Another Week

Well, it's my first week back from language school and we have done a lot of different things. Some of the highlights are as follows.

• Sunday I had to wash my clothes and I am not going to complain about doing it in a washing machine ever again. Then a couple of us went to a youth group that Francisco leads and though I was not much help, I had a good time.
• Monday is the day of cleaning and it really is a challenge to make a chore into a prayer. We also had a goodbye party for Kristan who was finishing up her time here. I am of the opinion that Hondurans know how to have a great party (with a ton of food).
• Tuesday was a laid back day. I helped out in the library tutoring kids in the scholarship program.
• Wednesday was an amazing day because I saw so many little and profoundly beautiful things. For example, in the morning I got to talk with a family that stopped by the mission house. It was a mother and her three children. They clearly had absolutely nothing. In fact the mother, who looked old beyond her years, appeared as if she would crumble into dust before my eyes. But when she smiled, her face looked young and full of life again. The oldest son was probably about eleven and was quite outgoing (and an amazing artist). Then there was a seven-year-old girl who was just adorable in her old pink jumper. The youngest was a girl who was probably about four and just seemed to be taking everything in. As I said, they had nothing, but their faith was amazing and so inspiring. As the mother told me 'I have nothing but God.' One cannot see so many beautiful things and remain unaffected. That night we also had a birthday party for Carol (the community leader).
• Thursday I ended up helping to plan a retreat we were doing for a local Catholic high school. It is very humbling to take a background job for the retreat and it is probably good for me. I simply cannot share my 'big ideas' or be in the spotlight. Instead, I got to do small tasks and lift the retreat up in prayer. That evening we had yet another party at a home for girls who have been taken out of bad home situations. They were so beautiful in their simple joy even though they have suffered so much.
• Today we had the retreat which turned out well even though the planning was really last-minute. Please keep those youth in your prayers. Then there was a fùtbol game between Honduras and I think Germany. Crazy!

Anyway, until next time, God bless!

Clase, Misa, Aldeas, Oh My!

These last two weeks I have been at a language school outside of Tegucigalpa. It has been a good experience learning to speak Spanish better, though it is very frustrated to recognize that I knew how at one point and then managed to forget.

The people here are absolutely incredible and we have been going to different activities with them almost every night. Baby showers, birthday parties, parish get-togethers etc. The local priest also took us to some of the aldeas (little villages) for Mass.

Going to Mass here makes me appreciate this tremendous gift so much more. Many of the parishes in the aldeas only celebrate Mass once a month and people will walk hours on difficult terrain to get there. There are so few priests here (Padre Danielo has 20 parishes) that even that larger towns are lucky to have Mass once a week.

In America we often times have the tremendous privilege of going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist more than once a week but  there are so many little excuses we make to not go. I am just as guilty as the next person of taking the Eucharist for granted , but it needs to stop. As Catholics we believe the the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, nothing less than the Body and Blood of Christ.

The people here hunger for Christ, they know how important it is and will literally hike up mountains to get to Mass. Why do we, who often have the opportunity to go the Mass every day, not have this same conviction? What would have happened if the early Christians did not have this same conviction? The answer is somewhat scary because it carries implications for our own times.

Hello from Honduras

Hello everyone. I am finally here after much traveling. This is a beautiful country with amazing people. Unfortunately, the language barrier presents some difficulty. It is then that you realize the importance of a smile or a kind act because these speak volumes in any culture.

One of the first things I noticed on the three hour drive from the airport to Comayagua (other than the heat) was poverty. People lived in tiny run-down homes many of which didn't even have a proper door. We passed many walking or biking along the road because they have no cars. Virtually no one has hot water and I strongly suspect some people don't have running water at all. It is sad, but also seems somewhat surreal.

The strange thing is that the poverty and Honduran culture is right next to things like Pizza Hut and a mall. We stopped by the mall to exchange money at a bank there when we were in town today and it just felt awkward to be back in something so American. It just didn't feel right to be there because we are supposed to be living in solidarity with the poor, or at the very least experiencing Honduras culture. I really don't feel like the American consumer culture is helping anyone here.

I am looking forward to going to language school next week. I also hear that we might get play with the children at a home for children with AIDS run by the Missionaries of Charity tomorrow.

Hope everything is well back in the states. I'll write more when I can since I don't know if I will have access to a computer when I am at the school.

Mañana

Tomorrow evening I fly out to go to Honduras. I am very excited though also a bit nervous. I have never truly been out of the country before (Canada doesn't count). I just know that I will be stretched out of my comfort zone and will hopefully grow a lot.

Our group has been working through reflections based on the encyclical Redemptoris Missio, or “Mission of the Redeemer." One of the excerpts we read was about how "a people's development does not derive primarily from money, material assistance or technological means" though these things are very important. It is also important that a person doing mission work "fosters the recognition of each person's dignity, encourages solidarity, commitment and service of one's neighbor, and gives everyone a place in God's plan, which is the building of his kingdom of peace and justice, beginning already in this life." Basically, we are more than the sum of our material comforts. We are nothing less than beloved children of God. I hope that in Honduras I will be able to live this reality in what I do and how I serve others.

Please pray that we will be able to serve the Lord in whatever way He has called us here to serve. I will try to update this blog when I can to keep everyone posted.

One week...

Well, I have one week left until I leave. I am quite excited, though of course, a bit nervous. I have much to do, and not just the packing, practicing Spanish, visiting friends type of things. It is more important that I be preparing spiritually too, because that it the reason I am going in the first place.

Here are some details about my trip. I will be leaving May 31 and getting home Aug 5. While in Honduras I will be living and working with an organization called the Missioners of Christ. There are four of us going, but we will be joining several people serving for longer periods and also local Hondurans.

I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to do and why. The answer is quite simple, I do not know exactly what I will be doing in Honduras but I go because I feel that I have been called there. I don't know what God wants to do with these ten weeks and I am trying to be open to whatever His plans are instead of making lists in my mind of how I want to grow and what I want to experience. One thing is for sure: it will be an interesting summer!

Hello!

Hello everyone. I am just testing out this blogging program right now, but later I will be using this to post updates of my summer in Honduras.