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