!Hola mis amigos!
I hope everybody's doing well. So, my week. One of the highlights was when I got to go with Lilly, who is one of the American missionaries, to different houses around Comayagua. She works alongside a social worker who is employed by the Missioners of Christ. They basically go door to door throughout the city, finding people in the greatest need. They help children with funding for school, single mothers, those who don't have jobs, and those without food. Their ministry also involves visiting the elderly, sick, and lonely. We ended up visiting two elderly people whose spouses had recently died and just needed someone to visit them. The first woman we visited was extremely joyful, and the minute we got there, she began making tortillas and frijoles. I would have never known her husband had just died.
The second man we visited, was absoluely adorable. Him and his wife had been living together for some 40 years or more, and it had been her dream to recieve the sacrament of marriage for many years. A few months after they got married, she died. The man's story is also sad because his children have all moved to the states and have basically abandoned him, and don't ever call him. Lilly was explaining to me that it is very common for many Hondurans to leave to the states to make more money, and completely leave behind their families. This man was so kind and I was so blessed to be able to visit him. Hopefully he felt less forgotten.
Today I helped out with a small retreat for high school kids. It was pretty hysterical, because I was put in a small group with a seminarian who also speaks little spanish. There was a lot of awkard silences, and smiling and nodding on my part, and hoping the teenagers weren't saying completely horrible things. I love how this is stretching me!! Oh how desperately I wish I was fluent though...one day hopefully =)
I have been comissioned to a painting! I wrote that I like to paint and draw, not thinking much of it, and they are putting me to work!! I'm going to be painting Saint Francis Xavier on the wall, the patron saint of missionaries, next to a painting that has already been done of Saint Therese. I am super excited about it, but also pretty nervous too. I appreciate all your prayers, and would ask specifically for grace in the struggles that accompany the language barrier. I just have so much I want to say. But this summer is teaching me to listen. I Would love your comments! I pray that God blesses you in this coming up week.
Lots of love,
Angie
"Language comes alive when it speaks by deeds. Enough of talking; let actions speak. We are bloated with words and empty works."
-Saint Anthony of Padua
Friday, June 25, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
!Buenas!
I have so much to I want to talk about, I don't even know where to begin. So all of us summer missioners got back tonight from language school. What an incredible experience. First of all, we stayed at this gorgeous, peaceful retreat center out in the mountains for two weeks that is run by these adorable nuns who spoiled us rotten with tons of Honduran food. We were immediately welcomed so generously by the people in the town and we had the opportunity to get to know some of the Hondurans really well.
Language school was definetly a challenge, but I think I 've learned a lot, and I'm really hoping that it will help me better connect with the Hondurans. All four of us summer missioners really got to know eachother these past two weeks. They are such wonderful people and I already feel like I've known them a long time. Jamie is 20, a junior at Carroll College, and is really intelligent and kind and is helping us all stay on top of things. Carrie is a Senior at UNC, and this is her third time in Honduras, but her first time being here for the whole summer. She is super positive and joyful all the time, it's so wonderful. Zach is 20, a junior at Franciscan University of Steubenville. This is his fifth time in Honduras with the missioners...he is in love with this country and the life of a missionary, so he has taught me a lot.
These last two weeks, the Hondurans in the town we were staying in blew me away. I've never met more hospitable people in my life. We got to spend a lot of time with this young priest who serves in the area where we had language school. He is the only priest to around 20 parishes throughout the area. A lot of his churches are far up in the mountains, and because he has so many churches, a lot of his people only get to celebrate mass once a month, at most. Even though this man works harder than anyone I've ever met, he is also the most joyful man I've ever met. He was literally always smiling. He took us to around four different parishes, and at every parish he made us go to the front of the church and introduce ourselves and sometimes give a testimony. There were so many times when I felt like running away and hiding. I can't explain how unworthy I felt...these people are only able to recive Christ once a month, yet they continue to have such strong faith..and I am a missionary to them?
This one village we visited was especially deep in the mountains. They didn't have electricity or running water, and the people in this town looked at us like we had four heads, I'm guessing most of them have never seen gringos like us before. In order to get to their church, we hiked alongside the Hondurans up this really steep mountain for about 45 minutes. The whole time I was thinking...I wonder how many Americans would hike up this to go to church (think about how empty your church becomes on Super bowl Sundays and Labor Day weekends). Then I couldn't help but think..would I? Living on a Catholic campus, I have the opportunity to easily go to Mass everyday, but how often did I not go to daily Mass because I had "something else to do."
The most humbling thing about all this is something Zach was explaining to me. Some of these people wait their entire lives in hope of meeting a missionary. It is the hope for their children..they even have a special prayer they say here at every mass specifically for missionaries. They opened up their homes so generously to us, and made us feel like the most important guests they have ever had (contrast that to the way Americans notoriously treat door to door missionaries). I have so much to learn from the people here. Pray for us, because now the real work begins!
Que Dios le Bendiga,
Angie
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11
I have so much to I want to talk about, I don't even know where to begin. So all of us summer missioners got back tonight from language school. What an incredible experience. First of all, we stayed at this gorgeous, peaceful retreat center out in the mountains for two weeks that is run by these adorable nuns who spoiled us rotten with tons of Honduran food. We were immediately welcomed so generously by the people in the town and we had the opportunity to get to know some of the Hondurans really well.
Language school was definetly a challenge, but I think I 've learned a lot, and I'm really hoping that it will help me better connect with the Hondurans. All four of us summer missioners really got to know eachother these past two weeks. They are such wonderful people and I already feel like I've known them a long time. Jamie is 20, a junior at Carroll College, and is really intelligent and kind and is helping us all stay on top of things. Carrie is a Senior at UNC, and this is her third time in Honduras, but her first time being here for the whole summer. She is super positive and joyful all the time, it's so wonderful. Zach is 20, a junior at Franciscan University of Steubenville. This is his fifth time in Honduras with the missioners...he is in love with this country and the life of a missionary, so he has taught me a lot.
These last two weeks, the Hondurans in the town we were staying in blew me away. I've never met more hospitable people in my life. We got to spend a lot of time with this young priest who serves in the area where we had language school. He is the only priest to around 20 parishes throughout the area. A lot of his churches are far up in the mountains, and because he has so many churches, a lot of his people only get to celebrate mass once a month, at most. Even though this man works harder than anyone I've ever met, he is also the most joyful man I've ever met. He was literally always smiling. He took us to around four different parishes, and at every parish he made us go to the front of the church and introduce ourselves and sometimes give a testimony. There were so many times when I felt like running away and hiding. I can't explain how unworthy I felt...these people are only able to recive Christ once a month, yet they continue to have such strong faith..and I am a missionary to them?
This one village we visited was especially deep in the mountains. They didn't have electricity or running water, and the people in this town looked at us like we had four heads, I'm guessing most of them have never seen gringos like us before. In order to get to their church, we hiked alongside the Hondurans up this really steep mountain for about 45 minutes. The whole time I was thinking...I wonder how many Americans would hike up this to go to church (think about how empty your church becomes on Super bowl Sundays and Labor Day weekends). Then I couldn't help but think..would I? Living on a Catholic campus, I have the opportunity to easily go to Mass everyday, but how often did I not go to daily Mass because I had "something else to do."
The most humbling thing about all this is something Zach was explaining to me. Some of these people wait their entire lives in hope of meeting a missionary. It is the hope for their children..they even have a special prayer they say here at every mass specifically for missionaries. They opened up their homes so generously to us, and made us feel like the most important guests they have ever had (contrast that to the way Americans notoriously treat door to door missionaries). I have so much to learn from the people here. Pray for us, because now the real work begins!
Que Dios le Bendiga,
Angie
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Hello friends!!
I hope you all are doing really well. So a little bit about my experience so far. First of all, I can´t explain how happy I am to be here. I couldn´t have hand-picked a more perfect organization to serve with. My fellow missioners are wonderful people, I feel I´ve always known them and am so at home. Even though I´ve only been here a few days, I feel like I´ve been here a long time, probably because our days have been so full of life. Just within the last few days I have visited an orphanage for young girls, gotten to know the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, went to mass with the cloistered Poor Clares, visited the Missionaries of Charity House, and volunteered at a school for children with disabilities. We don´t know individually where we will all be focusing our time of service, so they are giving us a little taste of everything for right now.
There have been of course, a few struggles, the biggest one being the language barrier. Lets just say I thought I knew a lot more spanish than I actually do! I realize now that I have taken for granted for so long the simple gift of communication, but I am trying everyday to communicate His love in a way besides words, even if it´s just a smile. Tomorrow we are all leaving for two weeks of language school, and all I can say is that I´ve never been more excited to learn Spanish!!
I wanted to share a little reflection with all of you. Tonight all of us Missioners had adoration and praise & worship (in ENGLISH!) with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Afterwards, I went to confession, and the last thing that the Friar told me was: "Remind yourself of your poverty. Don´t be so hard on yourself. Admit that you were wrong before God, and then remember that we are all so small and poor without Him. I mean, there are only so many Therese´s in this world." This made me burst into spontaneous laughter and tears. First of all, I have been reading Mother Teresa´s wrtings, "Come Be My Light", which has led me to feel quite unholy and inadequete. Not to mention the fact that I have been, for a while, completely terrified of St. Therese of Lisieux, which I know is very strange..(in my room here, a huge picture of her face hangs on my wall right across from my bed..coincidence?)
The reason I bring this up, is because I have been led to believe more deeply than ever that we are so blessed to have our poverty, whatever that may be. What then, if not our poverty, brings us to our knees to yearn for Christ? I am going to be controversial, and will go so far as to say that in a mystical way not understood by our world, these poor, suffering, Hondurans are in a way more blessed then us (sorry to say) spoiled Americans. Why? Because it is the poor who are so close to Christ, especally close to Him in His redemptive suffering. They have nothing, but everything. These people have only Christ, much suffering, yet SO much joy. This is such a cliche idea, but it is a reality here. Today I looked into the eyes of a 2-year old orphan girl, (who acted more like a 6-year old American, really), and realized that maybe she has known more suffering than I will ever know. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw only Christ. I am now convinced then, that really the greatest poverty is to make ourselves believe that we are not in great need of our Lord.
I am also coming to see that I have very little to give to these people that they do not already have much more profoundly than I. But the love for Jesus that is in my heart, I will try to share it as abundantly as I can, "To give and not count the cost" -St. Ignatius Loyola. Yet, it will be in very small humble ways, like doing dishes, playing duck, duck, goose (or perro, perro, gato as we call it here..we didn´t know the words for duck, duck, goose in spanish),or allowing Honduran teenagers to laugh at my ridiculous, fumbling spanish. I am soooo blessed to be here, thank you for your prayers! Lots of love coming your way in prayer!!
Adios,
Angie
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3
I hope you all are doing really well. So a little bit about my experience so far. First of all, I can´t explain how happy I am to be here. I couldn´t have hand-picked a more perfect organization to serve with. My fellow missioners are wonderful people, I feel I´ve always known them and am so at home. Even though I´ve only been here a few days, I feel like I´ve been here a long time, probably because our days have been so full of life. Just within the last few days I have visited an orphanage for young girls, gotten to know the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, went to mass with the cloistered Poor Clares, visited the Missionaries of Charity House, and volunteered at a school for children with disabilities. We don´t know individually where we will all be focusing our time of service, so they are giving us a little taste of everything for right now.
There have been of course, a few struggles, the biggest one being the language barrier. Lets just say I thought I knew a lot more spanish than I actually do! I realize now that I have taken for granted for so long the simple gift of communication, but I am trying everyday to communicate His love in a way besides words, even if it´s just a smile. Tomorrow we are all leaving for two weeks of language school, and all I can say is that I´ve never been more excited to learn Spanish!!
I wanted to share a little reflection with all of you. Tonight all of us Missioners had adoration and praise & worship (in ENGLISH!) with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Afterwards, I went to confession, and the last thing that the Friar told me was: "Remind yourself of your poverty. Don´t be so hard on yourself. Admit that you were wrong before God, and then remember that we are all so small and poor without Him. I mean, there are only so many Therese´s in this world." This made me burst into spontaneous laughter and tears. First of all, I have been reading Mother Teresa´s wrtings, "Come Be My Light", which has led me to feel quite unholy and inadequete. Not to mention the fact that I have been, for a while, completely terrified of St. Therese of Lisieux, which I know is very strange..(in my room here, a huge picture of her face hangs on my wall right across from my bed..coincidence?)
The reason I bring this up, is because I have been led to believe more deeply than ever that we are so blessed to have our poverty, whatever that may be. What then, if not our poverty, brings us to our knees to yearn for Christ? I am going to be controversial, and will go so far as to say that in a mystical way not understood by our world, these poor, suffering, Hondurans are in a way more blessed then us (sorry to say) spoiled Americans. Why? Because it is the poor who are so close to Christ, especally close to Him in His redemptive suffering. They have nothing, but everything. These people have only Christ, much suffering, yet SO much joy. This is such a cliche idea, but it is a reality here. Today I looked into the eyes of a 2-year old orphan girl, (who acted more like a 6-year old American, really), and realized that maybe she has known more suffering than I will ever know. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw only Christ. I am now convinced then, that really the greatest poverty is to make ourselves believe that we are not in great need of our Lord.
I am also coming to see that I have very little to give to these people that they do not already have much more profoundly than I. But the love for Jesus that is in my heart, I will try to share it as abundantly as I can, "To give and not count the cost" -St. Ignatius Loyola. Yet, it will be in very small humble ways, like doing dishes, playing duck, duck, goose (or perro, perro, gato as we call it here..we didn´t know the words for duck, duck, goose in spanish),or allowing Honduran teenagers to laugh at my ridiculous, fumbling spanish. I am soooo blessed to be here, thank you for your prayers! Lots of love coming your way in prayer!!
Adios,
Angie
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Hello everyone!!
In just a few hours I will be in Honduras. It is so exciting! I cannot believe that I have been given this opportunity, to be able to meet Jesus in the poor. I am already starting to love my fellow missioners, people I've never met, and the Hondurans who I don't even know.
My greatest prayer as of right now is that I can get out of the way enough to allow God to work through me this summer. I am entrusting all of this to Him, with faith that He will use me in some way, even if it is in a very small way. I really have been given so much, and because of this, my heart is just bursting to give back!!
I would really appreciate your prayers...You can be certain of mine. All of the missioners will be praying for 3 hours everyday, so I'm sure we will all become very intimate with the prayer requests of our loved ones back home. I will be updating my blog once a week when we are able to get into town and use a computer. I love you all so much! Thank you for your support and prayers...I'll be back soon to tell you all about what God has been up to in Honduras.
God Bless,
Angie
“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
-Bl. Mother Teresa
In just a few hours I will be in Honduras. It is so exciting! I cannot believe that I have been given this opportunity, to be able to meet Jesus in the poor. I am already starting to love my fellow missioners, people I've never met, and the Hondurans who I don't even know.
My greatest prayer as of right now is that I can get out of the way enough to allow God to work through me this summer. I am entrusting all of this to Him, with faith that He will use me in some way, even if it is in a very small way. I really have been given so much, and because of this, my heart is just bursting to give back!!
I would really appreciate your prayers...You can be certain of mine. All of the missioners will be praying for 3 hours everyday, so I'm sure we will all become very intimate with the prayer requests of our loved ones back home. I will be updating my blog once a week when we are able to get into town and use a computer. I love you all so much! Thank you for your support and prayers...I'll be back soon to tell you all about what God has been up to in Honduras.
God Bless,
Angie
“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
-Bl. Mother Teresa
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