Long time coming......

Wow... it really has been a long time since I have been able to write on this blog....This evening I was rereading alot of my past entries because it has been the first chance to actually sit down that I have had in a long time. It just hit me how much writing down my experiences has helped me in my journey here in Latin America and in the mission.
Coincidentally, I am scheduled to head back to Nicaragua in the next week, to visit San Marcos, where I lived and learned Spanish, and in a profund way, much of the mission that I am currently serving in. This will be the first time that I have had an oppurtunity to visit away from the mission in the last year or so, because of missions and retreats, basically the busy schedule that we live here in Comayagua.
Life here is still the blessing that it has been since the beginning, in the last 2 years (its hard to believe it will be 2 years in june) there have been many changes in the community and the ministry we are participating in. We are still working largely with our young boys and teenage youth on a weekly basis, and after these past years of working with them, we are finally seeing fruits in their lives. In the past 6 months we have been on 3-4 missions in the mountain aldeas, and between 15-20 of our youth participated for the first time, and it was quite amazing to see how much God has worked in their lives and families. As of the past summer, my current ministry is focused primarily on the mountain missions, so I have not been present very often in the house here in Comayagua, having spent most of my time living and serving the parish priests. This has been amazing, God has taught me so much through the people who live, in many ways a life with technology and conveniences of the beginning of the last century. Whether it has been learning how to survive without electricity, running water, cars, or my normal American diet, I have grown quite fond of the moutnain life and its simplicity. (Many of the these villages only have visits from the priest once or twice a year!)
This past january, 2 young adults from these mountain villages have come and committed to serving in the community for at least a year (There is a huge thrist for Christ in these mountain villages) and we are now living about 18 in the house-a huge change from last years 6-8 people. We have some many different cultures under one roof this year, we have a few graduates from Steubenville, one from Notre Dame, a young lady from Illinois, a young man from El Salvador, a few Hondurans, a young lady from Scotland, a young lady from England, and then us from good ol´ Virginia.
Although much has changed in the house, our Mission remains the same, proclaim the Gospel at all costs, raise up this generation to be on fire for Christ, run to the beat of a different drum....and seeking Holiness on a day to day basis. It is even more a blessing to know that back home I have a support in you all and that through the sacraments and community there is a constant channeling of prayer interceding for one another at all moments through the richness of our Church. It is a beautiful thing being Catholic, its what drives me to continue the mission everyday...the desire and longing for the unification of alll Christians, in order to share the richness we truly do have in our Church.
As I go back to Nicaragua to visit a family I made while I embarked on my mission, I pray that I have grown in whatever small ways and that I am able to share with every individual God places in my path. I feel many times that God has placed many loved ones in my path and through the different paths he has led me, I have somehow lost touch or communication...at times this is a hard concept for me to accept and understand, but I pray that I can refelct love to all those He has placed in my life....and for those I have failed in the past and will fail in the future , I ask forgiveness and ask for your prayers. Please pray for my conversion and also for my discernment here in Honduras. I truly feel called here for an indefinite period of time, I love all of you at home...thank you all for your support and prayers...may God Bless you and may Mary protect you with her Holy mantle...she knows her Son better than anyone else and can intercede for us better than anyone else- its not a question of theology or ¨catholic beliefs¨ its the logical truth...Peace of Christ


Andrés

Excuse me for the grammatical errors...its late