Changes

My dear ‘blog follower friends’!

It has been a while since I last wrote but there are reasons for that which I’ll explain. Life is a mystery and we’re called to live in that mystery … sometimes understanding bits and pieces of it and other times not at all.

After prayer, discernment, conversation with good friends and companions the call has come clear from the Spirit of Life. It is time to return to ‘home base’. I’ve been ‘in the field’ of Nicaragua for 3½ years now. I have been given the opportunity to learn much about myself, my Nicaraguan sisters and brothers and my God, and I’m grateful for the all of this. I have received a great deal and been able to share myself with many new friends. However, it is now time to return. I will fly back to Central America on July 28th in order to “despedirme” (say farewell), celebrate my time with my friends there and finish up some office matters. I will return to Michigan on the 10th of August and take up residence from whence I came, namely in Detroit with my CSJ Goldengate community. Though I have no immediate plans for future ministry involvement, I do look forward to volunteering time at the Centro de San Jose which my friend, Marie Benzing, csj, has established in the Hispanic sector of Detroit where tutoring and language skills assistance have been developed. I ask you to send a prayer my way as I transition. It is never easy to leave a setting that has been a part of your very being, but the journey of life is just that, a journey, and that implies movement and change from time to time.

I have recently enjoyed the most wonderful experience of our CSSJ Event which took place in St. Louis, Missouri, from July 9-13. It was energy and grace filled and found some 860 of us from all around the world sharing, dreaming, taking action, enjoying each other’s company and so much more. Our strong justice stance had to do with Human Trafficking, modern day enslavement. I encourage you to find out all you can about this evil and do whatever is in your heart to free persons from this bondage. If you wish to learn more about this terrible injustice you might want to check out our CSJ website, then go to "click here to read coverage from the National Catholic Reporter”.

Thanks for being open to learning more about the injustices our sisters and brothers suffer and more importantly how we can work against such evil.

I am considering continuing this blog communication. My friend, Ruth, who has so graciously posted and titled and placed photos etc. for “Sister Act 3” is encouraging me to continue with “Sister Act 4”!! We’ll see how it goes. I thank you for your interest in my writings from Nicaragua and your support over these past years.

If you are in the habit of sending donations for the Nicaraguan projects you might want to now consider sending such support to a local ‘good cause’:

St. Stephen - Mary, Mother of the Church Parish
4311 Central St.
Detroit, MI 44210-2785

Attn: Sr. Marie Benzing, CSJ - Centro de San Jose

Blessings as you continue your own personal journey in life.

Your grateful sister,
Jeanne