No, seriously... it is literally spinning!!! So, after the fiesta and all of the partying and all of the recuperating (I did get a little sick after the fiesta- stomach issues and a bad cold, but I am on the mend!) the Sisters had a one day retreat. It's been a little slow-ish here. Going to people's houses to eat and then going home to rest...I've kind of gotten used to the flow of party mode, and I guess I forgot about mission mode. Well, today, it hit me in the face like a frying pan!!
When the Sisters got home from their retreat and began speaking of what is going to be going on in the coming weeks, I got the feeling that they were like bulls scratching the ground with their hooves before attacking...seriously!! Today I woke up and it has been go! go! go!!! So, here's what's going on:
...We have been waiting for permission to take down coconut trees in the Charity Village to build a road. This week permission was given, so this morning we went there and walked the property, marking the trees that need to come down. Next week, the deforestation (not really, but, you know) will begin as will construction of the road.
...at the same time...the Baking Mamas are baking almost every day and have a steady client. They want to grow their business so we will be meeting to discuss how to do that and get more clients...maybe a Baking Mama's menu!!
....at the same time...there are nanays that are interested in the baking project but don't like to bake, so they want to form the Cookin' Mamas. They need a start-up plan and materials to begin...there is even a small canteen available for them to start cooking and selling. They want to start yesterday. I'm looking into Filipino health codes for catering and taxes and stuff like that. We'll be meeting with them.
...at the same time, there are quite a few bakeries in Borongan City, but in the small villages or barrios, there are none. The sisters want to take the baking project into the barrios and teach mothers how to bake there to sell to the barrio people who don't get fresh baked bread really ever because of the difficulty in getting to Borongan. So, the plans for that are starting and I am working on simple baking recipes to teach them.
...at the same time... On September 28th is the fiesta in our home barrio where Provedince Home is called Sohutan. The saint we celebrate there is St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint. The 28th is his feast day with a big mass, a bigger dinner and the biggest dance party!! So, the children are practicing songs and we are preparing our house and the barrio for the fiesta.
...at the same time... The people in Sohutan want to build a new chapel. Ours is too small for the number of people we have attending...a good problem to have!!! But it will be expensive. So we are planning a dance on the day of the fiesta to do some fundraising for the chapel...making a presentation for the new chapel and decorations.
...at the same time...on October 4th is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of the Oikos Sisters, so we celebrate his day in a big way. The Novena begins on the 25th and there is a mass each night at our home in Sohutan. We are preparing music sheets for the mass and menus for the meals after each mass.
...at the same time...remember in May when we went to South Korea and had a retreat there? Well, a part of that was a festival celebrating the poor and homeless people. The Sisters totally loved that idea. So we are having our own festival for the poor...on September 30th!! We are preparing food packs and prizes, music and decorations, food and logistics planning...
(Is your head spinning yet?)
...at the same time...the Faith program (Food Always In The Home) is wrapping up in a barrio called Surok. Early in October we will have an awards ceremony for the people who participated. Then, shortly after that, the piglet program will be started there. In fact, right now assessments are going on there while the Oikos Livelihood team assesses who will be a part of the piglet program there. It is based on prior piglet raising experience and participation in the FAITH program. For instance, if someone has no experience in raising piglets but had shown hard work and dedication during the FAITH program, they may be eligible to be in the piggie program.
....at the same time...the Oikos Education Dep't is in full swing and the formations and help for the kids is ongoing. We are going to be working on Christmas letters for the Oikos sponsors soon as it always takes a while to get done.
...at the same time...next week is vocation week here in Eastern Samar and a pretty large group of sisters are going all over the region speaking about vocations in general and their particular order in particular. That will be every day next week. I hope to be able to go a day or two.
....but at the same time, I have to get to Tacloban, about 4 hours away, to extend my passport. I'll probably be going next week on Tuesday and will stay overnight.
....at the same time, when I arrived, I stayed in the mission house in Sohutan, Providence Home, because there was a visitor using my room in our mission house in the city, Nazareth. Well, the visitor is gone, so now I am packing my things up again to move to the other house.
...at the same time, people are coming to our door for rice, for money for fares, they are coming to the pharmacy and Sister Michelle's dental clinic is open for the poor, boxes from caring supporters full of great things for the mission are arriving and have to be gone through and organized, the students are in constant need of help and love, and so life goes on....
I mean, can you believe it??? Now, I'm not involved with everything listed above, but enough that, yes, my head is spinning!! And, most likely, because I usually am the last person to find out anything, there are even more things going on. Yikes!!!
Anyways, this is my life for now. It's busy, and it can be crazy, and it can be overwhelming...but it is fun and these are such great people to go crazy with!!! God is good, Sabu!!!! Xxoo
