August 12, 2005

Yesterday, August 11, was the feast of Saint Clare of Assisi. It seemed somehow appropriate to be here in Honduras with its dirt roads, hot sun, breying donkeys, and very poor people to celebrate our Holy Mother Saint Clare, faithful follower of Saint Francis, faithful follower of Christ.

This place not only feels like going back in time, it has a strange timeless quality about it. It's not hard to imagine Saint Francis or Saint Clare walking these roads - or even Jesus and Mary themselves. That's part of the intrigue of this land for me.

Every Thursday about 30 women and children come to the friary for a nutritious noon-time meal. These are some of the poorest and most malnutritioned people of the neighborhood. The program is run by Michelle Hinckley, a nutritionist and lay missionary (see photo of her husband Daniel and son Juan Pablo at right).

After the lunch program, Brother Honorat took us to see a home the friars just completed for a woman and her four daughters. The house is built on stilts on the side of a hill because that's the only property this poor family could afford.

Today, Brother Matteo showed us some of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen and tomorrow our trip is coming to an end. This will be our last "Honduras Diary" entry. I hope this little "window" into the mission has moved your heart toward God and toward His beloved poor in some small way.

God bless you!
Sr. Clare