This week was taken over by birthday celebrations for yours truly – 44 happy years on Sunday past! Having said that, since Latins love to celebrate, the birthday parties started on Friday morning and lasted till Sunday evening. There was a party with kids’ dances at the school, a house party organized by the lively Lucy on Friday, another kids’ part at Divino Nino chapel on Saturday and then three cakes on Sunday. They have this amazing custom here that you have to ‘bite the cake’; of course it is merely an excuse to shove your face in the cake. So my face was in six cakes in three days! Of course, I got my revenge by sharing my new-found face-cream with all around me. It was a great birthday and thoroughly enjoyable.
Colm Hogan, the priest from Ireland that has been staying here for the past six months, left for preaching and Ireland on Monday morning. I have really enjoyed having him around, we have shared the highs and lows of missionary life. He has done a lot in six months – he started in his the new Parish of Monte Sinai without anything but now has four places he celebrates Mass (in a school, under a tree and in a billiards hall) and recently built a bamboo chapel. He has also started building his home which should be ready when he comes back. I wish him all the best.
The big event of the week was the Youth Vigil from Saturday evening till Sunday midday. Tito has recently taken over as our first Parish youth director and this was his first event. I was therefore expecting a moderate turnout but was shocked to find a big, big number. I eventually counted them at our 2am bonfire – 120 young folk. Throughout the night and into the morning there were prayer services and various activities to help the young people reflect on their Mission under the banner heading “Jesus loves me and calls me’. I had to go away for other weekend Masses but when I was there I was struck by the energy and enthusiasm of everyone, not least Tito who was organizing it all. If this is the first event, how will the rest be?
Terry McKenzie is settling in very nicely and getting to know the young people. After every gathering and Mass, there is a big crowd around our ‘new gringo’ to test his Spanish and inviting him to go on a Saturday or to join them in a game of football. His big task, though, while he is here is to help in the construction work at Maestro chapel. At the moment they are doing the plastering work so he is able to help with that and has been a great boon to Pedro and his team. Having said that I had a bit of a run-in with Pedro, the architect, in the last week. I had not seen him in weeks although I knew he was turning up daily at each of the two sites we have on the go. He had sent a replacement architect to La Paz chapel but when I asked about various elements, the replacement didn’t know whet I was talking about. In any case, we got it all sorted and we have agreed to meet up at the sites at least twice a week so that we can go over the basic arrangements. I would imagine that both chapels will be finished by the end of the month!
No comments:
Post a Comment