) at various times and in various ways, my great joy is in knowing what's to come. I'd say I live every moment of life differently as a result of trusting in Christ for everything I hope for.

I don't credit myself here -- it's not my faith as such that I'm trusting in, it's the Person behind my faith. Putting faith in Him has definitely transformed our marriage and our family. We live differently, we love differently, we see differently...everything's changed.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about your marriage, and the role your faith and struggles have played in that?

A: Every marriage struggles. When you have two people coming together, each one having his/her own issues and being a completely unique person, you're going to have problems. You have to choose whether to work it out or give up. With me and Jim, so much was stacked against us -- statistically, in terms of being married to a celebrity athlete and everything that goes along with that, plus having a desperately sick child and everything that goes along with that. We found ourselves in a position where nothing was for us except for God.

We've learned that marriage is not a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It's a process in which God helps us live out our lives, first of all for Him, and also for each other and for our children. Each day, we know that we need help and that we can't do it alone. Our marriage wouldn't survive without Christ, without prayer. It's a lot of work, but the blessings far outweigh the hardships. Most of all, we know we're honoring God and blessing our daughters by doing so.

Q: On your website, you've written that Hunter "loved those around him without being able to speak." How so, exactly?

A: Like you said, he couldn't talk, and he also couldn't move on his own. He couldn't smile or give you a hug or a kiss, or anything that we would normally understand as showing love. But just his very presence...I mean, I'm his mom. I took care of him, and I knew him. I know him. I knew he loved us. I mean, just the fact that he was alive, and loved life, and wanted to live, and struggled beyond anything I've ever experienced and yet...was full of joy. It's really hard to articulate, but I do the best I can to share this in the book. I hope the readers can grasp what I'm trying to say about Hunter, as hard as it is to explain.

Q: Would you say that the pain you went through and the experience of Hunter's suffering helped you to get closer to Christ in His suffering?

A: Absolutely. There's no doubt about that. I didn't understand that there can be beauty and value in suffering until I was able to take Hunter's suffering to the Cross. There is beauty in suffering if we have a place to take it where there's hope. I mean, Jesus didn't suffer on the Cross for nothing. If you're a Christian, you believe there is hope because of what Jesus did, and that we can take our suffering because it's not the end of the story. Hunter's suffering was not the end of his story -- his story is that he's with God, and we (meaning Jill and her family) will be there one day, too. And the story goes on. That hope changes the way you live, believe, treat each other...everything. That's the reason for the subtitle of the book -- God used this little boy to change everything!

Q: One of the typical objections of atheists and other skeptics of religion is, "If God exists, and if God is good, then why is there so much suffering in the world? Why do bad things happen to people?" How would you answer that, based on your experience?

A: I would say that I've seen the good that can come out of suffering. Also, you know, it's not my place to convince an atheist that God exists. God has already displayed Himself in creation. The fact that we have another breath is His goodness. Do I understand fully why God allows evil in the world the way it is, and disease, destruction, etc? No, I don't fully understand -- but that's the beauty of who God is. I don't understand all of Him. He wouldn't be God otherwise! He's beyond my comprehension, and He's beyond anything we can know. But, He has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Flesh and Blood of the God of Creation. Most people who would make the argument you mentioned have never read the Bible. I would say that until you've spent time getting to know this God Who has chosen to reveal Himself in His Word, don't say anything! (she said this last part with a bit of playful laughter in her voice)

And as far as saying, "If God is good, then...," who are we to stand in judgment of God? You know? Who are we to walk up to Him and say, "Who do you think you are, God?" We're created beings who don't have the capacity to fully understand these things. And I'm thankful for that, because I can at least trust what I know. I can trust what God says versus trying to figure Him out.

Q: You talk about your children and how much they mean to you, both on your website and in your book. What do you think Jesus meant when He said, "The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones such as these (meaning children)?"

A: Children are so trusting. They're willing to believe the unbelievable. They just have a way about that them receives truth. It sounds crazy, but we know it's true. We know children -- they think beyond the ordinary; they think the extraordinary. I think they tend to be more accepting of truth than we are, as adults. What we need to do is just allow the truth to be the truth, and not let our pride, our preconceived notions, our circumstances or our experiences dictate truth. Because truth is beyond what we can see. Also, children have this openness to the simplicity of faith. Faith is really a very simple thing -- you either believe or you don't! What Jesus is saying is, "You need to come like a little child." That way you can just accept what's true and receive the gift. You can receive the love of God, and what He has done.

Q: Do you have any advice for people who want to have faith, but face certain obstacles or are struggling with hurdles...whether emotional, intellectual, or otherwise?

A: Christ says that if you seek Him, you will find Him. He made a promise. He's not running away from us, He's running towards us. And it really has nothing to do with us, because He's the one who starts everything! So I would say that if you're seeking God and pondering these things -- and yeah, you might have different hurdles to overcome, but the fact that a person is even seeking God is evidence that God is already at work in that person's heart. Of course, we could choose to ignore Him and turn away, and that's our choice. But again, the fact that we're seeking Him is a sign that He's drawing us to Himself. My advice would be, don't give up! Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He's made many promises and kept every one. This isn't something I would know if I hadn't read His Word. I'm a student of the Word, and I spend time with it every day.

Jill's book will hit the shelves all across the country on Sept. 9, but is available now in Buffalo area bookstores -- including the Barnes & Noble on Niagara Falls Blvd. and Bender's Christian Supply Store on Sheridan Drive.

For more information on the Kelly family and Jill's writings, please visit her website: www.jillk.org.

To learn more about the Hunter's Hope Foundation, which Jim and Jill founded in honor of their son and for the purpose of helping children with Krabbe disease, go to www.huntershope.org.

Photos courtesy of Jill Kelly

"Save the clock tower! Save the clock tower!"

Some of our readers will remember that line from the 1985 movie, "Back to the Future." Well, Batavia's St. James Episcopal Church has its own version of that plea:

"Save the bell tower! Save the bell tower!"

The tower, pictured above, was built in 1908 and has been showing signs of wear in the last 10 years.

"Especially in the last couple of years, we've noticed deterioration," said Cathy Judkins, a member of St. James who is also on the committee for the tower's restoration.

St. James Vicar Steven Metcalfe said there has been a "real push" since 2008 toward preserving the tower, which is very important to the religious heritage of St. James Church -- not only because of its historical significance (St. James is one of the oldest religious communities in Batavia and makes use of the old, awe-inspiring cathedral architecture -- see the April 12 article on the stained-glass tour), but also because of what it means to St. James as a family in faith.

"We have a very vibrant, caring and faithful worship community," Metcalfe said. "We want our building to reflect that."

To that end, he also offered this defense of the importance of restoration: "It's like what they say about a house turning into a home: it becomes more than just a building when it's been lived in."

The church and the various fundraising committees dedicated to preserving and restoring the tower have worked hard over the last couple of years. They have hired architects and consulted stonemasons; they have organized fundraising events -- including concerts, a calendar sale during the Christmas season, and fish fries every Friday during Lent; they are starting a Captial Campaign next month, and have applied for four grants -- three from private organizations and one from New York State.

According to Judkins, they have divided the overall project into six phases in order to make it more "financially manageable."

"The first phase is the most expensive," she said. "We're trying to raise about $500,000. We hope to have at least a fail-safe project by fall, something that can hold us together until we've reached our goal."

The church will accept monetary donations from anyone who would like to help out. People can also assist their efforts by supporting and/or attending their fundraisers, which are well-publicized.

Upcoming fundraisers include the second annual "Pedal to Save the Church", which starts at the church -- at 405 E. Main St. in Batavia -- around 8 a.m. (check-in) on Sept. 11, and a theatrical performance of "Tuesdays with Morrie," starring Batavia Players' Norm Argulsky as Morrie, on Oct. 16-17. All are invited to attend.

Additionally, Metcalfe invited anyone interested in lending a hand to come to the congregation and "get to know us." 

Marcia Gann, another member of St. James and the preservation committee, said that this project has garnered "great community support." She gratefully cited the support of the churches involved in the stained-glass tour, Adam Miller's Toys & Bicycles, and Present Tense Books as examples.

For more information on the bell tower restoration project and related fundraisers, please call the church at 343-6802 or visit their website.