As we celebrate Father Gerry Kelly, Kimberly Bumbera shares a unique “Father Gerry Moment” during the long bus ride to San Pedro Sula back in 2019.
In 2018, I went on my very first mission trip. As a rookie there were simply far too many missionaries to get to know on a deeper level yet one stood out – Father Gerry Kelly! I was excited at the prospect of going on mission with Father Gerry as a mentor however with his recent cancer treatment, he was too weak to travel that year.
Fast forward to 2019, I found myself as his captive audience on our bus ride from Trujillo to San Pedro Sula. While others were thoroughly exhausted & napping, Father Gerry was busy at work. He proceeded to tell me his life story, what led him to today & asked me to share what called me to serve. At that moment he made me feel as though I was the most important person in his life.
While I heard from others that he did his research, I was amazed at how much knowledge he provided about Honduras during our discussion. From geopolitical to agricultural issues, government corruption, economic struggles & traditions; he emphasized: “By knowing, you can better serve.” As a content writer for our Mission Newsletter, I have taken his advice to heart and think of Father Gerry often as I conduct my own research.
When I learned of Father Gerry’s passing, I felt compelled to attend his funeral. After mass, several people stood up to share their own remarkable memories of serving alongside him. I then realized that is what made Father Gerry so special, his innate ability to engage & fuel the passion in others to serve! He was always ON MISSION every minute of his day with each of us!
I bid a fond farewell to such a kind & gentle soul.
~Bendiciones, Kimberly
Honduras Catechesis Team
Hush, don’t reveal our little secret! While our fellow missionaries are busy providing medical & dental services, or building something, the Catechetical Team is hard at work...hard at work playing with the kids that is! But in reality we are also sharing our Catholic faith & spreading the Gospel. Kimberly Bumbera is excited about learning from Aurora Marsan to organize VBS for our next Mission Trip to Honduras!
To discover more about Father Gerry’s extraordinary life & to view a special video, please visit: https://hondurasmissionstaop.com/tribute-to-fr-gerry