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Click
on the above image to see a streaming video of Sister Michelle.
October 1 October 12, 2007
Dear
Family and Friends,
This
little letter has been a long time in preparation. Again,
I say hola and I hope that you are all well. The month of
October is very special for the people of Peru; this is the
month of El Senor de los Milagros, a month of penance - similar
to Lent. The colour purple decorates the altars and devotees
are dressed in deep purple. I have been told that this month
is more penitential for the Peruvians than Lent. There are
many processions of the image of Senor de los Milagros and
the story behind this image is interesting. It was painted
on the wall of a "house" belonging to an Angolan
slave who wanted a crucifix in his home, when a terrible earthquake
struck the city of Lima. While the surrounding houses and
walls were destroyed, the wall on which this image was painted
remained untouched. The devotion spread from within the
Afro Peruvian community into the wider Peruvian community.
Amazing how Jesus reaches and then uses, the most marginalized
of people to spread the faith. This image has special importance
for Peruvians, especially when it comes to earthquakes and
the day after the terrible earthquake last August, the people
took the image out in procession.
In
addition, speaking about faith, I completed my Spanish classes
last month; my profesora has a lot of faith in my ability
to communicate. My new language skills were really put to
the test this week because the Province participated in a
Mission Exposition. There I was trying to share our charism
and mission in Spanish with the general public. By the power
of the Holy Spirit I was able to communicate and the people
(God bless them) seemed to understand. I do hope that many
young Peruvian women would feel called to join our Marist
family. The people were especially struck by the service of
our sisters to the prisoners. Talking about prison, I tried
a second time to enter Castro Castro, the penal for political
prisoners, with Sr Pedro. In addition, ironically, the day
before I went, there was a prison riot, one person was killed.
It seems that the pavilions have internal gang wars and heavy
artillery such as grenades were used. Please explain to me,
how prisoner could obtain arms and ammunition while still
in prison? So otra vez, I could not enter. I am taking this
as a sign that the Good Lord does not want me in there and
gracias a Dios, I was not there on the day when the action
occurred. Sr. Theresa Pastercyzk (one of our sisters) was
there and had to be evacuated, praise God she was not hurt.
I will leave Lima next week for the community of Frias, to
which I have been sent. I will not have much access to the
internet but please keep writing, I have a lot of room in
my inbox so when I have an opportunity I will read the letters
and of course write back. I am looking forward to this new
place but in all honesty, I am beginning to hate packing and
unpacking but for all you SMSM, you know that we are "to
set out and set out again." Please keep me in your prayers
that the journey and the time of transition will be one that
is more joyful than difficult. I leave you with some pictures
of the procession and image of the Senor de los Milagros.
Blessings to each one of you until I hear from you again.
Love
and Prayers from your little sister in Christ,
Michelle
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