Happy Vigil of St Joseph!

So in honor of St Joseph you are all getting a blog. Internet has been VERY unreliable lately, and we are in fact completely without internet both at the parish and at the center until the sea can comes in from the capital. We are using the town's internet service "Linco" from time to time. Just wanted to make my excuses for those of you who feel I have been blog-deficient :-)

I have been somewhat delinquent about taking pictures, so I really have no new ones to post, but I've definitely been busy. We just finished some catechist workshops where we brought representatives from each campo together and taught the basics of the faith. At the end, everyone took an oral test to become "certified catechists." Both Fr. OHare and I weren't sure how it would turn out, and weren't expecting many people to do well...but the participants really put effort in to learn and study, and about 3/4 "passed." It was also great because it gave us a chance to bring out some members of the community who previously were not serving as catechists. One of the next projects will be to visit the catechesis classes in each campo and see how the catechists are doing and support them in any way that is needed. It's been really fun getting to know more wonderful "campo" people and see them grow in their knowledge of the faith. I really feel like we've sown seeds for these communities to reap.

On a lighter note, yesterday morning, I opened my dresser and guess what was staring at me? A mouse!! I had thought a lizard was living in my room, which I actually don't mind. But it was a mouse! Carmen (my host mom) and I took everything out from the bottom of the dresser and from under the bed and cleaned and swept high and low. Vete ratoncito!!

The parish cat has 3 kittens - her 7th or 8th litter, born on February 7th or so. The cat at the center has 4 kittens, so with 4 already grown cats between the two places and two dogs, we are again a menagerie. But it seems like people are always lining up for kittens once they are old enough to part from mama.

Lent is well in progress, accompanied by many young boys in the streets cracking whips. It's apparently a "liturgical toy" because everyone says they can only be used during Lent and Semana Santa...which as far as I can tell is a rule that is adhered to. They are LOUD and can be quite annoying. But it is an interesting phenomenon. There is apparently going ot be some sort of performance with the whips and many people with masks during Holy Week, so I am interested to see it (can't really say I am "looking forward to it"...but I am interested.)

May St Joseph guard each of us, and bring us close to Jesus!