“For every one that asks, receives;
and he that seeks, finds; and to him
that knocks it shall be opened.” (Mt 7:8)
Nicaraguans are humble, hardworking and resilient, with a strong faith that flows from a devotion to Mary. Our Lady of Cuapa, venerated in Nicaragua, invites us to ask for peace and to live peace by praying the holy rosary with discipline and meditation.
We live in a very difficult situation given the persecution in our country. We have learned to pray in silence, to bend our knees and embrace the cross of pain with love and to accompany Christ on his way to Calvary with faith and with the firm hope that we will one day celebrate Easter with a free and renewed Nicaragua under the light of the Holy Spirit.
I am Joseling Karina Flores. I am 30 years old and have a degree in marketing. I am the wife of Sergio Cardenas and mother of Maryam Lucia.
One of the miracles that I had asked for so much in my prayers finally arrived on Feb. 9, 2023. On that day, we received the news of the release of 222 political prisoners on a plane bound for the United States named the Flight of Freedom. On the passenger list was my husband, who was detained on Aug. 4, 2022, at the Episcopal Curia of the Diocese of Matagalpa, along with Bishop Rolando Alvarez, ordinary of the See of Matagalpa, seven priests and two seminarians. Later, he was transferred to the prison El Nuevo Chipote, where he remained for six months.
Now I am exiled in this country that opened the doors to freedom, forced to leave my homeland, my family, my identity, my friends and my particular church. We had to flee Nicaragua for our brother country Costa Rica on March 29, 2023, in the middle of the night because we feared being detained at the border.
From there, we started the reunification process, which was not an easy task. After two failed attempts and eight months of waiting, the long-awaited day arrived. I could not believe that after 15 months, we would finally be together. I describe it as a miracle. So it was that on Nov. 13, 2023, at the Chicago airport, Maryam, Sergio and I were finally reunited. All the sacrifice was worth it as my daughter was happy in her father’s arms! In that way, we started our new life.
The release of our bishop came to complete whatever joy was still lacking. The Lord had granted us another miracle! We now entrust the Lord with the quick liberation of our country, Nicaragua.
I thank God for all the miracles granted to us! I also extend thanks to my dear neighbors in the Church of Costa Rica, the Hernandez Quiroz family, our sister Diocese of Gaylord, Bishop Jeffrey Walsh, Father Wayne Dziekan of the Hispanic Ministry and Father Kenneth Stachnik of St. Philip Neri Parish and all his faithful for their prayers, different signs of affection, material help and assistance with the legal processes. I also thank Sita Spring and Ruthy Bolton for their support and our Hispanic American community of Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel for welcoming us with love and brotherhood.
It is here where my faith proclaims the universality of the Catholic Church because speaking different languages and coming from different places, the faith is the same. I am eternally grateful, “I was an immigrant and you welcomed me.” (Mt 25:35)
With all of the above, I want to emphasize the quote at the beginning of this article, which is a promise from Jesus that God will answer our prayers, if we make them with faith and sincerity.
