Lent in Bolivia

Hello All,
I hope that this finds you well and enjoying the beginnings of Lent. I am not sure how Lent is celebrated ehre in Bolivia but I will keep you informed.
Just 2 short stories that might give you a clearer insight into my experiences here. I was blessing house in La Rivera last week. We would bless one house and one of the kids of the barrio would run ahead to see if the family in the next house wanted their house blessed. One of the kids ran up to the neighbor and asked if they wanted their house blessed and the old man who lives there laughed and said "Why would a priest come here?" He didn't believe that anyone would come up the mountain to a new and poor barrio to serve. I pray that our presence there shows the love of the Lord and the Church for the people there. I have to admit as I was walking through the mud and the rain the question "Why would a priest come here?" went through my mind as well.
Also last week I was visting a family who live in a 1 room house with a dirt floor as many families here live in. The young mother (she looks about 17) had a 2 month old baby with her. I asked the her the baby's name and she said "Bruce". This not being a usual Spanish name I asked her why Bruce. She said that he wants to be American. Such is the perception of many people that the US is the answer to so many of their needs. About 1/2 of the working adults in our barrio are working overseas primarily in Spain, Venezuala, Argentina, Brazil and the US. This wreaks havoc on family life but so often people feel they have no alternative. Please pray for us especially for our children who suffer so much.
Our school program is up and running and it looks like we will have a number of short term volunteers coming down to work in the area.
Thanks for all your prayers and feel free to post a greeting here on the blog.
Much love.

Greetings

Hello all,
We are in the midst of a mild (?) rainy season here in Cochabamba. But mud is still mud. The barrio has no paved streets so getting around is quite the adventure. Than God for 4 wheel drive and our trusty truck.
Our school starts here on Monday morning which I am really looking forward to. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know the families in our various barrios and to see the different possibilities that there are for ministering to the families in the area. The program is sponsored by the local governemnt but they informed us that they do not have the money to open the program for the first 3 months. But by then the students would be very hard pressed to keep up with their classes. So, we took it upon ourselves to raise the money ourselves for the teachers, food etc. for the program to open on time. It is a program that is of vital importance to the children and their studies ' we also provide the only hot meal most of them will have that day. It is certainly worth the sacrifice for the help we are able to offer these very poor children.A few friends have sent donations which we are using for the program. Thanks so much for helping these poorest of the poor children.
It is good to be able to hear from friends and family and keep them informed about our life here. It is certainly full of daily challenges but also daily rewards.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Back in Bolivia

Hello Everyone,
I arrived back home here in Bolivia yesterday after a week's visit with my brother and sister-in-law in Florida. It was a 2 day trip there and back but well worth the effort. We had 3 days in Boca Raton and 3 days in Hollywood. Both very different but very beautiful and relaxing. I did not realize how much I needed a break and it was very good to be with family again.
It is Super Bowl Sunday here (not quite the same as the States) but all the Maryknollers in the area are having a bar-b-q and party here this afternoon. I will return to the barrio afterwards.
Thanks again for all your support and prayers.