Turkey day

Greetings friends and family from a hot Thursday afternoon, coincidently a Happy Thanksgiving is in order, although it feels nothing of the day here. I just arrived home from working at the hospital, and hopping off a sweaty bus and preparing for an afternoon job are all things I am not prone to doing on turkey day. Unlike the rest and the food that I know families across the states are enjoying right now, I am no where near a kicthen, a football game or sweatpants. Bummer. However the bright side of things, which I have found there is one for every occasion here is Ecuador, is that our program directors have invited us to dine at their house this evening, which includes access to their outdoor poor and use of their cable TV. I am ready to slip into some holiday festivities, but instead of anticipating snow, I will be hoping for a tan :)

There is so much to be thankful for, but to start I will share my newed perspective in the hope of which I claim my life on, Christ. Yesterday I had a one-on-one interview with the founder of our program, Father Ronan, and like always, when his mouth opened, jewels and treasures poured forth. This is what I learned. God only spoke one word. God spoke one word because he knew there was only one word necessary, and only one word worth speaking. This word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is and always will be God´s gift of life to us. God knew that all we would ever need could be found in Christ; he is our anwers (the model of living), our way, our truth and our light. Everything we have starts with Christ, and ends without him.

Living in the third world and witnessing the profound suffering of my fellow family members, I have come to see that indeed God´s love is needed now in our time more than ever, because evil does exist. I believe it does because I have seen horrible things done to people, friends and communities; in suffering there is always a darker side causing it. Father Ronan reminded us last night that while evil does exist, there is an anecdote. Love. When Jesus came down to earth, he brought the only anwer that will ever cure the world and help us to heal; himself, which is love.

I am praying that all of you, in the spirit of thanksgiving, may grasp and understand the love that God has for us, and rejoice in praise. Let that love tranform your life, or in the words of Oscar Romero, ¨Fall in love, stay in love, and it will determine everything.¨



Happy Thanksgiving.