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Click
on the above image to see a streaming video of Sister Michelle.
Sister Michelle is one of our newest members to the Marist
Missionary Sisters congregation. Recently, Sr. Michelle was
missioned to Peru. Sister has shared her experiences with
us in these letters.
Julio 1, 2007
Dear
Family and Friends,
Hello
and how are you? It has been two weeks since Sr. Connie and
I arrived in Lima and before life really gets busy, I wanted
to share with you a little of my experience here.
I
guess I had my first experience of travel in Latin America
when Sr. Connie and I tried to board the flight to Lima in
New Jersey. There was no order at all, even though the boarding
clerk tried to establish some order as to seating, people
just came on regardless of their*seat and the other fun was
trying to see what they tried to fit into the overhead cabins,
small suitcases and items that were so big they had to be
tagged and placed with general luggage. The flight left an
hour late because then stand by passengers had to be boarded
and as I mentioned before the luggage situation was incredible.
The plane must have been very heavy or off balanced because
as we were taxiing down the runway, the plane was swaying
(ever so slightly), I was just praying that we would get up
into the air and by God's grace and Mary's intercession, we
did. The rest of the flight was very uneventful and enjoyable.
Connie and I were both fortunate not have our luggage searched.
Here in Lima's airport, there is a system of lights that determines
whether you visit customs (the aduana) or not. You press a
little button and if you get a green light, you proceed out
of the airport but if you get a red light, you proceed to
the aduana for a full search. However, by God's grace it was
green lights for both of us. Thank God, for that because I
do not think my fruitcake and pepper sauce would have been
able to enter Lima!
Getting
used to the weather here in Lima is taking a little getting
used to, most of the days are gray, it always looks like it
is going to rain but it is just the haze. It is winter at
present but there is neither snow nor rain- some mornings
a very fine mist of a drizzle is all that we get. Lima is
on the coast of Peru but at its border are mountains. The
moist air blows in from the sea but it cannot go over the
mountains so it just sits over Lima, added to that the pollution
of cars, combis (maxi taxis for my Trim's) and coasters (big
maxis), and the fact that because it never really rains the
air is dusty, you get an idea that the place is just gray.
I must admit this is the first place where I have ever lived
where you have to wash the leaves of plants! Some days though
the sun shines extra brightly and can shine through the haze
but for the most part laundry takes at least 2 days to dry
and forget about whites remaining white, they all eventually
become gray. However, Peru has many contrasts in climate.
Last Friday, Sr. Kathleen, the leader of this province, took
Sr. Connie and me to visit the Marist Brothers at Choisica,
which is 2 hours outside of Lima. It was incredible, there
were no clouds, the sun shone brightly and when we left Lima
it was cold and there we were bundled up under jackets and
turtlenecks and arriving in Choisica where it was summer!
Que sorpresa! It proved to be a very beautiful day. Choisica
is in desert region, and it is at the beginning of the ascent
into the mountains but que montanas. There are no trees just
rocks- at first, I thought it ugly, but as I continued looking
at them, they had a very special beauty when combined with
the beautiful sunshine; I wish I had a camera so that I could
share this with you.
However,
enough about the place, what about the people? I must say
that I wanted all my life to visit the ancient places of this
hemisphere and after learning about the Incans in my high
school history class, it is an unexpected gift to be here.
From what I have seen the people are the memory of their proud
ancestors, they are gifted with ingenuity. Life in the city,
as in all cities is very hard but the people are inventive
in trying to survive. There are over 7 million people in Lima
and it is when you have to take a bus ride anywhere you realize
just how many people live here. I have to admit though that
seeing the poverty in the city is proving difficult for me.
Last week, we took a bus into the city and it is customary
for vendors to come onto the buses to sell their wares. There
are a few beggars as well but for the most part people come
onto the bus with a bag of sweets to sell-1 said these people
are ingenious. Well on this occasion, it was a little boy
who obviously lives on the streets- he had no shoes and it
is wintertime, his feet were black with dirt and not only
that he looked very sick. He came onto the bus, sang a little
song, and then passed around his bag of candy to see if he
would have any buyers. My heart still breaks every time I
remember him, I gave him some money but did not take the candy,
he reminded me of my own nephews, and he was just an indication
of the numerous children around Lima who are living in abject
poverty and in some cases are being exploited by adults. Since
then I have been asking myself what would Jesus do in this
situation and what is it that he is asking of me. Life seems
to be very hard for the people but especially women and children,
in the time I have been here, there were two televised cases
of frustrated mothers trying to kill themselves and their
children- one occasion which was unsuccessful, the mother
tried to jump into a river with her son, the other though
which did succeed, was a mother who along with her 2 year
old daughter drank poison. It is sad to hear things like this
but life here is hard.
In
spite of the difficulties though, these people are people
of faith. In my area, there are three churches that I can
attend and there are masses twice a day, with singing, and
in some cases all day adoration. It is wonderful to see, the
feast of Peter and Paul, is a national holiday with many families
attending church together. There songs are joyful and I guess
that is where the people have the hope to continue everyday.
Well
this letter is mighty long and I will end it here. I begin
Spanish classes this Monday, I have found the Peruvian accent
hard to follow, but I have been able to understand conversations
and the newspapers. These days I try to look at the telenovelas
(soap operas) to get some additional vocabulary. Do write
to me when you get a chance and please remember me in your
prayers.
Love
and prayers from Lima,
Michelle
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