September 2012
All of the last I have experienced in the
last month:
Last community dia de limpieza (cleaning day) where the house is literally
stripped of everything and we take the hoses and buckets and drench the walls
with bleach water, wash every dish, clean the gutters, reorganize the book
shelves and throw at all the fubol’s
with holes in them.
Last dia
de independencia (day of independence) including those for our sister
countries of Nicaragua and Mexico (we have to Mexican-Americans and two
Nicaraguans in our house as well). The school parades around the campo and this year we had a band with
instruments donated to us from the manicipalidad
(the local government). There were ballerinas, cheerleaders, peloton, the
pillars of the school, the band, and more. Next to Christmas and Semana Santa (holy week) this is one of
the most important days in their year!
Last community retiro (retreat) with “my” community. There will be others but
unfortunately I am not part of the community that will remain come December 1st. We went to un centro de retiro in Saba which felt like a floral selva (jungle) it was so beautiful, I
felt like I was in a different world. We had lots of great conversations and
time with God, watched the stars, sat in silence, challenged us to see the
world and our own selves as it is. It was radical, ask me about it when I come
home I am so excited to live it out!
Last room change day! Every six months we
change rooms to live with different people of the community and this is the
last one…only there for another two months.
It is so hard to grasp that two years has
come and gone; I never thought I would feel it went by fast but it is almost
over! I am daily trying to be grateful for this day and not think about or
count down the days to leaving. I still have two months of work so I can’t
“check out” yet :D Please pray for me and all those in my class (Lily, Mary
Kate, Amanda, Betsy, Kate, Nils, Jacob & Rachel and there four boys: Jonah,
Isaac, Ruben, Alias) that God is preparing for our transition back into a
culture different from what we have been living in and that He gives us the courage
to continue our life of simplicity, spirituality, community, and service.
Thank you for all of your support in ALL
its forms. It has helped me in many ways.
Paz y Bien,
Deirdre
