Happy New Year!!
It has been a year of crazy ups and downs for me. When I celebrated the new year in 2014/15, I never could have guessed the plans God had in store for me. Parts of those plans
were very painful... probably the hardest and most painful experiences for me to date, and I am still emotionally dealing with some of it. Parts of those plans God had for me during
2015 were the most joyfilled and wondrous moments of my life. I think that is par for the course for most people. Each and every day we wake up perhaps with plans of our own
making in our minds, but none of us no matter who we are or where we live have any idea of what will really happen to us that day. I had no idea when I was greeting the new year
in 2015 in Ghana, Africa that I would go to three other missions in that year and end it in the Philippines. And while I had a difficult time with some of the transitions, one thing I have
learned here in Oikos is how to not plan on plans... how not set my heart on any one event or person. Calamities and crises happen and people can easily let us down... we can
even let ourselves down, all of which create road blocks in our path. But with a heart set on God, we can power through anything.
I can honestly say that I have no idea what will happen to me in 2016. As of right now, I have no plans or designs in the new year. Is that totally cool or completely crazy?? Even at
this moment I have no idea! I know that I have 41 days left in this mission, and then I will return to Buffalo. That's it. Yikes!! It is a little weird and scary I must admit. I know
other people have plans... my sister Anne will give birth to twins in March, my parents will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in July, one of Tom and Paula's daughters will get
married this summer, this year people I know plan to graduate from high school or college, are planning trips and vacations, surgeries and medical procedures... everyone around me
has plans. Even in Oikos, they have plans for building their charity village, adding more scholars to help through school, and are planning more immersions for the new year. Me...
no plans. It seems dangerous, and a teeny bit freeing, and a lot scary. My life is in Your hands, Oh Lord... do with me whatever You will. (shiver)
I celebrated my birthday on December 31st. As with many things in the Philippine culture where traditions and customs abound for many occasions, there is a tradition with
birthdays as well. It is called Mañanita. People wake up at dawn to sing Happy Birthday to you. Not only happy birthday, but a beautiful ballad about how special you are and
how you should forget all your worries and be happy that you are here and people are celebrating your life. I cannot do the song justice in print, but trust me, it is really a sweet
song. I was in bed slepping, of course, because it was 4am, when I heard the strumming of the guitar and then the sweet voices of the children and sisters. I went to my door and
right outside it they all were singing and one was holding an angel food cake decorated with fresh flowers and candles. After the singing, I made a wish and blew out the candles.
Then, we had cake and coffee, well sometimes it has been snacks and pop, but on my day we had cake and coffee. Then it was off to mass. Since it was Thursday, after breakfast
we had a holy hour, which was extra special for me to have that time with our Lord on the day He gave me breath and life. After lunch, I spent the day as I usually do on my
birthday (out of choice, not obligation)... in the kitchen!! I made meatloaf, pizza dough that we grilled, prepared toppings for the pizza and baked homemade cookies... chocolate
chip and orange cinnamon shortbread. The sisters, with the exception of Sister Minerva and Sister Ethel, were with me in the kitchen busily cooking their own offerings for our
midnight New Year's supper. We were cooking all afternoon and finally finished in time to have a little snack then it was off to 8pm mass at the retired priests home. Father Peter
said a beautiful mass. He is a sweet man who seems to be suffering a lot but has a huge amount of love for these children. The mass was offered as a birthday gift for me... what
more could I ask for?? Then after mass they sang to me again. We ate fried squid, meatloaf, fried ribs, pancet, rice and cake!! Around 10:30pm we returned to our home in
Sohutan and I took a nap! As the countdown to 2016 started, the kids grew more and more excited and they had their sparklers ready to light. What an uproar they caused when
midnight hit!!! Firecrackers and big booms of noise could be heard all around us as we welcomed in 2016, 13 hours before my family did in Buffalo!!! After all the shouting and fire
works, we played a few games and then ate again. This time we had make-your-own-pizzas, fried chicken, spaghetti, fruit, cookies, ubi jam, casaba cake and yet another birthday
cake!!! I also picked up a bottle of wine while we were in Tacloban for this occasion. It was one my father likes, so I toasted my parents and said a prayer of thanks to them as I
drank the delicious dry red shiraz.
On January 1st, after mass we invited the priest, Fr. Jay, and some friends in for lunch. (I don't know if I ever wrote about our chapel in Sohutan. It is right outside our home, so it is
quite convenient!!) Since we had a lot of food left over, it worked out great!! I even made a pizza for Father Jay, and then he asked me not to ever leave!! (or leave the recipe
behind!) I told everyone there about my grandmother, Cecilia, who celebrated her 99th birthday on January 1st. I shared a few of my favorite stories about her, like how she works
each day making rosaries and blankets for the missions and knits hats for cancer patients. And how she makes the best cinnamon rolls ever, with caramel and pecans... hope she
makes me some when I get home (hint, hint) She just amazes me!! Happy Birthday, Gram!!
So, now the year 2016 has begun all over the world and, here in Oikos, we have a mighty task in front of us. At the end of this month, missioners from the Joliet Diocese in Illinois
will be coming, up to 35 of them I believe. Among them will be doctors, a dentist, teachers, construction workers and more. It is a three-fold mission. First, it is a medical mission
in which doctors and nurses work with the medical staff here in Borongan to do surgeries and see patients, along with a dentist who will work with Sister Michelle, who is a dentist
as well. There also is a priest who comes, this year it is the vocations director in the Diocese of Joliet, who will visit patients in the hospitals. Next, there is a construction mission.
They will be working on building a fence for the charity village and building homes. Finally there is an outreach mission that goes out into the barrios with food for people, along with
providing some spiritual uplift for the people there as well. I am super excited about the mission coming here. I have heard so much about it from Tom and Paula Radel, and since I
have been here, the kids and sisters have spent a lot of time talking to me about all of the amazing angels that come from the States. There is a ton of love here for each of the
missioners who come. So, next week we will begin preparations for the mission. Fun, fun, fun!!! I can't wait to tell you more about it as I prepare for and join in the mission.
And when the Joliet mission is done, so will mine be...I will leave Borongan on the same day. Already the kids have begun talking about my leaving, already I am feeling pains in my
heart with thoughts of leaving. And although I wrote in the beginning of this blog that I have no plans beyond this mission, which is true, I can hardly imagine never returning here. All
I can do is put my trust in the Lord, for the Lord says,
"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and hope." Jeremiah 29:11... Amen!! xxoo
