Tropical Greetings!

Managua, Nicaragua

February 1, 2011

Reporting in from the land of lakes and volcanoes … and periodic ‘shakes’ – we’ve had two just lately!

I arrived back in Managua on Wednesday the 19^th after a rather protracted time in the States where I visited my family and many friends, made my annual retreat of 6 days, had far too many medical matters checked out, participated in our congregational visitation by the Vatican appointed visitors and among other matters, ate too much!! The last week was spent in Chicago where I was privileged to participate in the First Profession of a member of our congregation. All winter clothing, and there were many items, were left in Chicago and sometime between now and next winter they will find their way back to ‘base camp’ in Detroit.

I thought you’d appreciate a bit of sunshine and warmth and balmy breezes, so I’m including those in this blog. Hopefully, you can feel them. I’ll include photos to jog your memory of warmer climes.

We’ve been into planning sessions because we are beginning the year anew here in Nicaragua. It’s comparable to September in the States. The children will return to classes in mid-February if not sooner - private schools start at the beginning of the month. I’m sure the parents are ready to have their little and big students get back into routine and the neighbors are, too.

While I was home my sister-in-law gave me a newspaper clipping about a project being planned by a young man, Erick, from my home town of Flint. Now Flint suffers from a less than great reputation, but good things/people do emanate from there. This lad is a student at Carmen-Ainsworth High School, the school my nieces and nephews attended many years ago. Erick’s a swimmer, as were my nieces and nephews, so in more than one way, I was interested in this young man’s project. It seems Erick became aware of the water crisis present in our world and so he decided to do something about it. He decided to link his swimming to a water project that provides safe drinking water for impoverished areas. On December 30^th he swam 10 miles in his high school pool which is equivalent to 704 laps. It took him 6 hours and 8 minutes to accomplish the feat. He had asked friends, family and anybody who’d respond to sponsor him. He raised $15,095.00 for water.org. I wrote him a letter of encouragement before hand and told him of my gratitude for his interest in water projects and his efforts. I explained my experience in Nicaragua and that I had experienced the great need for water projects. Recently I received a response written after the fact. In his communication of gratitude, Erick said, “God used a variety of people in a variety of ways…through prayers, encouragement and financial support. What an amazing thing that God used so many people to spread His love (through availability of water, the basic requirement for life … my words!) around the world.”

They calculate that $25.00 will provide one person with clean water for life. So, one creative teen was able to raise enough money to accomplish this for over 600 persons. We can each make a difference in our school, family, neighborhood, world by using our talents, skills, creativity, connections, etc. It might be through encouragement of another, prayer support, donation of money or resources or whatever. We can each do something to make a difference. What might you have done recently to accomplish a difference? Credit yourself and share it with another. Perhaps the other person will be inspired to creatively make a difference, too.

I will be back with you before long. I’m grateful for all of you who take time to follow and read, Sister Act 3. Many have told me of your interest and I’ve connected with other folks because of your connecting. Blessings on your new year…gosh we’re already into the second month. How time flies when we’re thinking of others and making a difference in the lives of others.

Love and Peace,

Jeanne

Feliz Navidad

Greetings from VERY FROZEN Michigan!

I’m not having any trouble realizing that I’m not in Nicaragua. All I have to do is feel my nose and fingers and I’m convinced. Now, just why would someone leave Nicaragua at this time of the year when the temps are 68 - 89 and the skies semi-cloudy and the breezes balmy?? I don’t think it’s necessary to answer that justifiable question.

I hadn’t planned on blogging while I was home in the States but I find that I miss not staying in touch, so here I am! Many of our sisters and other friends comment on the blog and how much they enjoy hearing about the ventures and adventures of this blogger. It’s a great way to stay in touch and to link south to north and now I’m linking north to south.

I am very aware of the Advent season here and grateful that this year we have four full weeks of this season. It’s a beautiful time to reflect and to try to stay focused on the real reason for all this anticipation and preparation, while at the same time enjoying the Christmas preparations all around.

You’ll be glad to know that my snow/ice driving skills kicked back in immediately and that’s a very good thing as it’s a real challenge these days. Fortunately, MOST people are using common sense and driving slowly and not hitting brakes unnecessarily….however, there are THOSE OTHERS….so one must keep all eyes, ears and nerves on “the others” while at the same time navigating one’s own vehicle.

I was sorry to have missed Purisima in Nicaragua, the national day for celebrating the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I spent that day in Cleveland having my personal interview with a member oaf our visiting Vatican- appointed team. All went well, as far as I could determine. It was so good to be with my sisters at our center where I’m pretty well known as the ‘cow lady’ and/or the ‘chicken lady’. This year the Leadership Team of the congregation is sponsoring four sets of five chickens plus one rooster as their Christmas gift to benefactors and co-ministers. For the last two years it’s been cows. Diversity is good! I have been a member of this ‘greatest community ever’ for the past 54+ years and it’s always gift to be able to spend time with my sisters. I just missed their lovely snowfall of 12-14 inches. On the west side of the city, we only had 4 inches.

I’m getting ready to betake myself to St. Louis where I’ll spend Christmas with the other half of my family having spent Thanksgiving with the Michigan family. When I return I’ll head to Cleveland for a week of silent retreat. Oh, I do look forward to that time each year. Then it will be time to head to Chicago and on to Managua. I should land back in the land of lakes and volcanos on the night of the 19^th if all goes according to plan. However, I’ve enough experience under my belt to be open to whatever comes my way. Will blog again when I’m back in Nica land.

The translation of the Christmas greeting which is from all of us at Cantera is:

“Let us sing to peace and solidarity among peoples. Let us sing to the women, men, girls, boys and youth who are building a new world. ---- Constructing dreams and utopias.” (Cantera’s vision)

Blessings to each of you for a peace-filled and joy-filled Christmas Season and for a 2011 bringing us closer in love, compassion, solidarity and peace with each other, wherever we are in this world.

Love and Gratitude from your sister, Jeanne.

Wood Hath Hope

Managua, Nicaragua

November 3, 2010

St. Martin de Porres of Lima, Peru – Patron Saint of the Poor

“Wood hath hope. If it’s cut, it grows green again and its boughs sprout clean again. Wood hath hope.”

Do you remember this song by the St. Louis Jesuits from a FEW years back? I do! I’m reminded of it every time I see a fence post here in Nicaragua that refuses to be just a dead piece of wood supporting fence wire and instead breaks into life again! It speaks to me of HOPE in the midst of too many indications to the contrary. The Spanish word for hope, esperanza, sounds like what it signifies - a breath of air, uplifting, promising. I’ve taken some photos of these ‘dead’ pieces of wood that are ‘sprouting clean and growing green again’. One of these was taken in the campo and the other in our neighborhood.

The beautiful field of green is the second crop of beans that have now made their way to the fresh air and are growing rapidly. I’ve been informed that here it takes 50 days for a bean seed to mature – from sowing to harvesting. This field to me is a sign of esperanza. Thanks go to my congregation for helping our farmers replant after losing a large part of their first planting due to exceedingly heavy rains.

My little brothers and sister who live high up in the hills are also signs of esperanza. I was having dinner in Las Lajas at the home of the beautiful little girl and her family, when I looked up and saw her looking at me through the flowers and vines. I asked her to ‘please stay put’ while I grabbed my camera and graciously, she did. The boys are brothers on their way home from school in Las Latas and were only too happy to pose before hiking off on their long walk back to their humble home.

This is probably be my last posting until I return to Nicaragua toward the end of January. I will leave for the States just before Thankgiving so I can see both my families (Rob’s and Rich’s) over the holidays. I look forward to seeing many of you during the time I’ll be home. As for the rest of you faithful followers, I’ll be thinking of you and sending you lots of love, peace and HOPE.

As we approach Advent, Navidad and New Years, I thought ‘hope’ would be an appropriate topic. I trust that you’re conscious of many hopeful aspects in your own life and journey. Each of you is a sign of hope for me and I thank you for that.

Peace, Love, Hope,

Jeanne

eta: photos of the children

Life Given and Life Destroyed

Here I am again! Your responses make me a little more responsible about posting blogs more frequently. Thanks for the comments and encouragement. I enjoy sharing with you some of my experiences here in Nicaragua with the hope that it helps you feel more connected to your sisters and brothers who have and live a life that is just as valuable as each of ours but that for the grand majority is a life that has not had the opportunities that many/most of us have enjoyed.

One of the opportunities I have each weekend is visiting two of our government hospitals…one a hospital for mothers giving birth and for women with gynecological problems and cancer patients. The other is a physical rehab hospital. One part of Aldo Chavarrhia, the physical rehab hospital, is for those who have lost arms and/or legs through accidents or land mines. I’ve often reflected on this after I meet and visit with these folks. The majority of those who come to Managua to be fitted for a prosthesis or to have an existing prosthesis refitted or replaced come from the northern departments where the war years (1984 – 1990) took place They have stepped on a buried land mine which is still able to be activated and have had limbs blown off. The maps which tell where these mines were originally placed are not useful because with the torrential rains we experience and especially with the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the mines have ‘moved on’.

The terrain in the north is very hilly and so the mechanisms have moved easily and far. One man told me that “not even God knows where they are!” Land mines have been outlawed by many nations as a weapon. However, the United States and a few other countries have yet to sign the treaty which would prohibit the use of such devasting devices which end up harming people young and old, for many years during and after the war officially ends. I suspect that the grand majority of our folks who have lost limbs through land mines or accidents do not have the advantage of a prosthesis. They hobble through the streets on crutches or in wheelchairs begging for a living, hoping for generosity, understanding and compassion from their sisters and brothers.

I have not been to the ‘higher hills’ since that adventurous trip I wrote about the last time…the lower ones, yes. I have been to Los Planes which can be reached by a variety of vehicles and which is is arrived at, over less difficult, but still challenging, roads. Kari and I go to this area every two weeks and meet with a group of incredible women who range in age from younger to ‘more mature’. I’ve been meeting with them for a couple of years now. We chat and enjoy each other, but the main reason for gathering is to study aspects of the Bible and to take time to reflect on Scripture and share that reflection. The wisdom, faith and richness of their lives is the gift that is shared. These gatherings give me life and I look forward to them, even though it’s a bit of a challenge to go and come.

Once I get into the ‘campo’ (farmland) area I experience a particular peace and calm. It’s mostly quiet there except for animal ‘voices’. The foliage is lush, colorful, thick and green and birds and butterflies are everywhere! It’s a simple, basic lifestyle that’s lived there and the beauty of creation leads one to prayer very easily. So each Wednesday evening I thank God for the presence in my life of Dominga, Paula, Maria Elena, Amalia, Evangelina, Yoma, Migdonia, Leah and others that come when they’re able. They teach me a great deal about life and God and relationship. They are gift! Who are the gifts in your life who enliven you?

You are gift! Thank you for your love, support, prayers, donations and interest in this country located in the ‘heart’ of Central America. Your Nicaraguan sisters and brothers … and this sister…are grateful.

Until the next ‘posting’ …

Love and gratitude,

Jeanne

Nearer My God to Thee…

Managua, Nicaragua

October 7, 2010

Hello, my ‘followers’,

It occurs to me that perhaps some of you might wonder about the You Tube connect to “Gabriel’s Oboe” from The Mission that appears at the top of my blog space. This has been on the blog site since pretty much the beginning when my friend, Ruth, realized how much I enjoyed that piece of music. She put it there so I can listen to it whenever I wish. The movie and book, The Mission, both in English and Spanish have been favorites of mine for years.

Normally, my blog mistress puts a title on my postings. However, I decided on the title for this one! Today I’ll share with you our last experience of determination to get to the various rural settings in spite of the conditions. I think we’ve reached a new aspect of reality and Claudio, my co-worker and the driver of our trusty yellow 4-wheel drive pickup, has finally admitted that there are limits!

One day we went to an area called Masatepe to negotiate for 6 quintales (600 pounds) of frijoles (beans) so that our farmers could replant. The fervent hope is to be able to make up for the crop lost to the intensive rains. We had a long but delightful day, finally accomplishing the task. Of course, there was waiting involved because the only person who could give us a valid receipt was in Ticuantepe which was 45 minutes away. We did a little paseo (pleasure trip) to the town and enjoyed some new sites. We also went to San Marcos, and among other things, saw Tom Monaghan’s Ave Maria University. No comment.

The next day we set off for 5 of the rural areas with the intention of delivering the 100 pound bags of seeds - one quintal had been dropped off the day prior at a closer area. The frijoles were well protected with meters of heavy black plastic…inevitable rain, you know! We started off and were able to get to Los Filos, Las Yucas, Las Latas-Lajas, La Ceiba and ULTIMATELY Las Parcelas! It was a trip never to be forgotten. I don’t know how many times Claudio stopped the truck, got out and spent several minutes trying to find a ‘possible place’ to get from ‘where we were’ to ‘where we needed to go’ without falling into one of several trenches and/or sliding off the edge of wherever! At one point earlier in the ‘adventure’, we met a larger truck than ours loaded with corn. Now, this is a one-vehicle-only type of trail that sits in between high banks of earth. These caminos have been ‘carved out’ by the rains over the years. There was definitely no way to back up and/or turn around. The fellows from the other truck “guided” us up on the side of the road which put us on about a 45 degree angle with himself on the ‘other truck’ side and myself on the ‘up’ side hanging onto the hand grip above my seat. I have no idea why it worked without some mishap…but it did. Claudio didn’t know how it worked either, but after the “passing” both trucks were upright and we were warm (as in sweating) and breathing! I think it was divine intervention! He had suggested previously that I pray to all the angeles y santos (male saints!!). I informed him that the “santas” (not as in Santa Claus!!) were more likely to be of help and more focused! He did not argue with me! Claudio is diabetic and we hadn’t brought anything to eat and it was well past ‘feeding’ time! Next time I’ll make sure we have food. He’s been doing this for 9 years and is a good driver and so I was anxious but not having a panic attack. However, I did not want to spend the night in mud up to my knees! We did manage – with a lot of help from above, I’m sure – to eventually get back down to the main road. Claudio admitted afterward that he was frightened. “It was the worst I’ve ever seen it”, said he! It was a fairly silent trip from La Ceiba to Las Parcelas. Needless to say, there were many prayers of gratitude sent up that evening. I checked to make sure the following day that Claudio said his, too!!

I do enjoy a challenge and have an adventuresome bone in my body, but I can do without a repeat of that particular experience. Claudio has not wanted to venture forth until the rains subside. He’s looking at next Wednesday. I’ll write an update afterward. I’m also making a list of aprendizajes (learnings) that have evolved from this experience. What adventure have you had lately and what did you learn from it?

Take care, my friends. Thanks for ‘following’ and to some of you for sending comments. Your love and support are greatly appreciated.

Your sister,

Jeanne

A note on the photos:

One of them is loading the sacks of beans, another is a delivery at Las Yucas, "Hector" is my little friend on the tire, the oxen are the most secure transport system in the rural area and the rural "kitchen" is just that...how cooking is done there. The "loading" took place in Masatepe and the other photos were all taken at Las Yucas while we were delivering one quintal. That was before the going became very nearly IMPOSSIBLE.

Too much and too little

Reporting in from Central America! Does anyone want some moisture? Are you too dry? We’d be more than happy to send some your way! ‘Tis the rainy season and like so many other areas of our planet, the weather system seems to be ‘disturbed’. According to the Nica folks, this year beats them all for the amount and intensity of the rains. Many areas are suffering greatly from loss of homes and their meager material goods due to flooding. The bean crop in particular is suffering from too much rain causing the rotting of seeds and the washing away of cultivated plants. Our CSJ Leadership Team sent emergency funds which have enabled us to help out. In the Mateare-Ciudad Sandino rural areas we have been able, through the use of these funds, to purchase 7 quintales (100 pounds per quintal) of frejoles rojos (red beans) for each of our comarcas (areas). These will be planted and prayed over with the hope that this second planting will survive and bear a normal crop.

On Saturday Kari and I were returning from visiting women cancer patients at the government hospital and we stopped to have an Eskimo Pie. Are you old enough to remember the white carts with jangling bells that tempted kids and irritated moms that would work their way up and down the streets during the summer? Well, we have the very same thing here but they’re called Es-KEEE-moe (accent on second syllable!). They also have these in grocery stores. We stopped at one such called La Colonia and that’s where I began to think about paradoxes. Our eyes lit up when we saw asparagus! And….then they lost their light when we noted the price…$10.00 per pound! And in another aisle we got excited seeing Multigrain Cheerios which are a favorite of mine. A medium sized box was ONLY $15.00!! Obviously, both items were imported. Then I thought, “..there are folks here who wouldn’t bat an eye at paying those prices while at the same time the majority of our people are scrounging to put beans and rice on the table.” Yes, life at most levels is indeed a paradox and this one is, over abundance in the midst of abject poverty. It was a stark aspect of reality. The other paradox that struck me is that we have all this water which is causing so much damage and even death and yet we lack water for daily life in many of our areas, especially the rural sections.

Now to close with a bit of joy and beauty. Our richness here is in the people. The Nicaraguan folks are beautiful and a gift to me. The other gift is another aspect of creation and that’s in the abundance of flora and fauna … during the rainy season. Early the other morning I was sitting in a rocker in our small patio in which my “hermitage” exists, eating my peanut butter toast and drinking my coffee . I noticed a brand new butterfly on the wall who was drying her wings … she stayed with me for quite a while. Then one of our ‘mascots’, a little gecko, entertained me for some time…all of this in the midst of our lemon tree which is giving us MANY lemons this year and a multitude of very green plants and flowers…. I had a great conversation with our loving Creator and was thinking…wouldn’t it be great if a picaflor/colibri (a.k.a. hummingbird) would come for breakfast on our yellow cameron plant and our rose-colored hibiscus which had birthed five blossoms earlier this a.m.! And don’t you know….she flew right in and stayed for some time, eating and hovering, in the midst of the rest of the beauty. I wanted to share this with you because sometimes I miss the beauty that’s around me because of the many worrisome, upsetting matters that are part of daily life. Does that happen in your daily life, too? What beauty was/will be gift for you today?

Thanks for connecting, being interested and supportive!
Your Nicaraguan sister,
Jeanne

Eye see

I see the promise of tomorrow in a rural classroom

I’m back in Nicaragua after three quick but wonderful weeks enjoying times of celebration – our Jubilees of 50, 60 and 75 years of life as Sisters of St. Joseph. Being with Marie and the other Jubilarians and reliving my own golden jubilee in 2006 was a great joy. Call, response, community, ministry, service, growth, love and much more are indeed aspects of life to be celebrated. And celebrate we did!! Soon we will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Dianne. Dianne has been in this area of Latin America 16 years and before that spent 8 years in Bolivia…around the time I was in Peru….as well as shorter stretches in Panama, Guatemala and Mexico.

I also had visits and other fun times while home. I felt as though I had dragged the constant rains and humidity with me from Nicaragua but tried not to be paranoid about it. After a few days we had hot but enjoyable weather and outdoor times were lots of fun.

I returned on the 9th and encountered very interesting folks along the way. I was surprised to find out that I had been ‘upgraded’ to First Class because they tried to pack too many people in Economy Class. They told me it was because I had Sky Miles with Delta…but I think it was my age…in spite of very few gray hairs!! Who knows…it was great having space and a meal and drinks and attention!! Delta does not have a light meal as does Continental in the ‘rear’!

Claudio and the trusty pickup truck.

As always there have been some changes here, even in three weeks time. So, I’m catching up. I’ve gone to the ‘campo’ four times this past week with Vero, Claudio and one of those times we had a visitor from Atlanta whom we took to La Ceiba for a workshop on gender. It was a full day and Maggie was a good sport and didn’t whine about the strenuousness of the trip with the lurching, jolting, sliding, etc. of our trusty yellow pickup truck. I took some school supplies to the most isolated areas. I was able to purchase them at very, very low prices while in the States. Our visitors had also brought such down, so we had some nice packages to deliver. Hopefully, the crayons didn’t melt or the chalk break before they arrived at their final destination. The rural schools are equipped with one room of four walls, a roof, some desks or benches, an antiquated chalkboard and precious little more. So, any item is greatly appreciated … the boxes contained crayons, chalk, a few rulers, scissors, pencils and a pack of markers. The teachers were delighted as will be the children. It takes very little to bring joy!

Next Sunday Kari and I will go to Los Planes de Cuajachillo 2 to participate in the annual celebration of the parish in that sector. We celebrate “Nuestra Senora de Nancite” (Our Lady of Nancite). Nancite is a fruit that is in season right now. Actually, it’s one of my least favorite fruits but I will be well behaved and eat some next Sunday! I did a blog a couple of years ago on the procession that precedes the Mass. We pray for NO RAIN during the procession. It’s a long walk….longer still if you’re drenched. I enjoy the people and their devotion and dedication and feel privileged to be a part of their cultural expression of a long tradition for them.

Students hard at work.

August 24, 2010

Today started out with the joyful announcement that the young man with the cart that ‘carts off’ branches and leaves that result from trimming the trees, was at the door. Then I left for the office….I thought I’d learned the lesson of paying attention to the numbers on the buses…but you know how much an 8 can look like a 0??? I thought I was getting on a 110 but as I was chatting with the woman next to me, she said she worked at the Oriental Market…and then when I sensed that the bus was going to turn onto a ‘wrong’ street….I asked her what route we were on and she said, “118”! Well, needless to say, I got off shortly, walked a few blocks and got onto a bus that would take me where I intended to go!

How did your day start today? And, what have you relearned??

Love and support,

Jeanne