A very Merry Christmas to everyone! Sending blessings of love and peace to you and all those you hold dear. We hope that you cherish the greatest gift of the season and surround yourself with those you love.
We spent the first week of christmas with the Braunwart side of the family. They were great, we had a birthday, and a Christmas all in the same week. Janelle's Grandma turned 37 again this year. She is really 87 but she is really spunky. We then made the hair raising drive down the Columbia Gorge in the ice and snow to Portland. There we met up with Janelle's brother and sister to celebrate Christmas. We were snowed in for three days in which we played lots of card games and had so much fun. Then we came North to celebrate Christmas with the Costanti side of the family. The little Diablos are so adorable and growing like weeds. We had pasta vongulie on Christmas Eve, and prime rib and raveoli on Christmas. It was wonderful to spend the time with our families before we depart for our life of services.
In 4 short days we will be on the plane again to San Antonio, Texas. Here we will participate in 2 weeks of formation/orrientation for our coming work as lay missioners with the Salesian Sisters. We are so excited to finally meet Sister Mary Gloria and everyone in San Antonio. Keep us in your prayers as we begin this next part of our adventure.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Adios Oaxaca!
Wow, I can´t believe it´s our last night in Oaxaca. The little pink apartment was starting to feel so homey. We have been savoring our last meals here. We had to go by the taco place by Matt´s school one last time for Tacos al Pastor. Amazing flavors, then we add pinapple, a great smooth guacamole, and some sort of chile infused onions. Then one last stop today for Oaxacan Hot Chocolate and Mole. Our other great food experience here was at an Italian Restraunt. They make everything down to the noodles by hand, and the Main chef is from Naples. He sat down and talked with us for about an hour, and between our Spanish, and Matt´s Italian words, we understood each other and had a great time.
We have met such wonderful people here in Oaxaca from our landlords, to friends of Robert and Glenda´s, to amazing people traveling through the school. Funny thing is there was a whole group of people from UW and PLU, so we got to hear about how the Cougs stompped the Huskies at the Apple cup... There´s such a funny thing about traveling, even when you just spend a day with someone, you really make a connection. We went up to Hierve el Agua today where they have ´petrified´ waterfalls of mineral deposits that are still forming out of water springs. We took a truck up with a couple from Southern Utah. He´s in his 80's, she´s in her 70´s and they love to hike, and were such wonderful company. It is really inspiring to meet an older couple still on the go and hiking around the world.
We can´t get more pics up tonight... but hopefully will on Friday.
Wednesday we´re spending in Mexico City to see a few things we missed coming through on our way down, then it´s back to Sea-Tac! Christmas here we come!!!
Sending Christmas blessings to you and all of yours. Much love, Janelle and Matt
We have met such wonderful people here in Oaxaca from our landlords, to friends of Robert and Glenda´s, to amazing people traveling through the school. Funny thing is there was a whole group of people from UW and PLU, so we got to hear about how the Cougs stompped the Huskies at the Apple cup... There´s such a funny thing about traveling, even when you just spend a day with someone, you really make a connection. We went up to Hierve el Agua today where they have ´petrified´ waterfalls of mineral deposits that are still forming out of water springs. We took a truck up with a couple from Southern Utah. He´s in his 80's, she´s in her 70´s and they love to hike, and were such wonderful company. It is really inspiring to meet an older couple still on the go and hiking around the world.
We can´t get more pics up tonight... but hopefully will on Friday.
Wednesday we´re spending in Mexico City to see a few things we missed coming through on our way down, then it´s back to Sea-Tac! Christmas here we come!!!
Sending Christmas blessings to you and all of yours. Much love, Janelle and Matt
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Just Everyday…
Well, after a short interruption of the flu I think we’re back on track. This week was Matt’s last week at school. He’s feeling good about it now and is able to communicate on a basic level with people here in Oaxaca. We haven’t been able to make it out to see as many things lately due to being sick, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about the everyday a little. Living in the City of Oaxaca is very different than on a ‘farmhouse’ in Quincy. There are so many more noises and smells. Everyday we get woken up by a rooster. Our little nighbor, Gabi, has him as a pet, and he crows about every 10 minutes starting at about 5am. Matt keeps offering to wring the rooster’s neck and cook up a good chicken dinner, but Gabi keeps insisting he doesn’t like chicken.
Somewhere between 7 and 10am the natural gas truck comes around. It has a recording that ‘moos,’ plays a part of a song, and then a voice like a soccer announcer comes on and says, ‘Gas de Oaxaca’ and it starts all over again. Later in the afternoon the Tortilla truck comes by. Again, the soccer announcer, ‘Las Tortillas!’ and a popular song plays for a while. The announcer continues to tell you that you should buy tortillas. Why leave your house when you can get fresh, hot tortillas right at your door step. There is also a fruit truck that comes by every now and then. They didn’t have the luxury of hiring a soccer announcer, but the amateurs do pretty good too. The hardest one I have found in recognizing, and probably the most important one, is the garbage truck. They have a bell, and Doña Zoila tells me that there are kids that run up and down the side streets ringing bells as well. I have yet to catch the garbage truck on my own. The trucks come up on either side of our street and then each person has to bring their own garbage out to the truck.
Probably my favorite sound from the street is the old gentleman in the evenings who cries out ‘Eloooootes,’ in a somewhat somber, yet sing-songy voice. He is selling roasted corn on a stick. Matt talked with Doña Zoila and says that the gentleman in our neighborhood is blind and goes out each evening to sell his corn. I’m glad we have him to accompany us as we drift off to sleep. It’s a much more soothing than the soccer announcers.
Somewhere between 7 and 10am the natural gas truck comes around. It has a recording that ‘moos,’ plays a part of a song, and then a voice like a soccer announcer comes on and says, ‘Gas de Oaxaca’ and it starts all over again. Later in the afternoon the Tortilla truck comes by. Again, the soccer announcer, ‘Las Tortillas!’ and a popular song plays for a while. The announcer continues to tell you that you should buy tortillas. Why leave your house when you can get fresh, hot tortillas right at your door step. There is also a fruit truck that comes by every now and then. They didn’t have the luxury of hiring a soccer announcer, but the amateurs do pretty good too. The hardest one I have found in recognizing, and probably the most important one, is the garbage truck. They have a bell, and Doña Zoila tells me that there are kids that run up and down the side streets ringing bells as well. I have yet to catch the garbage truck on my own. The trucks come up on either side of our street and then each person has to bring their own garbage out to the truck.
Probably my favorite sound from the street is the old gentleman in the evenings who cries out ‘Eloooootes,’ in a somewhat somber, yet sing-songy voice. He is selling roasted corn on a stick. Matt talked with Doña Zoila and says that the gentleman in our neighborhood is blind and goes out each evening to sell his corn. I’m glad we have him to accompany us as we drift off to sleep. It’s a much more soothing than the soccer announcers.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Check out the Mexico photo Alblum for more pictures. Take care everyone! Love, Janelle and MattWednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We were thinking of breaking with tradition here, down in Mexico... and going out for Chinese for Thanksgiving. So, please, have a bite of Turkey and stuffing for us, and we´ll say a big prayer of thanks for all our blessings.
This last weekend, we started with the Teatro Macedonio Alcalá. We were walking down to the Zócolo one afternoon and happened into the most beautiful building, with green domed roofs and all. We found out it was the old theater, and that there was a musical festival going on the coming week. We finally made it down to a concert on Friday. The theater is absolutely beutiful from inside to out. The performance was a Marimba performance. Not the traditional symphony performance we were expecting, but very wonderful.
This Saturday the Salesian Sisters were on their way back from a Conference in Chiapas and so we decided to journey up into the hills with them. Well... we missed our connection but were savy enough to figure out the buses... with a lot of help from a Taxi driver. Our first stop was Ayutla de Mixes. It is, as far as we can tell, a main city about 2 1/2 hours into the mountains from Oaxaca, Oaxaca. From what we gathered though, the town is only has about 5-6,000 inhabitants. It is here that they have the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, the bishop, a few volunteers and Sisters Conchita and Isabel.
One of our goals for our trip was to see the kind of work that the different sisters are doing here in Oaxaca, so our plan was to go to a catechism class in a small town close by, and then return to Ayutla for a Youth group. It just so happened though, that it was the feast day for St. Cecilia, who is the saint of music. So you can imagine the Fiestas they were having in the towns. Needless to say, there was no Chatechism that day, or youth group... just fiesta. Which is nothing to snub your nose at. The towns all had their municipal bands which was compromised of young 4th-5th graders, all the way to accomplished older gentleman.
In the evening as well as the next day, we were able to spend time with the sisters, to relax with them, to go to mass with them, and to talk to them about their prayer life. It helps bring a sense of peace to this journey we are on. We still are not sure where we will be going for our year in service, but now we have had the chance to meet and spent time with the Salesian Sisters, and get a better feel for the routines of what it will be like to live in community.
The Sister´s hospitality was joyful and endless. We spent the night in Ayutla, and traveled the next morning to a very small town about a half an hour away called Matagallinas. There the Sisters have a Boarding School for junior high aged children. There are about 135 students from the surrounding areas who come to study. The setting is beautiful, tucked into a mountain valley, with trees and mountains for as far as the eye can see. Sister Amelia is the cook there and she gave us the whole tour, and we helped her practice her English. It turns out that she has seen more of the United States than I have. After about 25 years in the US she returned to Mexico where here alergies do not bother her so much. We met Father Ignacio who works with the Boys at the school, and also keeps them supplied with 400 lbs of Tortillas 2x a week. The kids were mostly shy, and laughing among themselves, and I think very surprised to see us visitors. It was a wonderful experience all in all.
Well, our trip is more than half way over now. We will be returning to the states in 16 short days. We´re working on making the most of them. Sending all our love to EVERYONE! Hugs and Kisses, Matt and Janelle
This last weekend, we started with the Teatro Macedonio Alcalá. We were walking down to the Zócolo one afternoon and happened into the most beautiful building, with green domed roofs and all. We found out it was the old theater, and that there was a musical festival going on the coming week. We finally made it down to a concert on Friday. The theater is absolutely beutiful from inside to out. The performance was a Marimba performance. Not the traditional symphony performance we were expecting, but very wonderful.
This Saturday the Salesian Sisters were on their way back from a Conference in Chiapas and so we decided to journey up into the hills with them. Well... we missed our connection but were savy enough to figure out the buses... with a lot of help from a Taxi driver. Our first stop was Ayutla de Mixes. It is, as far as we can tell, a main city about 2 1/2 hours into the mountains from Oaxaca, Oaxaca. From what we gathered though, the town is only has about 5-6,000 inhabitants. It is here that they have the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, the bishop, a few volunteers and Sisters Conchita and Isabel.
One of our goals for our trip was to see the kind of work that the different sisters are doing here in Oaxaca, so our plan was to go to a catechism class in a small town close by, and then return to Ayutla for a Youth group. It just so happened though, that it was the feast day for St. Cecilia, who is the saint of music. So you can imagine the Fiestas they were having in the towns. Needless to say, there was no Chatechism that day, or youth group... just fiesta. Which is nothing to snub your nose at. The towns all had their municipal bands which was compromised of young 4th-5th graders, all the way to accomplished older gentleman.
In the evening as well as the next day, we were able to spend time with the sisters, to relax with them, to go to mass with them, and to talk to them about their prayer life. It helps bring a sense of peace to this journey we are on. We still are not sure where we will be going for our year in service, but now we have had the chance to meet and spent time with the Salesian Sisters, and get a better feel for the routines of what it will be like to live in community.
The Sister´s hospitality was joyful and endless. We spent the night in Ayutla, and traveled the next morning to a very small town about a half an hour away called Matagallinas. There the Sisters have a Boarding School for junior high aged children. There are about 135 students from the surrounding areas who come to study. The setting is beautiful, tucked into a mountain valley, with trees and mountains for as far as the eye can see. Sister Amelia is the cook there and she gave us the whole tour, and we helped her practice her English. It turns out that she has seen more of the United States than I have. After about 25 years in the US she returned to Mexico where here alergies do not bother her so much. We met Father Ignacio who works with the Boys at the school, and also keeps them supplied with 400 lbs of Tortillas 2x a week. The kids were mostly shy, and laughing among themselves, and I think very surprised to see us visitors. It was a wonderful experience all in all.
Well, our trip is more than half way over now. We will be returning to the states in 16 short days. We´re working on making the most of them. Sending all our love to EVERYONE! Hugs and Kisses, Matt and Janelle
Friday, November 21, 2008
Rugs in Teotitlan
Wow! I figured out how to get some pictures up! I just put a few on the blog, and there are more at the link on the Left Hand Side of the Blog; ´Photo Alblums.´ So if you like the teasers... check out the rest of the pics.
This week has been busy for both Matt and myself. We have gotten to know a group that is just in the beginning stages of forming a non-profit organization, and providing microfinancing for small businesses in rural Oaxaca. It has been a lot of fun to talk with them, and Matt has had a lot to share with them about business etc. On Tuesday evening we went with them to visit a small town of about 5,000 that is about half an hour from Oaxaca, called Teotitlan Del Valle. It is very interesting, and here I am going to have to regress a bit to explain, but in the small towns around Oaxaca, many of the towns focus on some kind of production. There is a town close by that almost exclusively makes black pottery. If you live in this town... most likely you do... or will... be involved with this pottery. There is another town that carves wooden animals and paints them in dots with bright colors. The town of Teotitlan makes rugs, or Tapetes. The majority of their income comes from tourist groups coming in on buses to the town specifically to buy rugs. They are really quite beautiful, and are all made on hand looms.
On our trip we got to meet with about 5-8 women who are interested in starting their own businesses making rugs. It sounded like most of them already know how to make the rugs, and often work for someone else who buys the materials and then takes part of the profit. The micro-loans for many of these women would be to enable them to have access to enough capital to buy their own materials and not have to work for someone else. It was a very interesting experience, and also exciting to see the excitement and hope in the women´s eyes, at the possibility of a step forward.
This week we also got ahold of the Salesian Sisters, and are hoping to go and see them on Saturday. It should be a good opportunity to really get to know someone from the order face to face, as all of our other interactions have been over email and the phone to Texas. Wish us well!
That is all I have time to write right now... but will write more soon. Hope all is well for all of you and Que Dios les Bendiga. Matt and Janelle.
This week has been busy for both Matt and myself. We have gotten to know a group that is just in the beginning stages of forming a non-profit organization, and providing microfinancing for small businesses in rural Oaxaca. It has been a lot of fun to talk with them, and Matt has had a lot to share with them about business etc. On Tuesday evening we went with them to visit a small town of about 5,000 that is about half an hour from Oaxaca, called Teotitlan Del Valle. It is very interesting, and here I am going to have to regress a bit to explain, but in the small towns around Oaxaca, many of the towns focus on some kind of production. There is a town close by that almost exclusively makes black pottery. If you live in this town... most likely you do... or will... be involved with this pottery. There is another town that carves wooden animals and paints them in dots with bright colors. The town of Teotitlan makes rugs, or Tapetes. The majority of their income comes from tourist groups coming in on buses to the town specifically to buy rugs. They are really quite beautiful, and are all made on hand looms.
On our trip we got to meet with about 5-8 women who are interested in starting their own businesses making rugs. It sounded like most of them already know how to make the rugs, and often work for someone else who buys the materials and then takes part of the profit. The micro-loans for many of these women would be to enable them to have access to enough capital to buy their own materials and not have to work for someone else. It was a very interesting experience, and also exciting to see the excitement and hope in the women´s eyes, at the possibility of a step forward.
This week we also got ahold of the Salesian Sisters, and are hoping to go and see them on Saturday. It should be a good opportunity to really get to know someone from the order face to face, as all of our other interactions have been over email and the phone to Texas. Wish us well!
That is all I have time to write right now... but will write more soon. Hope all is well for all of you and Que Dios les Bendiga. Matt and Janelle.
Monday, November 17, 2008
First week in Oaxaca
We got in to Oaxaca a little over a week ago. I haven´t had the opportunity to write much as we have been working on settling in to the new digs. It´s been an adventure in itself figuring out where to buy groceries, where the banks are, which buses to take, how much is too much for a taxi, even the different way to wash clothes.
We´ve found out the best places to buy fresh chicken, or beef, who has the freshest vegetables, and where to buy in bulk. There are supermarkets, but the open air markets are much more fun. You go from stall to stall and buy a little here, a little there. This last Saturday we spent the whole afternoon getting to know the downtown market. The only drawback, is it is a lot more time consuming.
Matt has completed his first week of language school. It is very intensive, at 7 hrs a day. He has a good teacher, Flor, and is enjoying his cooking class. He comes home and our young neighbors, Gabi, 9, and Abram, 7, have taken on the formidable task of his little `maestros´ and talk his ear off in Spanish. The landlords at our little apartment, Zoila and Gonzalo, say that Matt´s Spanish has improved so much in just one week, and I can really see it too.
I have been so lucky as to find a wonderful Yoga studio not far from Matt´s school, and we also heard that the Selesians have a `casa´or home-convent here in Oaxaca. I am hoping to get to know more about the order here in Mexico and Latin America, and maybe even do some volunteering.
We´ve found out the best places to buy fresh chicken, or beef, who has the freshest vegetables, and where to buy in bulk. There are supermarkets, but the open air markets are much more fun. You go from stall to stall and buy a little here, a little there. This last Saturday we spent the whole afternoon getting to know the downtown market. The only drawback, is it is a lot more time consuming.
Matt has completed his first week of language school. It is very intensive, at 7 hrs a day. He has a good teacher, Flor, and is enjoying his cooking class. He comes home and our young neighbors, Gabi, 9, and Abram, 7, have taken on the formidable task of his little `maestros´ and talk his ear off in Spanish. The landlords at our little apartment, Zoila and Gonzalo, say that Matt´s Spanish has improved so much in just one week, and I can really see it too.
I have been so lucky as to find a wonderful Yoga studio not far from Matt´s school, and we also heard that the Selesians have a `casa´or home-convent here in Oaxaca. I am hoping to get to know more about the order here in Mexico and Latin America, and maybe even do some volunteering.
At our little apartment `complex´ there are 5 apartments. Zoila and Gonzalo live on the first floor. On the second floor lives Gonzalo´s father on one side, and their daughter Sandra and her family on the other side. On the Third floor lives Zoila and Gonzala´s son Eric with his family, and then there´s Matt and me. So it is really one big extended family. The apartments are closed off from the street and Zoila and Gonzalo help look after the children, and everyone shares the open space for fiestas, or to just relax together. They have been so sweet and welcomed us with open arms. Matt and Zoila have already started swaping recipes! 
Robert and Glenda´s good friends Conchis and Miguel have also opened up their home and welcomed us to Oaxaca as well. We shared pan de los muertos (bread of the dead) with them the first of November, gone to church with them at the little chapel, and went to a pre-marital talk that they do. It has been wonderful discussing faith with them, and to learn about the Catholic Movement that they are involved in that promotes strong and healthy families, and talks about the change from the Machismo Male head of the family, to the importance of communication and compromise.So that is our life right now here in Oaxaca in a BIG nut shell :). We will write more soon. We hope all is well and that God is blessing you all. Know that you all are in our thoughts and prayers. Keep in touch! Much love, Janelle and Matt
Day 3 in Mexico City
I am still trying to figure out how to get pictures up to the blog. But don´t worry, they will be coming soon. We had a wonderful last day in Mexico City. Sandra and Arturo took us to the Cathedral of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The first church here was built on the hill where Juan saw the vision of the Virgin. Since then there have been about 4 more churches built, the most recent is a more modern looking church. We were there on a Wednesday and they were saying mass and the church was full. Matt´s estimate is that there was upwards of 1,000 people there. There are many more that come to pray, ask for help, and light a candle on the 12th of December in honor of the Virgin. It was really a wonderful experience.
We had dinner with all of Sandra and Heriberto´s family... they really treated us and we all went to an Italian Restraunt! Don´t worry Barb, Matt still thinks your Chicken picatta is the best.
Later that evening Matt and I went up to the top of the World Trade Center of Mexico City where they have a rotating restruant, not unlike the space needle in Seattle. The vastness of the city was even more impressive from here as it was night and you could see all the lights.
We had dinner with all of Sandra and Heriberto´s family... they really treated us and we all went to an Italian Restraunt! Don´t worry Barb, Matt still thinks your Chicken picatta is the best.
Later that evening Matt and I went up to the top of the World Trade Center of Mexico City where they have a rotating restruant, not unlike the space needle in Seattle. The vastness of the city was even more impressive from here as it was night and you could see all the lights.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Day 2 in Mexico City
Everything went smoothly on our plane trip to Mexico City. We even got smart at the airport and walked to the other side of the airport to get a good deal on our taxi cab. The taxi cab ride was a ride of it's own. Vince, you may be right, it'll take a bit to get used to trafic in Mexico. Good thing we won't be driving here. We got a fine welcome that first night. Heriberto, a friend of Matt's family who was an exchange student in Tacoma 22 years ago, took us out for Mariachi, Tequila and Tacos. The music was great, the Tequila was fine, and the Tacos were amazing. We got an evening tour of the city which was great with no trafic in a city of 25 million.
We went out to Tulancingo yesterday in the state of Hidalgo, and met up with Sandy, Heriberto's sister who was also an exchange student. We got to see their home, walk along the town square, which they call the floresta in this part of the country, and met their friends who have an ice cream shop there. We even got a chance to talk about the presidential race with Dr. Alejandro who owned the shop. We then went to the pyramids at Teotiuacan. The scale of these ruins are amazing, and the city was abandoned long before the Aztecs even arrived in the area. Matt and I made it up to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun... although I have to tell you, it was much easier to do when I was 17 :).
We hear in the news that there was a plane crash in Mexico City last night. We just wanted to let you all know that we are safe, and weren't close to it.
We were watching the election results last night from the Hostal with people from Mexico, Canada, Ireland and Holland. It made for an even more memorable election night.
Sending all our love,
Matt and Janelle
We went out to Tulancingo yesterday in the state of Hidalgo, and met up with Sandy, Heriberto's sister who was also an exchange student. We got to see their home, walk along the town square, which they call the floresta in this part of the country, and met their friends who have an ice cream shop there. We even got a chance to talk about the presidential race with Dr. Alejandro who owned the shop. We then went to the pyramids at Teotiuacan. The scale of these ruins are amazing, and the city was abandoned long before the Aztecs even arrived in the area. Matt and I made it up to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun... although I have to tell you, it was much easier to do when I was 17 :). We hear in the news that there was a plane crash in Mexico City last night. We just wanted to let you all know that we are safe, and weren't close to it.
We were watching the election results last night from the Hostal with people from Mexico, Canada, Ireland and Holland. It made for an even more memorable election night.
Sending all our love,
Matt and Janelle
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The Almost-beginning
Well, it hasn't really sunk in yet, with being so busy with packing. We're really going. Plane flies out on Monday to Mexico City. We'll see the sights in Mexico City for 3 days, and then take the bus down to Oaxaca to settle in to the apartment.
We moved the last three truck loads out of the house on Halloween, and handed over the keys. Good-bye Quincy... we will miss you! We want to send out a big THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, to everyone that helped us with our move, and opened their homes to us these last 2 weeks. Mike, Teresa & Zene, Ryan & James, and Linda & John. Thank you to EVERYONE for all your help, kind words and prayers. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Wanted to let all of you know that we found a home for our dog Tipper. Ron & Robin agreed to take her in, so she'll stay a Quincy-ite. We'll miss her, but know she's got a good new home. It's kind of like a dog's paradise actually, with a dozen or so feral cats to romp around with.
We moved the last three truck loads out of the house on Halloween, and handed over the keys. Good-bye Quincy... we will miss you! We want to send out a big THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, to everyone that helped us with our move, and opened their homes to us these last 2 weeks. Mike, Teresa & Zene, Ryan & James, and Linda & John. Thank you to EVERYONE for all your help, kind words and prayers. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Wanted to let all of you know that we found a home for our dog Tipper. Ron & Robin agreed to take her in, so she'll stay a Quincy-ite. We'll miss her, but know she's got a good new home. It's kind of like a dog's paradise actually, with a dozen or so feral cats to romp around with.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Latin America here we come!
We are off! In exactly 3 weeks and 5 days. It was only 4 short months ago that we stood there in the little church in Quincy and declared before God, family and friends that we would love and cherish each other for all of our days. For our wedding, Father Steve asked us if we would be the Eucharistic ministers and serve our family and friends the blood of Christ. He explained that it was a beautiful way to begin our marriage in service. We were immediately struck by the beauty of this small gesture, and it became one of the most wonderful memories from our wedding. This coming January, We will be moving from the small gesture to diving into the abyss. We have been accepted as lay missioners to serve with the Salesian Sisters. We will be going to San Antonio right after Christmas to spend 2 weeks in formation, and then off to South America (we're not sure of the exact country placement yet.)
Our adventure will be starting a bit before that for those of you quick on the math. We realized during the discernment process that we would need to do some language classes for Matt before jumping right into service. On November 3rd we will be traveling to Mexico for 1 month of intensive Spanish language immersion at the Instituto Cultural de Oaxaca (wa-ha-ca), in Oaxaca, Oaxaca Mexico. My Aunt Glenda has graciously lent us out the apartment they still are renting in Oaxaca. Thank You Glenda! You're amazing!!! And she has helped us get back in touch with the family friends there, so we will be in good hands.
Both Matt and I will be done with work this weekend, October 10th and 11th, and then it's down to the business of sorting, packing, storing and selling. We decided a blog would be the best way to keep you all up on our adventures. Internet cafes are rampant in Latin America and the best way to keep in touch. After October, we also will no longer have our phones. So... keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and come and visit us here on our new little space.
Our adventure will be starting a bit before that for those of you quick on the math. We realized during the discernment process that we would need to do some language classes for Matt before jumping right into service. On November 3rd we will be traveling to Mexico for 1 month of intensive Spanish language immersion at the Instituto Cultural de Oaxaca (wa-ha-ca), in Oaxaca, Oaxaca Mexico. My Aunt Glenda has graciously lent us out the apartment they still are renting in Oaxaca. Thank You Glenda! You're amazing!!! And she has helped us get back in touch with the family friends there, so we will be in good hands.
Both Matt and I will be done with work this weekend, October 10th and 11th, and then it's down to the business of sorting, packing, storing and selling. We decided a blog would be the best way to keep you all up on our adventures. Internet cafes are rampant in Latin America and the best way to keep in touch. After October, we also will no longer have our phones. So... keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and come and visit us here on our new little space.
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