The Lord Has Risen!
Hello, readers! I apologize for the delay in this blog, but nonetheless, here are my April updates! First and foremost, my family came to visit! After their visit, I was able to step away from the Finca and spend some quality time with them for a week in Roatan. As I returned to the Finca, preparations for Holy Week and Easter began!
Palm Sunday! Pictured here is our incredible Bishop, Monseñor Henri. I love this picture because of the visible jubilation. This man carries the Holy Spirit everywhere he goes, and it is clear where he goes because after his blessings, we walk away dripping wet. He is known to dump the whole bowl or bucket of holy water on parishioners! Are we extra holy? Yeah.
Family Time!!
After 8 months away from home, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to spend 2 whole weeks with my parents and older sister, Alexa. Being very close to my family, one of the hardest parts of living here is being away from them, and so although it wasn’t the whole family, it will hold me over until my vacation in July. Having them here was such a gift for many reasons, not only quality time, but they got to work! From raking our entire front yard to doing inventory in the clinic, they were busy! But truthfully, it was beautiful watching my two worlds collide. I was able to show my family that the Lord had prepared a place for me here, and I am taken care of by my Finca family. They were able to get to know our children and now have faces to the names in the stories I love to tell on weekly FaceTime calls.
Holy Week and Easter
Holy Thursday
The Sors prepare all of the spiritual events, and so it was a busy season for them. They do an incredible job including the children in all events and making it a meditative, prayerful experience. On Holy Thursday, we had the typical washing of the feet and then a Communion Service. We then had a Holy Hour, and near the end of the Holy Hour, Teddy, playing Jesus, approached Jesus on the altar and remained in this prayerful position for a while. It was then that Denis and Luis, playing two of the soldiers, came forward and took him away. I was touched by how reverent our young boys were. It felt as though we were brought to the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer with Jesus.
On Good Friday,
we started the day with Stations of the Cross. Everyone had a role, from the mourning women to the soldiers. Teddy was Jesus, Nate was Pilate, Theresa was Mary, and I was Veronica. I have never been so immersed in Cavalry before, with the heat, sun, and dust making it feel like I was truly walking with Jesus. We processed throughout Mojoguay, the neighboring town, and many of the people from the town joined in the procession as well.
We then celebrated Easter on Saturday night with a Finca family dinner on the soccer field after Mass. To wrap up the festivities, on Easter Sunday, we did an easter egg hunt! Even the Tias and the Sors joined in, and Nate hid their eggs so well that they had to surrender and ask for help.
Easter this year was like no other in my life! As true as it’s always been, Jesus was very present. He gently takes me by the hand and we walk together day by day. He is teaching me, humbling me, and loving me.
