Toddler Spanglish

Lets be honest. Magdalena is still 3 years old. She has not turned 4 yet. She is understanding spanish more and more every day. I ask her questions in spanish and she responds in English mostly, but sometimes in spanish. Today as I had her and Ronan line up so I could cortar their nails I was explaining the word "fila" and how their teacher might say "haz un fila" and that means they should line up. Her eyes got big and lit up. She began to sing "Fila, fila, fila por favor". I was excited to hear her sing it and said "Oh your teacher must sing that when it is time to make a line" "Nonononono" Maggie responded, taken back a little. "Thats what we sing when it is time to go out and we are waiting for Fila to come. She's a girl in my school." Maybe some day she will believe me.

Ronan is very proud that he knows three languages "English, Spanish and sign language." He shared his dream of being a priest and talking in Spanish at Dulce Nombre, the church we often attend.  He wanted to say the prayer that they say at school at our dinner table. I suppose I should learn a thank you song in spanish to teach them!

Jacqueline at 10 months old has one bottom left tooth. She can stand up, but often just does baby squats. She gets car sick. As I started to put her in to her car seat this afternoon she immediately began to arch her back cry and get out. I said to her "Tenemos que ir a a escuela para buscar a Ronan y Maggie" and she relaxed and said a mumbly babbley "Roro" and let me put her in her carseat. She loves playing with tools. She uses her toothbrush to hook into her silicone banana chew toy to pick it up. She gets adorably frustrated when she fails to pick it up and cries out having a mini-fit but then goes right back to focus and try again. 

Today we sang and danced to "Que bonito esta vida" as well as our usual lineup of Spanish disney songs. Vamos a ver lo que nos lleva tomorrow.

Morpho Azul

Playa Herradura, sun and sunburn. Jacqueline absolutely loved the birds, in particular what looked like like the magnificent frigate-bird. She pointed up at it and called out. She also loved the sand so much she ate some, more than i initially thought as evidenced by her diaper change this afternoon.
This morning at San Jose she was a wiggle worm so Ryan and I took turns walking out the open church doors to the side courtyard. She would walk around and reach for the large variegated leaves of the plants that lined the entrance. When walking back with the two big kids after receiving communion a large morpho azul floated in through the doors. As it it was so large landed on the tile floors you could hear it. It stood on the floor a moment and then fluttered up again over and around. Just as communion ended it floated back out the doors. Ryan said that he had seen it during the consecration as well, but I had been outside with Jacqueline trying to rock and calm her. Teeth are starting to show up but at 10 months old she is still adorable with her gummy smile. Still no glimpse of the toucans on campus.

Pura Vida De Nuevo

INCAE

Llegamos.

  I had a sense of overwhelming gratitude last night feeling that it was all too good to be true, and that there would be a payback with some sort of tragedy later. But that is not how God’s generous love works. He gives without ever calling in ransom. This time instead of being the calm before the storm is him teaching me how to LOVE GENEROUSLY. I will not obtain my own or anyone else’s salvation through hard work alone. I do want to work to serve the lord, but only for LOVE of him, not as repayment. I could never repay him, but I will praise him.

Lord I praise your goodness in this beautiful place, lush green vibrant living plants, lizards geckos, birds waking us in the morning sunlight. The tile floors and simple perfection of our casita, where we can walk to a delightful playground and watch the kids swing in the shade of a mango tree. An afternoon swim surrounded by palm trees in the pool, watching iguanas sunbath and meander to find the best spot on the roof top. The private pool with the shallow end in the shade, and a view of the mountains in the distance. Mas alla de the humming birds favorite flowering red ginger. This level of perfection can only be designed by the one who created me and knows exactly what my heart longs for… the security and comfort of hope upon our return to Maine near family, and the warm perfection of a land that is like Eden. Lord help me sing joyfully to you this year.

I want to sing “La luz que veo en ti”

As we drove out of town we stopped in Yarmouth at a cute little dream condo in a cul-de-sac . Lawn maintenance and snow removal included. The hometown of Hanley Denning, founder of Safe Passage. I am so grateful for my own peace in seeing the lovely home that we will call our own, within walking distance of the community we would love to call our own. That God is so generous in caring for his children. I am so happy to move to Yarmouth, and feel like the next step in my nursing career truly is to become a Nurse Practitioner. I don't know when, but trust in the Lord to help me find the right time for me and my family. I refuse to "muscle" my way through school at the expense of my family. Instead we will go step by step, with breaks along the way as needed. I am confident. My brain is starting to work again. 

1/19/18

God has continued to out pour graces upon us. Even as I grow irritated, impatient, and lack motivation and a sense of direction some days. This past week Ronan and Magdalena attended school, we washed clothes at the laundry-mat, I ran, worked out, and today we played at the playground. Our kindly Honduran neighbor shared limones with us and Ryan made lemonade. I ate oreo cookies. We had a delicious dinner at Palo Santo with a lovely view. We spent a day a the beach and met a kind Tica who shared her favorite spots, shared a picnic blanket and offered us chicken. Jacqi made friends with an adorable 6 month old who was chubbier than her, and Maggie and Ronan swam and splashed as Ryan lifted them up over the waves. The sand was soft under our feet, and we found shade under a palm tree.

Ryan got me my favorite candies in both coco and guayaba flavor I ate them up. He made us pancakes for breakfast, and even danced with Jacqueline and I. Treats after treats after treats. Birds of paradise, flowering trees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Mariposas y colibris. I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the abundance of comforts we enjoy and ask God to help me show love to others. We are not growing deep roots here, but part of me wants to. I don’t know how though.  Part of me feels Tica. Amo a la casita tradicional in La Paz waterfall gardens. We have yet to really make good friends and I wonder what the method should be. Poco a poco. Lord Help me initiate friendships. Help me to have patients with Magdalena to give her attention.

I love being in Costa Rica, and I also have a dream of living abroad for a few years. I wonder how to make that happen. To live in Europe, and then move back to Maine, and then live in South America and then move back to Maine. I am also interested in New Zealand but it is just so far from everything! I think I would find a week or so vacation sufficient.

Our house is perfect… I only wish we had a little gate for Jacqueline so we could open up all the doors and she doesn’t escape. Ronan’s whining is excessive. I wonder how to manage it. He misses piano and the daily rhythm. He was whiny before so I can not read too much in to it.

Back in Maine I have a job, we are signing a lease for a condo in Yarmouth, I just submitted registration for school for Magdalena. I will be registering her for YMCA and summer camp, I filled out care.com info.

I am not as present here as I would like, but the reality is we must take care of these other responsibilities. This isn’t a “vacation” even though much of it is like one but better! Part of me is doing well to prepare for all that will come and not be overwhelmed with anxieties, but I dont was to be all business either. Thanks be to God in his wisdom to taking us somewhere that my heart finds rest.

I dream about going to live in Chile some day and wonder what that would be like. Sigue sonando en Rena Argentina. Ahora soy Rena Costa Rica.

Today as we sat at the playground with Georgina. Magdalena asked como te llamas. As we read Pete the Cat she used words in Spanish, and even said “zapatos blancos” for white shoes. I was particularly impressed because she put the adjective after the noun. Ronan wants to learn praise songs in Spanish, so we should look up some that we sing at Dulce Nombre.

1/29/18

Yesterday I sat on my front porch reading as Maggie took a nap in the hammock and Ronan played. Jacqueline napped in her crib as she was tired out from our time at the pool earlier in the day. When I glanced up from my book I would catch sight of hummingbirds, or flick away a leaf cutter ant. This morning on a run I spotted a little flock of what I think were crimson fronted parakeets, perico fretirojo, and after sprints at the soccerfield a Lesson’s Motmot, or pajaro bobo. Tropical kingbirds also make their appearance and I have seen pleanty of other common tody flycatchers. I hope to learn more about birds and if I make a habit of morning walks or runs, and maybe if I bring my guide to the evening playtime at the playground (and put on pants to avoid the no see ums) then I will see some others. Patti told us about the large Mango tree that shades the playground and now that I can identify it I realize there are dozens and dozens of large mature mango trees on campus. While I do hope we are around when they are large and ripe, I can imagine it can be precarious parking the car in the shady spot we prefer, or relaxing on the bench at the playground without an umbrella to deflect the juicy hazard if the wind blows the right way. There are banana trees at the entrance to INCAE, and I am determined to find some papaya trees. I wonder if there are pinapple plants hidden on campus too. The Mandarina trees are full of dark forest green fruit, and limones are also found, great to squeeze in to water. With all the abundance of life I am filled with joy and peace. Magdalena and Ronan are enjoying our paradise, running to play with neighbors. Ample time for lounging as long as they complete their simple homework. Delicious fresh fruits every day, and frequent trips to the pool where we spot iguanas on the way.

1/31/19 I realize I have still been dating my entries 2018. I am lost in another time. Everyone in Maine and upstate New York is frozen in a polar vortex is keeping schools closed subzero temperatures. When we were living in Florida an especially bad winter hit the north and we were spared by living in the sunshine state. Earlier I wrote I felt as if we weren't putting down roots, but I take it back. The sunshine is helping me come alive, but the roots that are growing are deeper than I was looking for. I am becoming more fully who I am, and feel less self conscious, less needy. I listened to a TED talk today about the redwood forest.  Beyond their towering majestic beauty and being alive at the time Christ walked the earth their biology is amazing. If there is a spot within them that is rotten they have the vital power to send roots in to that spot and draw fourth nutrience from that dying rotting part of themselves until it falls off and the persistent new growth from underneath lives on. I have allowed bitterness to creep in to parts of me, my marriage, my motherhood, my place in society. Here and now in this place of abundant life I will let myself, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, shoot fourth roots true to my SER, to bear life within me.
A line from "Only Us" from the musical "Dear Evan Hansen" resonates with me "I don't need you to fix what I'd rather forget".  I have tended to be the person who strives to patching things up. I struggled with letting disagreements be and long for perfection (with minimal effort possible). I seek approval from others, usually people i love and trust, but it is fruitless. When the approval doesn't come, the efforts to initiate or maintain relationship doesn;t go as I hoped or planned I have grown bitter. Now, with three small children a husband with a inspiring entrepreneurial spirit, a nursing career and aspirations to higher education and I just don't have time for ruminating on the hurts. Bitterness comes when I let myself fall in to thoughts of the past, and some things that are lost when people I love choose other things besides time with me and my kids. So I now choose to let them fall away as I live in the Father's love. Bye bye bitterness. I realize, and don't know exactly why, but I blame Buffalo for my bitterness.
I need to publicly share Buffalo is not responsible for my bitterness. I can recognize the origin of some of my blame... SOME neighbors were less than friendly, winters were cold and dark, the landscape was flat, I had two babies, we learned one of those babies had a potentially serious genetic abnormality.
The culmination of my discontent occurred while I was physically in Buffalo dealing with PTS from a complicated pregnancy, and we had just come from sunny florida and both lacked direction in our careers as we recentered and just parented. Anxieties, anger, and loneliness were the themes of my living there. Anxious about fixing up and maintaining the house, motherhood, finding work, and then working in a darker field than i have previously. Disappointment in our failed cross country trip as we left, and finally I experienced healing in Ithaca through therapy, the living waterfalls. Now I am feeling the culmination of all the hapiness. My children are growing and thriving, I am in this place of beauty which i have been dreaming of returning to since I was here last. I feel a sense of coming home, espeically as we plan to move closer to our family. (although I feel like I am hatching a secret plan to quit my job in Maine at the end of the year and just live in Costa RIca next Jan-March again and then find a new job.... if I am going to have flights of fancy they are going to be tropical.)

I've been thinking of Cuqui and Grandma Nilda lately. I imagine them in heaven being happy carefree teenagers together. Getting dressed up laughing too loud and being over dramatic with beautiful dark hair. I dream of my time with them being a sort of guide for me, that our similar smiles connect us still.

And even as Ryan and I are facing challenges within our marriage at this moment I feel confident in hope and faith. Last night I felt I was reaching toward hope with faith as I was honest with him, but did not allow my emotions to turn me into a volan de fuego spewing anger and bitterness.  Instead I told him honestly sighed and hugged goodnight and woke to make him coffee eggs and pancakes, and enjoyed the last of the chocolate covered coconut treats he had given me. There is more to marriage than making coffee and pancakes, although at this stage of our relationship getting up with the kids and making breakfast is a big deal. So on this last day of January 2019 I give thanks to God for our safe arrival here (and now as of today I picked up one of the kids lost carseats at the airport, St. Anthony I ask your intercession to find Magdalena's. She cried bitterly when she found out we did not have hers yet and I just want to make all things right for her. Lord I trust in your providence and timing in all things and I hope that she will learn to be happy for Ronan. Lord show her your mercy and love.)
I give thanks for seeing the lineated woodpecker, and for the guard who saw me walking around looking for something and gave me my phone, who also helped us unlock our door. Dios lo bendiga y acompana a el. Thank you for the very special noche cultural for a fancy meal, and where dancers wore beautiful costumes and played loud music. THank you for all the nearby churches. Gracias senor for the birds. May my love for birds always start and end with a love for your Holy Spirit which comes in the form of a dove, althouh I wouldn't mind if it shows up in a colibri or toucan some time.

Costa Rica. PURA VIDA

It has been two weeks since I arrived in Costa Rica. I spent the first week in guide training camp in la Fourtuna at the base of the volcano arenal. The area was beautiful. We stayed in some of the dorms that students doing the volcano program will stay in. There was no hot water, and our "class room" was open air. Everything is so green and alive. Training days were fun. We had lessons about budget and allowance managment, coordinating activities, Rustic Pathways policies, and behavioral, environmental and medical risks specific to Costa Rica and our type of travel work. Between sessions we played lots of fun ice breaker games that we can use with our students, swam in the pool (which was located right next to the main building and had a stream running along side it.) I also played barefoot soccer with other guides and ultimate frisbee. My job has been like summer camp so far! I will be stationed in Turrialba, a small city in a mountainous area of Costa Rica where I will be in charge of kids in the Language program. I have been keeping a detailed journal since access to internet is limited. My second week I had some time off and after Mass one day approached the people in the office to find out information about volunteering, they gave me a number for an organization which I called and went in the next day. I volunteered at a place called Asociacion del Obras del Espiritu Santo located in Cristo Rey, a part of San Jose. Since there are no real addresses or zip codes around here navegating can be complicated... for example my directions to the place i was volunteering were "From La Merced 1 km south and 200 meters west." Everything is based on landmarks and assumes you know where the landmarks are. I worked at a day care for low income families. I was in la guarderia with kids under age two. There were times that I was by myself with 9 or more babies and it was exhausting! The room we were in was very small and filled with 11 cribs and limited toys. The kids were sometimes very sweet but at other times they bit eachother, pulled hair, and hit eachother. Lunch time was the craziest. Espeically since the high chairs available were so dangerous. There was some that were hand crafted from wood with nails exposed, and none had belts so I had to watch to make sure the kids didn't slide out! A goal for this summer is to talk to the students I work with and see if each week the group would sponsor one high chair for the group because even though the conditions were very bad overall it will be good to make some improvements.

While I am healthy and well a lot of the other guides have HUGE bug bites. Two girl has bites all over their legs that are as big as chicken pox. I have been good with sunscreen too! It rains everyd day and is so moist. When I wash my hair it takes about a day and a half or more to dry. As part of m y on site training I got to do many of the activities we will do with the students each week. Turrialba we went horseback riding, visited a butterfly gardin, a serpentarium, a national park of old ruins, and met our bus driver and host families. We will also be taking them white water rafting every other week, zip lining every friday, and coordinating salsa lessons, soccer games, and volunteering. For two weeks of the program I will leave Turrialba and work for "Costa Rican Adventurer" Which includes, but is not limited to: an overnight white water rafting trip, surf lessons, zip lining, bungee jumping, sailing and snorkling, rappelling down a waterfall (and sleeping in a cave behind the waterfall), and visiting the volcano national park. I can hardly believe the beauty of the experiance I have had thus far, and am just taking it in day by day.

Yesterday I had the day off and rented and rode bikes to a beach called punta uva. It was stunning, but I enjoyed the bikeride more than swimming. The water is like bathwater, and in some areas the currents are very dangerous. Tomorrow I go back to San Jose to begin real work! Hope the kids are good!!! I am glad that I am in the Language program because it is the one program offered by Rustic Pathways that gives the guides Sundays off. I was able to go to mass almost every day last week... in a different church each time... one more stunning than the next.

Love you all and thinking of you!

Blessings <3

Still praying that the road is long, full of adventure full of knowledge. (I'll post pictures when I figure out how!!)

Praying that the road is long

Turns out that for me the road to mission is a little bit longer than I expected it to be. I am back in Maine and facing a new set of challenges, still trying to figure out how to go overseas on mission. After praying and reflecting, speaking with the program directors and my fellow mission candidates, talking to friends, and learning to trust intuition I decided to leave Maryknoll (with their open invitation to return next year. I had such a wonderful experience that it was difficult to say goodbye, but it brought me peace to do so. 

Wednesday Night Lindsay, Minh and I had signed up to cook dinner, and that was the evening that I also announced to the group. We had set up dinner in the downstairs classroom and put out candles with fruit, cheese and crackers to start, and then soup and creps for the main course. Sister Genie brought her guitar and we sang some farewell songs. I am going to miss our sing alongs! Then Erica brought down some music and we danced. After sitting in class all day it is good to move around and get our blood flowing!

The next day, Thursday, 11 went to class while I packed up my room. Thursday was the most difficult day because as I packed I mourned what I knew I was saying goodbye to and wrestled with thoughts, second guessing the peace that I had felt the day before. But I felt so blessed too. That was the first snow! The unanticipated change in weather was as brisk and surprising as the change in the direction my life is taking. It was also the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila, my confirmation Saint. As I have to some people upon my return, a part of me wishes that I was there but the whole of me knows that I am being led in a different way, that I couldn't hope plan out myself.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19 Praise God!

There is no one thing that made the decision but certainly the change in financial arrangements was a factor. Yet as I was discerning I recalled the way that I felt called to Guatemala, and that while I did not initially know how I was going to pay for it a scholarship came in the day of my birthday that made the trip possible. That, to me, was a blessing from God.

I know that where there is a will there is a way, and that if this mission organization and timing was right that obstacles would be possible to overcome. Yet, in the discerning process there was more that I was struggling with than just money.

I did not want fear to be a factor in my decision making. I have  always liked what Ralph Waldo Emerson said about the thing that you most fear is the thing which you Must do, and I like challenging myself, pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. As we met with SHARE a non profit that does work in El Salvador one of the Representatives mentioned that the murder rate in El Salvador (smaller than Maine) is 16 per day. That there are gang problems, violence against women, domestic violence, and many other huge issues. While I am sane enough to be intimidated by those factors, God gives out hearts faithful enough to remember the witness of many missioners before me, before Maryknoll even who faced such challenges and while suffered emotionally, physically, and were spiritually challenged more than they could have possibly anticipated- I am the kind of person who is crazy enough to believe that prayer, combined with community can endure such overwhelming challenges. That healing is possible (and almost always necessary in mission).

Also, I originally was seeking to learn another language and placement in El Salvador would limit me to Spanish for three years. I feel that with my young brain I want to take advantage of learning as much as I can now. I had originally accepted the placement, but in August we received notice that it was not for sure (and it was only within the past two weeks that we found out if our regions were remaining open).

So why am I back? I wanted to go right away but persistently I felt "Not yet, not yet". While I am a driven person and want to follow through I could not ignore what I knew in my heart but didn't (and admit don't) quite understand... couldn't articulate. I don't think of this time as arriving home. Yes, I am back but I am not home. I am on mission in Maine will not be home in my heart until I am on overseas mission. For me in ways this uncertainty of where I am going or what I am doing next is the biggest challenge. I am someone who is always active, and wants to accomplish things. In coming to Maine I think I am entering a more contemplative period of discernment and desire to really enter in to Faith.

Friday morning I took a train out of Croton to Grand Central, took a subway to chinatown than took the Fung Wah bus to Boston. I took another bus to Boston where Robert, my friend Manju's husband picked me up. I spent a few days with them and their three month old. Manju and I studied for her anatomy and physiology class and at night I started to teach  her some salsa steps. In the kitchen she gave me more Nepali cooking tips. On Monday Robert went to work in Portland and dropped me off at USM where my brother Joe picked me up. I got home around 9:50 in the morning and it just so happened that my Dad's 10am patient (my father is an optometrist and sees patients in the house) was Norm, who is a professed Dominican layperson active in our Church. I had had some conversations with him as I was planning for mission. Since he had to wait around the office for a half hour after getting his eyes dilated I took advantage to talk to him. His wife is hosting a Saturday retreat to help people discern what their gifts are to give to God, so I am planning on attending that!

I spent the morning studying my EMT book because I am looking to get a job or volunteer on an ambulance. I have a job at Starbucks again- but its the one in Brunswick.  A friend is going to lend me a bike so I can get to and from work but I hope that it is only temporary. I am seeking out other mission organizations and keeping in contact with Maryknoll praying and discerning where God wants me to serve. 

I also tuned and took out my "barbie guitar" at home last night. I started strumming, and received a text message from Elba my former room mate from Puerto Rico who had helped teach me guitar while I was there. We had kept in contact through the internet but I hadn't talked to her in probably a year. That was providential to me. I will also take this time to work on music, and study language tapes from the library. I want to learn so much!!! 

I feel SO blessed for the time that I spent at Bethany. It was like a month long retreat. What I got out of it was patience, and the faith to hold myself back from leaping until its time. I am enjoying the beautiful fall leaves, and accepting that they each drop in turn to leave the tree bare. Bare but still with the promise of spring. I don't know what this winter will bring, but I am praying the the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge.

WASHINGTON DC WEEK!

What a wonderful week!! We stayed in Takoma Park at the residence of the Society of African Missioners (SMA... it is originally a french mission group and have houses all over the world training lay missioners and religious). Since there are 13 in our group and 7 in theirs four people from our group went to stay at the Franciscan lay mission building a couple metro stops away. We all shared meals together though - very cozy, and slept on mattresses on the floor in the basement, living room, and upstairs. There is also a chapel in the building and Father Dan lives in the house. They pray the liturgy of the hours every morning and night together (at 7 am in the morning) and celebrate mass every night, though they altered the schedule to accommodate our very busy days. The first day was a retreat at the BEAUTIFUL Franciscan monastery along with the Camboni lay missioners, African Lay missioners, and franciscan lay missioners. Father Mike, a franciscan, led the day and it was perfect because it was the day after Francis's feast day. He talked about his work in Bolivia, as well as Francis's life story. At lunch we ate outside in the garden area in the warm sun as we enjoyed the architecture and depiction of our Lady of Lourdes. The weather for the week was PERFECT- it got to be above 80 on Thursday! The next day we spent as a workshop where a speaker representing act!onaid spoke about human rights programs, the challenges and issues with the current economic policies, and the work that their group does. A former lay missioner also gave a presentation, and then representatives from the offices of the Bolivian ambassador and Tanzanian ambassador came to speak about their countries issues, perception of americans and missioners, and problems that they would like missioners to address. During our break we walked down to the Washington monument as the capitol is right across the street from the Methodist building where we met. From left to right: Me, Lindsay (who will serve in Cambodia), Brian (of the African Mission Society, SMA) and Jackie (also SMA)Behind us in the picture you can see some tents. They are actually many houses being built for a solar decathlon where 20 colleges and universities  (INCLUDING the University of Puerto Rico! GO GALLOS!) competed to build energy friendly houses powered only by solar. The winner was judged by architects and designers judging the marketability, design appeal, scientists testing the water flow and engineering, lighting design, and several other areas.

Back at the house Steve cooked us a delicious meal and we played board games and Sister Genie played her guitar and taught me a couple new songs. 

The next day we went to the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns (MOGC) which is located on the campus of Catholic University right across the street from the beautiful Basilica and National Shrine. We met with them the following day, and they brought in several NGOs doing work in the regions where we were serving. It is inspiring to see all the good that all these organizations do, to know that it is a team effort in the field and at home. 

The following day I met with the aids in congresswomen's Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins offices as well as my local representative Chellie Pingree to introduce myself, talk about where I will be going and what I will be doing. 

Some people headed home Friday night but I decided to stay the weekend. Saturday I spent the day with Tom who will be serving with the Society of African Missioners, and Cindy and John a maryknoll married couple from Kansas who are in my class and will be headed to Kenya. They are retired teachers, and their eldest daughter Katrina has been working in Nigeria for the past couple years as an unofficial missioner. We spent the morning at the Holocaust museum. It is very powerful the way the museum is set up. They also have displays and lots of information about the more recent officially recognized genocide in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Sudan. 

I split from the group to visit and have lunch with my Uncle Joe and see some of the sights in the area. Afterwards I met back up to go to mass at the Basilica. Right after mass a Boys choir was performing in the Crypt below and we went to listen to the free concert. They were amazing. There were probably 40 in their group, ages 6 to 60. Some songs just the younger boys would perform, and some just the men.

The next morning at breakfast we said goodbye to Father Dan and all the SMAs and were on our way back on the Chinatown bus. We arrived home just in time to grab dinner at the Italian Fest bazaar in town this week and enjoy the music and festivities. After a long week I need to go to sleep so I can be up for morning prayer tomorrow!

Buenas Noches y Dios te bendiga!

We arrived safely back at Maryknoll. Below you can see a picture of Lindsay and I as we stand on the balcony attached to the library of the father's and brother's building.

Non-Violence and MK Legends

This past week we had a three day work shop on Non-Violent communication. The workshop was run by three lovely ladies. They are all retired and sweet grandmotherly types, but all have a quick sense of humor. They usually run this workshop in prisons or in juvenile detention centers, so for them it was an interesting experience as well. Later in the week we discussed "Mission Ecclesiology with Rev. John Walsh, who has done a presentation for every class of Mary knoll lay mission candidates for the past 35 years. There must be a misprint in all of his books because they say that he entered this world in 1913. I admire how strong the minds are of all the sisters brothers and priests that I have met despite all the struggles and challenges they have faced over the years. 

Last night we pressed apples, and so I had hot apple cider with breakfast this morning. I am finishing packing because we are headed off to DC early tomorrow morning. We will be back the following Sunday and so I will tell about the adventures of the week at that time.