Next Year...

Well, Im not welcomed back next year. And I couldn't be more crushed...

looks like Im coming home.

A much needed Retreat (MARCH)

I've mentioned how I spent a week in Cuernavaca on Retreat. The Missionaries came down from Monterrey and it was nice to see them again. The weeks before I had been feeling a need for a change, and wasn't feeling very useful at the Guarderia.

We started off here in Santa Fe, shwoing everyone around and had a meal after 1 o'clock mass at the Parish. We invtied the boyfriends and shared in a nice meal with all of the regulars at the Parish.

Then we headed to Cuernavaca the next day with Brother Brian the leader of our retreat and began. The retreat house was beautiful and for the first time in nearly 9 months I had a room of my own! The opportunity to discuss our experience in service with each other helped to alleviate some stress and insecurities about our work. I felt a strong excitement right away remembering why I am here and encouraging myself to not give up finding my role and using my abilities to serve the community. It also helped to identify and discuss injustices that we have seen, and discussing our roles in how we can work towards changing this. It was a nice break and a really great sharing with the other missionaries.

But wow, was Cuernavaca beautiful. I would love to go back again!

Living Simply- Circa February 20thish

For the first time in my life I walked through a market and realized that I could not afford to buy a single thing in there. And honestly, I did not like the feeling. And immediately I thought, is this how poor people feel? only, All the time?? I can't begin to imagine how "the poor" feel on a daily basis. And I realize, how much I've taken for granted. All the things I've been given. A stable home, food, presents for birthdays and holidays, even simple things like a new pair of shoes or a toothbrush. Things such as going to the movies or buying a treat, feeling like a waste of money and not an enjoyable thing, when you realize there are more important things to buy.

I am by no means trying to say that I am poor, but living on $80 a month has shown me a life that I really never knew before. Where sometimes at the end of the month sacrifices have to be made. When buying medicine takes away 1/4 of your month, money goes fast and luxuries start to get put on the back burner.

I must admit, I've always been the type of person that would choose a night with friends over a night in with a book. But here, it is proving difficult.

But this is the life I chose, possibly the life I will always have. To be in solidarity. To understand being grateful for food, a house and community. To remember the insignificance of money but knowing the importance of living.