This is the golden age of something good and right and real.
–Taylor
Swift´s State of Grace
(pictured above, my best friend since kindergarten, Lauren, on her visit
to Tacna, meeting my goddaughter, an
unexpected beautiful divine grace)
Grace
·
The freely given unmerited favor and love of God
·
The influence or spirit of God operating in humans to
regenerate or strengthen them
·
Virtue or excellence of divine origin
These days I
have been feeling an overwhelming sense of grace, well these past months really. It´s a grace that brings tears to my eyes. Because, the further I go, the
further I walk, the further I dance my heart into life here, the closer I feel
to His divine presence. I fall in love in an instant with people, with moments,
with my job, with a piece of tres leches cake, with a song (insert Andas en Mi
cabeza) but more importantly with the grace, and the provider of that grace. He keeps me dancing here.
I am graced..
I am graced to
be entrusted with so much
I am graced to
be changed
I am graced
with a love for my work
I am graced
with a people to love
Little and big
Near and far
I am graced to
love so immensely with a heart that
breaks
I am graced to
be me
I am graced
with the power to come a stranger to a place and leave a friend
I am nowhere
near ready to be leaving this place and I don’t think I will ever be but I know
one thing is for sure,
this
state of grace is eternal
and eternally,
I will dance
to its beat.
Graced with
gratitude, words are just not enough.
So here are my
graces these days in pictures…
mis pequeño futbolistas, 28 de agosto little
league soccer team I am godmother to, vuvuzela Saturdays are whats up.
my dancers and I at the Centro Cristo Rey, las penas
se van bailando. My students have stories and I believe dancing es poderoso.
Iquitos with Senaida Jul. 27-Aug. 3, 2016, it was a
vacation into the Amazon but also an opportunity to meet my best friends sister
who serves as a religious sister in Iquitos. Here we are accompanying Hna.
Maritza on mission in Puerto Prado, a village on the river about 3 hours from
the city that runs into the Amazon river.
Ticaco with Luz, Aug. 4, 2016, visiting a pueblo close
to my heart, home to my two mes de misiones, but now home to the special moment
that was accompanying my beautiful friend Luz as she carried La Virgen de Las
Nieves in gratitude for the gift of her beautiful daughter.
Lauren & Pats visit to Tacna, Aug. 22, 2016, where
I was able to share my life with them, my host family, my friends, my
goddaughter, my students, my favorite foods and all of Tacnas graces. Thank you
thank you and thank you.
My first graders, Aug. 26, 2016, I have learned all their names
so quickly this year (probably because theyre such a wild bunch) but walking
alongside them in the paseo de la bandera celebrating the independence of Tacna
was an honor. Plus theyre just SO stinking cute. Fe y Alegria, SIEMPRE PRESENTE!
Blessing and Dedication Ceremony of Casa Fred Green,
Aug. 27, 2016: having a moment with Padre Fred Green on his grand despedida
tour of Tacna as he is now retiring to the Jesuit home in Lima was also a huge
honor, Padre Fred vowed to ¨vivir y morir en la compañia.´´ He is an incredible human, a living
saint for Tacna, and is the reason I, as a Jesuit Volunteer am in Tacna as he
was the first to invite us to serve here.
God Bless Padre Fred and God Bless Casa Fred Green.
For the light of love is born when our hearts are touched and we open ourselves to the interior presence of the beloved, who enables us to recognize his mystery. -Pope Francis
