Thursday, May 29, 2014

Letting the Truth of Simplicity Set Our Families Free



Experiencing motherhood in the context of mission life affords me an opportunity to reflect on aspects of my children's holiness and formation that might otherwise have been overlooked; virtues that don't seem pertinent in typical suburban American life.  Now that we are spending some time state-side, I recognize that I must put much more effort into reinforcing these virtues amidst so many influences to the contrary. In particular, I find it hardest to protect the beautiful missionary lifestyle of material simplicity, coupled with detachment and generosity with our worldly possessions.

Such a way of living is better known as "Gospel poverty." This phrase refers to the way of life Jesus exhorted all of His followers to live (not just missionaries, priests, and nuns who take “vows of poverty”). However, although this directive, this necessary ingredient of holiness, was emphasized repeatedly by our Lord throughout the Gospels, I find that it is a virtue most often ignored or watered down by even the most devout American Catholic families. I am ashamed to admit that it is a call that is easy for me to dismiss once I find myself surrounded by the affluence of our culture - even though God has let me live among his beloved poor. Yet, I know that "Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required" (Luke 12:48) I will be held very accountable because I have seen and lived these things... but so will all of us Christians who exclude these urgent words of Christ from our Christian discipline.

So, I feel called to share these thoughts with all of you, especially mothers trying to raise up souls for the Kingdom. Why? Well, because, I see mothers doing so much good in their children's lives: teaching them to live a life of prayer to keep them close by the Lord's side, instilling values and virtues to help their children to be saints, bending over backwards to protect them from anything that would threaten their purity and sanctity.  But Satan is so subtle. We protect them from the obvious threats, such as impurity and foul language, violence, drugs and alcohol, etc., yet, while we struggle so diligently against these ugly and fiery enemies, we tend to let a giant, quiet, very convincing enemy seep into our lives - to the point that it even seems like it was our own idea. This enemy is MATERIALISM. It is an enemy we very rarely fight (at least valiantly). In fact it is an enemy that we often welcome under the guise of providing “security” for our children. And yet, materialism can be a sin that is just as potent a poison to the spiritual life as all the aforementioned threats we so rightly dread.

So, dear friends, I exhort you (and myself) to be very counter-culture, and instead to live in the life-giving culture of the Gospel! Let your children see that your happiness is in the Lord, not in possessions; that your security is in His providence, and not in money or prestige!  Go without, and give up some comforts, conveniences, and luxuries as you give our impoverished brothers and sisters what is their just share of the goods our Lord has given to humanity! Do not leave your children out of this necessary part of a life in Christ - let them also sacrifice, and in turn be richly BLESSED! Teach them not to fear Gospel poverty, but instead lead them in taking full advantage of Christ's unsurpassable invitation to the TRUE riches, grace and freedom:“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:32-34)

Let us pray for each other as we all try to live lives worthy of the call we have received (Eph. 4:1), and also to enjoin these vital teachings upon our children (Deut 6:7)!  
We continue to rely on your
prayers.  

May God bless you all!


* If you are interested in seeking wisdom and guidance in the area of Gospel poverty, I recommend an excellent book entitled, Happy Are You Poor, by Thomas Dubay.

** I originally wrote this article for Family Missions Company's SUMMER 2010 edition of SERVE, which can be found at the following link: http://www.fmcmissions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SERVE-SUMMER-2010-web-version.pdf.   


Monday, December 16, 2013

A Long-Overdue Update...


It has been a while since I gave you all an update on our family, and since it seems that this is the preferred time of year for such compositions, here goes...

As many of you know, we have followed the Lord’s calling to a surprising new “mission.”  The difference is that this time, our mission post is on home soil (at least for the moment), among many of you who have supported us and prayed for us throughout our years in the foreign field.  While we did not seek out this particular assignment, God continues to show us, in no uncertain terms, that this is His plan, that we remain in the center of His will, and that He will continue to uphold us and provide all our needs.  In the meantime, we are enjoying the opportunity to nourish old relationships, while cultivating new ones as well.  

Kevin’s diligence and devotion as Youth Minister/Confirmation Coordinator has borne much fruit among the youth of our parish.  His youthful and adventurous spirit pairs well with his fatherly nature and zeal for the Faith.  God really knew what He was doing when He challenged Kevin with this calling, for while the teens are being blessed by Kevin’s work, Kevin is, in turn, being grown and stretched and formed in new and wonderful ways.  My husband is a good and holy man, and I love to watch the Lord work with him and in him!

For my part, I am blessed to be at home with my quiver of arrows, teaching them, forming them, and enjoying their amazingly different gifts and personalities!  God provided for us to become a part of a wonderful homeschool academy in the area.  The children meet two full days a week, and take phenomenal classes among faithful Christians of the same heart and mind.  This has been our kids’ first experience of a “school” setting in the United States, and they are really enjoying both their new friendships, and their interesting courses.  I (Andrea) am also involved, teaching high school Latin at the academy.  Additionally, we are truly blessed by our homeschool group at the parish, that has become a wonderful source of community, prayer, and support.

Despite our efforts to slow these precious years down, our children continue to grow like weeds!  It is hard to believe that our oldest is now 10!  She, along with the 6, 3, and 1-year-old children, are enjoying time near grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  It is beautiful to see their individual relationships with the Lord maturing and deepening gradually as the days go by.  Our Heavenly Father loves these dear souls even more than we can hope to imagine, and He is busy about filling up His littlest missionaries with many graces and blessings.  Our house is always bustling, noisy, and maybe just a little bit crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Our children are a life-giving blessing to us, and our hearts are very full!  

In fact… both our house and are hearts are about to become even fuller!  That’s right!  We are waiting joyfully for our newest arrival in June!  After many heartaches due to miscarriage, we are so excited that God has answered our prayers yet again!  Please continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy and birth.  We just can’t wait to meet this new little person!!  

Well, that just about covers the nutshell-version of what has been going on with the Brown family missionaries, except to say that we dearly miss our missionary family at Family Missions Company (www.fmcmissions.com).  However, we stay as involved as possible, and hope that God will give us a chance to be among them again soon.  Whatever His plan may be, we know it is better than good... it is the BEST!  

Know of our prayers for all our readers and supporters.  May you be richly blessed as you prepare for the birth of Christ, our Light!  Check back soon for spiritual reflections and news from your missionary friends, the Browns.


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

To Be “Neighbor”


I just wanted to briefly share an insight that the Lord allowed me this past Sunday.  I was at Mass, hearing the story of the Good Samaritan for the umpteenth time in my life.  Only this time, I heard something I had not noticed before...  


There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-29)

Jesus goes on to tell the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan.  

THEN, Jesus ends by asking the scholar of the law, Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

Interesting!  The scholar had actually asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  In other words, “Toward whom do I have to be loving?”  The scholar sees the neighbor as the recipient of his love.  Yet, in the parable, the robbers’ victim, the one who RECEIVES is not the one Jesus refers to as “neighbor.”  Jesus asks who was neighbor TO the robbers’ victim.  To Jesus, the “neighbor” is the subject of love - not the object.  He is the one from whom the acts of love originate.  To Jesus, the Samaritan is “neighbor.”

In His infinite wisdom, Jesus turned the question around to emphasize that the key here is not defining who we opt to spend our love on.  The idea is not to clarify or limit the circumstances in which we are expected to love.  Rather than identifying the persons deserving of my love, if I am the one who is called to “be neighbor,” the focus becomes more interior.  I don’t need to worry about who my neighbor is - I need to originate love myself.  

Doesn’t this make so much more sense for us, who want to be like Jesus?  Did He look for the “right” people to love, or did He just LOVE?  According to the scholars of the law, Jesus loved all the “wrong” kinds of people.  Lucky for me, that’s the kind of God we have!

The scholar of the law, who was accustomed to delineating what was right and wrong according to the “letter of the law,”  was no doubt looking for a black and white answer here.  But he got a deeper, soul-searching, kind of question from Jesus instead.  

WE got a soul-searching kind of question from Jesus, too.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Is There Room At This Inn? A Christmas Eve Meditation


This morning I began to busy myself with tasks to prepare my family for our Christmas celebrations.  There is ironing, wrapping, cooking, and any number of other things that ought to be done – things that are part of a mother’s vocation.  But chancing upon this image, an important thought is stirred up…  

Is there room at this inn?



I see the man pictured here, turning the Holy Family away.  Surely, had he known that God was giving  him the opportunity of a lifetime – of an eternity – he would have opened his doors and given up his own bed so that the mother of God might birth the Savior of the World under his own roof!  But then there was another man given the same opportunity, and he said “YES” to the humble little family.  What was different in the second man’s heart?  And what graces must have abounded for the one who offered a roof to the King of the Universe?

It occurs to me that the first innkeeper must have been very busy.  With the Roman census going on, there were thousands of travelers on the roads, some with Bethlehem as their destination, some only passing through.  He had more than his usual amount of work to do, and was most likely doing his best to perform his earthly tasks well.  But in his concern for the temporal, in the business and bustle of doing perfectly good work… he missed out on a much greater good.

The Gospels revisit this thought later, when Christ is with Martha and Mary at their house in Bethany.  While Martha busies herself with the duties of the household, Mary sits at Christ’s feet to be truly present to Him – recognizing the eternal weight of the moment.

Is there room at THIS inn?  Is there room at MY inn?

At the end of the day – specifically at the end of THIS day – whether my gifts look like a magazine cover, whether my son’s pants have a little wrinkle left near the cuff doesn't matter.  I can check off my list till the cows come home, but all this little Baby in Bethlehem asks of me is a worthy place to rest in my heart.  A place made to welcome and honor Him.  A place free of the worry and the worldly… a place adorned with peace, love, and a humble awe at the miracle of His coming among us.

As He comes asking for a home in my heart, let me recognize Him and respond with open arms.  Let peace and love reign in my interactions with those around me.  Let prayer and praise be my offering to this babe, and let the holiness of this time shine brighter than the tinsel and lights which are merely the secular trappings of HIS day.  O come, O come, Emmanuel!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Taking A Domestic Detour


     It is time for a long overdue blog update – apologies for having taken so long! 

     As many of you know, our family anticipated being in Peru for about two years.  We had made Picota our home, and very much enjoyed serving among such a beautiful community. 

     Not long after arriving, God surprised us with a healthy pregnancy much sooner than we ever thought would be possible (given Andrea’s history).  She was on bed rest for part of the time, and underwent various precautionary medical procedures in Peru to avoid losing the baby. 

     In light of some risk factors involved in the pregnancy, we made the decision to come back to the States for the birth.  As it turned out, the baby showed some signs of cord compression in the last month of pregnancy, and in the end labor was induced after getting some undesirable readings during a non-stress test.  Basically, the doctor wanted to get him out before anything could go wrong.

     Baby Dominic was born in mid-August.  He is a sweet, snuggley, smiley little boy, and our cups are running over with joy and gratitude for our newest little angel!

     Once the baby arrived, we began to turn to the Lord once again, seeking His direction.  As I said, we had plans that seemed good and holy – but the Lord obviously had something else good and holy up His sleeve for the Browns.  We began to pray and fast for direction, and got some very clear answers very quickly.

     One of the specific intentions we had been praying for was a good job for Kevin – at least one that could hold us over for the short-term until we knew God's “big-picture” plan.  Well, within days Kevin got a call from the Director of Religious Education at St. John’s Catholic Church in Westminster, MD.  He asked Kevin if he would come on board as the new full-time youth minister (in charge of Life Teen, the Edge, and confirmation).  We took this to prayer, and both felt that the Lord was speaking to us.  Although our hearts burn for foreign missions, we believe the Lord is asking us to turn our missionary hearts to this domestic mission field … for the time being, anyway.  Providentially, our missionary background also enables us to reach out to the very large Hispanic community at St. John’s as well!

     And so, we find ourselves here in Maryland, once again both surprised and blessed by the Lord’s will for our family.  We do not have anywhere to live yet (we are staying with Andrea’s family) and we do not know the long-term plan. But we do know that we are sustained in the palm of His hand, and that it is our joy to serve Him in whatever way and in whatever place He calls us.  We will continue to follow Him wherever He leads us! 

     Please continue to keep our family’s ministries in your prayers, and let us pray for you by keeping in touch with your own intentions!

Love in Christ,
The Brown Family


**P.S. As part of our State-side service, I plan to use this blog as a ministry tool, reaching out to my English-speaking brothers and sisters. I am in the house much more now than I am when we are out of the country, so I feel that this is one way that I can continue to proclaim the Good News while we are in the country. I hope to share with others some of the things the Lord puts on my heart, and I hope it can bless them as much as it blesses me. So click on the button to follow our blog, and check in regularly! ~Andrea

Thursday, March 15, 2012

God, Family, Friends, Ministry!!

Since my last blog post we have finally moved into our new house in Picota (even if it is only 2 doors down from the Compassionist Sisters' house, where we were living before)! Moreover, we even have internet access at home now! This is really such a blessing. It is amazing how much of our daily "business" we now take care of online, from banking to research, to skype-ing with family, to finding downloadable home school materials, etc.. I think that the web is even more of a boon for those out of the country because we can tend to our affairs and find information and materials in English that we would never have access to otherwise. So, while there can be abuses of the world wide web, I maintain that it - just like so many other forms of media and communication - can be used for much good as well.


One of my favorite uses for the internet lately is receiving my weekly informative updates about what is going on in my pregnancy! Yes - that's right!! The Browns have been blessed again and are expecting #4! We were quite surprised to find that I was pregnant, and even more thrilled that the pregnancy has been a healthy and promising one! After experiencing many miscarriages, we always hold our breath a little bit until we get out of the riskiest period. Yet, all seems to be going very, very well, and I am tickled pink to enjoy feeling each little hiccup and aquatic somersault! The doctor has prescribed a lot of rest for me because of my history, but he is also quite confident that all is well. Please keep us and our little one in prayer!


In ministry news, we continue to work with married couples and families, preparing them for various sacraments and providing adult catechesis. Our family, along with our parochial team, just finished our mission of visiting each and every house in town to invite them to parish events and to inscribe those who want to partake in sacrament preparation. You see, there is no mail system in town, and very few people have telephones. If you want to reach the people, you have to do it the old-fashioned way! While I may have felt terrified to do such a thing in the states, here it turned out to be quite a blessed experience! You see, while we Americans cringe at the sight of a stranger walking up our front walk, the Peruvians (like many 3rd world cultures) are much more inviting and welcoming. When they are at home, their front doors are literally "open" to receive whoever may wish to visit. If the door is closed, everybody knows that means they are not at home. It was our pleasant experience to find the people eager to accept us and to talk with us about our beautiful Faith! It is refreshing to be living in such culture that is still aware of the importance of friendships, neighbors, and community.


Just yesterday the parish "Comedor" (sort of like a soup-kitchen) opened its doors for the first time to feed the most impoverished children and youth of the town. In December, the parish completed a census to determine which of the households were in greatest need of help to feed their children. The comedor provides these malnourished children with the nutrition and energy they need in order to grow, study, and play as they ought. The financial relief this provides for their families will hopefully decrease the amount of pressure that parents put on their children to earn their own keep. Some children are so tired out from having to work that they cannot concentrate in school, and don't even show interest in normal, healthy play. The priests and sisters hope that the Comedor will help to address all these problems over time, as well as provide all of us missionaries with a chance to really "be Christ" His beloved children who come to eat there.


Other parishioners in town are pitching in to help with the project. This is an agricultural area, and several of the families have donated a portion of their crops to provide the comedor with fresh produce (and let me tell you - the fruits you see around here are top-quality! They would cost you a fortune in the States!). Yesterday, Kevin joined some of the other parishioners in an afternoon fruit harvest at one such farm, and their work provided today's children with oranges, papaya, different varieties of bananas, and zapotes (one of the many delicious fruits that I had never even heard of before coming to the jungle). Missionaries do not often get to see the "fruits" of their labor, but I guess this is one instance where it couldn't be avoided!!


One of Kevin's companions in the harvest yesterday was a special visitor on temporary mission from Spain. Alvaro and his wife, Juana are here for their annual three-month mission to Picota. They are quite an amazing and generous couple! We were particularly blessed to team up with them in presenting a talk at a recent retreat on the importance of a deep personal prayer life. It has been uplifting to work with another married couple, and we already treasure their friendship. As it turns out, Alvaro and Juana are also good friends of Family Missions Company's mission team that served in Cordoba, Spain a couple of years ago! It is amazing to watch the way God crosses the paths of His servants in such beautiful ways. It reminds me that borders, oceans, languages, and other such seeming-barriers are no match for God's providence and benevolence!


One last note from your missionary family in Peru is that yesterday Maria had her first day of school at the elementary school here in Picota! We prayed about it, and decided it would be a great way for her to improve her Spanish and to make friends with the children in town. Now, she will only attend 2 days a week, which works well because they only cover one subject per day here, and so she won't miss any material for her classes on the days she does not attend. The other three days of the school week I continue to home school her so that she won't fall behind in our curriculum. Learning to write in Spanish is great, but she still needs to be able to do it in English!


Well, that is all for now! Please keep us in your prayers and please stay in touch! May God bless you and your families with abundant grace.


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Bringing Jesus to the Jungle



Well, it has been over two months since we arrived in Picota, Peru - we can hardly believe it ourselves! This is our first blog entry since arrival. We have had some difficulty with internet access - but bear with us! We will be moving into a house with a decent internet connection soon, and should be able to keep up with our blog a lot better. But for now, let me back up a bit and catch everybody up...

When we loaded our family into the plane on November 4, I didn't quite know what to expect. I was surprised to find myself quite nervous about our newest mission adventure, yet the Lord kept telling me to just TRUST.

Upon our arrival in the city of Tarapoto the next day, we were greeted by Fr. Francisco Granados, a missionary priest from Cordoba, Spain who also serves in Picota. Father made us feel instantly welcome, and became a fast friend. He helped us load our bags into his pickup truck, and we started our trek down the windy road that runs through the jungle along the Huallaga river, all the way to the little town of Picota. In the dark of the night, with no street lamps or artificial light, I simply sat back and enjoyed the beauty of the jungle flora, silhouetted dark against the starlit sky. The moon's reflection on the river was beautiful, and I couldn't help but feel that God was wooing my soul, once again - blessing me for following Him blindly to a strange, new place.

We arrived at the Casa Pastoral, where a missionary congregation of Compassionist sisters live and serve the community. We got out of the truck and proceeded to kiss the ground of our new mission site, following the tradition of Pope John Paul II. The sisters, who hail from Spain, Cameroon (Africa), and Peru, led us through their beautiful garden, past lush fruit trees, and under arbors of grapes. Father and the sisters had prepared us a little temporary home amidst the rooms used for retreats and other events. Father had thought of every detail - and had stocked a small fridge and shelves with everything we would need to get started. He had even bought us some pots, pans, and cooking utensils. The sisters had made up some beds, brought over some of their own dishes and flatware to use, and had prepared a vase of fresh tropical flowers from their beautiful garden. Our hearts full, and our bodies completely drained, we thanked our new friends and quickly headed to bed, excited to see our new home in the light of the next day.

The sun rises early here, and so do the people (they must do so to get a jump on the intense heat of the day!). We were still tired and groggy, but were brightened by the colors and the bounty of the garden just outside our screen windows! I think Eden may have looked something like that garden. We explored a little, and I soon fell in love with a small palm hut that serves as a Eucharistic chapel - right in the middle of the garden! What a place we had been brought to!

The Lord continued to exceed my expectations (why am I surprised?). The first time I walked into the parish church, I became certain that God truly was wooing me! For, posted on large signs hanging above the altar were two of my favorite quotes from St. Therese of Lisieux (for my sisters from Little Flowers household, the quotes were, "In the heart of the Church, I will be love," and "To draw close to Jesus, it is necessary to become very little."). Anyone who knows me will be able to understand what a huge confirmation that was for me that I was right where I was supposed to be - and that I was safe in the center of God's will. On top of all that, the name of the parish is "Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro," which means "Our Lady of Perpetual Help." That just so happens to be the name of the parish where my sister works full time as a youth minister and director of confirmation (and the parish of some of our friends and supporters). Leaving family behind in the states is never easy, and this little "coincidence" (or shall I say, this "God-incidence") made me feel as though my sister and I were linked in our work somehow.

We spent the next several days getting to know the town. We took walks around the plaza to meet people and introduce ourselves, we showed up at church events to make ourselves known and get a feel for the parish, and we went with the sisters to the market to learn a bit about the food of the area. We all agreed that the Peruvians here are an especially warm and affectionate people. Our kids especially enjoyed our occasional visits to Father's house, for he has a number of pets, including a tiny (and very naughty) monkey that he had been given at one of the jungle communities where he ministers.

Since our early days in Picota, we have had lots of wonderful experiences.
Father took us to a breathtaking jungle waterfall for swimming and a picnic.
Kevin joined many of the parishioners in a 2-day pilgrimage to Moyobamba for the consecration of the new cathedral there.
I was able to help with a youth conference that included about 250 youth, some from Picota and many from remote jungle communities. I gave a chastity talk and a testimony, and also planned and led a candle-rosary, incorporating scenes from "Jesus of Nazareth" and "The Nativity" to help with the meditations. For some of the kids who came from remote villages, it was their first-ever multi-media experience! I pray that those inspiring scenes will stand out in their memories for years to come.
Kevin and I spent two days teaching catechesis and pedagogy during a special seminar/retreat for the lay ministers from the jungle communities. The theme of the seminar was Sacrament Preparation. Father Francisco asked us to teach them about preparing couples in their communities for the Sacrament of Matrimony, especially helping them to see their newly-founded families as true "Domestic Churches," centered on prayer and the pursuit of sound spiritual formation for the whole family.
The other missionary priest from Cordoba, Father Juan Ropero, returned from a visit to his home in Spain and has also been a blessing to us. Both of the priests here are friends of our other Cordobesan friend, Father Antonio Gama.
We were blessed by the bishop at a special Mass that he celebrated here in Picota, and he presented us with missionary crucifixes for Mom and Dad, and medals of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the kiddos!
Maria joined a class of girls from the parish who were preparing a special Christmas dance to honor the newborn King. The little girls danced it before the life-size nativity scene set up in the plaza late Christmas Eve night during a celebration hosted by the parish.
We have taught multiple preparation classes for the sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony here in town. It is such a gift to help couples get excited about starting and raising a family in the Faith!
We have just begun to meet some of the home-bound people of Picota, and have started to make regular visits to bring Christ to His beloved poor. Doña Emilia loves singing visitors, and so our kids visited with Daddy this week, chirping away to her heart's delight!

Padres Francisco and Juan, as well as the sisters, will be away in Lima to catch up on some much needed rest until mid-February (you see, this is summer vacation for the southern hemisphere).  When they return, we will join them in a meeting about all the ministry for the year to come. The Fathers have some ideas about what they would like to add to our ministry repertoire, and so do we!

Among other things:
we will be starting up a marriage prayer/study group to meet weekly,
Kevin and I will tutor in an extra-curricular study-hall program the parish has begun to help children with their homework (since many parents are not educated),
we'll be helping the priests with the start-up of a newly constructed "soup-kitchen" for the poorest of the children in town,
and we will take our kids to play and assist at the parish's special needs school.

Please continue to keep our family in prayer - and know that you are also in ours! We hope to blog again soon within a week or two - hopefully from our new house! God bless you! Remember that we are all called to be His missionaries - wherever we are planted!
Prayers,
Andrea Brown

P.S. If anyone would like to help us get our hands on some good Natural Family Planning materials in Spanish - we would be very grateful! We need books to teach, and books to hand out (workbooks, perhaps?). The audience here would balk at anything too thick or complicated - so simple, but sound is the key. I think we will need to look for thermometers down here, since they measure in degrees celsius… but let me know if such things are available in the U.S.A. because whatever we find down here will be expensive and not made for NFP. Please comment below or email me at mrsandreabrown@gmail.com if you can help.