Last Week in San Marcos, Nicaragua

Hola! Como Esta. Yo espero que ustedes tienen paz como Jesus quiere por nuestra vidas. I am writing, as this is our last week or 4 days in Nicaragua...and its been tough coming to terms with leaving for good. Last night, Joseph and I spent the evening in the hospital with our teacher and her family awaiting the birth of her granddaughter Catarine Michele. Catarina (the mother) went into what we thought was labor about 3 days ago during class in the morning and our teacher rushed out only for dissapointment as Catarine was not ready to leave her mothers womb. I had formed a pretty close relationship with the family, and they had envited me over many days a week for coffee and conversation, and I had gotten to know Catarina very well. So this week was an anxious awaiting for the birth. Last night, I had joked around telling Gloria, the mother of the family, that we should have a party and prayer vigil for the coming of the baby, and she told me that we should.....but I was only joking. So, I ran around town getting supplies to cook for the ladies, (the husband of Gloria passed away this past winter) and the family is all women still living in the house. So i bought cheese, tortillas, ice cream all natural from Jinotepe(famous in Nicaragua) and cabbage for a salad. When I arrived back from my shopping, Catarina had already started having the pains and they had left for the hospital in Diriamba. I was in my teachers house with her daughters until Joseph arrived, and I cooked for about an hour tortillas with fried cheese in them, and we together made a salad. We finished eating, and like the past couple of nights, the electricity was cut off by the government for 3 or 4 hours from 7 till about 11. So with lit candles we made some phone calls and had a friend taxi driver, pick us up and we headed to Diriamba. We arrived at the hospital and our Teacher was in tears, because the hospital had barely any electricity and noone to administer the anasthetics?, so their was much tension and anxiety about the C-Section Catarina needed. The whole family circled together with Joseph and I (2 gringos) and prayed for a bit until the doctors gave us permission to come and wait inside the hospital. We walked into the waiting room, I looked up for some strange reason and saw Mary Queen of Peace....our Mother....with roses surrounding her, and Joseph and I (being in somewhat of a awkward situations being gringos and not knowing the 10 other family members) just prayed and listened to the family. We learned at about 1045 that all was well with Catarina, and we went home around 1130. Catarina had the baby with no problem during the night - Catarine Michel. Joseph and I will visit them tonight when she brings her back home.
Overall it was quite an adventure, throughout the evening I had thought and even remarked to Joseph how different it was than the states....a friend would need to have known a family for far more than 4 weeks, as well as probably be from the same area as them to be invited to the hospital at such a crucial time in a persons life and vocation. It was a blessing to be present with them, and they have constantly renewed my faith in Christ and His Love. At this point, I am praying for peace in leaving San Marcos, for I have to leave people I have become quite close to in only 4 or 5 weeks. My family that I live with is very sad, as am I in leaving, and I will miss alot of the community here, but I am excited about arriving back home to Honduras. I have experienced so much in this past 4 or 5 weeks and Joseph and I have constantly reflected on how impossible it would have been without constant Mass daily, recieiving Christ in what actually makes us Catholic...just as the christians did in the years immediately following His resurrection....only they did it underground for fear of the government. We now have Jesus in His Eucharist any time we want it and we refuse Him in our negligence.... or conviction in other sects or ideas of christianity that "its not important, or Jesus doesnt really mind if I dont believe in the Eucharist, all that is important is that I love him and read the Bible, or the verse about eating His Flesh and Drinking His Blood, is only symbolic."
There are so many excuses we make for neglecting Jesus in the Eucharist, sadly it can be seen in our world today....
Lacking Morals
Lacking Values in Children and Life
Sexual Promiscuity
20,000+ different christian sects
Religious Confusion

We all fail so much everyday in these things or things similar to these, and the worst thing is that when we do fail.....we dont run to Jesus in the Eucharist like EVERY Saint or Saintly person in the HISTORY of christianity.....and we need to do just that.....
I am learning every day more and more the importance of this and How much an hour of Adoration with Jesus can do for our souls and for the souls we are praying for .......and I really know that if I can help anyone in this period of time, and in my life....I can do nothing less than to desire to bring them The Eucharist....

As another life is brought into this world this day here in San Marcos, we NEED to pray for all of those who never had the oppurtunity to live at all...

Oh and by the way....remember Roe vs Wade, the court case that helped the movement in America for legalizing Abortion? Here is the website about "Roe" now.....check it out
http://www.leaderu.com/norma/
I love you all, I miss you, Im praying for you, and please pray for me....

Adios, Dios le Bendigo....