Day 4: Masses, Baptisms, Planning

This morning began with being deacon at Mass in a little rustic chapel in a village with about 50 people. At the end, Father repeated the manger dismantling as he at done in the parish. Of course, my family was there.

Later I met with a 20-something psychologist who is setting up the rehab retreat. Al I have to do is my part and everything else will workout. Thank you, God!

I baptized five young children tonight to my great delight. Fr. Joe asked if I would because he has seven Masses today, five of which are weddings. After I heard that schedule, I couldn’t say no.

This evening I am serving at the main evening Mass and then crashing at home.

Last night I talked to my wife for free on an Internet phone at the parish. It is hard to believe how far, but how close Peru is.

And the photo...all the young children here love you and their parents aren't concerned. Somebody has to do this job!

Day 3: Communion to Home Bound...

Today I did communion services for 15 people in the village of La Legua plus two people in the Hospice Center that I had visited before. I was happy to learn that Manuel is not dying but that he just needed a place to mend. I visited a beautiful part of La Legua I had never seen before. It was an area with many trees because of an aquifer in this area of the desert.

Visiting all these homebound reminded me of how poor they are and in what primitive conditions they live compared to where I do. On the other hand, they are most beautiful people who have not fallen into some of the traps of our society. We each have something to learn from the other.

Fr. Joe and I had lunch with 20-some men in a drug rehab program named Vida Nueva (New Life). Father wants to expand my half-day retreat into 1-1/2 days. I think Ginet is going to help save me by getting another parish group to help. Pray for me because I am winging lots of this while having done some homework.

There is a great opportunity for Fr. Joe to add four more rooms onto the rehab center. They are semi-framed and $5000 is needed to complete them. Each room houses up to six men. Do we have any psychologists in the parish who could help complete this project through their contacts?

The afternoon was spent loading the van and then delivering furniture and clothes to some families. The van is really on its last legs and I am very happy that we will soon be shipping the parish a new one.

After evening Mass, Fr. Joe, Ginet, and Marlit cooked dinner for my Peruvian family and me. We had turkey, the turkey that had been in the manger the evening before. ☺

Next week I will be taking my goddaughter along to expose to some of the ministries that I am helping with. She is very excited to help. She is 9 and hangs on to me like one of my own children, which she really is.

Day 2: Food & Hospice Center

Marlit, Darwin, Victor and I took food packages to 17 families in La Piedra. We assessed each house for needs and took a photo of those who were home. Finally, I blessed each home. I will share the photos at my Gallery site where you can download any photo that you want: http://gallery.mac.com/deaconlee Later I will privately share our findings with the sponsoring families, padrinos. My godson, Cristopher, is at the right.

We also visited the Hospice Center and met a lady dying from breast cancer and a man dying from prostate cancer. I helped walk him around the center as he sang and joked. Each got a blessing.

At my first Mass, Fr. Uhen introduced me saying what deacons can do. They must have all been listening because even kids have been asking me for a blessing.

Today at lunch I had Peru’s famous dish of ceviche: fish in limejuice. It was so good that it may become a new diet.

After Mass this evening I helped my Peruvian family make their first movie. I will post it soon. We started at 8 this morning and got done at 5:30 with a siesta intermission. It was a GREAT day!

Day 1: Greetings

Day 1

I arrived in Piura at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday after a traveling for too long. When I got to baggage, the first friendly face I saw was my goddaughter, Mileny. Her Mom and Dad were right behind with her brother, Cristopher, my godson. The parish staff showed up so early to greet me.

They set me up in an apartment two blocks from the parish, which is too nice for a temporary bachelor. I could not sleep so thought I’d sneak over to the parish. As I entered the door, a crowd of St. Monica sponsored families greeted me – I had to kiss them all before they’d leave. The crowd also consisted of people from the village of Los Povorines where we build the chapel last summer. All of a sudden the long trip was in the distant past. See my Gallery for photos of families holding signs so I could identify them. I remember the Lee and Tracy families being there. I got to inspect the scars from a heart operation on a little girl whose long stay in a hospital in Lima was provided by St. Monica parishioners.

The staff greeted me with a nice lunch today. I soon had a fiesta in the 90-degree heat.

This evening the Mass liturgy was beautiful, bringing tears to my eyes as I sat with my family. The Mass was standing room only in a church that holds about the same number as St. Monica. After Mass, the animals and statues were given away to parishioners during a standing room only crowd. The statues were returned after many people touched them. What a beautiful faith the Peruvians have! My family and I had dinner together after Mass.

Ready to Go!

I'm packed and am leaving early tomorrow morning. I really got packed today when Fr. Uhen's mother brought me a huge suitcase and many things for Fr. Uhen. Assuming all flights go as planned, I will arrive in Piura VERY early Wednesday morning.

I spent the day with my granddaugher, Anna, and hope that I don't have withdrawals. 

June 13-22 Mission Trip

Those wanting to go to Piura in June will be meeting Sunday, January 6 at 2:30 p.m. in St. Stephen's Room -- in St. Monica's Parish Hall. This will be our second meeting to prepare missionaries for the trip.

So far, we have 18 people from St. Monica and one from St. John the Baptist who are planning to go. Anyone is invited.

In Peru for a Month?

What could one possibly do in Peru for a month? I suggested a few ideas to the pastor, he suggested a couple more, and then ended by saying "and there is so much more." I know there are surprises headed my way. Here are the things that I do know about.

• Visit 85 St. Monica-sponsored families and determine their needs (bless houses)
• Do a retreat for the staff
• Do a retreat for 70 social ministers from villages
• Do retreat for 15 men at Vida Nueva (drug rehab)
• Lead lectio divina based on upcoming Sunday readings
• Bring Communion to the homebound
• Baptize
• Teach 12 baptism classes for children 8 - 14
• Investigate water system in Piura and villages
• Teach goddaughter about English and computers

I don't think that a month will be long enough, but I will have my first family waiting for my return.