Settling In

It is now June. Two of the girls in the house have their return tickets to the U.S. for mid-August and two plan to stay until the end of August. All four are hoping to travel within Peru before they return home -some with boyfriends. We have received no news yet on who are the two new missionaries. They will most likely come in September. We are speculating they have yet to confirm with the program but we have not been told anything.

One thing we do know is that there are NO new medical or nursing applicants. I will be the lone nurse for the entire IWM program (Mexico and Africa included) but I do have help. If you recall, there is a Canadian volunteer from Catholic Medical Missions Board that came last December. Lisa is an ICU RN and will be here at least until the beginning of December. Next month in July, we will start to phase out of working in hospice and take over the home health project that Julie and Corina have been running. The home health project is under the director of hospice (Hermana Juanita CCVI) and is for the chronically ill/ not terminal.

Five minus four leaves me in the house. I feel up to the challenge. I have lots of home improvement projects I wish to embark on. The house has many needs beyond my skills. (I still live in hope for someone to make this house into their mission project.) However, I have a birthday coming up in August and plan to ask for a can of paint. Not your typical item on a birthday wish list but it will make me very happy. I know I can at least get a fresh coat of paint up in the dining room and make short work of all the junk that has accumulated in the house. I also continue to work in the garden. It is winter and I am currently at war with the weeds. The weather is mild (70’s to 50’s)

I had the foresight to take my vacation a little early. I knew chaos would ensue as the girls came to grip with the reality of leaving and I would need to be available for any necessary transitions and additional responsibilities. I traveled at the end of May with friends from Texas and here in Chimbote. We were a posse of 6. I was happy to see other parts of Peru. It has helped me to grow in appreciation of the country and see how the people of Chimbote make the most of what they have. Peruvians have a lot to be proud of. The terrain of Peru is diverse and beautiful. Vacation photos are on the right of the blog page under “Marcelle’s photos.”

I am settling in now for another year. I am blessed to have friends and family that keep the home fires burning, you have been wonderful support team. Please pray for those coming and going and for those that continue to work in mission.

Start by doing what’s necessary,
then do what’s possible,
and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
(St. Francis of Assisi)