…Mid November, a Thanksgiving to Remember, and December… OMG, it’s December!

22 years ago, on November 17th, I was born to a beautiful young family in Lima, Peru. I had a happy childhood with loving people all around me. Eventually, my mother was called to begin a new life in the U.S where, a few years later, I had the opportunity to rediscover my faith—thanks to some faithful people from MC and GMU. My re-conversion to the Catholic Church opened my eyes to the love that God had for me. In return, I felt the calling to love others like Him by serving in a country where I had only spent 10 days during my Senior Spring Break in college.

22 years later, I am found in the Dominican Republic, a country I have made into my second home, spending my birthday with Baniqueros and a sweet group of fellow volunteers with colorful mustaches. Even though I couldn’t see my family on such an important day for me, I felt loved by the people next to me. Samantha and our Bible Study girls baked an “earthquake chocolate quake” the day before. We ate it with some kids that smelled it from our volunteer house! We finished the day dancing and eating the remainings of the chocolate cake. The next day Arturo and Marina congratulated me for turning 22, my teammates and I met with Jesus in our usual morning prayer and received Him at Mass. I taught catechesis, guitar, practiced with the choir and went home where the most delicious home-made rotisserie chicken that Marina prepared awaited me. We later went to the volunteer house to watch Enchanted, and my teammates surprised me with another delicious cake and my favorite Ferrero Rocher chocolates! My friends, family and relatives from the U.S and Peru called me all day to wish me a Happy Birthday. I went to bed with a tummy full of chocolate and heart filled with joy and love!

Happy 22nd year of life!

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November 26 – 27, 2009

Thanksgiving, a holiday to remember what we’re grateful for with the people we’re grateful of. This year, I spent Thanksgiving away from home for the first time. Even though the Thanksgiving holiday is new to me (because we don’t celebrate it in Latin America), I still appreciate it because it gives us a reason to gather with our families and enjoy delicious food, while meditating on all the graces we’ve received thus far.

Being in the Dominican Republic and celebrating Thanksgiving was a little odd at first. When we least expected it, it was Wednesday and we had to begin prepping our meal for the next day. Obviously there wasn’t any excitement with the locals because they don’t know what Thanksgiving is, nor celebrate it. Furthermore, my culinary skills are not very good, so being in charge of the pecan pie made me nervous. Thank goodness Sam was there to assist me because it would have been chaos otherwise!
Meanwhile, my family was planning a trip to Indiana, where my stepfather’s family is from. We don’t go to Indiana very often, only because it’s really far from Virginia—as well as expensive! Nevertheless, I enjoy going there and seeing our American family. Unfortunately, this year I had to miss a family vacation that we don’t get to experience much, and family time with my loved ones.

Thursday morning, back in Banica, all the volunteers and Fr. Murphy were responsible for one dish. Since I made the pecan pie crust the day before, I was free to brainstorm about the decorations. Brendan and I decided to make turkeys out of “papel foame” (foam paper). It was fun! We spent all morning designing personalized turkeys, pilgrims’ hats, boats, etc…

We gathered with some Americans that are serving in nearby towns. I had one of the best turkeys ever (smoked by Fr. Murphy) and enjoyed it with great people! We played croquette after our meal and even though Isaac and I finished 4th, we had a ton of fun! I went home and had to shower in the dark but it was ok because our day had been amazing and I truly felt like I was spending Thanksgiving with my family!

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December 8, 2009

Wow! It’s December! According to Isaac’s count, we’ve been serving in Banica for over 100 days!

December brings me both joy and sadness. Joy because in only 12 days I’ll be in Virginia, hugging my family and friends, spending hours telling stories about my Adventures Baniqueras! I’m also happy it’s Advent, meaning Christmas is coming soon and we get to celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus as a baby. Nothing can bring more joy than meditating on our Lord’s coming as a tiny infant, falling asleep on His Virgin mother on Christmas day. Amazing!

I’m sad because we’re wrapping up our catechesis classes, filling out baptismal and confirmation records and saying good-bye to two of our teammates: Samantha and Brendan. Samantha has served in Banica for over a year, and worked with the volunteer team as the volunteer coordinator. Sam has been an amazing example of true Christian femininity to me. I have learned to be a better, stronger person through her example. I’m gonna miss her, but I hope her return to the States helps her become the person she wants to be and enjoy the fruits of her service in Banica. Brendan is returning to the States after 3 months of service. He taught English and led the Sports League with Mairin. He made me laugh every day while he’s been here! I admire his optimism, love for children and endless humor! Please keep Sam and Brendan in your prayers!

I’ve been so blessed to receive the calling to serve in Banica with amazing people! I have enjoyed my time thus far only because God has placed me in a place where I can feel loved and give love without restrain. God called me here to experience a glimpse of His own love. I have learned that TRUE love hurts because so much of the self is given; yet, it is true and no one can take that away. The ultimate demonstration of TRUE love was given by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, expecting nothing in return.

I want to love like Jesus. I AM called to love like Jesus, which is what I intend to do during my mission here in Banica. There is no true love without sacrifice and suffering, but… I am ready. Guided by the example of our Lady today on her Immaculate Conception, I want to say YES to God for the rest of my life.
Lord, allow us to love like you loved us on the cross. Help us get rid of our selfishness and fear so we can give our alls for your sake. Thank you for making us to love and be loved!

It was Dengue Transitorio!

To those of you who have been disappointed at my lack of blog updates, I’m a deeply sorry! I’ve been carried away by my daily activities, and I’ve neglected you by not updating you on the sweet life in Banica. I’ll try to write a blog at least once a month!

Let me give you the latest news:
Last Thursday, Nov 5th I woke up with a sudden exhaustion and lack of energy. I went to morning prayer like usual and noticed Mairin wasn’t there. Sam told us she wasn’t feeling well, so she wasn’t gonna come to Mass with us. I began to feel sick as she was telling us what had happened to Mairin, and I thought to myself “wow, I can really feel how she’s feeling!”. After Mass, I told Sam I wasn’t feeling well. I went home and slept all morning. I thought it might have been that I was tired, but I couldn’t find the strength to get up. My muscles ached, and my head hurt really bad. I had a really high fever, but since no one carries a thermometer in their homes, I will never know what my temperature was. My host parents insisted on me eating, but I would look at the food and lose my sense of hunger. Arturo had to feed me like a baby at one point because I couldn’t find the strength to hold the fork to my mouth. Isaac had to go to Sabana Cruz on his own because there was no way I could go with him to teach. I wrote down what he needed to do and gave it to him before he left to class. We had a seminarian named Carlos that day, so he went with Isaac to Sabana Cruz and taught the kids about priesthood. Isaac told me it was a good day, so my heart was at peace and I went to bed thinking tomorrow everything was going to be all right.

Little did I know that for the next five days, the array of symptoms I was experiencing was going to increase to almost every possible thing your body could ever do when you’re sick. From fever, to vomiting, to a rash, I felt I was slowly decaying into a really bad illness. By Wednesday, Sam and I got up really early to go to a private clinic in San Juan. They did all sorts of tests, and discovered I was carrying an ameba inside of me! Apparently an ameba is a parasite that you can get here by drinking dirty water, or eating a fruit that hasn’t been washed properly. The cardiologist examined me and saw my skin rash. Later he got the results of my blood test and found a small count of platelets. He was worried I might have dengue, so he prescribed another blood test. The Lord answered my prayers, and my dengue test was negative. The doctor said I might have had DENGUE TRANSITORIO, meaning I had dengue for a short period of time. Kinda scary, but I’m glad it’s gone!

During my illness, I missed out on so much! The sisters of the Restitucion visited us, there was a movie night in Sabana Cruz, a retreat for young girls at Rincon Grande Abajo, and just quality time with Jesus. I even got home sick because I realized no one would take better care of me than my own family. Every one around me was trying to make me feel better, but I just felt the desire to be in my own bed, with my family watching over me. I couldn’t even properly pray, so I was been deprived of my Heavenly Father as well.

Now I’m feeling so much better. My platelets are still low, so I guess that’s why I still feel weak. The doctor recommended guayaba juice with aji moron. It sounds gross but people tell me it’s not that bad. I have yet to try it.. we shall see.
The pictures I’m posting are from our fun trip to El Morro. Mondays are our day off so we often do fun things as a team. Two Mondays ago we went to a small waterfall about an hour from Banica called El Morro. The water was very cold, but we managed to get in and soak the cold water for a little bit. John, one of the volunteers found a crab, something very exotic for this area, I think! The second picture is from our little girls' group called Teresitas. The third picture is from my new guitar class. No, I'm no expert but Father says that since I know more than they do, I can teach!The last picture is me dancing with my Bible Study Girls. There's two of them not showing in the pic, but these three are the biggest dancers!

I’m praying for all of you, asking the Lord to keep you safe and healthy (as well as any other intentions you may have!) I ask that you may continue to pray for me, the volunteers, priests and mission in Banica. I truly believe God is gonna do great things with us here. There’s still a lot of work ahead of us, so we need all the prayers and spiritual health we can get!

May the peace of God be with you always!

A Note on Patronales y un "chin" Mas

October 4th is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Bánica. Preparations for this feast begin at least a week before the 4th and last about a week after. What a celebration! Although there is some religious component to Patronales, it is mostly a time when families from all over the country (and even Haiti!) gather to commemorate the “promesas” this famous Saint has fulfilled for them as well as enjoy any kind of events going on in town. Patronales would not be a celebration without music. The sindicos and regidores—equivalent to mayors—invite popular Dominican singers such as bachatero Joe Veras and merenguero Omega to get Baniqueros pumped and excited for this occasion. For about five nights in a row, there is an event going on down the street: music, singers, dancing, food, drinks, and tons of people!


I can honestly say I enjoyed a few of the events held down the street; however, I was disappointed to realize what a lack of understanding Baniqueros have in regards to saints. Despite Fr. O’Hare and Bishop Grullon’s efforts to explain that saints serve as role models and intercessors, Baniqueros often think saints like San Francisco have a god-like characteristic. They touch, praise and pray to San Francisco more often than they pray to God. Please pray that their devotion may be centered in Christ and that they may be able to comprehend the beautiful role of saints in the Catholic Church as role models and intercessors.

On a sadder note, a mayor committed suicide last Thursday. No one knows the reason behind his decision; however, his wife and three kids need all the prayers they can get. Their youngest child named Jairo is a student at our parochial school; thus, we will be sure to give him all the emotional support possible. For two nights, Banica and neighboring campos showed their solidarity by lighting candles along the side of the roads. It was so touching but beautiful at the same time! Often times you hear that Baniqueros are jealous of each other; but when it comes to sharing someone’s grief, they forget their differences and come together as one. Unfortunately for us catechists teaching in the public schools, our students had to miss another week (in addition to Patronales week) because most of the teachers were accompanying the mayor’s family during the viewing and burial.

Please pray for the soul of Javier Cedano, and the family and friends that grief his absence.

Me llaman "Profesora Jimena"

We’ve been here for a month and so many emotions, feelings, thoughts, experiences have happened so far!

I have been partnered up with Isaac, a graduate in Philosophy and Anthropology from Mary Washington University, to teach catechism in two public schools locates in two different campos: Sabana Cruz and Hato Viejo. We teach three days a week, using a picture method where students look at an image and then are asked questions that pertain to it. For instance, the first picture is based on the painting of the Creation by Michael Angelo. We asked them “Who is in this picture?” “Who is God?”. Eventually we form a class out of those pictures to help them prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation in the Catholic Church.


Ever since I was little, I dreamed of being a teacher. I would pretend I was a Language teacher, and I would prepare quizzes and tests for my little cousins which I would correct with my favorite red pen! Now, we can say that my dream has come true. A voice inside of me reminds me of the popular phrase:“Be careful what you wish for”. Being a teacher is a beautiful job, but I think being a catechist is even more beautiful. A catechist is able to not only share his or her knowledge about Catholicism, but also demonstrate her love for Christ and His teachings. Additionally, the challenges it brings along can make you a better person, as well as deepen your faith.


In Sabana Cruz, Isaac and I have two classes: one has about ten kids and the other one has fifteen. Our ten-student class is composed of younger kids (8-10 years old), who are just adorable. They all sit next to each other, forming a row right across from the board. Their eyes are often fixed upon their teacher (Isaac or myself), reflecting their eagerness to learn something new. The only problem we had with that class involved two kids, Francis and Suleidy, who would not care about the class at all. Since they were not disruptive to the rest of the class, we decided to leave them at their own mercy. To our advantage, Suleidy told us last week that Francis has left to the capital for good. What a relief!!! Now that she doesn’t have her partner in crime, she cooperates and participates with the rest of the kids.


Our fifteen-student class is a bit more challenging; specifically, emotionally and physically draining. About half of the class is Evangelical, meaning that they don’t agree with Catholic teachings, even though both religions belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Given that the Dominican Republic is primarily Catholic, we are able to teach in the public schools. Unfortunately for the Evangelical students, they have to sit through a class that they find disturbing and opposing to their teachings. During our first week, they managed unite against us. They would constantly alter everything we would to try to imply that the Catholic faith is a fraud. For instance, they would claim that the images we use to teach about God, Adam and Eve and such were objects of praise. Even though at times I would feel really angry at their wrongful and misinformed accusations, I would try to swallow my feelings and clarify to them—in a charitable way—some of the misconceptions. For instance, the images we use in the classroom are for teaching purposes, just as their books have images in them. Furthermore, Catholics don’t praise images! The only one we praise is God the father, son and Holy Spirit. During prayer, they refused to make the sign of the cross because they claimed the cross is damned, as well as the Our Father—a prayer interestingly taught by Jesus. I put up with them because living in the States has taught me to respect other people’s religions and beliefs. However, it got to a point where the kids disrespected Isaac and me disregarding our instructions and leaving the classroom without our permission. I got so frustrated I told the few kids left in the classroom that I wouldn’t put up with their misbehavior anymore, that I found it extremely disrespectful to us as their teachers—who travelled so far and sacrificed so much to be there and teach them—and if they did not care about us, we were not going to care about them. I added that I felt sad that those who needed to receive their sacraments would have to wait another year because I wasn’t going to go back. What a disappointment! One of the older Evangelical kid rushed towards us and asked us not to leave. Isaac and I were packing our stuff, but he took it away from us and placed them back where they were. He said he would go find the rest and ask them to come back. While he did that, I called the vice principal (because the principal is never in the school, since he’s running to be elected as mayor). She came in and all the kids rushed to their seats. I said I couldn’t deal with them anymore and that Isaac and I were going to leave. She seemed surprised but embarrassed, so she went in the classroom and had a talk with the students. She asked them to say sorry and to promise not to misbehave anymore. The kids did not seem to care for her nor me, so she told us we could leave and that she would talk to them and their parents. After that incident, there was tension between us and the students during the next class. I spoke with the Catholic kids, and I told them I was there to teach them about Catholicism and help them receive their sacraments. If they were not going to cooperate with me, then there was no point on me teaching their class. This wasn’t about religion anymore; it was about respect. They seemed sad and sorry for what they did. One of the girls, Marisol, told me she wanted to cry because she thought what they did to me was unfair. I almost cry with her too. At the end, they agree to behave well during class. Father O’Hare suggested that we remove the Catholic kids from that class and put them together with the younger kids in the smaller class. The vice principal assured me that it wouldn’t be necessary because the other kids promised to behave well in class. With my mom’s suggestion, the following week I told the vice principal I needed to make an announcement in the class and I would appreciated if she were present. She came in and I said something along the lines of…


“We all know that in this class there are disagreements about what Isaac and I teach. I respect those who belong to a different religious group; but I am not going to neglect those who are Catholic from receiving their sacraments. I’m going to ask those of you who do not agree with our teachings to come to class prepared to listen. I do not expect you to participate in the class; however, you are forced to be here by your school’s regulations. I do not want any disruptions or demonstrations of disrespect towards us. I invite you to write any questions you may have about our teachings, for we would be happy to answer any questions you may have after class. We are no longer going to spend class time discussing why our religion is different from yours. Thank you for your attention”


The vice principal seemed to agree with my announcement and new class rule. She added that even though she is Catholic, she respects those who aren’t. She asked the Evangelical kids to show respect towards us and listen without disrupting the class. After she left, we began our lesson. I started asking the kids some questions. The Catholic kids were quiet, but the Evangelical kids wanted to participate. I ignored the Evangelical kids in order to go by what I had just announced. Eventually the Catholic kids began to participate and we had a successful class. By the end of class, the leader Evangelical kid named Jorge went up to me and said: Why didn’t you call on me when I raised my hand? I said, “didn’t you hear what I announced? You are in this class because the school wants you to be; however, this class is for Catholic kids only in preparation to receive their sacraments. I’m sorry it has to be that way, but your lack of respect towards me as a teacher has forced me to act that way”. He said he wasn’t gonna come to class during our teaching, and I said, “well, you’re gonna have to talk to your vice principal about that because she expects you to be here” he stayed quiet. I said, “I think it’s easier for you to come to class, listen to our teachings and ask questions afterwards”. Our conversation ended with him shrugging and leaving the classroom.


The following week, we went back to the school and pulled the Catholic kids out of their classroom and put them together with the smaller kids. Jorge came with a sorry face and said “Profe, (a short way of saying teacher) are you not going to teach us today?” I said, “Sorry Jorge, we were supposed to have class tomorrow, but since it’s a holiday, I’m teaching the Catholic kids today”. He looked sad. I asked, “Do you wanna be in the class?” He nodded. I was like, “OK, if you truly want to be here with the rest of your classmates, you’re certainly welcomed to. I only ask two conditions: do not disrupt my classroom with arguments about our teachings, and show respect towards Isaac and me. Is that clear?” He said yes. His friend behind him started giggling. I snapped “I’m not joking! If you want to be in the class, you have to be quiet.” They both nodded and went in the class. That day class went smoothly. I allowed the Evangelical kids to participate, and their answers were mostly correct with our teachings. Isaac and I were very pleased with their behavior. By the end of the day, I praised God for listening to my prayers and helping me reach the Evangelical kids to His will.


Sabana Cruz is a challenge, but I think God has placed us there to test our patience and help us strengthen our teaching skills. He is good!


Hato Viejo, to the contrary, is EXCELLENT! Our younger class (4th-5th grade) has about 30 students and the second class (6th-7th grade) has about 10. They all listen and actively participate. They show interest in the class, as well as faithfulness to God by attending Mass every Sunday. I absolutely love them! Every Wednesday after class, I tell Isaac if all kids behaved like Hato Viejo kids I would study to be a teacher in a heartbeat!!!

Please keep us in your prayers!!! More updates coming soon!!!

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace… St. Francis of Assisi

Bánica, Dominican Republic. –Living in Bánica for the past 10 days has been both a blessing and a challenge. Before I arrived, I was expecting my life to change drastically and painfully; however, I have discovered that change comes in different ways…some are unexpected.
The first night we arrived to Bánica, I was actually feeling a mix of joy, excitement, uncertainty and anxiety. The drive there was beautiful: an orange sky and green landscapes welcomed us, as well as some live stock J I was excited to see Bánica after five months of my departure. As we were getting close, I recognized certain houses, colmados (equivalent to 7-Elevens) in every corner, and of course the old rusty “Bienvenidos a Bánica” sign. I couldn’t stop smiling. The recuerdos from my Alternative Spring Break trip with the Catholic Campus Ministry in March began to flood, while my heart rejoiced at the thought of spending 10 months in this place that I like to call “God’s lost paradise”.

The gua-gua (or truck) stopped in front of a fenced house, a block away from the San Francisco de Asis parish. It had white walls, a black fence protecting the front of the house, and a lovely front yard with lots of flowers and different kinds of plants. I got out of the car hesitantly, when an older gentleman of dark skin complexion rushed to unlock the door. “Bienvenida! Pase, Pase!” were his first words, along with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. He introduced himself as Arturo, and told me this was going to be my house for as long as I want. And at the end of his sentence, he added: “Si Dios quiere” (a very common phrase said by many Dominicans implying that they are in the hands of God or at God’s will) Appropriate, I thought. His wife, Maria, greeted me inside and showed me my room. It had a queen size bed, with a comforter! As I began to scan the house, I noticed how many decorations, sofas, and curtains it had… even a nice color TV! Well, I thought, so much for being uncomfortable! Father O’Hare came to drop off my luggage. When he got to my room he said, “wow, I wished I had a bed like that!” I smiled and was relieved to be in a nice, comfortable house.

As I began to unpack, I noticed how much space the bed took. I love that it is big (bigger than my bed in the States); however, I wished I had more storage and closet space. They had a table where I could place my toiletries and jewelry, but there was no closet or shelves or any other space for me to sit. I noticed there was a small space between the window and the wall, which I now use as shelves. There I placed my family pictures, books, a mirror, and my Bible. Arturo came into my room and explained that I could use the curtain as a door, or I could unlatch the door from the wall. I said the curtain would be fine. I didn’t want them to feel unwelcomed in my new room/personal space/life!

Arturo let me unpack, and then he called me out to the backyard. Woah! I thought. It had more plants than in the front yard: beautiful flowers that they call “Coralillo”; mango, cherries, lemon, and “guandule” trees; etc. I was impressed! Then Arturo took me to what they call bathroom. He opened the door, and a terrible smell came out. Oh Gosh...my first encounter with an outhouse! I didn’t want to be rude, so I held my breath to keep myself from vomiting. He then took me to another outhouse, which they use for showering. Maria showed me how they do it: take a small plastic jar and dip it in the huge tub of water. Pour it over your head at your disposition. She said they don’t have running water; however, they collect water (when it comes) and store it in those tubs. There were like five of them! She washed her face in front of me to show me that the water was refreshing and clean. I took a deep breath… “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…Lord, bless Arturo and Maria for their generosity. Help me see You in them and the rest of the Baniqueros I will encounter. Teach me to be generous and kind like they are. Give me your strength to overcome these initial discomforts in order to make Banica my home, as well as a workplace in Your name. Bless and keep my family and friends safe back home. Amen”