A Season of Hope
A waterfall hike while on retreat
This month consisted of wrapping up the kids’ winter vacation and us missionaries going on a week-long retreat! A very chill month and very much appreciated. We did not do a lot here other than enjoy each other’s company - it’s a good thing we like one another…most of the time. This month the Lord gifted us with rest in a variety of ways so that we could be ready for the chaos to come this week as school starts!
Retreat!
In the second week of January, we loaded up and went to a riverside house in Pico Bonito which is 4 hours away from the Finca. The house is in a valley below grandiose mountains and lively white water rapids. The week consisted of Mass and Adoration at the house one day and virtual talks from Fr. Matt on other days. Fr. Matt is our stateside spiritual resource who was a former Finca summer missionary, is a priest at Notre Dame University, and is on the board of directors of the Finca. He guided us in reflections along the theme we chose for the retreat - hope. Pope Francis declared this year as the year of hope, so we decided to begin our year reflecting on just that. We did a waterfall hike, played board and card games, cooked dinner together every night, and even watched the Vikings playoff game (rest in peace Sam Darnold). We all agreed our favorite part of the retreat was how familial it was. It is such a gift to have a home within our community. We also enjoyed resting playfully by jumping off tall boulders into the river (sorry Mom). Taking advantage of our lack of responsibilities, we were able to be childlike, which we learn so well from our kiddos. Reflecting on my dependence upon our Lord is humbling and so freeing - I can do nothing but open my hands and say, ‘‘Here I am, Lord’’. While soaking up the warm sun on the rocks it was quite easy to be taken back to the garden where it all began and where humanity first heard His voice.
Nuestra Señora de Suyapa
There are many things the Finca does well but one of the things we do best is celebrate! On February 3rd, we celebrated Our Lady of Suyapa, named the patroness of Honduras after a Marian apparition in 1747. Mother Mary appeared to a local peasant named Alejandro Colindres. He was on his way back to Suyapa after a long day of gathering corn when it became dark so he decided to lay down and sleep for the night. When he put his head down he felt something similar to a stone under his head so he threw the stone but when he laid his head back down to sleep, the object had returned. It being night, he couldn’t see what it was so he placed it in his bag. In the morning, he saw it was not a stone but rather a carved image of our lady. I love the story Our Lady of Suyapa because it is a good reminder of the persevering love of the Father that Our Mother demonstrates as well. Mother Mary has been such a safe place for me while I’ve been on mission and I know she is holding my hand every step of the way. She is Our Mother that will always come back to her children just as she did with Alejandro.
Preparing for Mama
To prepare for her special day, we prayed a novena for the nine days leading up to the 3rd. It was similar to the posadas we did for Christmas but simpler. Four people processed with Our Lady and the rest followed behind singing or praying the rosary. Every day we ended at a different house where we sang and prayed more and then shared a small dessert or snack. On the 3rd, we celebrated in the house named after her here at the Finca and had melon juice and donuts!
The Random Joys Section!
Short and sweet! That is all I have for this month! Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I ask specifcally you pray for Ruth and Keylin, our two 15 year-olds, as they begin a new school in Trujillo! We pray for a smooth transition and the ambition to study hard. Thank you for reading my blog and know of my prayers for you!
