August 7, 2005

How are we adjusting to Honduras? Well, we have gotten used to hearing a bomb go off every hour on the hour! No, these bombs were not set off by hooligans, but rather by the parish priest right next door! Br. Matteo assured that it is only a quarter of a stick of dynamite! And why was the priest setting off explosives day and night? Well, the parish was conducting their 40-hour devotion and the explosion was to alert the next family that it was their hour to come and adore the Lord.

After our regular morning prayer schedule, the rest of our day was spent helping the Missioners of Christ with a retreat for girls.We found that these young women struggle with some of the same issues as young women in the States. We focused on their dignity and value in the eyes of God and the importance of purity. They were excited to get a chance to ask us questions about our lives, as some of them may have a religious vocation.

Luckily, Sr. Francesca studied Spanish in both high-school and college - and it's really paying off down here. She was able to give her witness in Spanish while I needed a tranlator for my talks. But, regardless of my lack knowledge of the language, it was worth the effort to find ways to communicate with the girls.

Rosary and night prayer is an hour earlier than our schedule in New York. This allows us to get to sleep nice and early, because the roosters start crowing at 3:30 AM on the dot!

Sr. Clare