Let me share with you how my days look like while in orientation.
Every weekday morning we wake up at 6:00am, which is 3:00am Pacific time. We go to mass at 6:30am. Right after mass we have morning meditation or Lectio Divina followed by morning prayer. Then we head to breakfast, at around 8:30am we head over to help out at the parish center. This parish has a lot going on. It really helps out the people around it's community, which is predominantly a Hispanic Immigrant community. Usually outside the parish and youth center, you see a lot of day laborers looking for work. But the parish/community does it's best to help them out. They advice the day laborers on their rights as a worker, because often times, these day laborers get a exploited.
As well as helping the day laborers out, this parish has a soup kitchen, an open closet (they give out clothes to those in need), a food bank, free English courses and so much more. It's been great being able to lend a helping hand. We've been mostly cleaning up the soup kitchen and fixing it up a bit because it's yearly inspection is next week. But we have also been working in their food bank and open closet.
At around 11:30am we have lunch with day laborers in the soup kitchen. We've met a couple of them, like Jose from Quito, Ecuador. He has only been in the U.S. for a month and he says it's been very tough. He doesn't like it here because people aren't very kind, they are usually cold, and he really regrets coming over. He says he can't wait to save up money to head back to Ecuador where his three children still live. We've also met Pablo from Guatemala. He also says it's been really tough here in the U.S. and he's been here 2 years already. He dreams of studying art, but can't because it is too expensive here in the U.S. but he isn't giving up. He is taking some courses online and he is trying his best. He is also taking some English courses. We asked if he had any friends, and he said no. He mentioned that people here aren't very friendly and that he feels lonely sometimes. This is the story of most of the day laborers. They are usually on their own, and feel really lonely. We try our best to keep them company while they wait for work and while we have a meal together. I ask you to pray for them.
At 2pm, we head over to the Salesians other parish in Port Chester, Corpus Christi. They are currently preparing for their carnival this weekend, so they are having us clean their parish hall. There is nothing like scrubbing down a whole mess of old, sticky, metal chairs =). AAAAAAND moving things from one classroom closet (specifically books) to the one upstairs, LOVELY =). But we finish the working day with a great game of kickball, recalling our recess years lol.
After Corpus Christi we head back home and we have evening prayer and then DINNER! Juan Carlos, the cook, is a professional chef...soooo don't be surprised if you see that I've gained a couple of pounds after these three weeks...lol. I haven't really been conscious of what I've been eating...which I probably should because of health reasons, so shame on me. Anywho, after dinner, we have some free time and then we have conference. After that, is usually more free time, or shower time, or mimis time.
So that's how it's been this week so far. I am excited about tomorrow though, after lunch at the soup kitchen, we head to New Rochelle to the missions office, where I hear they have a pool. PERFECT! It's horribly humid here so a pool is greatly appreciated! And humidity equals MOSQUITOS!!! YAY! and I have the bites to prove it boo!
Well thats that. Keep praying for me and my fellow SLMs
Thanks for reading
Lorena
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