Well, the big event of the past ten days was the Inauguration of our new chapel at Reynaldo Quinones where the chapel is dedicated to Blessed Narcissa de Jesus (a Guayaquil girl who died at 24 yrs and was famed for bringing families to God) – she will be declared a saint later in the year. For over a year now we have been celebrating Friday night Mass in a shed beside the community office and there was always a crowd of about thirty. Then came the decision by the community leaders to give us a big space of land to build a chapel on. I think they thought I was building a cathedral – not for thirty people but still. So the enthusiasm of the community was infectious and soon we were doing bingos and dances to get funds together. And when I came back from Scotland in August we started moving the land and building. The building went up rapid style with metal pillars and bamboo walls – the idea being that the community having received this as a gift from Scotland might get together themselves and raise funds for the walls. So the Big Mass took place a week past on Sunday with Jamie (on his last Sunday) as guest of honour, resplendent in tartan waistcoat and tie! The chapel was packed, the singing enthusiastic and people generally very excited; afterwards there were games for the kids and sandwiches for all. All in all , a great way to celebrate the new phase in the life of the Parish.
On the Nursery front we seem to be getting somewhere. You will remember that the building was finished over a month ago but the Children’s charity that provide the food and wages were dragging their heels about extending their coverage. I had been back and forward to their offices, had been phoning them – all to no avail. And then when I blew a gasket (with calmness I must add) at one of the leaders last week things started to move. And it looks like the parents will be on hand this coming Saturday to get the new place in proper order. So I really do hope that the Nursery will be up beside my house before Christmas. Not that I am desperate to have 70 weans screaming at my door; but that’s what it was there for.
IT will also have a knock-on effect at out Parish School because, with the Nursery going, we can use that building for classrooms or move the Soup Kitchen perhaps. In any case, the building at the school is coming on apace. There will be three classrooms downstairs and three upstairs with an access staircase built in. This team of workers do not mess about and, although they get paid much less than they would ion Scotland, it amazes me that their dedication to workmanship is not diminished in any way. This building will also include a new toilet block and should last till February.
But by far the saddest event of the week was the departure of Guayaquil’s new-found friend, Jamie Maxwell. Jamie himself knew that, leaving here after being immersed in the shanty for so long, it was going to be sad in a kind of post-HCPT/Lourdes way. At the school there was a farewell presentation on Friday and we had all the teenage girls weeping, some teachers and even a big burly guy from Primary 7. Saturday night there was a concert in the Church Hall which was well attended and people had a chance to have a last photo and chat with him. I had also put together a slide presentation of some of the key moments of the last three months. I had previously taken Jamie out for a meal in town on Thursday night – we went to a tapas bar near the Cathedral and we had good food and good crack. In fact, for three months there has been good crack often to the ‘wee hours’ and Jamie has always been there with a word of advice or two but more often than not just a laugh. Oh how we laughed! So I will miss his songs, laughter and friendship but “Hey, Jamie, did you have to steal my toothbrush and razor?”
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