Here at last

I erected my mosquito net today. No one else is bothered by them but for some reason the mosquitoes here have a special affinity for my blood. It drives me mad. My hope is that over time my body will somehow evolve to produce some kind of natural repellant which all the locals seem to possess. I’ll let you know if it happens.

Anyway I finally made it here to my assignment site at St. Raphael the Archangel Parish in Kawayan, Biliran. I’ve been here for almost 2 weeks and I’m still adjusting (mentally, spiritually, gastrointestinally). I live in the friary or convent of the parish with Fr. Pejay and Fr. Neil, both of whom are young Franciscans friars and comfortable company to be around. Also staying here at the convent is Bert, a pensive sailor and the brother of Fr. Pejay; George, the 22 year old sacristan (altar boy) who has also returned to high school to finish his degree; and Larry and Hans, who are college students studying in Naval, the commercial center of the island. The three of them are “scholars” of the friars and are financially supported by them. There’s another cast of characters, workers of the parish many with unknown positions, that are always around during the day. Hence it’s a lively place that, true to the Franciscan charism, feels charged with the vibe of brotha/sista-hood.

My room here is small and sparse but I like it that way. (At night I read and write by candlelight to make it feel even more “authentic.”) The rest of the place is quite comfortable however. (Yes, there’s electricity though every day there’s been at least one brown out, and there’s running water which flows in abundance from a spring up the mountain. The tap is often times left freely running which pisses me off out of principle but I'm learning to cope.) The friary is on hill and the back deck where most of the chilling is done overlooks the sea which is dotted with several islets. The towering volcanic island of Maripippi rises in the distance. At night fireflies flicker to the sound of guitars and Bisayan love songs. Rarely will you hear the sound of a car but there’s the chirping of birds, the blowing of conch shell horns by fish vendors, the incessant clucking and crowing of poultry, the barking of dogs, the laughter of children. It is a nice place and so green! Full of flowers and fruits of all kinds, etc. etc.

Thus far I've been accompanying Betty and Baby the two pastoral workers when they make visits to parishoners, teach seminars, etc. Fr. Pejay has also been taking me under his wing, but we usually just pack a picnic and guitar and go to the beach to swim around, spear fish and collect shells for sugba (grillin). Besides this we spend a lot of time "taking our times" as it were, sitting under the Rambutan tree out front with neighbors.

The parish consists of several “barangays,” small separate villages, each of which has its own chapel where mass is celebrated regularly. The main church is here in Kawayan proper but since transportation is difficult, each barangay has its own mini church and faith community. So far I’ve been introducing myself during the masses at different barangays. Eventually I will be in charge of organizing the youth in each barangay, as well as working with the BEC’s (Basic Ecclesial Communities), which are small, faith and life sharing groups. Yes, it sounds awfully vague to me too, but all in due time!

My first challenge to overcome is learning the language (Bisaya / Cebuano). It is really tiring being surrounded constantly by unintelligible chatter. But I’m learning a few new words daily and I have a tutor MWF. Still it’s a daunting task and I wonder if I’ll ever be able to chatter like they do. Chin up, Dave, chin up. Interiorly I often feel like I have little to contribute to the people here but I'm trying to keep the faith that I'm here for a reason, that there is much to learn about self and other in the Unknown, and that it isn't just marketable skills that overcomes but simple Love for one's neighbor. Love is all of God's money.

Internet is about 40 minutes away by jeepney so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to post until, that is, I buy my own motorcycle and I can roll around this island Che Guevarra style. Thank you all for your prayers and spiritual support. It's a rocky time this adjustment and I often think about home, about friends and family with longing.