A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MISSIONER
Many of my friends and family have asked me what I do in a `typical` day. I thought sharing stories of life here would be a good way to start the blog updates. Since `typical` days rarely exist, here are two examples of mission life in Honduras:
One morning I was in a hurry to get sheets and towels out of the storage room because a mom of one of the girls on my class, Rosa, had gone into labor and I was supposed to bring her to the hospital. So, off we went, but you have to bring your own sheets, towels, food, etc. because none of that is provided....very different than our hospital experiences in the states. I dropped her and her sister off and returned to the mission in time to head down to the poorest homes near the river with Fr. John Anthony and Br. Nathaniel who were off to fix a roof (actually, it turned out that they had to build a whole new one because of the condition of the old wood). It´s my favorite area to visit, but a little dangerous, so their going gave me a way to spend most of the day down there visiting my ``abuelitas`` and all their neighbors and playing with tons of kids in the street....and of course I helped a little with the roof, ``supervising.``
Later that afternoon I got to climb an electric pole to rewire the internet because we had just finished moving into our new home, the John Paul II Formation Center. Be careful with Honduran wires....I quickly learned that they`re not COMPLETELY covered with rubber. But after one minor shock, more people came to help. Afterwards I got to drive a Friar-truck back down to the river to pick up the friars and tools and stuff (and to inspect ¨our¨ roof work, of course). Then, back to the house for holy hour, dinner, a much needed shower, and eventually bed.
Another day:
Thusday evening of that same week, I sat in Holy Hour trying to process all the things that had happened that day. It had been an eventful day from the start, and as I tried so hard to pray, the only thing that kept coming to mind was that we all really are one team, one body in Christ. Our expression around here is ¡Vamos equipo! (Go team!), and this particular day it all just made sense how much we have to stick together, fight together, because some celebrate while others mourn...some are constantly aware of our need for prayer, and the power of praying for other members of the one family in Christ.
The day began with Mass, as most days do, and on the way out I ran into Johanna (9), a little girl who stayed with us for a while after her baby sister died because of parental neglect, with bruises on her face from her older sister (12). After breakfast I saw the line growing outside of the friary...the poor waiting for hours in the miserably hot sun just for the CHANCE to talk to a friar. After talking to them, giving them water, and praying for a while, I moved on to visit the parish priest who was suffering from a vein problem in his leg and was couch-ridden for days. He, as most priests around here, has a huge parish and many, many mountain villages in the diocese that he´s in charge of, so days off could cost some villages their priestly visit of the year. Next stop, to see Rosa´s new baby and all the proud and excited older siblings. They were all beaming with joy and running around the yard shouting out name ideas. Around the corner, Doña Lidia, a blind grandmother, was celebrating having her new roof...now she doesnt get wet sleeping when it rains! Once home, a missionary from last year, Tony, called to let us know his brother had drowned. I knew all I could do for Tony and his brother Andrew (18) and their family was pray, so I did. But, if we´re all in this together, wouldn`t others want to join in? So with only ten minutes to spare before I had to go to the airport with Michelle and absolutely nothing to give (no bread, prayers, or even my time), i knew I had to go ask. So, I ran to my abuelitas´house, apologized for not having time to stay, sat down with the living saints, and informed them both that I had a favor to ask. Concerned and excited, they asked what they could do. I told them about Tony´s brother (they knew Tony from the year before), and how all we could do was pray....and the more prayers the better...and I know they´re close to God.
The visit alone was a unique experience because I´ve always walked in that house as a missionary with a reflection, a rosary, a guitar, or as Dulce´s teacher (the grand-/great-grand daughter) informing her of activities, etc. I´ve always had a purpose for going, even if it was just to talk and spend time with them. I´ve always been aware that I walk away having received much more from them than I could ever have given, but I always try to give SOMETHING. On this day, however, I went because they are like family—I can count on them being there like my own family (I miss ya´ll!!!), wanting to see me even if I dont have a purpose for going, and in that moment I needed their help....and they came through. They confirmed my trust and love for them, they encouraged me and prayed for me, and continued praying for Tony and his brother as well as all the others suffering on that day. Another missionary, Brittany, went by later on that day and she said that that had been their first prayer intention. Praise God!
So, off I went to pick up Michelle and head out to Tegucigalpa, but of course I had to play with the boys, Juan Pablo (2) and Emanuel (about 6 months at the time) before we could go. Big news....Emanuel is starting to crawl!
So at the end of the day I sat there in adoration wondering if it was really possible to have been a tiny part of all of that in the same morning. After hearing about and seeing so much suffering in one day, then arriving to celebrate a new baby, a new roof (and hopefully much safer rainy season), babies crawling, etc., I realized that we could only rejoice if we knew suffering, and when we suffer, we have a whole team of our brothers and sisters cheering us on. We talk a lot around here about Bl. Mother Teresa´s quote about entering the ¨holes of the poor.¨ I realized that when you enter these holes, the broken and often painful lives of the poorest of the poor, you have to be able to rejoice with those rejoicing and mourn with those weeping. There were open wounds discovered today (I also hit our dog in the car.....oops, but he´s fine), but the open ones seem to heal easier than the infected and scarred ones, so we have to bring Christ into wounds as quickly as possible while theyre still new—challenging our trust in Him to heal them and give us the strength to continue. We can´t take everything in here, we HAVE to offer it back to Him. And He constantly gives us all strength to keep going....or else I think I wouldve had to find a different job a long time ago.
Teenagers and young adults sing before the Blessed Sacrament at a Pan de Vida (like Youth2000) retreat, a weekend-long encounter with Christ in the Eucharist. In this past year, we've been blessed to put on 3 of these retreats all over Honduras and will end the year with the first one in Casa Guadalupe, the Friars' apostolic center being constructed.
Missioners Etel, Katie, and Maynor are pictured here with Br. Nathanael and the Ramirez Family in front of their new house built by generous benefactors of the friars. This summer the house was painted by a Mission Team. Because the house is so close to us, we are able to visit them often, sometimes even helping with physical and occupational therapy for some of the children.
