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.