New Family in San Marcos

I am writing to ask for prayers as I have moved out of the dorms of Ave Maria and into a family's home in San Marcos. They live about 5-10 minutes by feet from the campus. We met the father through the Friars of the Primite Oberservance here in Nicaragua. They are amazing(the friars), they live in a convent in the woods near my house, all of it from one tree that broke near the site a few years back, they built it by hand, none of it is man made, all natural "material" was used, the floor in the house is the actual ground of the earth, the chapel has nothing but dirt to kneel on, the beds are their desks they read or write on (flat wood), and they beg everynight for their food. I am going to stay with them for a week visit in a few weeks and to live the life with them, discerning what God might be calling me to. Their presence in Nicaragua is extremely influential the faith of Catholics and even non-Catholics seeing it as an example of the faith the Church can inspire...it is truly one of the most important backbones in this city. Anyways, the father, Tavin is a really devout and passionate Catholic in San Marcos (unfortunately one of very few) and a very loving father and husband. His wife Lupa and him have 3 children, a 15 yr old boy Jader, a 6 year old son Jesse, and an absolutely beautiful 4yr old daughter Maria Sara. They treat me like their older brother, and the are extremely welcoming and loving to me. We live in a not-so-great part of town, called La Cancha, and you can hear the freguent dogs barking and fire works being lit till even 4 in the morning. The door is kept open till about 10 oclock because frequent visitors stop by; friends of the family, couples newly married that Tavin and Lupa have counseled in their marriage class at the parish, and young children wanting food. They are extremely generous despite having just enough to get by- it is beautiful. It is the way Jesus asks ALL of us to be, and I still have to learn that. The children are vey innocent and obedient, mostly unaware of the unjustices happening even across the street. They know Jesus, and that is enough for them. It is a practice that we pray the rosary together as a family, with Tavins parents (in their late 80's) every night, usually followed with praise and worship. The normal meal at the house is gallopinto (rice and beans) with possibly a tortilla. When I am really hungry, it even tastes good for breakfast. It is difficult at times because they know absolutely no english, but they are patient with me. I have met many of their extended family and friends whom Tavin refers to as "Hermano or Hermana" so I have no idea which of them are actually blood reatives. It was a hard transition for the campus because I had been used to meeting with the many strong Catholics for Adoration and praise and worship everynight, and starting to get to know some of the young adults here. One of them, Nubia who just graduated from Ave Maria, does alot of the facilitating here, and she is a complete blessing. I got to go to her home town Jinotepe last weekend, and it was another beautiful city, except it was alot bigger than San Marcos, and I had come at a strange time, during an Ipica, where "cowboys" show off their horses and the streets are flooded all day with parties and music. It's a very lively culture much like that of a city in the United States, except Nubia told me that you can usually expect to walk around and talk to anyone at length whether you know them or not. So here I am, in Nicaragua, somewhere I never thought I'd be in a million years, especially not in 2006. It's just another example of how much we have NO idea what God is calling us to. And I am slowly learning how much I lacked trust in God in the past (and still do in many ways) when I reminded myself of my priorities- Family, School, Work, etc with God involved with all of those, but that was WRONG....its GOD and then because of, and ONLY because of His grace...we can try to undertake those things...this is the MOST important aspect we must focus on when we say we Love our Lord, or that we Trust our Lord...He is first, and as Fr. John Anthony C.F.R. told me last week before I came to Nicaragua...."If I really follow the commandments and Love the Lord with all my heart (which, yes folks...is a Commandment) than I have to say 'I will do WHATEVER You want of me Lord, NO matter WHAT that means'".

I have to go now, but I want to leave you with something that Jesus reminded me of yesterday in the Chapel as I was overwhelmed with Spanish, and stressed out telling God "This is too much, I can barely make it", one of the teachers at Ave Maria gave me a card without previous knowlege of anything and said, completely out of the blue!,
"My son Andrew just got ordained and this is his motto"
the card read
"He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"
Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to prepare, and I thank you all again for the support....I pray God blesses you the way He has blessed us here...I could be no more peacefull than I am right now, despite the challenges all around me.

Peace

Andres