“The
measure of our compassion lies not in our service of those on the margins but
in our willingness to see ourselves in kinship” Fr. Greg Boyle “The Calling of
Delight_ Gangs, Service, and Kinship”
(A quote from mid-year retreat in July with the
Andahuayillas JV community that prompted this blog post about 3 months ago… mil
disculpas for the delay.)
11 months in…
I’ve missed more. I’ve loved more. I’ve
dove deeper. I’ve cried harder but
laughed even harder. I’ve smiled bigger. I’ve made messes. And I’ve thanked God
for the beautiful humans in my life, little and big. One of my community mates
said it ever so perfectly with three words on one of our spirituality nights
where we were given the task of describing each other. She gave me the
following words, “a bleeding heart.”
Its in the sacred moments that I feel it
most, my heart bleeding. When I ask one
of our 6 year old students about 20 times if hes walking home by himself, to
try and find a way to accompany him because I want to protect him from harm. He
probably walks home every day by himself in the dark and its nothing out of the
ordinary for him. But for me, it’s a crisis. I have nightmares of dogs chasing me. mini crisis.When one of my
students tells me to go away and I feel as if Ive lost the battle completely.
Crisis. I just want to reach him. To let him know how much he is loved. How
much he is capable of. I haven’t made it to him yet.
When Im forced to face these feelings, feel
these feelings, fully. It’s a crisis.
Although sometimes my heart may be heavy, I
find words that reground me and remind me of the beauty of it all.
“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to
enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and
anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn
with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us
to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with
the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being
human.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen
― Henri J.M. Nouwen
Our
compassion is our shared humanity, so BE HUMAN.
GIVE LOVE. Speak even if your voice shakes, your soul is shaking alive.
Con todo Corazon.
Mini
updates:
·
Los Cubanos will be visiting me
in this beautiful desert in just 68 days!!!
·
I‘m gonna be a madrina,
(confirmation sponsor) come December to one of my students, Milagros from Mes
de Mision! :D
·
Maddie and Shannon, the baby
JVs arrive in just about a month, end of november-ish, which means I become a
second year jv and put on my big girl pants. Maddie is a fellow spring hill
badger so I am extra excited to welcome her into her new home! Can’t wait to
meet Maddie again and meet Shannon for the first time! All good things to come.
:D
·
I’m taking a marinera class on
Fridays for a month, a traditional dance
from Lima which I’m super excited about to learn, it’s a beautiful art, fingers
crossed I can learn well. My host cousin
Melissa is also taking the class!
·
My host sister turns 7 on
November 8 and is having the biggest princess party ever, which I’m excited to
help out with, decorating, maybe baking, etc.
·
My best friend since
Kindergarten will be visiting me next August with her husband ANDDDDD all those
in my uptown funk video will get to meet THE Mr. & Mrs Bryant!
**Stay tuned for another mini update in my
next blog post on my pilgrimage to visit La Virgen de Las Peñas.**
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