life so far

So much has happened and in so little time. Where do I begin?                  

I suppose I should just describe where I am working at, I could take a picture, but I’m not at a zoo, I am working with people. The first day I stepped into the Favela I was not greeted by anyone. People said hello and it seemed like they did not smile much.  A favela is a community of many people that live in a very small space, so small that the only way to build is up. Every window and door in the favela is barred. Apparently everyone knows everyone in the Favela. So if there is a Gringo/outsider/me, everyone wants to know who this person is, why he is here, and will he cause problems.

When I first arrived, I was being watched. Not too far from the community center that we are building are a group of men that stand outside everyday all day. These men pass out special herbs, and spices in baggies, to special people in the Favela. These men asked Fabio a friend in the Favela who I was where I came from.

Every Friday there was a 2 hour long stations in the cross in the streets of the favela. It seems kinda boring on the outside. This past Friday, (like most I would assume) was crazy, Father Patrick has a megaphone and we start praying loud, with a big cross. All the while people are on drugs getting drunk, small 7 year old kids are playing in the streets, we start with 3 people and by the end of the prayers we end with 20, mostly women, mostly mothers. I see mothers praying for the future of the kids that are going to be raised in this neighborhood, I see mothers fighting against the darkness, the drugs, the violence. I was touched, by the way this was done. People want change, people do want a better world. Life is a struggle, life is fight.

Father Patrick is a brother from Cameroon. Every time we walk in to the Favela he has to say hi to everyone. He has to start a conversation with at least 3 families. It’s kind of beautiful as week walk down the Favela people are 3 houses away and they yell, “padre Patrick!!” I remember when I was in El Salvador helping another community and people would yell, “Padre Bob!” It’s the love you put in, it’s looking at people struggle and going down to struggle with them.