It has been much too long

How I have looked forward to writing this as last week I didnt write anything.

On Monday was my first day of daycare that Bea didnt cry. I was so happy. We made a figure of Mary and Jesus for a tiny alter in the school house to pray before we begin. You wouldnt believe how cute it is to see her doing the sign of the cross. Then today, she decided that she did not want to go and when I was carrying her (she was crying) she peed all over me. I felt this warm liquid and I thought to myself that is strange, I must have stepped in warm water. And then after a few moments I realized, oh no! She's peeing on me. I quickly ran and took a shower. Please pray for us. I am out of ideas of what to do. She is such a happy little girl at other times, but in a moment she can begin wailing. There is this deep pain in her heart that is seeming impossible to erase.

Also today I found my first parasite in my foot. They call it "a bug of a pig." It comes from poop and they are very common here, but painful. They all laughed and luckily baby Francisco and Padre Cristiano have them too. They cut it out and it should heal quickly.

We received a new missionary from Argentina a few hours ago. Right now he is residing in my house, but when Cece and Nicolas leave for Argentina in a few weeks, he will live in their house. It is really nice to not be the only one learning portuguese.

My portuguese is coming along and yesterday on my apostolate to the Passagam, the poor town close to us, I actually understood what the Brazilian woman was saying. This is a big feat as they all talk very quickly and in a low voice. She lived in this house that looked like Shrek's. We crossed this railroad track and away from all the other houses and dirt, she had this beautiful garden. She takes care of all her flowers. It seemed like paradise. But how lonely she is. All her kids have moved away and people are constantly asking her for food. She was tired and her heart worn out. She didnt want Padre and me to leave and was enticing us with food and juice and flowers. How lovely she was without any teeth and her toenails beaten down.

This other lady we encountered in the Passagam is a true miracle. I am unsure of what disease she has, but she is confined to a wheelchair. She doesnt have use of her feet or hands. Yet she has made a room into a library and has desks for the children to come and do their homework. She flips through the pages of the books by whipping her hand. What patience and kindness she has for them. She has 7 children, none of which are her own. Her youngest is one years old. She was left on her doorstep without clothes at 6 weeks old. So she took her in and cares for her as her own. My favorite is that little Yasmine does the exact same thing as Raelin did at one. You ask her where her telephone is and she whips out her hand to her ear. I think this woman is a saint and I hope our friendship grows so I can learn from her.

Another big moment for me was when Jai-jai, a 20 year old here asked me to help her with English. She is very self conscious because she was held back a grade and has much difficulty to learn. And she came up to me and asked if I would help. It is a very different thing to help someone on your own accord because you think you have something they need, but it is different, when a person reaches out to you and asks for help. God must be in me that she felt comfortable to ask me to help. It is helping me with my portuguese too because I have to compare the two languages.

And lastly, I have a new little friend here. Tete. Tete is 7. She is adopted by Jai-Jai's mother because her own mother does not want her, nor her grandmother. The poor child heard all of these things--that no one wants her. I cant imagine what sadness she has in her heart. On top of this, when she was living with her mom, they had a one room house. So she and her three sisters heard and saw ALL the things that went on. Adult things no child should learn. Now she teaches the other children here bad words and things that are inappropriate. Dona Joselita who is her adoptive mother is exhausted. Tete makes trouble at school as well. She spits on the people in her house and is a wreck. So they asked me to help. Now we sit in the hammock and sing. We dance around the house. We paint and cook (Hannah-- she loves my bread with egg in the middle. thanks to you for teaching me. every day she shows up asking for it.) Soon we are going to make a tent with sheets (Yes, I dread washing them afterward, but hey this is what loving is, right?) Soon I will be an authority figure and be able to help her return to being a child. I thank God for intrusting her to me.

Lastly, I wish to ask for recipes. I have to cook 3 times a week and I am out of ideas. I fear making the same things always. We have bread, eggs, rice, beans, many many fruits, pasta, potatoes, tomato, onion, green beans, carrots, cucumber, tomato extract, salt, pepper, sugar, condensed milk, flour. I think that might be it. Any ideas? email me erica.c.tighe@gmail.com

This weekend I have a day of rest--a weekend of rest-- with a girl who is part of another community in Salvador. She stayed here two weeks and then invited me with her to thebeach. I am going to have time to upload pictures! I have some miraculous ones. Daniel had his seventh birthday the other day and so I made a crown for him. He wore a bow tie too. Oh they are to die for!!!

Many prayers,
Erica