Laredoans join in prayer & parade to support troops

By Paul de la Peña-Franceschi

With numerous Laredoans in active or reserve military service now deployed in Iraq, the mood in the community has shifted from uncertainty and confusion to one of support and faith. Family, friends, neighbors, and the faithful recently bonded together to forge a support network, the Laredo Family Support Network (LFSN), for members of the armed forces serving abroad.
A recent convocation at St. Augustin Cathedral, a candlelight vigil at Lake Casa Blanca State Park, an all-night prayer vigil, and a patriotic parade through town have marked the efforts of a community focused on prayer for an expeditious resolution to the war.
At the heart of the organizational effort is business owner Gloria Lugo, whose son Sgt. Jorge Luis Lugo, Jr., an Army reservist stationed in Kuwait. The initial organizational meeting of the LFSN was held in late March at Lugo's Espuma's Pub and Café. More than 50 Laredoans attended that meeting.
The first event of the LFSN was an all-night Eucharistic prayer vigil at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Century City. Hosted by the Congregation of St. John and the Oblates of St. John, the vigil began with a prayer for the service men and women, those missing in action, and the prisoners of war.
The LFSN officially kicked off on April 9 with a patriotic parade of bikers from Laredo and Nuevo Laredo. The parade, which began on Hillside, ended at the Firefighters Hall. A brief meeting at the hall apprised family members of upcoming events, preparation of care packages, financial assistance for dependents and military families in need, and professional counseling services.
Espuma's Pub and Café will serve as a regular meeting place for the LFSN's Sunday evening meetings.
Holy Mass officiated by Bishop James Tamayo on March 23 offered a poignant moment of prayer for families and friends of service men and women. Bishop Tamayo, who dedicated the service to peace, blessed photographs of the sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers of Laredoans in service overseas. The selected readings from the Book of Exodus, St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy, and the Gospel of St. Matthew spoke of the search for truth and finding oneness in God who according to scripture is "the teacher of the nations in the true faith." Cantors Raquel Ramirez and Angela Padilla offered beautiful biligual selections that ended with "America the Beautiful."
Bishop Tamayo in his homily called on all present to raise their hands in peace and in prayer. He exhorted the crowd to "use their hands to write letters and send e-mails as a show of support for the troops, their sons and daughters." He called on all in the community to reach out to one another in their neighborhoods, so that "together our hands may work to build respect, and build harmony so that all people may know peace. As these sons and daughters who raised their hands to an oath, we pray that those same hands who may hold guns of destruction, may also be protected." He concluded by asking the congregation to pray for the nation's leaders, "that God's hand may guide them."
"The Laredo Family Support Network encourages every Laredoan to place a yellow ribbon on their trees at home or on their places of business, until the end of the War in Iraq," said Lugo The yellow ribbon is a symbol of hope and one of support for our troops that they will return home out of harm's way.
"Families with members serving in the military are encouraged to register with the local Red Cross in case of any emergency correspondence," said Debra Murphy, director of the Webb County Chapter of the American Red Cross . "Many families do not know the unit number of their loved ones or even social security numbers and this can slow down the process of communication if this information is not on hand in the event of a family crisis," said Murphy. The Red Cross is also available for counseling services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Confidential financial assistance is also available to dependents of servicemen and women and their families. To register a family with the Red Cross, call Murphy or Juan Zamora at 726-4778 or log onto arc@laredoan.com.
For more information on how to get involved with the LFSN, call Gloria Lugo at 645-6807 or email at espumas@sbcglobal.net.