Church's mission supporters combine prayer, almsgiving, self-sacrifice

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Severely malnourished Sadiki Basilaki, 9, receives a mug of milk at a Catholic mission feeding center in Rutshuru, 50 miles north of Goma, in eastern Congo in November. Aid workers began feeding tens of thousands of people who had gone hungry during fighting in rebel-held areas of eastern Congo. Catholics reach out to those in need through a variety of programs.

Shortly after Franciscan Father Michael Grawe arrived as a missionary in Brazil, he was reminded of a story of St. Francis of Assisi who taught others that "the poor are our Masters."

Father Grawe, who has since spent 41 years in missionary work in Brazil, did not know the Portuguese language when he arrived. Walking to another town, he took the wrong way after coming to a fork in the road. A little boy realized he would be lost so he tugged on him and pointed in the opposite direction, shouting "jipe," which means jeep. The priest was humbled to have been led by a young boy.