This week was pretty laid back compared with the last. There were two mission teams in the mountains, but several of us stayed behind at the house. I did not do anything “exciting” this week (cooking, pulling weeds, dishes) but there were still lessons to be learned about finding God in the everyday activities. It is interesting that He had to bring me to another country in order to learn those lessons.
On a different note, I am starting to prepare to wrap up my time here. Next Thursday I will be heading home. I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I am excited to see my family, but on the other, I will be sad to leave this community. Also, negative aspects of American culture that filter into the mountain villages and our barrio (neighborhood) are frustrating enough. The remote aldeas without electricity and TV have a certain innocent joy and natural virtue. I don’t really want to face the fullness of American consumerism and individualism, but ready or not, here I come.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Christ is Found Everywhere
Sorry I have not been able to write for a while. We had the week of mountain mission that I already wrote about, a week to regroup and help with multiple parish events, and then I was gone for another week. This time I was on a team that went to Kukinka, Musula, and three other small aldeas. It was kind of crazy because I did not know that I was on the team until the last minute.
This mission was somewhat more intense than the last. We had to ride the bus to get there, there was no electricity, and we had to walk a couple of hours each day to visit nearby (and not so nearby) aldeas. Again, we had programs for kids, youth, and adults each day, sometimes multiple times in one day because we went to more than one aldea. We also visited families in the parish, especially those who were sick.
I was surprised the entire week by the many places where I found Christ. These aldeas are some of the most difficult. They are isolated and lack basic faith formation. But Christ is still there and His presence was so tangible. In a 98-year-old blind and nearly deaf grandmother, in the strength to get up the next hill, in the simplicity of a people who have never watched a TV, in the joy and generosity of a family that has suffered so much from the loss of a daughter.
All-in-all this mission was more difficult than the last, physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally but it turned out really well. Now we have a high school youth group here and are preparing to take them to a nearby aldea next week.
This mission was somewhat more intense than the last. We had to ride the bus to get there, there was no electricity, and we had to walk a couple of hours each day to visit nearby (and not so nearby) aldeas. Again, we had programs for kids, youth, and adults each day, sometimes multiple times in one day because we went to more than one aldea. We also visited families in the parish, especially those who were sick.
I was surprised the entire week by the many places where I found Christ. These aldeas are some of the most difficult. They are isolated and lack basic faith formation. But Christ is still there and His presence was so tangible. In a 98-year-old blind and nearly deaf grandmother, in the strength to get up the next hill, in the simplicity of a people who have never watched a TV, in the joy and generosity of a family that has suffered so much from the loss of a daughter.
All-in-all this mission was more difficult than the last, physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally but it turned out really well. Now we have a high school youth group here and are preparing to take them to a nearby aldea next week.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
La gente es muy generosa.
Last week was spent at an aldea in the mountains called Las Majadas. Each day we put on a child, youth, and adult program for the people of the church there. In this way, it was kind of like vacation Bible school, only in Spanish.
One of the things that really amazed me was the generosity of the people. They have absolutely nothing by American standards and live with the reality that if something happens, they will loose all that they do have. For example, a little boy almost broke his leg while we were in the aldea. If he had, it would have meant that his family would have had to pay a month’s worth of wages just to get to the city to visit a doctor. The people really do have nothing, but they give their all. They fed us chicken (which pretty much only happens on Christmas). The delegate (person in charge of the parish while the priest is absent) did not work for an entire week. The delegate’s children gave up their mattresses so we had something to sleep on without prompting from their parents. I felt unworthy of such generosity.
One of the things that really amazed me was the generosity of the people. They have absolutely nothing by American standards and live with the reality that if something happens, they will loose all that they do have. For example, a little boy almost broke his leg while we were in the aldea. If he had, it would have meant that his family would have had to pay a month’s worth of wages just to get to the city to visit a doctor. The people really do have nothing, but they give their all. They fed us chicken (which pretty much only happens on Christmas). The delegate (person in charge of the parish while the priest is absent) did not work for an entire week. The delegate’s children gave up their mattresses so we had something to sleep on without prompting from their parents. I felt unworthy of such generosity.
Friday, July 2, 2010
"There is nothing small in the service of God"
This was a great though somewhat difficult week. God decided it was a good time to teach me some lessons about humility, surrender, and selflessness that are important for everyone to learn, but especially for missionaries.
Most of last week was spent preparing for the mountain missions this coming week. We will be going to five different aldeas with about seven people at each aldea doing five days worth of programming for children, youth, and families. These aldeas are known to be some of the most difficult in the diocese partly because they are so isolated. They are poor and the people only are able to go to Mass once or twice a year because the priest has over a hundred parishes. Please keep us in your prayers that God’s will may be done through us and that we will reflect the love of Christ always. Also, pray that Honduran youth will have the grace of exploring their vocation and responding to whatever God calls them to because there is such a shortage of priests, religious, and holy families here. Thanks.
Most of last week was spent preparing for the mountain missions this coming week. We will be going to five different aldeas with about seven people at each aldea doing five days worth of programming for children, youth, and families. These aldeas are known to be some of the most difficult in the diocese partly because they are so isolated. They are poor and the people only are able to go to Mass once or twice a year because the priest has over a hundred parishes. Please keep us in your prayers that God’s will may be done through us and that we will reflect the love of Christ always. Also, pray that Honduran youth will have the grace of exploring their vocation and responding to whatever God calls them to because there is such a shortage of priests, religious, and holy families here. Thanks.
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