August 11, 2005

Aside from starting an hour earlier (5 AM) and being totally in Spanish, our prayer schedule is exactly the same here as it is in New York. Yesterday, after our morning time of prayer, we hurriedly fed the rabbits and chickens (and ourselves!) and headed off to make a home visit with Br. Matteo.

The mother of the family, one of her daughters, and a neighbor came to the friary by bus and by foot to show us the way to their adobe house. We found the house to be larger than most - made of a wooden frame packed with mud, with a dirt floor. For furnishings there was a piece of mirror plastered into the wall, the frame of an arm chair - the upholstery was almost completely missing, 2 bicycles parked inside, a table, and a hammock. The roof was made of tin and had been constructed by the Missioners of Christ when the original roof was blown off by a hurricane.

I was impressed by how neat and clean the house was. I was even more impressed by this family's faith and utter dependence on God. The mother told us that "the family had been blessed by God in that house, that God gave them the roof, and that they were in the shadow of His wings." At that point, Rosann leaned over to me and said, "And we're supposed to be evangelizing them?"

God bless you,

Sr. Clare