Rando

Time's been a passing here in Honduras. It's already Halloween????!??!? Can't even believe it. It's actually been feeling a little like fall here recently since it's dropped into the 70s here and I needed to wear a long sleeve shirt and pants to bed. Yes, the unthinkable has happend, I, one of the warmest people ever, was chilly in 75 degree weather. Ooooh, Christmas you are going to be a shock to me!

Life is certainly adventurous here, it's up, down, all around. Sometimes all in one day for me and the rest of the volunteers. Last week Wednesday our community night reflection lead to a lot of sharing of negative thoughts and frustrations that we're having here. So over the 3-day weekend we took a trip to the Río for some fun away from Juti. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I woke up early and headed to mass at St. Gertrudis. I think I've found my parish community here. St. Gertrudis is cool because it's like a real parish and community. It's in a neat area surrounded by various missions of the Sisters in the area, the orphanage and old people's home. The people that go to the mass are super neat. Also, it's cool because it's the mass that the kids from the orphanage go to so i get to see them there as well. Yippeeee. Also, the priest is easier to understand. Anddddd...after mass we can go to the Sisters' bakery for a treat. They have wonderful baked goods and all proceeds benefit their missions so, I don't feel bad splurging on upside down banana bread or pan dulce :-) Although, everybody in town now knows that we are going to 8am at St. Gertrudi's. On Saturday night we were hanging out with our Peace Corps friend, Eyal and he was saying that he met a random guy in town who was like, "Hey, so did you hear that all the gringas are now going to 8am mass at St. Gertrudis?" We're regular celebrities around here.

After church then we headed to the river. We took a nice hike through Mt. Boqueron that included scaling steep walls next to the river, following ant trails, and fording the river, until we arrived at a small watering hole. It's rainy season so the river was super high and the current was so strong. We seriously couldn't swim against the current for a second. I would swim and not move anywhere except maybe backwards, good workout, right? It was fun to sneak around the current and then grab a rock, let go, and fly down stream. I'll post a link to a video of us swimming against the current.

The river trip was short and simple, but exactly what I needed. quality, carefree timelessness with some great volunteers. We had a lovely picnic together and just chatted, swam, laughed, and enjoyed life. Things I love most :-)

This week we hosted community night at our house. It was our first opportunity to plan a reflection together. I love reflecting and community nights so I was super excited. I made a broccoli and zucchini pasta for dinner, which was quite good. For our reflection, we decided to mix it up a little bit. Everybody, especially at last week's reflection, was feeling a bit down, so my house was thinking, we need to spice things up and get some positivity flowing. Thanks to the lovely Joyce Rupp we found a great poem about awakening and did a flower affirmation activity with it. Good times, I hope, we're had by all. I know I certainly enjoyed the change of pace and opportunity to reflect on the positive things I've done here.

this weekend I was a little bummed because due to bad weather I couldn't travel. Life and school have been great, but weekends sometimes get long for me. I'm used to a very busy, busy life. Teaching, grad school, college, service, community, yadda yadda. I've also discovered that I'm very much a "yes" person. I love being surrounded by people and busy doing, doing, doing. Sarah, want to go get coffee? YES Sarah, want to go get a drink? YES Sara, want to go walk around the pond? YES Sarah, want to go on a grotto walk? YES Sarah, wanna sit around and laugh and do nothing? YES Sarah, want to do this, that, or the other thing? YES YES YES So being here, it's different because there's just not as much to say yes to. I have never been one to cherish much alone time and I don't have many particular activities that I enjoy doing by myself. I'm not a big reader, I don't like to paint or draw, I don't do many crafty things, I don't watch a lot of movies. I like to be on the go, go, go, with people, being active, and doing.

That said I knew coming here that this would be a challenge for me and part of my decision in coming here was to help myself learn how to be content not doing, doing, doing. I've been doing really well at it. I've read almost 6 books since being here so far, that's more than I've read in the last 6 years combined I think. I journal a lot, listen to music, and just think to myself. But, that also gets a little long. And so this weekend, when I found out I couldn't travel, the pain of all this alone time really hit me. I wish I had something else to do, places to go, and people to see.

I'm glad I'm at least aware of what's really challenging me, because i know what I need to work on. I'm super excited to see my kiddos tomorrow and I'm hopeful for a great week of school :-)

Here's the poem we shared by Joyce Rupp, may it inspire and awaken:

Risen One,
come, meet me
in the garden of my life.

Lure me into elation.
Revive my silent hope.
Coax my dormant dreams.
Raise up my neglected dreamsn.
Entice my tired enthusiasm.
Give life to my faltering relationships.
Roll back the stone of my indifference.
Unwrap the deadness in my spiritual life.
Impart heartiness in my work.

Riden One,
send me forth as a disciple of your unwavering love,
a messenger
of your unlimited joy.

Resurrected One,
May I become
ever more convinced
that your presence lives on,
and on, and on,
and on.

Awaken me!
Awaken me!
--Joyce Rupp