What a great week we have just finished – I would suggest a Parish Fiesta to anyone! Last week we continued the Parish Novena and each night we had a guest speaker in to speak to us about ‘Christian Hope’. It was an even mix of priests or local lay leaders who gave us the wisdom of their thoughts. And I have to say that each night gave me, at least, some new aspect of hope to think about. What was special as well was the way that our poor parishioners went forward on several nights and gave testimonies about how they are filled with hope. Another great aspect of the Novena was the music that provided a backdrop each night: Tito, our youth leader, and Damian, provided us with real lively hymns. We even ended up dancing on the final night. Saturday started as it has each Saturday in May for the last four years – with Dawn Rosary! I have to say I always think ‘what am I doing getting up at 5am to walk the streets praying the Rosary?’ but when we are actually walking with the twenty or so parishioners (I try to go to a different sector of the Parish each Saturday), I always feel there is a great sense of faith there. So I am happy to join in. The next activity on Saturday morning was the start of the formation programme for our Parish catechists. This year we have arranged our catechists training in a different way: each fortnight they will have to come and join in a formation programme led by Sister Marianna and Ruth Bermeo (from the housing charity). I was a bit wary about how many would actually turn up especially since at 9.15am (we try to start at 9am) there were only four! However, after I had gone away to do some Baptisms, the number had swelled to a very respectable forty-four. Since it was the first time I was wary but hopefully the same number will turn up each time! In any case, once again it is a tremendous demonstration of faith. Then on Saturday night we headed into the city centre where our deanery was leading the annual Youth Walk. Once again Tito was to the fore leading the hymn singing as we made our way through the busy city centre streets. It reminded me very much of HCPT & Lourdes with its very lively singing, clapping and dancing. We started in the fading light and ended at the Cathedral at around 8pm where we had a Mass with the Archbishop in a packed church. I have taken part in these youth walks each year but I have to say this route that took us through busy streets was probably the best route I have experienced as the sound of the singing reverberated off the walls and brought people out to see what was happening. It was also great just to be with our Parish youth, both going there and coming back. Great fun and great laughs as well as the praying and singing. Then it was on to the main event on Sunday – our Parish Fiesta out at the retreat centre of ‘El Cencaulo’. We had a great day with about 800 people taking part. After the initial short prayer service, we introduced all eight chapels who had to come on stage and give a ‘Chapel Chant’. Then we spilt up for a catechetic talks; I had brought in four different speakers so we were able to have the adults, youth, children and toddlers in four distinct groups. Each was reflecting on a different aspect of ‘Christian Hope’ following on from our Novena. During the whole day there was plenty of opportunity for the kids to play on the swings and the young people to play football. We also had the egg-and-spoon race, three-legged race and sack race. Can I just say that I won the adults sack race …. And there was definitely no cheating! After lunch we had a lively Mass in which each chapel brought forward their own gifts – it was both lively and prayerful. Then the day was finished off by each chapel presenting a dance routine. Oh, and since I had my kilt on, I did the Highland Fling. Do I know the ‘Highland Fling’? No, but as long as you’re one page ahead of the rest ……. Of course we had to clear up and tidy up after everyone had left on the bus but I had to hurry myself because that night I was heading straight up to Quito for a few days to stay at the house of Paddy McIntyre, a St James’ priest who has worked in a shanty there for over twenty years. I got up around 8pm, just in time for supper. I stayed in Quito till today (Wednesday) and enjoyed the rest and the chat. There are two other priests there, Don Kenny and Bob Thomas, and together we had the chance of a few meals together. I took the opportunity of getting two statues of Our Lady for our new chapels. I also took a ride up through the Andes to a town called Otavalo: we ended up meeting a couple from Lenzie at a lakeside restaurant where we had stopped for lunch. Then today, just before I left for Guayaquil we went to the tourist spot called ‘La Mitad del Mundo’ where through various scientific experiments, they try to show you that this spot is the actual centre of the world. All in all it was a busy week but, when I look back, a thoroughly enjoyable one.

I have been having a few problems recently with Oso, my Labrador dog. He is fighting with too many dogs and I am not sure what to do. The thing is he is so big compared with most of the dogs around here and when he starts to fight he seems to be at an unfair advantage. I shall try and take him tot eh vet and see what advice is given! Football seems to have dominated the last few days as I have been keeping in touch with things from Scotland. I have just finished watching the BBC videos of Tommy Burns’ funeral – a very emotional and sad occasion but reminded me that to be publicly proud of your faith, as well as your football should not be a bad or embarrassing thing! Of course, I had gone last Wednesday to see Rangers playing the UEFA Final. Colm, my Irish priest colleague (and friend) had been ribbing me that I should definitely go and see it in some bar in the centre of town. So I caved in and went with him – to a bar in the shopping mall. We were the only two watching the game. No one else bothered us as we saw the entire game …. Oh and I shall keep up with Thursday’s final day in the SPL. Of course, I am a priest and I have been doing a few religious things this week. It is our big Parish Fiesta week and we kicked off with a walk through the sector with the Blessed Sacrament! We started at La Paz chapel but visited all eight Parish chapels saying a prayer and listening to a reading at each. There was a good crowd accompanying us along the four hour route as we went up the steep hills and down the muddy, rocky paths. I for one was very tired as the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament weighs a tonne! But in a very spiritual sense I felt that Jesus was walking amongst his people – poor but filled with dignity in themselves. We sang and chanted as we went along. A very enjoyable day! The other spiritual event of the week is the Novena in preparation for our Parish Fiesta day this coming Sunday. Each night we have welcomed a guest speaker to lead in our investigation of the Pope’s letter on ‘Hope’. It is a rally humbling thing to hear the poorest of the poor coming up each night and giving testimonies about what hope means to them and what they hope for their future in the homes, their schools and their lives. It has, as ever, been accompanied by Tito and the music group (drums and all) so it has been a really lively occasion. Building at La Paz and Maestro chapels goes on apace and it seems that both teams are keeping neck and neck in their work. This week has seen the chapels taking form with all the walls up and the metal roof structure being put on. WE had a bit of a scare at Maestro chapel this week as we heard that the City Council had arrived to measure the street for laying of tar and had said to locals that we had built too far out and were going to jut into the street and that it would have to be knocked down. What? However, after a few hours of negotiations, it seems we have been saved from disaster and the building goes on ……….

Very sad day today. Wee Marcos – 7-year old son of Mabel that cuts my hair – died this morning. He had a severe form of diabetes and had felt unwell on Thursday so they decided to take him to hospital. He walked there. On Friday he took a turn for the worst and they called me to the hospital. It was so very sad to see this wee boy, who normally runs around so actively, lying there with so many tubes. The tragic thing for the poor people who live in our sectors is that these moments only mean one thing: what can we sell to pay for the treatment. And that was what the conversation revolved around that morning in the waiting room. I left them saying that I would be on hand for whatever: I asked everyone at the weekend Masses to pray for him. Sadly though he passed away through last night. Don’t know when eth funeral will be but I have already said some prayers at his coffin. The whole story really is tragic and is copied through many families here. The father went away to Spain to work and send money back to the poor family in Ecuador. However, as well as work, he found another woman and will not be back here. Marcos was their only son. Please say some prayers for Marcos and for his parents. On a lighter note, we took a Parish pilgrimage to Nobol yesterday – about 550 of us (11 buses). Nobol is a village about 45 minutes from our town and is associated with Narcisa de Jesus who this October will be proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict. Because of the desire of so many people to go to Nobol this year, the Diocese decided to allocate each Parish a specific date. Ours was yesterday and we shared the day with seven other Parishes of our area. I was asked to be the main celebrant and, with Tito up in the choir loft on the music, we had a lively and enthusiastic liturgy. Afterwards we walked the three kilometers to the place where Narcisa used to give her religion classes to the young kids. It is by a riverside and was an opportunity for our pilgrims to have a rest, lunch and a dip in the river. It was another opportunity to do some dives, although the bank was quite muddy so there was a bit of slip-sliding …. The two chapels are coming on – La Paz and Maestro. There are two separate teams on each project _ I’m sure you worked that out. And, although they are different designs – one is a two storey and the other is on the ground – they are proceeding at the same pace. Both took greater shape this week – walls and windows can now be seen through the bricks. So am quiet excited that we might see it all ended by end of June. Having said that, one thing I have learnt is not to rush and architect and his team! This weekend Ecuador (and I think other Latin American countries) go wild for Mothers’ Day. People travel this country to visit their mother or to pray at their mother’s grave. At all masses and at the school there were all sorts of celebrations, raffles and presents for mothers. I’m sure we might have something tonight at the big Mass in the Parish Church. The curious thing is that idea behind it is slightly different from Scotland. In Scotland the idea of Mother’s Day is “Mum, we love you so much; you have worked so hard all year for us; take a rest and we’ll cook dinner today!” Whereas here it seems to be “Mum, we love you so much; you have worked so hard all year for us; let us show you how much we love you by eating this big slap-up meal you are about to prepare for us while I go out and have a few drinks with my mates”!!!!!

It is a strange weekend here in shanty-ville since it is a long weekend. The 1st of May is actually the holiday but our very generous President decreed that it should be a long weekend so loads of people, schools etc have been off. Having said that, with little money around, it seems that most people have stayed at home and are having a well-earned rest. At the moment (7.30am on a Saturday morning) nothing is stirring apart from the priest. Still it will all be back to normal on Monday, I suspect. Not everyone of course had a holiday. For one, the workers who are building our two chapels did not have Thursday or Friday off. When I asked why they were not having time off, they said they would prefer to work as that is the only way they could secure their job and their wages. It is one of the terrible aspects of life in the shanty that there is no security to your job. Actually the work at the two chapels – La Paz and Maestro – is coming along well and they never seems to slack at all. Since the two projects are at different ends of the Parish, it is not easy to get to visit them – well, not as easy as the school, Church or Nursery building that was on my doorstep. I would suspect that shortly before I come home in August I would be able to have an opening ceremony in each chapel. I mentioned about the working conditions of the builders but the working conditions of our Parish school teachers have also worried me recently. Since we set up the school five years ago, there have been no formal contracts and it has just been piecemeal arrangements. So this year Adela and myself decided that we had to get it all formalized, apart from the fact that it is now illegal to do otherwise. The benefits seem clear: the school makes itself legal in its contracts; but the teachers also receive the security (fort eh first time) of National Insurance as well as getting an extra months’ payment at the end of the year (it is a statutory thing here). So I was surprised that two of the twenty teachers refused to sign. I couldn’t believe it since it seemed to me a win-win situation for them. I managed to convince one but the other has preferred to walk away from the school. Sad! For some time I have noticed a loud bang in my truck and finally managed to take it into the garage in the centre of the city. The undercarriage seems to have become loose in so many parts that it simply needs tightening. I think it is almost impossible to live in our area – so full of potholes – and not end up with all sorts of mechanical problems. Still a few days and it will be ready again – for action. One of the funnier things that happened to me recently in relation to the truck was that I had taken out the car radio and left it on the dashboard while I was driving. After some time I realized that it was not there any longer – it had gone flying out of the window as I popped in and out of one of the larger potholes. Life in the shanty, eh? One of the more exciting facets of life for me recently has been my involvement with the youth ministry, both in the Parish, in the area and in the Diocese. In the Parish we have recently sprouted some new youth groups and can now count five groups in the Parish. Tito had become our youth liaison man and works two mornings a week getting things together and supporting the various groups. Then, as a result of Colin MacInnes being in Scotland, I am replacing him at a deanery/area level in getting the local area groups together: we have put together a programme of workshops which are well attended by local youth group leaders. And then on a Diocesan level, again replacing Colin, we are organizing various Diocesan events for May, June and July. So this week I ended up twice in the centre of town at organizing groups for the various things that are coming up. It should be good and everyone seems to be very enthusiastic. It rubs off on one, no?