December Blizzard

It has been a blizzard for us this month in several ways. First of all, we literally had a blizzard on Christmas Eve in Tonganoxie, KS. It started snowing that afternoon and the weather forecasters predicted 8 - 10 inches of snow by Christmas afternoon. It has been our family tradition to attend Midnight Mass followed with breakfast at our house for family members afterward. I was scheduled to play the organ for Mass. As we left home for church John dug out a neighbor lady because she couldnt' get her car into her driveway and was blocking the road. Attendance at Mass was light with only 60 people there. Father jokingly laughed that people that wanted a white Christmas were in big trouble. We had more than enough egg casserole for our traditional midnight breakfast because no other family members were able to get out and get to Mass!

We were involved in a blizzard of activities trying to see people during our short home visit. First we flew to Texas to see my sister, her family and my Dad and Betty for a few days. Our church hosted an Open House for us one evening. It was amazing and overwhelming to see how many people came out just days before Christmas to bid us good-bye and send their well wishes. We only wish the evening could have been longer so we had more time with each person. Then there was John's family Christmas with over 50 people squeezed into his Mom's house and a visit from Santa. Two of our nephews spent a final sleep-over with us giving their parents a quiet night at home while we enjoyed their company seeing a movie and playing games. We both visited school to chat with former co-workers. I had a final Girls Night Out with friends. We managed to squeeze in a couple of visits with John's Mom, his sister and as well as our best friends. There wasn't enough time to visit with everyone.

In between the visits, we were interviewed by a reporter for our local newspaper. If you'd like to read the article we wrote, click here.

We drove in three different snow storms. Even though they all couldn't be classified as blizzards, each was harrowing in it's own way. Driving home from New York with John's sister and husband we got caught in an unexpected ice storm in Pennsylvania. Thanks to the driving skills of both men, we made it through a couple of harrowing hours. Then driving back to New York, John and I just happened to find black ice outside of Louisville, KY. We never found out why traffic was stopped, but three tow trucks drove by while we were stopped. To help pass the time I read to John and we even played cards for awhile. Our final snowstorm was just this morning as we were driving back from visiting Andrea in Oneonta. Snow flurries with no accumulation was predicted for this afternoon. Since we were leaving early in the morning we really weren't concerned. Only an hour into the trip the flurries turned into heavy snow with snow packed roads. I don't think John is going to miss winter driving!

There was a blizzard of activity as we did our final packing. It seems like we have been working on this for weeks. We had several lists of suggested items to take that we used as we made trips to purchase items. Of course several days after shopping we always thought of something else that we ought to take. Our last purchasing trip was just yesterday! John had his own personal method of packing so the best thing for me to do was help set out things and then get out of his way. There was plenty for me to do as I cleaned the apartment, compiled lists of addresses, phone numbers, wrote cards and final emails. We enjoyed one last meal with Sisters Paula and Noel hearing even more stories about their time in Kenya.

I don't know that you could call it a blizzard, but more of a flood of tears as we spent the last "free day" with Andrea. She spent most of her Christmas vacation with us in a strange house without any TV or internet access. What a trooper not to complain, but offering to help in any way that she could. I'm sure it wasn't her best Christmas ever. Now that she is back at school coaching she is in high gear with two practices a day working to get the team back into shape after too many Christmas goodies. We were so glad to be able to spend a day with her eating at a favorite spot and playing pitch that evening. We got in as many hugs and kisses as possible hoping that they will be enough to last until the next we see one another.

As I write this John and I are at a hotel next to the airport. It seems impossible that we fly out tomorrow morning for Kenya. Mary will be arriving within the hour. The flights and layover last about 20 hours and we will arrive in Nairobi about 2:00 on January 2nd. We will be met at the airport by a lay missioner, Vicki Smith. She will take us to the Maryknoll House where we will spent the first night with the priests and brothers. Then we will move to the Flora Hostel on Sunday where we will be living as we attend language school for the next four months. School starts Monday morning at 9:00!

Ready or not, Kenya here we come!

Sending Ceremony and Goodbyes

It has been an emotionally intense week as we concluded our orientation program. Monday was a wet day and I wouldn't be surprised if we went through an entire box of Kleenex as we started goodbyes to our fellow missioners. It started with a retreat lead by Sister Janet and then our own evening meal. Sister Janet had put together a slide show with photo highlights taken over the last 13 weeks. Thanks to Mary's face recognition program and computer skills we were able to view a slide shows of each individual that evening as the group laughed and told stories remembering the times shared. Minh prepared another of her excellent Vietnamese meals. We are sure going to miss her cooking magic.

Tuesday was a final ritual with the Mission Sending Team as we dismantled the weaving our of Life Lines that started this whole experience together in September.

Thursday was the day the seven lay missioners pledged their commitment during the Mass. We have planned our own weekly Masses all along, but this one was especially important as we confirmed our assignments in mission.

Family members started arriving Thursday evening for the Sending Ceremony. John and Nan joined us and we had a great time giving them a quick tour of New York City on Friday. Here we are on the coldest day yet at the top of the Empire State Building.

That night was the Christmas Concert. The choir was made up of priests, brothers, sisters, lay missioners, Maryknoll friends and employees. It was a beautiful concert. Along with four part harmony, we had a harp, organ, guitars, violin, cello and percussion instruments. The chapel was full and filled with a joyous celebration.

The highlight of the week was our Sending Ceremony. As part of the ceremony we brought gifts to the altar representing the counties where we would soon be giving. A Sister that had worked in each country "called us forth" to our new homes and welcomed us in the language we will soon be learning. We were presented with our mission crosses and received a blessing.As a final send off, bells and noise makers serenaded us as we left the church. The chorus of the recessional song We are Called sums up the orientation program:
We are called to act with justice,
we are called to love tenderly,
we are called to serve one another,
to walk humbly with God.

If you'd like to see some pictures of the Sending Ceremony click here.

If you'd like to watch some highlights of our sending ceremony click here.

Wisdom from Sisters and Fathers

Those of us going to Kenya were invited to dine with some of the Sisters that have served in Kenya last week. Today we were guests of the Fathers that served in Africa. What follows are some of the insights we gained from them as well as some of their stories.

Sisters Paula and Noel, both nurses, worked together in Kitale for over 30 years. Noel was in Sri Lanka for 8 years and then in Africa for 34. Paula was in Africa for 41 years. The majority of that time they worked in a medial dispensary. In more recent years they worked in pastoral ministry included a knitting group, putting roof on completed houses, an adult literacy project, and a community bank.

Sister Clare worked 50 years in Kenya in many different places and in many different roles. Sister Roe was an educator in Eldoret and Mombasa. She now serves on the Christian Peacemaker Team that goes into conflict areas. While there they non-violently prevent further violence, train other in non-violent action and give witness to human rights abuses. Most recently she was in The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Fathers Richard, Tom and Leo served for a total of almost 120 years. That's a lot of experience!

Father Tom served in Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan. He enjoyed his time most when he was in the bush (translation: out in the country or rural area). He talked over and over about how we need to forget that we are there to help people and instead focus on what we can learn from them. Although the people are very poor, in many ways they have more wisdom and sense of community that we do. He suggested talking to the people. Find a boy or girl out tending a herd of cattle or goats. Sit down with them under a tree and visit. Listen to them.

The Sisters have described Kitale as paradise with a mild climate, good soil and beautiful people. They had a yard with every kind of fruit tree imaginable. Since Mary is a composter and gardener we are looking forward to having a garden and growing some of our own food and herbs. They suggested good restaurants, areas where we might want to live, which local bank to use, good places to shop and even the best kind of beer!

Never leave home without duct tape. They told a hilarious story about a medical evacuation of one of the Sisters. When the plane arrived they discovered that the stretcher with the Sister strapped it was too wide to be able to fit through the door. What did they do? They taped the Sister to the stretcher so that they were able to tilt it and get her into the airplane. Then as they were taking off, the Sister still taped to the stretcher, started sliding forward and into the pilots area. The solution to the problem? Remove part of the tape from the stretcher and tape her to the floor of the plane!

Details, Details, Details

We just got this photo. These are the lay missioners from the four sending groups that met here last month. Aren't we a good looking group? Two are going to Asia, about half are going to Latin America and the other half to Africa. We had a great time together and learned much from one another.

It seems impossible that we only have three weeks left here at Bethany! Classes are starting to wind down, but practical details have become pressing. There are only three more classes scheduled. Our travel medicine expert will be talking about staying healthy in mission. Next week we have our final Scripture class with Brother Jack and then a closing retreat. The rest of the time will be spent in individual meetings about health care, benefits, human resources, and accounting. All that fun stuff that is so important.

There are two big ceremonies coming up. On Friday, December 10th we will be having our Commitment Ceremony. This is a small gathering of the seven candidates (us), other Maryknoll Lay Missioners, staff, mentors and special guests that have been a part of our orientation program. During the Mass we will sign our covenant with Maryknoll Lay Missioners.

The biggest celebration is our Sending Ceremony on December 12th. This is a combination graduation and send off. The theme is "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Isaiah 52:7 The altar will be decorated with items from the countries where we will be going: Bolivia, El Salvador, Panama, Cambodia, China, Tanzania,and Kenya. Prayers will be spoken in the languages we will be speaking. We will be "called forth" into mission, presented with our mission crosses and then "sent forth". As a closing there will be a ringing of the sending bell. This is a tradition that dates back to 1911 when the very first Maryknoll missionaries were sent to mission.

The night before the Sending Ceremony is the Christmas Concert. This too is a traditional event with choir members from the Fathers and Brothers, Sisters, and Lay Missioners. I'm singing too! I haven't sung in a choir since high school. I'm usually stationed at the keyboard. Those high notes aren't as easy to reach as they used to be. The chapel is dark as the concert starts. We will enter from the basement with lighted candles. I guess it is a very impressive sight and a musical treat.

Now, not only are we finishing classes and planning these ceremonies, but also trying to take care of travel details. We're working on booking flights, applying for visas, setting up bank accounts so we can receive money, purchasing last minute needed items. Think getting ready for vacation, but this trip will last a much longer time.

Here's what our break is going to look like. We will start driving back to Kansas on Sunday, December 13th arriving home the evening of the 14th. On Wednesday we'll fly to Dallas to see my sister Kathy, her family, and Dad and Betty. We'll return home on Friday. Sunday is Korb Christmas. Andrea will be flying in that morning. I think we'll be spending Christmas day with John's mom. She usually comes over to our house for lunch, but that won't be possible this year! Andrea leaves on the 26th and we are hoping to start driving back to New York on the 27th. We'll stop by Andrea's gym in between those two-a-day practices she'll be having.

We'll try to see as many of you as possible during our limited time in Kansas. I know and understand that with the holidays your time too is limited with holiday preparations.

We leave for Kenya on January 1st. What an appropriate start to the new year.

Healing of Memories

Talk about going from one extreme to another. Today at lunch we had the opportunity to hear a guest speaker, Father Michael Lapsley. He is an Anglican priest originally from New Zealand. He moved to South Africa in the 1970s. In the late 1970s he was banned from South Africa and was on their hit list. While living in Zimbabwe, he was sent a letter bomb by the South African government. It was hidden between two religious magazines. As a result he lost both hands, an eye, and his eardrum was shattered.

His message was that all people have a story to tell. Every story needs a listener. This is even more essential when a traumatic event has occurred. He said that even as the bomb was exploding he felt God's presence. The Scripture promise of "I am with you always" was being kept.

He had traveled extensively working for human rights before the bomb. As a result, he received numerous messages of love, support and encouragement from around the world. Because of this encouragement, he was able to heal not only physically but emotionally.

"Quite early on after the bomb I realised that if I was filled with hatred and desire for revenge I’d be a victim forever."

He felt he was able to heal emotionally because his experience was recognized, acknowledged, and given reverence. Acknowledgment is more than knowing or realizing something has happened. It is admitting at the deepest level that a wrong was done. This step is essential for healing. When abuse or a traumatic event occurs the perpetrator has inverted the moral order. (S)he in action or word told the victim that what happened to them is their (the victim's fault). Not true at all!

When an evil is done on a personal level, there are response three stages: victim, survivor, and hopefully victor. In the victim stage something awful has happened. Many people don't get beyond the victim stage. Those people ultimately become victimizers who do terrible things to others lashing out because they have been so hurt. In order to leave victimhood behind, the survivor needs acknowledgment by themselves and others of what has happened. Only then can they begin to put the awful event behind them. A victor is able to reclaim their lives. They are no longer an object that something happened to, but an active subject able to move on.

In order to heal, one needs to reveal. If past events are buried, they fester until they erupt. The burden of these events never goes away no matter how much one tries to ignore them. The past must be acknowledged, but we can't let ourselves become a prisoner of that past.

Forgiveness is a choice. It is a journey where you begin to look again toward the future.

He views interfaith dialogue as the future for the world. We must work toward an interfaith journey in which we must reference, reflect and receive from one another.

We can't be human by ourselves. To be fully human we need other.

He has since returned and become a South African citizen. After apartheid he worked for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Witnesses who were victims of gross human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences. This commission heard reports of human rights violations and considered amnesty to perpetrators of violence.

If you'd like to find out more about Father Michael Lapsley and his Institute for Healing of Memories take a look at his website www.healingofmemories.co.za

Importance of Laughter

This afternoon we had a chance to attend a lecture by Father James Martin titled Laughing with God. His is an interesting story. He was on the fast track working in corporate finance for General Electric and moving up the career ladder. However, he found that he was unhappy living and working in the corporate world. Surprisingly everybody including himself, he ended up joining the Jesuits and became a priest.

Father James has written several books and I think I will be adding a couple of titles to my Christmas list. In fact we didn't realize that we had bought one of his a year ago titled This Our Exile: A Spiritual Journey With the Refugees of East Africa about his two years spent in Kenya. I doubt there is much humor in that one, but it sounds like his sense of humor comes shining through in My Life With the Saints.

He emphasized that we all need joy, humor and laughter in our spiritual lives. We Christians tend to take ourselves entirely too seriously and don't laugh enough. God wants us to laugh and enjoy ourselves. We need to show our joy and love of life. He gave ten reasons why laughter is essential. I'm afraid I didn't take notes and can't relate them here, but do know that we laughed with him for over an hour. He told great stories as he illustrated his points.

Here is one of his jokes simplified to make it a little shorter: A Franciscan and St. Jesuit priest were killed in an automobile accident. They were killed upon impact and found themselves at the gates of heaven together. The gates were thrown open and they were surrounded by hundreds even thousands of angels. All of the sudden a red carpet was rolled out and ended up at the feet of the St. Jesuit priest. A parade of Jesuit saints came down the carpet to welcome him including Francis Xavier, Francis Jerome, and Anthony Daniel. The final saint was Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. Once all the greetings and hugs were given a blue carpet landed at the Jesuit's feet. Who should come down the blue carpet to welcome him, but Mary the mother of Jesus. Now a third carpet came rolling down out of heaven. This one was white and it was Jesus himself coming to escort the priest into heaven.

The Franciscan priest was thrilled to see how his friend was being welcomed into heaven. The angels, saints, Mary, Jesus and Jesuit priest entered heaven and the gates closed behind them. That left the Franciscan priest alone outside the gates of heaven. While he was there he was imagining who would come out to welcome him. Would it be St. Francis de Sales, St. Bonaventure, Agnes of Prague and even St. Francis of Assisi, founder of his order? He started rehearsing speeches that he would give to each of them. Suddenly he realized that he had been outside the gates of heaven for over 15 minutes. He waited and waited. An hour went by. Then it was two and finally three.

At this point he was starting to get upset. Over at the side of the main gate a small door opened in the wall surrounding heaven. "Psst!" a minor saint hollered. "Over here."

"What?" the Franciscan priest said.

The minor saint said, "Come over here. Come on in."

"What? My friend got such a huge welcome. There were angels and saints, Mary and even Jesus to escort him into heaven. Where is my welcoming committee?"

"Oh that. We have Franciscans coming every day. We haven't had a Jesuit in over 50 years!"

The Widow's Mite

John and I have enjoyed Father Mark's homilies over the years as they are humorous and show much wisdom. They are insightful, relevant, challenging and yet practical. We leave Mass feeling inspired and uplifted.

Brother Jack has been teaching our Scripture studies and has many of the same talents, but an altogether different method of opening up the Scriptures. He is a Capuchin Fransican Friar who travels from Boston to be with us. We all look forward to his classes as he forces us to dig deeper to gain more understanding.

During class we read and look at the Bible in three different ways. First is a exegesis reading. "What jumps out at you? What did you notice?" What does the Scripture text actually say?" Here we are not looking at any interpretation, just things to notice and ponder. We will come back and discuss them later.

Next comes the hermeneutic reading. Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpreting the Scriptures and examining their true meaning. Now we ask those questions and look at explanations.

Finally, Brother Jack gives us the historical and cultural background that impacts the meaning and helps to give a fuller intrepretation.

Lots of big vocabulary words, but here are some of the insights he gave us today as we discussed yesterday's Gospel, Mark 12:38 - 44 (the Denunciation of the Scribes and the Widow's Mite).

Mark's Gospel was written to an audience of the poor. The Scribes are the VIPs in the village. They are one of the few literate people, study the Law, and write down the insights of the rabbis. Because of their education, they would know Jewish Law better than anyone. They would know what is expected of the communnity to take care of the poor.

The Scribes are only supposed to wear their long robes (special symbolic clothing) in the Temple and when they visit the poor. However, they are wearing this clothing all the time out in public to show off their importance. Yet they aren't visiting or taking any action to help the poor. Their actions don't match what they know they should do. Much is expected of them, but they aren't doing what is expected. Mark is telling the poor to beware of the Scribes. They aren't being good role models since they aren't concerned about and helping the less fortunate.

The widow symbolizes the poor and the voiceless in society. During ancient times women were considered property. According to Levite Law if a woman's husband died, she was her son's property if he was of age. However, if her son was young or she had no son, she became the property of her husband's oldest brother. If he died, she was handed over to the next brother, etc. She had no rights, could not own land or property, had nothing, and couldn't support herself.

In verse 40 it says "They devour the houses of widows . . ." The widow is made even poorer by the Scribes. She is expected to tithe as she enters the Temple. A part of this tithe goes to help support the Scribes. Even though they know they should, the Scribes are doing nothing to help her. In fact, they are making themselves richer while trying to make it appear that they are helping others. She forgot herself and her needs in order to help others. Even though her contribution was practically nothing, it was all she had. The rich were getting richer while she was getting poorer. She was helping others. She gave her all, everything that she had while the Scribes gave their "extra" money. It didn't hurt them at all to give the money they tithed.

This passage affirms the place of the poor. God loves them and appreciates them even more because they give what little they have to help one another. Jesus is the supreme example of giving everything for those he loved.

Prayer Experiences

As you might guess, we are having many different types of prayer experiences as we prepare to go into mission. Wednesdays at noon those that are interested are invited to join in Centering Prayer. If you are interested in learning more about it, watch this short video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mfaK6XOq5E


Here are a couple of variations of the Lord's Prayer we've discovered. Isn't it interesting to see how the different cultures interpret it? It makes you rethink it's meaning to us.

A Latin American Adaptation of The Lord's Prayer

Our Lord,
Who is in us here on earth
Holy is your name in the hungry
Who share their bread and song.
Your kingdom come, which is a generous land
That flows with milk and honey.
Let us do your will,
Standing up when all are sitting down,
and raising our voice when all are silent.
You are giving us our daily bread
In the song of the bird and the miracle of the corn.
Forgive us
For keeping silent in the face of injustice, and
For burying our dreams,
For not sharing our bread and wine,
love of the land,
among us, now.
Keep us from the temptation of shutting our hearts in fear;
of resigning ourselves to hunger and injustice;
of taking up the same arms as the enemy.
But deliver us from evil.
Give us the perseverance and the solidarity
To look for love,
Even if the path has not yet been trodden,
even if we fall.
Help us to know and rejoice in your Kingdom
Which is being built for ever and ever.
Amen



The Lord's Prayer
Based on the original Aramaic- source unknown

O Cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration!
Soften the ground of our being
and carve out a space within us where
your presence can abide.
Fill us with your creativity so that we
may be empowered to bear
the fruit of your mission.
Let each of our actions bear fruit in
accordance with your desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce
and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
Untie the tangled
threads of destiny that bind us,
as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us be seduced by that which
would divert us from our true purpose,
but illuminate the opportunities of the
present moment.
For you are the ground and fruitful vision,
the birth, power and fulfillment,
as all is gathered and made
whole once again.

Kenya Demographics

Word from our Regional Coordinator is that we will be starting language school on January 4th. We will be attending the Anglican Church of Kenya Language School in Nairobi. The following weekend, January 9th and 10th, two lay missioners, one from Kitale and one from Mombasa, will be joining us for our in-country orientation.

We've been working on our regional studies to learn more about Kenya. I thought I'd share some things I've found interesting.

The majority of Kenyans (56%) are living in poverty. Approximately 23% are considered to live in extreme poverty with an income of less than $1 a day. The typical daily wage for an unskilled worker is $1.35. The Gross Domestic Product is $550 per person. Subsistence farming on small plots of rain-fed agriculture is the most common occupation (75% of the population). Only 20% of the land is Kenya is arable and thus able to be farmed. Informal service jobs such as selling vegetables, transporting items by hand, guarding property, working as a "house girl" are typical ways to earn income.

Kenya is made up of 42 different ethnic groups with a population of 40,000,000. There are also an estimated 234,000 refugees in Kenya from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, the Congo, and Uganda. The majority of Kenyans are Christians. Protestants are 45% of the population, Catholics are 33%, Muslims are estimated at 10% with the final 12% holding traditional beliefs.

Education is valued in the Kenyan society. Parents will do everything in their power to provide an education for their children. In 2003 a policy of universal free primary education was announced. However, the reality is that many students are still unable to attend school. Why? There are not enough schools or teachers. Classrooms are overcrowded. There is an average of 50+ children per primary teacher. The target of three students per textbook is not being met due to a lack of textbooks. Incidental costs of having a child in school include uniforms, pencils and paper, lunch, or school improvements which many families cannot afford. Net primary school enrollment is estimate to be 76%. Of those children who do enroll in primary school only 73% ever reach fifth grade. Secondary education, vocational training and university are fee-based which are beyond the means of the majority. The estimate of high-school aged youth attending secondary school range from only 12 - 30%.

The life expectancy in Kenya is 48 years. The three diseases causing the greatest health care problems are malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS. The rate of AIDS infection is estimated from 7 - 15% of the adult population. Approximately 1.2 million Kenyans are currently infected. One hundred children die of malaria each day. Many of these deaths could be prevented with adequate health care and the proper administration of medicine. Medical personnel are too few and often poorly trained.

There are approximately one million AIDS orphans. Churches and NGOs are building orphanages and children's homes, but they are overwhelmed. Then there is the problem that children in these facilities lose their connections to their home community and have no where to go when they become adults other than the streets.

Can't you see why education and health are the two area in which Maryknoll Lay Missioners are focusing their efforts in Kenya?

Make sure to check the Prayer link from time to time. We have learned so many new and great prayers in our time here at Bethany. I am adding ones that I especially like and think you might also want to pray from time to time.

Discernment and Commitment

Author Frederick Buechner offers the following definition of vocation: "The place that God calls you to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world’s deepest hunger will meet."

We are halfway through our orientation at MKLM. It doesn't seem possible as time has flown by so quickly. Today is our Statement of Commitment. Thus far classes and workshops have been structured to help us become more aware of the realities of mission. We have been meeting individually with a staff member as well as a mentor to help us think, learn, discuss and process information that has been presented to us. In addition we have been meeting in small integrations groups made up of other candidates to talk about issues and concerns. Last weekend we had a retreat and then on Wednesday spent a day of Prayer and Reflection at Rockefeller State Preserve. Why? To discern that we are ready and willing to make a commitment to mission.

Today our staff member will recommend us for membership in Maryknoll Lay Missioners. We will become official MKLM at the Sending Ceremony on December 12th.



Meet our classmates. Back row: Joe, one of our leaders; Stephen, Kenya; Nan, El Salvador; Mary, Kenya; Cindy, Kenya; Erica, El Salvador. Front row: Sister Laura, Panama; Rena, El Salvador; Sister Anastasia, China; Sister Genie, Tanzania; Lindsay, Cambodia; John, Kenya; Minh, Bolivia.

Fall in New York

When Andrea came home for Christmas last year after living in New York for four months she said, "Where are all the trees?" Kansas seemed so bare after being surrounded by woods. We can now see exactly what she meant. Tuesday night we drove into the Bronx for dinner. Would you believe that most of the way (and even in the Bronx) we were still surrounded by trees. At one point we couldn't see the sky because the trees formed a natural arch over the road!

It is so beautiful here that it is hard to describe. The colors are so intense. It seems like every time we have a chance to go outside there is even more color. Three sides of our classroom are glass. Usually we have our backs to the windows, but on Friday we sat so that all had a gorgeous view. I have heard the expression that the ground was carpeted with leaves. Well, it is true. This morning as we walked to church in places you couldn't see the grass or pavement because there are so many leaves covering it. Not only are there leaves on the ground, but pine needles, pine cones, acorns, and berries. At times when we are walking in the morning we hear continual pinging as acorns and pinecones hit the ground or even parked vehicles!

Since there are so many trees here they have a different way to deal with the fallen leaves than we do in Kansas. First, many hire a crew to blow the leaves into the street. We saw a three-man crew working last week. They formed an L-shape with two men in front and one on the side. Each man had a leaf blower that blew the leaves in front of them creating a larger and larger pile until they reached the street. Although we haven't been able to get a photo in action, we did find a crew that had finished their work for the day and were loading up their equipment. I'm sure they thought we were crazy when we asked if we could take their picture.

We had been wondering what happened to those piles of leaves along the curb. As I was walking back from lunch one day I found the answer. There was a truck with large cab but small covered bed. Along the side of the truck was a long hose probably about a foot in diameter. This hose extended about four feet beyond the end of the truck. One man was vacuuming up the leaves into this hose, another was raking leaves into a pile and the third was directing traffic around them. Since the bed of the truck wasn't all that large I'm assuming that the leaves were being shredded as they entered the truck. Someone told us that the city has free leaf mulch if you go and get it yourself. They also sell it bagged for others.

We're guessing that this weekend is the highlight of the colorful autumn season. Trees are starting to show bare branches. One of the trees that we have been watching at the Society (priests and brothers) was almost bare this morning when we walked to Mass. If you'd like to share in some our scenery, click here.

Yesterday the Congregation (Sisters) had their annual International Bazaar. Several of us volunteered to help. What would October be without a bazaar? John and I ended up working the snack bar. It was a lot different icing drinks than cooking dressing and turkey gravy. They served Cuban sandwiches and empanadas. Yum, yum! They had made lemon bars, Russian tea cakes, apple (from their trees) cake, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, Italian plum bread and their famous Maryknoll Coffee Cake for sale at the baked goods shop. I must agree that their secret coffee cake was out of this world! In addition to the food, they also had rooms set up with merchandise according to region: Central America, South America, Africa, East Asia, South Asia. Talk about unique and one-or-a-kind items. It was busy, busy, busy. There was a large crowd so hopefully they did well.

Lessons in DC

Father Mike, a Franciscan monk who has served in Bolivia, led a Day of Reflection that began our week. Some of his words of wisdom were: there are no such things as coincidences. Our God is a God of surprises. Mission is all about developing relationships. He echoed Saint Francis's words, "Preach the Gospel at all times but only use words when necessary."

Representatives from Action Aid, Catholic Relief Services, and Church World Service spoke to us on Tuesday. Action Aid is an international agency whose aim is to fight poverty and injustice worldwide. Catholic Relief Services assists impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas promoting the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person. Church World Service represents 35 Protestant denominations that work to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world. (They are the sponsors of Crop Walk that many of us know.) All three agencies stressed the importance of empowering people of other nations at a community grassroots level. They identify needs of their own communities and develop programs to meet these needs. They all use as a foundation for their work the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948. These rights advocate freedom, justice and peace in the world including food, shelter, work, education, healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. I thought it was interesting that CRS and Church World Service were begun in the 1940s as war relief to rebuild Europe.

Representatives from the Tanzanian and Bolivian Embassies also spoke to us. They have two very different views of US aide. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping fight against global poverty. In February 2008, they signed a five-year, $698 million agreement with Tanzania aimed to reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth. It consists of three projects: improving roads, improve the reliability and quality of electric power and extending electricity service to communities not currently served, and increasing the availability and reliability of potable water. Tanzania is beginning to see results from these projects. Bolivia on the other hand is refusing to accept aide from the US. They feel that we are supporting the opposition group in government and are interfering with domestic issues that shouldn't involve us.

Several days were spent at the Maryknoll Office of Global Concern. MOGC works with the Maryknoll Sisters, Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers, Maryknoll Lay Missioners and the Maryknoll Affiliates to educate and advocate for social, economic and environmental justice. The have offices in New York and Washington that work with Catholic and other faith-based organizations for peace, social justice and the integrity of creation.

Later in the week those of us going to Kenya were able to meet with a representative from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Africa and the African Faith and Justice Network. Both groups currently work in African nations including Kenya were able to give us some insight in the current situation there.

Our work week ended with visits with our members in Congress. We had appointments to meet with aides in Lynn Jenkins and Pat Roberts offices. Although we didn't have a scheduled meeting with Sam Brownback, we were able to see the aide that works with human rights in his office. Once upon a time she had applied to Maryknoll! We also stopped by Todd Tiahrt's office from my Dad's district.

After an intense week of meetings and classes we spent Friday afternoon and Saturday relaxing and sight seeing. Click here to view some of John's photographs.

Our Future is in Kenya

A bit of wisdom that has been stressed over and over in our training is that there are no such things as coincidences. Our God is a God of surprises. We as missioners need to be flexible and open to opportunities in whatever form they take. John and I have learned first hand that that is true even before we have left the United States!

Our placement has changed. We are going not going to East Timor as originally thought, but instead will be going to Kenya in January. It's a long story. If you want to know the details read on, if not you may skip down to the last paragraph. Either way please continue to keep us in your prayers.

In early August we received an email from Maryknoll Lay Missioners telling us that for several years they (MKLM) have been in process of prioritizing regions where they serve. Now due to the economic crisis, dwindling interest from the endowment,as well as smaller and fewer donations, it has become necessary to restructure and close some regions much sooner than anticipated. If we happened to be assigned to one of the regions that would be closed we would be notified and dialogue would begin about a new placement. Factors considered in these decisions included U.N. data about poverty and need, region characteristics and current MKLM personnel.

About three weeks ago we were informed that East Timor was one of the regions that was going to be closed within the next year. Not because there wasn't a need, but due to practical extraneous circumstances such as isolation, physical distance from other missions, cost of airfare, lack of adequate medical services, etc.

At that point we were told to discern (research, discuss, pray) about where we would like to serve. After two difficult weeks of soul searching as well as talking with Katrina and Andrea we decided to request Kenya. It is the right decision for several reasons. Perhaps most importantly it would be easiest for our nuclear family to spend time together. Although we will be on the same continent, we will still be several thousand miles away from Katrina. However, it will be much closer and cheaper to meet in Africa than on an island in the Pacific Ocean. Chances are when Andrea is able to visit we might be able to gather in one place for a few days. Then there is our previous experience in Kenya. We have been there twice before. Both times we were in Olitokitok volunteering with Homeless Children International. That means that we know a little bit about the language and culture of Kenya.

Our two possible placements when we get there will be either Kitale or Mombasa. Each one is very different from the other and neither one is even close to Olitokitok. Kitale is located in the west central part of Kenya near Lake Victoria and the Ugandan border while Mombasa is a port city on the Indian Ocean on the south east side near Tanzania. We won't know where we will be placed until we finish language school this spring.

If only I hadn't recycled my notes from the Swahali lessons we took several years ago!

Washington D.C. Here We Come

The Maryknoll Lay Missioner Mission Statement says: MKLM is a Catholic organization inspired by the mission of Jesus to live and work with poor communities in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, responding to basic needs and helping to create a more just and compassionate world. To help the Orientation Class of 2009 begin working toward that goal we are going Washington D.C. This adventure will start tomorrow (Sunday).

We have been given $50 cash to pay for subway and taxi fares for the week. At 7:30 am we are going to be driven to the train station here in Ossining where we have a ticket to Grand Central Station. From there we must find our way to China Town where we will catch a bus to D.C. at 10:50. We have to arrive at our destination in time for dinner at 6:30. Why? To experience what it will be like traveling in our future homes in developing countries.

Our first two days will be spent with two other lay missioners groups: Society for Mission in Africa and the Franciscan Mission Service for a retreat. With our class of 12 it looks like there will be about 20 - 25 people involved.

Wednesday we will be meeting with Maryknollers in D.C. who make up the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns. Their job is to work with the United Nations, the US government, governments of other countries, international financial institutions and corporations on behalf of peace, social justice and environmental issues.

Thursday we will be visiting with NonGovermental Organizations (NGOs)currently working in the countries where we are assigned.

Friday we have visits scheduled with our congressmen.

We have the option of returning home Friday afternoon or staying over the weekend to do some sightseeing. John and I are planning to stay and see as much as we can in a little over a day.

It sounds like a busy week!

Incredible Stories

We are hearing incredible stories of Maryknoll Missioners. I'll share a few that have made an impression on me. Again I'm sure that I'm not getting all the details correct, but what follows are what I think I heard.

Sister Meg is a nun who travels into The City (New York City) three days a week to work at the United Nations. She is currently an advocate for women and children's issues. When she was serving in Thailand she tells this story . . . There was a beautiful young girl from a poor family that was working as a waitress in a respectable restaurant. An older man, a general, fell in love with her. They married and had a daughter. She then discovered that he already had another wife and several children with her. The first wife was jealous when she found out about the younger wife. The older woman came to the newest wife's home with some male relatives. The men held her down while the first wife threw acid on her face and upper body. Due to her severe injuries she was brought to the Maryknoll Sisters for medical treatment. There was no one who could do plastic surgery to help her. She stayed with them for about eight months while she healed. She couldn't return to her own family because they wouldn't be able to feed two more people. She was missing her baby daughter so much that she returned to her husband only to discover that the older wife and changed the birth certificate of the child to show that she (the first wife) was the mother! The young woman had no recourse and couldn't prove that she was indeed the mother. As if that wasn't enough, she brought charges against the first wife. In court, the older woman got off scott free! She said that it was an accident.

Brother Jack was telling about the importance of having women in the mission field. His example was that priests had been in Central America for years but hadn't realized that there was a huge domestic violence issue because the women wouldn't talk about it to men. When the Sisters got there, they found out about it. Not only did they learn about it, but they devised a plan to help the women. All the local women were given bells. When their husbands started to beat them they were to ring their bells. All the village women came running to help to end the violence. What an ingenious idea!

Brother Bill was telling about his work with lepers in Egypt, Yemen and now China. Did you know that leprosy is an airborne disease? You breath in the germs, but only 3 - 5% of the population are susceptible and actually get the disease. Lepers get irritations and sores on their feet much like diabetics. In addition, they lose feeling in their extremities as the disease progresses. Often these sores aren't allowed to heal because they don't hurt and continue to get worse until the point an amputation is needed. A type of shoe insert has been developed that can fit into their shoes much like an orthotic that will take the pressure of these sores so that they can heal. With today's knowledge, if a leper seeks medical attention shortly after developing symptoms, medicine will stop the progression of the disease so that sores won't even evelop.

You're Not in Kansas Anymore

We have heard that statement several times within the past two weeks. As if that wasn't enough, we have also experienced it numerous times. The funniest incident occurred last Saturday morning. We were still on the way to Maryknoll and had spent the night in Hyde Park. That is where the FDR homes and presidential library are. They have several hiking paths and decided to go on one to stretch our legs and get some exercise. While hiking, we met two gentlemen. We assumed they were park employees because they were measuring the path's distance and chatted with us about a 5 K walk/race they were hosting the next day. When we returend to our car there was a note: "You're not in Kansas anymore. Welcome to Hyde Park." I thought New Yorkers were supposed to be so snobbish. Just a few hours later we arrived in Ossining Village where Maryknoll is located. We hadn't had lunch yet and were hungry. The only place we knew was a wonderful pizzeria that we had eaten at during our interview. As we were pulling in another car pulled up right beside us. I wasn't really paying attention, but realized that the driver of the other car was talking to me when I heard, "You aren't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy." I laughed and said, "I'm not Dorothy, but she is my mother-in-law!" The third event happened the next day. Sam Stanton is the executive director of MKLM. Proving that it is indeed a small world, he grew up in Council Grove, KS and is a K-State grad. He commented that it was great to see a Kansas car parked in the parking lot.

We were told to bring clothes for three seasons to New York: summer, fall and winter. I think we could have skipped the summer. The weather here has been beautiful, crisp fall-like temperatures and mostly sunny. It as been too cool to wear shorts. This morning it is 46 degrees, while it looks like Tonganoxie is 61. The trees are beginning to turn with some reds showing up. We've continued to walk early in the mornings and are enjoying the beautiful trees and scenery. There are trees and trees and more trees. Who knew that populace NY was full of woods. And then there are those hills. At home we would always try to get in some hills as we walked. Tonganoxie hills are nothing compared to New York Hills. Whoa! My heart rate really is up after walking around here. Between the hills and climbing three flights of stairs many times a day, I ought to be a little firmer when we leave here.

The restaurants are small and cozy here. Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks are the only chains we have seen. Instead, they seem to have locally owned small family establishments. We found a nice Mexican restaurant last night. Last weekend we found a great Chinese place but were surprised that they only had eight tables in the entire place. You should have seen how many people came in for carry-out while we were there. My guess is that they do mostly take-out business. We have fallen in love with New York style pizza. One of our catered meals this week was pizza (by the same pizzeria we ate at on Saturday). We had eggplant pizza, Sicilian (with chicken and spices), vegetable (green peppers, onion, broccoli, and mushrooms), and tomato and garlic. All were good. There isn't any pizza sauce. The crust is also good and different.

Yesterday we wanted to find a retail store to get some essentials. Thanks to the computer we found a WalMart about 20 minutes (12 miles) away in White Plains. To get there we traveled on four different highways and parkways. The store was in downtown White Plains. Have you ever parked in a parking garage at WalMart? How about taking an elevator down several flights to get into the store? The store was on two levels. To get to the lower level you put your cart on a special ramp to take it down while you rode the escalator down about two feet beside it.

I think we can say that we are already experiencing a different culture. It should be good preparation for the changes ahead of us.

Prayers

St. Theresa's Prayer

May today there peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one.



St. Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie,
Christ where I sit,
Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every many who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.



Draw Me to Yourself

In this moment
draw me to yourself, Lord,
and make me aware
not so much of what I've given
as of all I have received
and so have yet to share.

Send me forth
in power and gladness
and with great courage
to live out in the world
what I pray and profess,
that, in sharing,
I may do justice,
make peace,
gorw in love,
enjoy myself,
other people,
and your world now,
and you forever.





The Morning Offering
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of this morning.
I offer you all that I am this day.
I offer you:
My mind that it may be open to your understanding of the meaning of life,
My mouth to speak your words of peace,
My feet to follow where you would lead me,
My eyes to see the world as you do,
My sensitivity to the pain of people around me,
My faith to believe in God in the midst of suffering,
My hope to heal those you would heal through me,
My love of others to reflect your live of everyone,
My whole being that I may grow through your spirit.




May you be blessed with the Spirit of Abundance - to see deeply, to live boldly, and to share the truly abundant life in the midst of want and worry.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Openness - to share your whole self and to receive freely the gifts and challenges of new moments in new mission.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Abundance - to continue to live the beauty and journey of mission, to share the stories of hope in the midst of want and worry.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Openness - to embrace the present moment; its uncertainties, promise of responsibility, bittersweet endings and new beginnings.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Abundance, which transcends all difficulties, to live and work from a place of possibilities.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Openness - to hear and respond to the movement of all that calls us closer to the Source of Life.





O God,
Who am I now?
Once I was secure
In familiar territory
In my sense of belonging
Unquestioning of
The norms of my culture
The assumptions built into my language
The values shared by my society.

But now you have called me out and away from home
And I do not know where you are leading.
I am empty, unsure, uncomfortable.
I have only a beckoning star to follow.

Journeying God,
Pitch your tent with mine
So that I may not become deterred
By hardship, strangeness, doubt.
Show me the movement I must make
Toward a wealth not dependent on possessions
Toward a wisdom not based on books
Toward a strength not bolstered by might
Toward a God not confined to heaven
But scandalously earthed, poor, unrecognized . . .

Help me to find myself
As I walk in others' shoes.

Kate Compston




Blessing for Equilibrium

* Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore, may the music of laughter break through your soul.
* As the wind wants to make everything dance, may your gravity be lightened by grace.
* Like the freedom of the monastery bell, may clarity of mind make your eyes smile.
* As water takes whatever shape it is in, so free may you be about who you become.
* As silence smiles on the other side of what's said, may a sense of irony give perspective.
* As time remains free of all that it frames, may fear or worry never put you in chains.
May your prayer of listening deepen enough to hear in the distance the laughter of God.




Prayer for Discernment
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I will do this You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude



Dear Lord,
I do not ask to see the path. In darkness, in anguish and in fear I will hang on tightly to your hand and I will close my eyes so that you know how much trust I place in you.

Blessed Mary Elizabeth HasselbladI



I turn this situation over to you, knowing you love me and are in control of my days. Help me to live believing you are constantly working in my behalf. And let me be on the lookout today for evidences of your miracle touch.

Shared by Lyn Smith



Go forth in peace
Don't fear the darkness,
Your life and ours
Are one in the Lord.
Though you don't know this road
He walks before you
And waits ahead with open arms
To welcome you.
So lift your eyes
Set down your burden
Make your step light
And greet this day with joy.

When we are weary
And cannot face the morning
He carried us safely
Within his loving arms.
Wherever we go now
We're never alone.
Wherever we go now
We're only going home.

Vicki Armour-Hileman

When You Can't Laugh It's Time to Leave

John has enjoyed telling people that he will have to behave himself in East Timor. Why? Because there are five nuns already living there. He says they will help me keep him in line and out of trouble.

When he told that to Bill and Eileen, regional coordinators for East Timor, they laughed and laughed. Their response was that the nuns wouldn't make John behave, they would corrupt him even more!

Sister Susan is here at Maryknoll raising funds. I think she will be here for another month. We met her after Mass on Sunday. Bill and Eileen are right! She is an ornery one. She reminds me of John's dad with a twinkle in her eye and a quick laugh. In fact we were standing in the back of the Sister's Chapel when we started talking and were laughing so much and so hard that we had to move out so as to not distract others inside still praying. Who knows what kind of mischief she and John will be able to cook up together. As we parted we were talking about the importance of laughter. She said, When you can't laugh any longer it's time to leave." We are looking forward to visiting with her more when she returns from a trip to Washington.

We met another Sister who will be returning to East Timor in a year, Sister Dora. We remember her from the Discernment Weekend last summer. Although she might be tiny, she too has a great sense of humor and quick smile. I think we will be joining like minds. That could be a dangerous thing!

Tonight (Sunday) was the beginning of our orientation. We started with a tour of Ossining. Joe R. pointed out grocery stores, ATMs, video rentals, pizza shops, delis, reasonable restaurants, post office, train station, churches, walking paths and of course Sing Sing, the notorious prison. That will be a great help as we will need to get out to get groceries and supplies in the next day or two.

There are an even dozen of us in the Class of 2009, nine lay missioners and three Sisters. We had a chance to visit during a social hour and then cookout where everyone was expected to lend a hand. That is going to be the theme as we form a missioner community. That seems to be the term used by the nuns and lay missioners for groups of people who live and work together.

It's not just John and I going to East Timor, there are three of us going in January. Minh (pronounced Ming) is also a candidate. Her story is fascinating. She was born in Vietnam. Tonight she was telling wonderful stories about her childhood in a suburb of Saigon. Two of her brothers were able to get out before the fall of Saigon in 1975. The rest of her family couldn't leave until they were sponsored by her brothers and other relatives already living here. Because her father had worked for the Americans during the war she wasn't allowed to go t college or have a job. To survive she learned to cut hair and sold donuts as a street vendor. In 1988 her brothers and other relatives living in the United States were able to sponsor the rest of the family so they could come to America. Because she and her sister were over the age of 21, they were separated from the rest of their family and sent to the Philippines for English training and cultural adjustment. They were there for six months before being allowed to rejoin their families. She hated it there and was so homesick for her family. She decided to keep herself busy and started working with a youth group in the refugee camp. Since she has been in the US in 1989 she has been able to go to college and receive a degree. She has served an English tutor in her parish and as youth minister in another parish. She is a quiet calming presence in contrast to our louder more boisterous personalities. We will be a great team. She has already taught me a better way to cook corn on the cob! We have already learned so much for her.

It Feels Like Home

As strange as this sounds, it feels like we are home. Early yesterday afternoon we arrived at Bethany, the place where we will be living and learning for the next thirteen weeks. Everyone that we have met thus far is great.

We were met by Dorothy, the full time resident. It's her job to look after the building in a house mother type role. She was a great welcoming committee. Just as she was invaluable when we were snowed in last December (helping us find food to eat, computers to use, Mass to attend, transportation to the city when we had found a flight out, etc.) she filled us in on our home for the next three months.

Bethany was originally built as a summer home for the wealthy. It burned and was abandoned. The Maryknoll Sisters bought it and 26 acres. Since families of nuns couldn't stay on convent grounds, it was used as a guest house for their visitors. Then they saw a need for assisted living and a nursing home for the aging Sisters. They added on a wing to meet that need. In the 1980s it didn't meet Medicare standards so they decided to build an entirely new building on convent grounds. The Maryknoll Fathers bought it from them and used it as a headquarters for the new organization, Maryknoll Lay Missioners. We are now in the process of buying the building from the priests.

Remember moving into the dorm during college? Bethany is shaped like a capital L. The ground floor has a huge institutional kitchen, dining room and classroom where we will be meeting, laundry room, and computer room. The first floor is taken up with offices and a chapel. The second and third floors are living quarters. One wing contain tiny rooms for single people (newest addition) while the other one has apartments for married couples (original building). Our apartment is small and cozy. We have a tiny kitchen, living room and two bedrooms. Since we are on the top floor, we have tiny dormer windows. They add great character to the apartment.

We are sharing the third floor with Steve, the only other male. John is thrilled to have someone to talk sports with. Ever since Andrea left home, he has missed being able to share games and talk strategy. I'm afraid that I just don't speak the lingo. Steve is an environmental engineer that will be going to Kenya. Together we discovered a great Chinese restaurant last night. The girls all are down on the second floor.

We had just gotten our belongings moved up to the apartment when there was a knock at the door. It was Bill and Eileen, the regional coordinators of East Timor! What a delighful couple. They invited us down to their apartment for tea. Time just zipped by as we chatted the afternoon away. They told some wonderful stories about their time in East Timor. They admitted that is has been their most favorite place to live having also served in Tanzania and Cambodia. You can tell that they love East Timor.

I'm not going to get all of the details correct, but Bill related this story about how they got involved in making tricycle-wheelchairs for disabled. Polio is a huge problem. There aren't recent cases, but many disabled people are living with the results of having had it as a child. One gentleman was working with Bill in his workshop making prosthesis. He lived in an outlying village and rode a horse to work each day. He could not walk and had no muscle control in his legs, so riding a horse was extremely difficult. At least four different times he fell or was knocked from his horse getting seriously injured with broken bones or needing stitches. He finally gave up and decided that he could no longer work.

That got the others in the workshop thinking about what they could do to improve mobility for this man so he could continue to work. They had seen wheelchair vehicles from other countries, but knew that they needed something more sturdy due to the difficult terrain in East Timor. That led them to design a unique chair. They now make about four chairs a month. It has drastically improved the lives of many Timorese. It has also made an impact in their society since these polio victims are no longer a burden to their families, are able to leave their homes and hold jobs. In fact, in Dili an NGO organization holds a 5K run each year to raise funds. They now have a wheelchair division!

Last night there was another knock on our door. It was Nan. We met her last July when we were here for the Discernment Weekend. We made a real connection then and spent quality time visiting. It was interesting to hear about what she has done in the last year that lead her here. She did a great job summarizing what we have found to also be true, "Everyone here is so joyful. It's a great place to be!"

Where in the World is East Timor?

Two of the most common questions we are asked are "Where in the world is East Timor, I've never even heard of it?" and "What will your living conditions be like?" We have been able to talk to three people that have lived there recently and this is what they report . . .

East Timor (also called Timor Leste)is located in Southeast Asia, just north of Australia, west of Papua New Guinea, directly south of the Philippines, in the Indonesian Island chain. It is a county the size of Connecticut with a population of about 1.2 million. They are a Catholic nation that declared independence from Indonesia in 1999. However, it wasn’t until 2002 that they were recognized as an independent country by the United Nations. We will be helping to rebuild a country that has been plagued by years of occupation, oppression and conflict.

We will be living in Aileu, one of the poorest districts in the country. There are eleven Maryknoll people already serving there: five nuns and six lay missioners. Their ministries include formal and informal education, a women’s literacy project, health clinics, an agricultural program, and rehabilitation for physically-disabled people. We don’t know exactly what we will be doing when we get there, but assume that the majority of our time will be spent in some type of education.

The Timorese people are kind, open to new ideas, full of energy and hope for their new nation. They are inventive with few resources yet their daily joys include music, dance and laughter.

We will be living in a duplex built by the Maryknoll Sisters. Our house will have cement walls, a corrugated tin roof and cement floor. There is an indoor toilet, running water, electricity from 6pm until midnight, and an internet connection. The real advantage we have is that we will use propane to cook. Almost all Timorese cook with wood in a grass kitchen hut separate from the rest of the house. The poorer Timorese live in houses built with bamboo or mud, a thatch roof and dirt floors.

Their simple but healthy diet is mostly rice, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables. Some of the items we can buy in the local market include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, corn, carrots, soybeans, mustard greens, water spinach, bok choy, onions, garlic, cucumbers, cassava, avocados, oranges, bananas, mango, and papaya. They have great coffee and in the mornings you can buy locally baked bread, Portuguese rolls. About an hour away in the capitol, Dili, we can shop at supermarkets getting imported foods such as soup, pasta, cookies, dried fruit, meat, eggs, and loaves of bread.

We have learned that fruits that ripen naturally on the plants taste so much better. Aren't you envious?

Angels Walking Beside Us

During these last two weeks in Tonganoxie we are able to focus on our true blessings: family and friends. We'd like to tell you about a few that have been extraordinary.

John's sister and husband have been true guardian angels. They have been supportive of our decision to leave Tonganoxie and helped us with every step we have taken in that direction. Not only have they provided food for thought as we have made plans, helped with our moving sale, provided muscle during the move, but they also have agreed to be our power of attorney and take care of financial matters and other details for us while we are gone. This isn't an easy or light commitment on their part. Words of appreciation can never begin to express our thanks. This entire adventure wouldn't be possible without their help. Thank you. May you receive many blessings for tending to business while we are tending to others.

Then there are our best friends. Early on they agreed to write a letter of recommendation attesting that our marriage could withstand living abroad in the mission field. How does the couple themselves even know that? Although they have mixed emotions and really don't want us to leave, they have also been there beside us helping make decisions and choices as we have finalized plans. They too have helped with the physical labor involved in the garage sale and move. If you ever need anyone to help stack furniture for storage in the smallest space possible, call on him!

My sister and her husband agreed to store my quilts while we are gone. She is an excellent housekeeper with a place for everything and everything is in its pace. Even before I had begun to think about quilt storage, she offered to supervise climate controlled storage of them in her home knowing how important they are to me. Our trip to take two large totes of quilts to them gave us an opportunity to have a wonderful visit and sister time.

What can I say about my fifth grade colleagues? Not only did they provide great entertainment at our retirement banquet last spring, they proved to be extremely thoughtful during the difficult days of our moving sale. We had a rough day watching our possessions being sold when they unexpectedly showed up with lunch. It was just what we needed: food, conversation, laughs and hugs. It provided a needed distraction when I had been on the edge of tears most of the day.

Have you ever moved a spinet piano? Brute strength is what you need, especially when stairs are involved. Each time we have moved, the men swear it is the last time they will ever move that piano. We had a crew of six show up to help us move the piano and other antiques. Thank you. Not only were they moving furniture, they had to work around carpet layers in the new house. It gave them a chance to be able to tell even more moving horror stories.

A husband and wife that John taught with at the old Junior High insisted on hosting an Open House for us a couple of weeks ago. They went out of their way in the midst of their own busy lives including the birth of a granddaughter, the wedding of a son and the beginning of a new school year to open their home to school personnel and church members for a great afternoon. It had been years since we had seen some of these friends. We had the gift of time to visit with those we have seen more recently, but never get the chance to chat with due to busy schedules.

Finally, there are countless people who have stopped us on the street or after Mass, emailed, phoned or written to offer words of congratulation and best wishes. We feel called to make these changes, but it hasn't always been easy. Those words of encouragement have sustained us during the hard times.

We pray for God's grace, peace and joy for each and everyone of these very special people.

Living Abroad Makes you More Creative

Katrina received her latest professional journal "Monitor on Psychology" published by the American Psychological Association last week while I was visiting. As she came across an interesting finding, she shared it with me. One of these tidbits was "Living abroad makes you more creative."

John and I have been in training for this all spring and summer! I don't know that we have been especially creative, but have definitely been learning to make changes and adjustments to our regular routine that have been established over the years.

Thanks to technology help from our daughters, we have set up a Thunderbird account. I can't explain it, but it allows us to download email when we are online, but then read and answer it off line. This should really help as we will probably not have consistent and reliable internet service in East Timor any time that we want it.

We have temporarily moved into a new house. With the generous help of family and friends, it was a smooth move. As everyone knows, there are numerous differences between your old house and a new one. Although they aren't major obstacles, it does make a difference in your daily life since one has to stop and think about what you are doing rather than operating on autopilot. We've found such changes as the shower controls, kitchen organization, closet storage space, location of light switches, and traffic routes to and from the house. Then there are the things that you are used to, but are no longer there like familiar neighbors, favorite flowers, shade trees, and furniture.

The most commonly asked question of us is "Do you miss going back to school?" We hope we don't offend anyone when the answer is, "No." We have been so busy preparing for our future that we haven't had time to even think about it.

All of these changes could be viewed as bittersweet, but it hasn't been that way at all. It has simply pointed out to us once again that we are ready to move on. A whole new adventure is awaiting us. We are stepping out on faith to a new career that is meant to be.

There have been unexpected results to the article about us in The Leaven, our archdiocesan newspaper. We have been contacted by several people in this area that either have connections to Maryknoll or East Timor. We are hoping to be able to meet with these new friends to learn more about their experiences and stories before we leave for orientation in about two weeks.

The APA finding about being creative is much more flattering than another one Katrina shared. "Women's ability to learn may become impaired shortly before menopause . . . "

First Days of Retirement

Almost everyone we've ever talked to that is retired wonders how they ever had time to work. They say they are busier than ever in retirement. That has certainly been true for us thus far.

Teachers typically begin to think about school just after the Fourth of July. Then once August begins they start trips to school spending a couple of hours here and there getting their classrooms ready. That is all done before they are ever required to return to work.

In the month of July, we have taken a family vacation with both daughters, had a garage sale, entertained visitors from Nigeria, enjoyed time in the States with Katrina, sold our house, bought a new house and the continual sorting and packing. August has been busy with Cindy spending time in Nigeria with Katrina while John remained home finishing up the rest of the packing and making the final arrangements for our imminent move. During this week when our colleagues return to school, John will finish packing, Cindy will fly home, they will sign the official retirement papers, close on both the old and new house, and finally move. I'd say we have been entirely too busy to notice that we aren't returning to our former teaching positions!

We have been working toward this move since February once we knew we had been accepted as Maryknoll Lay Missioners. It is now almost a reality. Many of our household items are gone, most of the possessions that we have decided to keep are packed, and we are ready to downsize for the next month.

In this next month we will "camp" with the bare necessities in our new home, visit family, and say goodbye to friends and coworkers. We are looking forward to seeing everyone one more time before we begin this great adventure.