I thought I would have a moment of silence. But not happening. All of the kids went to the pool, but by the time I got on the computer...they're back. So this probably won't be to coherent.
And I am not in a bad mood...just because someone used my towel as a bathmat. May you all have 25 teen-age boys live with you for a week just once in your lives...it will keep you out of purgatory. They really are being great...just boys. We get their rooms cleaned, but it lasts only until they go in there the next time. And replace a roll of toliet paper...unheard of!
The work at the church went really well yesterday. They boys jumped in with both feet and worked really hard...so much so they out-paced the supplies. So they finished about one in the afternoon. It was getting too hot to work by that time anyway. They went to the pool after that. So they were all happy.
Yesterday afternoon the Fraternities had a game day...basketball and volleyball type of stuff. They had a great time and really mingled with everyone. We found most of them when Sofia's parents (who is in Jefferson City) invited us to their favorite taco stand...the boys were down the street at one of the city's most popular hot dog stands. The hot dogs here are all about condiments...fried pork, chorizo, bacon, beans, guacamole, three or four kinds of salsa, raw onions, cooked onions. One looked really good: a banana pepper stuffed with cheese and a hot dog and then wrapped in bacon.
Today we went back to work at the chapel after Mass and a fine breakfast of scrambled eggs with salchichas (hotdogs), re-fried beans and tortillas. The neighborhood is called Los Angeles and is just being developed. It is mainly low-income govenment housing. The chapel is Divino Niño Jesus: Divine Child, Jesus. The mother parish is Nuestra Señora del Rosario: our Lady of the Rosary. Eventually, a church will be built on the property.
Today the boys finished stretching the fence, used the irrigation trench they dug yesterday, washed, white-washed and began to paint the interior walls, sloped the front of the church where the steps will be build and cleared what I thought was just vacant property...which was really a side-walk that had been buried under debris. We should finish there tomorrow. Mr. Aur and I are meeting with some people this afternoon to look for some other experiences. I will let you know how that goes in tomorrow's blog.
While we were there some guy stopped to ask who we were and what we were doing. He left and showed up a bit later with his overtly reluctent son to help us, left again and came back later with tools and two of his son's friends. By the time we left we were also joined by another family who lived in the area. So that was really cool. Good will is contagious. Hopefully the boys will remember that.
Last night the boys were dropped off by even a greater number of girls, imagine that. We invited them to come and have night prayer with us, which they did. It was really nice. I think that will be a tradition.
Today for lunch, Ricardo's parents invited us to lunch. So our big yellow school bus pulled into a small quiet sub-division and hot smelly boys piled out. I think that was a get out of purgatory free card also! They had beef tacos and beans. The real treat was ice-cream cones for desert. They are leaving for mission tomorrow. I can't believe they took the time to feed us. When we left they were going to go set up a tent to sleep in.
Thursday night the Brothers have invited all of us over to their house for dinner. I hope they know what they are in for. Brother Rodrigo continues to spoil us. He will not take any money for the bus. Half-way through the morning one of the school workers shows up with soda and a cooler of ice for us, again Rodrigo. When we got back to the house, there were 10 cases of bottled water stacked in the kitchen. The many kindnesses just don't stop.
I am posting photos now. So check flickr.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday of Holy Week
We finished late again last night, we burned the past and cleansed ourselves for the future. The student leaders (who are the returning missionaries) now think all is right with the world.
Some of them were starving after prayer. Thank goodness my favorite taco stand in the city is just a few blocks away and open until 2:00 in the morning. McDonald's is open until 3:00. A different culture to be sure.
We woke up at 6:00 and began our chores at 6:15...cleaning bathrooms, cooking, sweeping...everything we would do in the villages. We had Zucaritas for breakfast (read Kellogg's corn flakes) at 6:45. We began morning prayer at 7:15 (usually it will be at 6:15, but today the prayer leaders asked for a longer time. We walked to the parish for 8:00 Mass. The boys were blessed again and Father told the congregation what we were doing here and that mission was cancelled so we are working on one of the churches in a poor neighborhood. So everyone applauded and Father sprinkled us with holy water. After Mass, he asked if some of the people could drive us to the other church...we had more volunteers than kids. So Chris is with them. Didier is looking work gloves. I hope they all put on sun-screen. The sun is just as intense in town as it is in the villages, maybe more so since with are further South. I can not tell you how many people have said: any thing you need just call. Unlike when you here that most of the time, these people actually give you their phone number!
Tonight we are going to try to get them to bed by 10:30, if they aren't asleep before that. People here don't even start thinking dinner until after 8:00. But I think the boys will be ready for both food and sleep!
Ana Maria's Daughter Rachel took Di and I to Sam's Club to lay-in more supplies. Yesterday we hit Costco, but feeding 25 growing boys takes food and lots of it.
Some of them were starving after prayer. Thank goodness my favorite taco stand in the city is just a few blocks away and open until 2:00 in the morning. McDonald's is open until 3:00. A different culture to be sure.
We woke up at 6:00 and began our chores at 6:15...cleaning bathrooms, cooking, sweeping...everything we would do in the villages. We had Zucaritas for breakfast (read Kellogg's corn flakes) at 6:45. We began morning prayer at 7:15 (usually it will be at 6:15, but today the prayer leaders asked for a longer time. We walked to the parish for 8:00 Mass. The boys were blessed again and Father told the congregation what we were doing here and that mission was cancelled so we are working on one of the churches in a poor neighborhood. So everyone applauded and Father sprinkled us with holy water. After Mass, he asked if some of the people could drive us to the other church...we had more volunteers than kids. So Chris is with them. Didier is looking work gloves. I hope they all put on sun-screen. The sun is just as intense in town as it is in the villages, maybe more so since with are further South. I can not tell you how many people have said: any thing you need just call. Unlike when you here that most of the time, these people actually give you their phone number!
Tonight we are going to try to get them to bed by 10:30, if they aren't asleep before that. People here don't even start thinking dinner until after 8:00. But I think the boys will be ready for both food and sleep!
Ana Maria's Daughter Rachel took Di and I to Sam's Club to lay-in more supplies. Yesterday we hit Costco, but feeding 25 growing boys takes food and lots of it.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Palm Sunday
I don't even know where to start with this. So I will just start writing and see where it goes. But as you read, just keep in mind that there are many sides to everything and the reality slides between all of them. Last night a group of boys came to the leaders and said they didn't like the way things were going and wanted to leave. The main concerns were after a day and a half, that this wasn't the trip that they signed up for, since we could no longer go to the villages; there was too much free time; there weren't enough spiritual activities and there were things going on with which they weren't comfortable. I think all of the concerns were at least partially valid.
Next: First, we met with all of the boys and talked to any one who wanted talk individually. I spoke with all of the boys from O'Hara. Then each school met as a group. The consensus was that we need to stay and work this out. This decision reflected not only our personal growth, but concern for the students at Regis, who have been so hospitable and worked so long on mission. The other side of the proverbial coin: service is an individual activity, person to person, and can be small but still meaningful (like distributing the left over hamburgers to the homeless, which happened); that the free time was valuable because it gave people time to discover the Mexican culture honors family, hospitality and friendships; there has been time for personal prayer and reflection and since it was open ended, could have been as much as anyone wanted; some people did not get into a situation with which they were uncomfortable (especially the people who were visiting the cathedral and had no idea what all the fuss was about). Anyway about 4:00 this morning we decided to make this work. So thanks for your prayers!
We reworked today, moving back Mass time until noon and time with our hosts until 3:00. We brought donuts in and the returning missionaries worked on some ideas. At 8:00 tonight we will begin the master plan. We opened the afternoon because some of the kids already had committed to go visit a group foster home as a Fraternity service project. As I said, there were two side to the story. For some people a lot of very positive things have happened.
After Mass this morning, Ana Lopez had the mission cross for Cerro Blanco blessed, along with the Bible and misc. church articles including a plaque of Saint James (the name of the parish). Father also blessed the boys...and wow, it worked. He also invited us to all the parish services including daily morning Mass. Ana Maria and both Ricardo's parents were also at Mass. So I filled them in on the happenings of last night. A phone call later and Ricardo's mother received permission from her mission group for us to accompany them all week. They are working in one of the neighborhoods not far from here painting houses and fixing things in homes in one of the poorer areas of town. Ana Lopez and Ana Maria have volunteered to shuttle us to the other school to meet the other group. So that takes care of service every day from 9:00 to 5:00. We still will meet our fraternities every day. Monday for an Olympiad, similar to what we would do in the villages on Wednesdays. On Tuesday we will do the fiesta popular which usually occurs on Holy Saturday. Wednesday, our normal day of retreat is replaced by Fraternity Day, which with be a prayer day and dinner out with the fraternity (usually Easter Sunday). Thursday will be the washing of the feet and adoration until 11:00 pm. Good Friday, each Fraternity will have responsibility for a station beginning in the late afternoon. Saturday is the blessing of the fire, in the morning we are hoping to invite some of the remaining Fraternity members for discussion and recreation. And Easter Sunday, after Mass, the Fraternities had already scheduled a day of service at a nursing home. Maybe God was just waiting for a re-commitment. We would leave for Tucson on Monday as scheduled. Brother Rodrigo also has another lead for service at a children's group home. If that comes through we will try to send some people there.
This morning I met with the returning missionaries and we have established prayer groups to lead prayer and work groups to keep the house clean. We will cook more meals here and will have to pack lunches. Tonight we are going to meet with both groups together and talk about both the positive and negative things that have happened. We will then ritualize the putting of the bad behind us and celebrate the commitment we will make together to move forward. The leadership group is putting that all together.
By the way, in case you were wondering...the hamburgers weren't so bad. They had fresh bakery buns!
Next: First, we met with all of the boys and talked to any one who wanted talk individually. I spoke with all of the boys from O'Hara. Then each school met as a group. The consensus was that we need to stay and work this out. This decision reflected not only our personal growth, but concern for the students at Regis, who have been so hospitable and worked so long on mission. The other side of the proverbial coin: service is an individual activity, person to person, and can be small but still meaningful (like distributing the left over hamburgers to the homeless, which happened); that the free time was valuable because it gave people time to discover the Mexican culture honors family, hospitality and friendships; there has been time for personal prayer and reflection and since it was open ended, could have been as much as anyone wanted; some people did not get into a situation with which they were uncomfortable (especially the people who were visiting the cathedral and had no idea what all the fuss was about). Anyway about 4:00 this morning we decided to make this work. So thanks for your prayers!
We reworked today, moving back Mass time until noon and time with our hosts until 3:00. We brought donuts in and the returning missionaries worked on some ideas. At 8:00 tonight we will begin the master plan. We opened the afternoon because some of the kids already had committed to go visit a group foster home as a Fraternity service project. As I said, there were two side to the story. For some people a lot of very positive things have happened.
After Mass this morning, Ana Lopez had the mission cross for Cerro Blanco blessed, along with the Bible and misc. church articles including a plaque of Saint James (the name of the parish). Father also blessed the boys...and wow, it worked. He also invited us to all the parish services including daily morning Mass. Ana Maria and both Ricardo's parents were also at Mass. So I filled them in on the happenings of last night. A phone call later and Ricardo's mother received permission from her mission group for us to accompany them all week. They are working in one of the neighborhoods not far from here painting houses and fixing things in homes in one of the poorer areas of town. Ana Lopez and Ana Maria have volunteered to shuttle us to the other school to meet the other group. So that takes care of service every day from 9:00 to 5:00. We still will meet our fraternities every day. Monday for an Olympiad, similar to what we would do in the villages on Wednesdays. On Tuesday we will do the fiesta popular which usually occurs on Holy Saturday. Wednesday, our normal day of retreat is replaced by Fraternity Day, which with be a prayer day and dinner out with the fraternity (usually Easter Sunday). Thursday will be the washing of the feet and adoration until 11:00 pm. Good Friday, each Fraternity will have responsibility for a station beginning in the late afternoon. Saturday is the blessing of the fire, in the morning we are hoping to invite some of the remaining Fraternity members for discussion and recreation. And Easter Sunday, after Mass, the Fraternities had already scheduled a day of service at a nursing home. Maybe God was just waiting for a re-commitment. We would leave for Tucson on Monday as scheduled. Brother Rodrigo also has another lead for service at a children's group home. If that comes through we will try to send some people there.
This morning I met with the returning missionaries and we have established prayer groups to lead prayer and work groups to keep the house clean. We will cook more meals here and will have to pack lunches. Tonight we are going to meet with both groups together and talk about both the positive and negative things that have happened. We will then ritualize the putting of the bad behind us and celebrate the commitment we will make together to move forward. The leadership group is putting that all together.
By the way, in case you were wondering...the hamburgers weren't so bad. They had fresh bakery buns!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday Noon
I am fighting off my first nap of the day...or at least trying to hold off until the official siesta time! Many of the boys went out to dinner with either their whole fraternity or several larger groups last night. Some went to restaurants and others went to homes. A couple of them experienced the famous "burro", which is a burrito as large as your forearm. We are not going hungry!!!!!!!!
Last night all of the boys were back to school by 11:00. One of them said that the people that they were with were going to a party after they dropped him off...and I said that is exactly the reason that they were dropped off. Didier, Chris and I were at Andres' parents last night for dinner with the other Brothers, Ana Marie and Rolando's parents. Andres and Rolando are exchange students who are in Jefferson City. Well, their kids were just leaving for parties at 10:00 at night. It is a whole different culture. More European in that late night thing. More on that later.
At 11:00 we had night prayer. I had ask the kids at morning prayer to think about the accountability held by the first world countries for many of the problems which exist in developing countries. I told them one of the results is that we are in Hermosillo rather than the villages. The drug war in some respects is because of America's drug habit. We aren't pulling the triggers, but...we are the market that is being fought for. And what is the real cost of having roses in February for Valentine's day. Or a diamond in that engagement ring...or $2.50 gasoline in our tanks. These things are subsidized by the poor in many countries. So I asked them to reflect on their lifestyles throughout the day. Then last night we prayed our day and then they went off with their Bibles and journals to write down their reflections. Just to let you know, they prayed for you, knowing you are worrying about them. I am very proud of the way they are really trying to make the best of all the change in plans. As one of you wrote: God knew about the mission being cancelled even before we came, yet we came, so this is part of a greater plan. So, I am trying to get the boys to figure out what the plan is for them. Yesterday morning while I was blogging the boys knew we were supposed to have prayer...so they went into the chapel by themselves and one of them lead the prayer...with out us. So stuff is happening. It is what they do when we aren't looking that really is indicative of what kind of kids they are. And they are making you all proud so far!
We had morning prayer this morning at 8:00 and then off to taqueria El Chino, yes that does translate into the Chinaman's taco stand. The boys are getting very adventurous in their menu choices. Some had beans for breakfast others have taken a liking to tongue. Today they branched out from barbacoa and cabeza to chicharones. I didn't have the heart to tell them what that was...but it is boiled pork rind in either red or green sauce. Pretty fatty. Pork rind, like all food should be fried to be properly enjoyed!
Didier and I met with about 11 families for 2 hours this morning. They are all interested in sending their children to either O'Hara or Helias. We talked about the schools and the cultural differences. I told them that I didn't know of a family who didn't have an 11 or 12 pm curfew for their kids...not just sending them out then. The parents like that. We had a really good conversation. Some of the parents had been exchange students themselves, so naturally want that experience for their children. Being bi-lingual has so many advantages, especially here in Mexico for both higher education and career choices. We tried to explain our difficulty is really finding host families. So start spreading the word. We are working on a meeting time so these students can meet our boys. Not all of them are on mission, most are. But I thought a more focused time would be good. They can introduce each other and hear about the schools for a student perspective. O'Hara has a student down here this year, so I as sure they have heard stories from him. But a variety of perspectives is always better.
We are probably headed for our worst meal yet...hamburgers at 1:30. Ick. We should have the final schedule for the week today. Some of the kids saw it last night. We will decide then what to do. I already know the kids want to stay. It seems that over half the kids will be here next week...so there will be at least 150 kids around.
The parents I was with last night lamented the cancellation of the mission, they pretty much said what we have been hearing from everyone, that the area we are in and were going to weren't the problems, but they said some parts of Mexico have gotten dangerous, so they too, said it is better to error on the side of caution.
The people have been wonderful hosts. Even the parents at the meeting this morning said if we need more hosts for the kids, just to call them. So we are being well cared for. I'll try to get more photos posted today.
Last night all of the boys were back to school by 11:00. One of them said that the people that they were with were going to a party after they dropped him off...and I said that is exactly the reason that they were dropped off. Didier, Chris and I were at Andres' parents last night for dinner with the other Brothers, Ana Marie and Rolando's parents. Andres and Rolando are exchange students who are in Jefferson City. Well, their kids were just leaving for parties at 10:00 at night. It is a whole different culture. More European in that late night thing. More on that later.
At 11:00 we had night prayer. I had ask the kids at morning prayer to think about the accountability held by the first world countries for many of the problems which exist in developing countries. I told them one of the results is that we are in Hermosillo rather than the villages. The drug war in some respects is because of America's drug habit. We aren't pulling the triggers, but...we are the market that is being fought for. And what is the real cost of having roses in February for Valentine's day. Or a diamond in that engagement ring...or $2.50 gasoline in our tanks. These things are subsidized by the poor in many countries. So I asked them to reflect on their lifestyles throughout the day. Then last night we prayed our day and then they went off with their Bibles and journals to write down their reflections. Just to let you know, they prayed for you, knowing you are worrying about them. I am very proud of the way they are really trying to make the best of all the change in plans. As one of you wrote: God knew about the mission being cancelled even before we came, yet we came, so this is part of a greater plan. So, I am trying to get the boys to figure out what the plan is for them. Yesterday morning while I was blogging the boys knew we were supposed to have prayer...so they went into the chapel by themselves and one of them lead the prayer...with out us. So stuff is happening. It is what they do when we aren't looking that really is indicative of what kind of kids they are. And they are making you all proud so far!
We had morning prayer this morning at 8:00 and then off to taqueria El Chino, yes that does translate into the Chinaman's taco stand. The boys are getting very adventurous in their menu choices. Some had beans for breakfast others have taken a liking to tongue. Today they branched out from barbacoa and cabeza to chicharones. I didn't have the heart to tell them what that was...but it is boiled pork rind in either red or green sauce. Pretty fatty. Pork rind, like all food should be fried to be properly enjoyed!
Didier and I met with about 11 families for 2 hours this morning. They are all interested in sending their children to either O'Hara or Helias. We talked about the schools and the cultural differences. I told them that I didn't know of a family who didn't have an 11 or 12 pm curfew for their kids...not just sending them out then. The parents like that. We had a really good conversation. Some of the parents had been exchange students themselves, so naturally want that experience for their children. Being bi-lingual has so many advantages, especially here in Mexico for both higher education and career choices. We tried to explain our difficulty is really finding host families. So start spreading the word. We are working on a meeting time so these students can meet our boys. Not all of them are on mission, most are. But I thought a more focused time would be good. They can introduce each other and hear about the schools for a student perspective. O'Hara has a student down here this year, so I as sure they have heard stories from him. But a variety of perspectives is always better.
We are probably headed for our worst meal yet...hamburgers at 1:30. Ick. We should have the final schedule for the week today. Some of the kids saw it last night. We will decide then what to do. I already know the kids want to stay. It seems that over half the kids will be here next week...so there will be at least 150 kids around.
The parents I was with last night lamented the cancellation of the mission, they pretty much said what we have been hearing from everyone, that the area we are in and were going to weren't the problems, but they said some parts of Mexico have gotten dangerous, so they too, said it is better to error on the side of caution.
The people have been wonderful hosts. Even the parents at the meeting this morning said if we need more hosts for the kids, just to call them. So we are being well cared for. I'll try to get more photos posted today.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday Afternoon
All of the boys arrived back to school around 4:30 with great enthusiasm. Most of them ate at the homes of their host families...either fish or shrimp tacos. All of them said they were great.
According to my i-touch, it was about 90 today. The sun was pretty intense, but there was a breeze. It cools off quickly as the sun sets. A couple of the guys said they were cold last night. I thought is was wonderful, although I did wake up this morning with a blanket around me.
They are with their fraternities now, by the village there were supposed to be at. They are preparing for next week. They have hung the banners they had prepared for the fiesta popular, which would have been a week from tomorrow. So the school looks like it is dressed for a parade. They are getting their mission tee-shirts this afternoon. So they are trying to make this as real as they can. The boys seem to be mixing well and are trying to be girl magnets. But again, there are a lot more girls than boys.
The high school students (grades 7,8 and 9 they moved the parenthesis and the spell check is in Spanish. Anyway, they had their mission cancelled as well, so they are camping in the school tonight as part of a overnight retreat.
Just a little background here. Usually, while the kids go on mission, the parents go on vacation. So they weren't planning to be home next week. Now with the change, some of the parents are taking their kids with them. About half of the kids will still be here however, so it seems that they are planning events throughout next week.
I have also contacted Jerry Meyer, who taught at O'Hara and is now in Tucson. He is working on service and rooms for next week, just in case we might need them. So we do have a back-up plan in the works.
Mr. Aur and Anna Lopez are trying to get concrete to CerroBlanco, probably this week-end, so the men can work on it during their Easter vacation. As suspected, the violence that cancelled the mission, really isn't in the area we normally go. So life will go on there, just without us.
I am posting a few photos on flickr. The address is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msafari
According to my i-touch, it was about 90 today. The sun was pretty intense, but there was a breeze. It cools off quickly as the sun sets. A couple of the guys said they were cold last night. I thought is was wonderful, although I did wake up this morning with a blanket around me.
They are with their fraternities now, by the village there were supposed to be at. They are preparing for next week. They have hung the banners they had prepared for the fiesta popular, which would have been a week from tomorrow. So the school looks like it is dressed for a parade. They are getting their mission tee-shirts this afternoon. So they are trying to make this as real as they can. The boys seem to be mixing well and are trying to be girl magnets. But again, there are a lot more girls than boys.
The high school students (grades 7,8 and 9 they moved the parenthesis and the spell check is in Spanish. Anyway, they had their mission cancelled as well, so they are camping in the school tonight as part of a overnight retreat.
Just a little background here. Usually, while the kids go on mission, the parents go on vacation. So they weren't planning to be home next week. Now with the change, some of the parents are taking their kids with them. About half of the kids will still be here however, so it seems that they are planning events throughout next week.
I have also contacted Jerry Meyer, who taught at O'Hara and is now in Tucson. He is working on service and rooms for next week, just in case we might need them. So we do have a back-up plan in the works.
Mr. Aur and Anna Lopez are trying to get concrete to CerroBlanco, probably this week-end, so the men can work on it during their Easter vacation. As suspected, the violence that cancelled the mission, really isn't in the area we normally go. So life will go on there, just without us.
I am posting a few photos on flickr. The address is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msafari
Friday Morning
Good Morning.
The boys were up way, way too early this morning. School starts here at 7:00. But long before that the sky was a beautiful blue, which I haven´t seen in months in K.C. The morning doves were doing their thing...and in general all was in bliss. Then the kids started to come to school...all 2000 of them.
Around 8:00 hunger struck! With the help of Javier, who goes to school in Jeff City, we walked to the local taqueria. Where ever you see a word associated with meat, just think fish. Anyway, I digress. Hermosillo is a beautiful city. The streets in this neighborhood are lined with palm trees and the centers of the boulevards are planted with orange trees. The morning is cool, but getting warmer by the minute. The taqueria was awesome, it is on the corner and open-air...and busy. Always a good sign. They had barbacoa, lengua, cabeza and a couple other choices. So for the picky eaters, who wouldn't try the beans last night, had tongue tacos for breakfast...a liked them! They thought we were just kidding, then slowly they realized that we weren't. Barbacoa is the meat scraped off the cows skull...very tasty and tender. But it is a common persons breakfast.
We went to a bank and exchanged money...so they all have some pesos in their pockets. Next to the back was a little strip of businesses: Dominoes, Blockbuster, Subway and Baskin Robbins. Globalization in action.
We are back at school. The boys are watching a soccer game at school. It is 10:40 here and the school kids just finished break, so they were here socializing.
Last night, the Correl´s (Javier´s parents) provided dinner. It was here at school by the swimming pool. The boys loved it...again, tacos and beans. But what tacos. Just remove all the awful things that are called tacos by franchises started in Wichita. These leave juices running down your arm. Wow!
The point of the last paragraph was to let you know the evolving plan, but I got hung up on food as usual. We are having the boys spend every night we are here at the school with a curfew of 11:00. I told them if they are late, they will be grounded the next day. They will eat lunch and dinner with their host families and shower, etc. there. But every night they come back here. We will arrange breakfasts, etc. as needed.
You probably know this, but teenage boys stink. We are in the newly remodeled pastoral center, which is the old Brother´s house. They have turned the old bedrooms into dormitories, so the boys are all in two rooms. And when they took off their shoes, my God, it was rank. They finally put their shoes in the hall. But by this morning, thanks to cross-ventilation and lots of deodorant being applied, at least my eyes didn't water when I walked in.
Today at 12:30 the boys will go with their hosts to lunch. At 4:30 they will be back here in their fraternities to do some prep for next week and then at least some of the fraternities are having dinner together.
As bad as my day was yesterday, poor Richy, who is in charge of missions, it was was worse. He was devastated. They have prepared a year for this. Tee-shirts were printed. Food purchased, medicine kits stocked. Well, the kids found out yesterday at 7:00 am when they arrived at school. All the girls were crying, literally. They all called their parents, dang cell-phones. And then their parents all called the school. It was pretty crazy evidently! The Legionnaires of Mary were calling this their Mega-Mission years. They had posters printed, the works. I feel sorry for the kids in all the villages who will not have the missionaries this year.
All of the parents of the exchange students...both K.C. and Jeff have come by schools and told us...anything they can do, just ask. So we know we will be taken care of.
I am having a hard time accessing email. But will keep trying different things. This is proving so much easier. So check often, I will update as much as possible and the plans keep evolving. Keep breathing and praying, but we are all good.
The boys were up way, way too early this morning. School starts here at 7:00. But long before that the sky was a beautiful blue, which I haven´t seen in months in K.C. The morning doves were doing their thing...and in general all was in bliss. Then the kids started to come to school...all 2000 of them.
Around 8:00 hunger struck! With the help of Javier, who goes to school in Jeff City, we walked to the local taqueria. Where ever you see a word associated with meat, just think fish. Anyway, I digress. Hermosillo is a beautiful city. The streets in this neighborhood are lined with palm trees and the centers of the boulevards are planted with orange trees. The morning is cool, but getting warmer by the minute. The taqueria was awesome, it is on the corner and open-air...and busy. Always a good sign. They had barbacoa, lengua, cabeza and a couple other choices. So for the picky eaters, who wouldn't try the beans last night, had tongue tacos for breakfast...a liked them! They thought we were just kidding, then slowly they realized that we weren't. Barbacoa is the meat scraped off the cows skull...very tasty and tender. But it is a common persons breakfast.
We went to a bank and exchanged money...so they all have some pesos in their pockets. Next to the back was a little strip of businesses: Dominoes, Blockbuster, Subway and Baskin Robbins. Globalization in action.
We are back at school. The boys are watching a soccer game at school. It is 10:40 here and the school kids just finished break, so they were here socializing.
Last night, the Correl´s (Javier´s parents) provided dinner. It was here at school by the swimming pool. The boys loved it...again, tacos and beans. But what tacos. Just remove all the awful things that are called tacos by franchises started in Wichita. These leave juices running down your arm. Wow!
The point of the last paragraph was to let you know the evolving plan, but I got hung up on food as usual. We are having the boys spend every night we are here at the school with a curfew of 11:00. I told them if they are late, they will be grounded the next day. They will eat lunch and dinner with their host families and shower, etc. there. But every night they come back here. We will arrange breakfasts, etc. as needed.
You probably know this, but teenage boys stink. We are in the newly remodeled pastoral center, which is the old Brother´s house. They have turned the old bedrooms into dormitories, so the boys are all in two rooms. And when they took off their shoes, my God, it was rank. They finally put their shoes in the hall. But by this morning, thanks to cross-ventilation and lots of deodorant being applied, at least my eyes didn't water when I walked in.
Today at 12:30 the boys will go with their hosts to lunch. At 4:30 they will be back here in their fraternities to do some prep for next week and then at least some of the fraternities are having dinner together.
As bad as my day was yesterday, poor Richy, who is in charge of missions, it was was worse. He was devastated. They have prepared a year for this. Tee-shirts were printed. Food purchased, medicine kits stocked. Well, the kids found out yesterday at 7:00 am when they arrived at school. All the girls were crying, literally. They all called their parents, dang cell-phones. And then their parents all called the school. It was pretty crazy evidently! The Legionnaires of Mary were calling this their Mega-Mission years. They had posters printed, the works. I feel sorry for the kids in all the villages who will not have the missionaries this year.
All of the parents of the exchange students...both K.C. and Jeff have come by schools and told us...anything they can do, just ask. So we know we will be taken care of.
I am having a hard time accessing email. But will keep trying different things. This is proving so much easier. So check often, I will update as much as possible and the plans keep evolving. Keep breathing and praying, but we are all good.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Found a keyboard
I am now on a real computer and can type. It was hard to type on my i-touch. The accessors just met. We will resume discussions tomorrow. This is really sketchy now, but we will have activities at the school until at least next Tuesday. That will give us some breathing room with the airline reservations.
But the trip was fine. We really didn't stop for immigration, just customs. One group had their bags opened the other got through! It is hard to describe the landscape of the Sonoran desert. It is miles and miles with cactii and low lying shrubs. Some wild flowers were blooming, but no trees. The way is punctuated with shrines, which range from the size of a dog house to a much more grand scale model cathedral.
We are off to feed the kids, so will write more tomorrow, when we know more. We are bunting, but all are safe and the kids are already having a great time. Their kids are making the best of it, but the families had made vacation plans for this week, so those too are changing. Tomorrow will tell! But hopefully, you can all breathe a little easier.
But the trip was fine. We really didn't stop for immigration, just customs. One group had their bags opened the other got through! It is hard to describe the landscape of the Sonoran desert. It is miles and miles with cactii and low lying shrubs. Some wild flowers were blooming, but no trees. The way is punctuated with shrines, which range from the size of a dog house to a much more grand scale model cathedral.
We are off to feed the kids, so will write more tomorrow, when we know more. We are bunting, but all are safe and the kids are already having a great time. Their kids are making the best of it, but the families had made vacation plans for this week, so those too are changing. Tomorrow will tell! But hopefully, you can all breathe a little easier.
Arrived
We crossed the border easily at 2:30 and arrived in hermosillo at5:30. Kids were introduced to their groups and it is just like old times. Will have all activities at school. We are being hosted for dinner by exchange students parents.
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