Next year

So, it's official: I am renewing my service committment with Notre Dame Mission Volunteers for 2008.

I took a retreat this weekend to think about it, and I had a very relaxing day and a half of reading, sleeping, playing the guitar, praying the Liturgy of the Hours with the retreat house community, and napping outside in the sun. The retreat house I went to is in sunny pretty Chaclacayo, and it had lots of green grass, hanging flowers, pretty gardens, a white-walled house with tiled arches to wander through and pictures of the Virgin Mary in front of the ocean (la Virgen del Carmen). I was so worn out from trying to make this decision that I couldn't tell what I wanted any more, so instead of trying to decide I mostly just relaxed. By the end of the weekend I didn't come to a clear "answer," but I did have more of a sense of peace about it all, so I came back on the buses to Lima thinking that I would decide my fate based on whether or not they can find another volunteer to replace Catherine next year. Staying "alone" still felt too daunting, especially after a long weekend of solitude.

But I got back at night and dropped in on the chorus rehearsal in the parish, and it felt like home! In the end it wasn't the retreat, but the coming back afterwards, that convinced me that I belong here for another year. I also had another conversation with Sister Miriam, a professional counsellor but also a good friend, which really helped, especially in terms of thinking of new possibilities for my work next year that would "give me more life" and less frustration. (No more English groups!!--more parish involvement--working with all my friends in the Confirmation program... so exciting!) So last night in chorus rehearsal I let everybody know and got hugged/strangled by half of them. Then we stayed there until 10 pm singing and laughing at the circus-like antics of Luis Alberto and Dante (everybody was really high-energy for some reason!) and I was absolutely dead this morning when I had to get up at 6:30 to teach at 8. Also, my stomach was acting up in such a way as to suggest I may have parasites again. Ah, Peru.

So: if anyone knows anyone who is female, 21 or over, speaks Spanish, and is interested in helping out in a poor but vibrant parish and school in Lima for 2008, please let her know about Notre Dame Mission Volunteers! (Information available at www.ndmva.org, international service sites.) The opportunities for volunteer work are really limitless, any kinds of talents or interests can be put to good use. Being Catholic is not a requirement, but one has to be willing to live in an overwhelmingly Catholic country and help out a bunch of (very cool) nuns in their work.

Thanks for all your support and prayers! I will be home for six weeks from Christmas to early February, and I can't wait to see everybody!