A Day in the Life

We thought that you might want to know what our day is like. It usually starts with waking up around 3:00 am to the sound of a bazillion chickens crowing. Add to that some dogs barking along with an occasional fire cracker. There is a gentle breeze going through the windows as we sleep or try to sleep in our bunk beds. By 5:00 am the 354397593 birds who live in the tree in the courtyard of where we stay start chirping.

We rise at 6:00 am (well actually the teenagers of the group seem to wake up at 6:25 and roll out of bed). There is no hot water so only those brave enough to take a shower in the morning do. We start the day in the chapel at 6:30 with morning prayers and then pray the rosary. After that we have Mass with one of the Friars celebrating the Mass. Fr Dye says the Mass in the Friary for the Brothers.

Breakfast is at about 7:45 to about 8.30. We have had pancakes, fried pancakes, scrambled eggs, bananas, and oranges throughout the week. A local Honduran woman, Alba, does the cooking for us. We take turns cleaning up. Today the fathers and daughters did the clean-up.

At 8.30 the work crew leaves for La Granja, about a 20 minute drive. We rented 12 passenger vans to get around. At about 8:50, the Adventures in Faith (AIF) team leave for the Mary Queen of the Apostles parish (about a five minute drive). The AIF team stays there until 11:30 and then come back to Casa Guadalupe for lunch and to prepare to do the next program for the boys and girls of the orphanage from 1:30 - 3:30. Alba prepares a hot lunch each day for the AIF team. The work crew has had sandwiches each day. The teen age boys are eating a TON of food!!!

The work team stays until about 3:30 and then comes home to clean up and rest and wash their clothes in the pila.

From 5-6 we all meet back in the chapel for a holy hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Friar Brothers lead us in song and meditation.

At 6:00 we go to dinner. Besides for rice, beans, tortillas, and eggs, we have also had some amazing plates of chicken and salad.

At 7:00 we typically have an activity and then have some time in small groups, sharing our day, our observations and impressions. At 9:00 pm we have night prayers and then get ready for bed. Lights out at 10:00 pm....only to hear the chickens start crowing at 3:00 am again.