Empanadas

I can hardly believe how quickly time passes here this coming week will be my third week in Ecuador. I´ve already learned a lot, not just about Spanish and Ecuador but about myself. Numerous times during this week in conversations (in broken Spanish) I found myself thinking ¨Lord this mission is indeed more for my heart than for what I can give these people". I often feel so small with very little to offer, yet I that is what I give. I have found that God has given me more through His gracious blessings than I could hope to give of myself to those I serve.

I have indeed been incredible blessed. I am thankful for the Arroyo family in how they have opened their hearts and home to me. Especially Marcella and her patience with my broken Spanish. I truly am grateful for the sacrifice they are making for me to stay with them.

I am blessed by each conversations I have with Dr. Luis at the Clinic. He is an amazing doctor and so patient with me as I learn Spanish. He is great and compassionate with the patients, taking the time to teach them about preventing illness through healthy habits. His out look on health as it encompasses the whole human person, mind, body, and soul. On slow days Dr. Luis and I talk about the Faith, favorite Saints, what books I need to read in Spanish, Ecuadorian cuisine, the struggles of a third world country, and the struggle to grow in holiness and virtue. He has been really kind in giving me his old Spanish monthly mass reflection books for evening reading and to practice my Spanish.

You may be wondering what exactly is an empanada ... it is an Ecuadorian pastry that can be filled with cheese or meat depending where you are in the country. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like them. Friday night Renan and Silvia invited me to make Enpanadas with them. They are such a beautiful family and I love watching them as they care for their kids, they do it with great love and attentiveness. So we all gathered in their small kitchen. I loved the fact they didn´t have a mix master, rather I found myself and Paul Andres mixing the dough with our hands. Then after letting the dough rise we all gathered again to assemble the empanadas, rolling the dough, filling them with cheese, and then the fancy pinching and twisting of the dough to close them up. Deep fried and coated in sugar ... mmm.... what a feast! And imagine the whole time we were speaking in Spanish. I really love their family, the untarnished innocents of their two kids and the simple way they show their love for one another. I truly marvel at the gift it is that He has crossed our paths.

Who knows what the coming week will bring. Thank you for your prayers. Know I carry you all in my heart of prayer as well. May the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts guide, protect, and intercede for you always.

Love and Prayers,
Sara

Via me Sueño

So here I am ... I have survived my first week and three days in Ecuador! Survived you may think is a strong word ... but indeed after three days of sleeping and getting over a cold I picked up in Steubenville I think the word survived sums it up quite well. Through it I realized it is part of the Fiat we're called to, to be open to His will in sickness and health, to offer up our lives to Him for His glory and to surrender to the way He see best for us. Indeed I am only sustained by His grace.


When I flew into Quito it was a simi clear night so you could see the city lights well before you landed. As I made my way to customs there was the signature Ecuadorian Bouquet of Roses to greet me. I got through customs with no trouble, gathered my bags and walked through security to be greeted by three beautiful smiling faces, Mariya, Maribeth, and my new Ecuadorian Mom Marcella. They had signs and roses, a yellow, white, and red rose the three colors of Our Lady the Mystical Rose. Our Lady of the Mystical Rose is the statue of Our Lady at the Mission in Olon which cried tears of blood.

Mariya and Maribeth had planned to go to the Oriente to finalize plans with the Priests out there for the March Medical Mission from Franciscan University of Steubenville, however, the priest were gone on retreat. So instead, my dear beautiful missionmates spent the rest of the week with me in Quito. I was so thankful to have them there to help me with the two day process of registering my visa (especially since their Spanish is better than mine), to learn the walking routes in the city I will need, as well as how to ride a bus and take a taxi. I was truly blessed to share the room in the Arroyo´s home with them my first week here. To spend the evening talking, laughing, and praying together. I have really missed such fellowship. Marcella and I saw them off Friday evening with a few tears on my part. They went by bus back to Olon and I will see them when they return for the FUS March Medical Mission.

My days so far consist of walking in the morning to a small clinic where I volunteer. I primarily help get patient's vital signs and then sit in for their consult with the Doctor to learn Spanish medical vocabulary. I then walk home for lunch. From 1:30-5:30 I have one on one Spanish classes at the home of my Spanish professor, Renan. It is beautiful to be able to learn in the setting of his home with his wife Silvia and two kids, Paul and Maria Paz. Then Marcella picks me up from class, we go to evening mass. Then for rest of the evening I do my Spanish homework and prepare for the next day. I have a feeling the days are going to go by very quickly.

So indeed here I am ... living, volunteering, learning in Quito. Sometimes when I am walking in the streets it seems so surreal that I really actually am here! Indeed it is only by His grace and because He as called me here. Please continue to lift up the mission in prayer especially the Franciscan University students and the medical mission trip. Know you are all in my heart of prayer as well, especially during Mass.

Love and Prayers

From the Equator,

Sara

Called to Bear Fruit

Please bear with me as this is another post to bring things up to date...

Last Sunday, January 27th at Our Lady of Czestochowa was indeed a special Sunday as Fr. Janusz gave me a comissioning and blessing before I left on mission. It was my last Sunday in my home parish. Again the Lord's confirmation and Divine Providence surrounded me. The first reading was from Isaiah 8:23-9:3 , a passage household Lord's Day weekly prayer. It is about the people of darkness encountering the light. I was reminded that on mission we are called to bear that light to those we encounter. Then His encouragement to trust in Him always was echoed through Psalm 27 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; who should I fear?" The Gospel for this particular Sunday was from the Gospel of Mark recounting Jesus' calling Peter, Andrew, James and John to come and be fishers of men.

When Fr. Janusz called me forward for the blessing my heart was over joyed. As I stood before the altar facing the Tabernacle all I could say to the Lord in my heart was "here I am". I was overwhelmed by the thought of how long He has been calling me to serve and preparing my heart for this moment go forth and finally this moment had come. Fr. Janusz said the parish would indeed be praying for me. He also asked me to remember them in my prayers. I thought to myself "How could I forget them or be cut off from them, it would be like a plant insisting on being severed from it's roots to be able to blossom and bear fruit. It simply does not work in that way. My roots are there and it is because of the fertile soil in which my faith group that that Sunday I was before Jesus to say "Yes, Lord here I am. I come to do your will".

We need to learn to love where we are right now. In this moment. To be faithful in the small and simple task we are called to do each day in our home, families, and work. Otherwise how can we be expected to love when called to leave the comfort and safety of our homes.

Know I carry you all in my heart of prayer.

Love and Prayer,

Sara

Vancouver and the Beauty of Ecuador

So I really have not been as faithful to posting the happening and my reflections during my preparation before leaving for Mission in Olon. Indeed the last two weeks at home were a blur. But if you can bare with me I'll try to trace back to a few memorable and graced moments...

About two weeks ago my total surrender and fiat to do His will was put to the test when I found out my Missionary Visa had been revoked and I had to reapply through an Ecuadorian Embassy in Canada. A full day on the telephone calling Washington, Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and even Quito ended with me finding out if I wanted a Missionary Visa I would have to go to one of the Ecuadorian Embassies in Canada in person. My first reaction was "Why, Lord? I have so little time left with my family, and you want me to waste a full day in airports?" However, I did indeed go to Vancouver and back in a day, and at the end of the day all I could say to Him was "Thank You for the blessings of the day".

I arrived in Vancouver around 8:50 am and caught a cab to the Embassy.  I was indeed quite a bit early for my appointment but the Gentlemen welcomed me into the Honorary Ecuadorian Embassy of Vancouver, a small office in his home. I was quite nervous since my going to Ecuador hinged on him granting me a visa.  The meeting went very well and around 11:00 I had my Missionary Visa. The gentlemen at the Embassy insisted on driving me back to the airport. 

On the way to the airport he share with me that he had helped facilitate an exchange between a few mayors of towns in BC with a few villages in Ecuador.  They returned from their trip raving about the beautiful landscape, great food, beer, and beautiful Ecuadorian women. He said to them "I truly feel sorry for you because you visit my country and missed the thing that is most beautiful and unique to Ecuador.  That is grandparents help to raise their grandchildren ...  the togetherness of families ... the generosity of those who are in such great poverty. Indeed I truly feel sorry for you."

I then shared about an experience on my first mission in the remote village of Contraraz (I'm not sure of the spelling).  To get to the remote community is was about a 1 1/2 hour hike through the jungle. The village could only boast of one electric light and many of the homes were built on stilts because a heavy rain would raise the river and flood the village. We settup our clinic and camp for the next two days in a cement floored building.  We had no sleeping bags or foams to sleep on so were were excited to be able to offer up this small sacrifice for the community. When we arrive back to our 'camp' after supper we found a pile of mattress, blankets and mosquito nets in the middle of the room. It was very sobering to know they would sleep with out these comforts while were there serving them. They had given so generosly and freely from what little they had. They had as Mother Teresa would say "gave until it hurt".  This experience indeed had touched my heart deeply. 

After sharing this experience with the Gentlemen we both had tears in our eyes. I said "I am blessed to be called to serve the beautiful people of your country."  He then replied "They are bless to have you serve them."

The overall experience was a simple confirmation in my heart that I indeed have been called and He is ever at my side. So thank you Jesus, as you alone know what my hearts need. 

Love and Prayers,

Sara