MISO - Maryknoll International Service Orientation

Hello from New York! So far things have been fine... I've been here for almost a week and have met a lot of very nice people. All of them here to answer God's call to serve. Things went well the first few days but I think I caught a cold/flu on the plane over here so that wasn't fun. I'm feeling great today though. Really there hasn't been much so far notable enough to mention with the exception of an awesome concert put on by our director Adam and his friends. They played very beautiful Bolivian music and sang very nicely. I have video of it that I'll put up on YouTube for you to see.

Maryknoll Headquarters (About a half mile from where I'm staying)

Anyway, that's about all that's happening here on the Hudson River. I'll be sure to update as things move along!

Have a great day! God Bless.

Yapacani

Since last time there hasn't been a lot going on. However, I have found out which town in Bolivia I will be serving in... Yapacani! It is a town located about 60 miles from Santa Cruz, Boliva on highway 7 near the town of Villa German Busch. This seems to be a pretty cool place based on the research I've done. It is a sizable town in the bush with a population of about 20,000. I don't know yet what it is I will be doing there precisely, but it all depends on what they need and what I can do. That makes this site very lax in the respect that it is not hard set on a particular goal and allows the SLM to identify needs based on what the community wants and attempt to provide. The one thing that is interesting to me is that as far as I know, I will be the first SLM to ever serve in Yapacani. So I feel priveleged, but a bit on edge knowing that whatever I do there can have a big impact on SLMs in Yapacani in the future. It's a big responsibility that I intend to take very seriously.

Yapacani, Bolivia

As for language training I will be going to a language school called Escuela Runawasi in Cochabamba to learn a little Espanol. That starts from the moment I arrive in Bolivia on August 11th until November 13th when I will complete my time at Escuela Runawasi and go to Yapacani. Well, I should be finding out more details from the Salesian Lay Missions office in New York about the site in Yapacani soon so when I do I will be sure to put that information here.

Escuela Runawasi Mercado

Well that does it for now. Have a great day!

Peace and Blessings... Chris

39 days til' New York

This is just a random update on things...

I just made my flight reservations to Bolivia today, and I made my reservations for New York a while ago. I will be headed to New York on July 6th, for Orientation with the Salesian Lay Missioners and I will be there for a month. The first two weeks will be cultural training and evaluations with the Maryknoll Missioners. The third week will be a week of service. The fourth week will be a time to delve into what it really means to be a Salesian Lay Missioner. This should be a fun and exciting time. I had the privilege of meeting some other potential missioners in Chicago last month and I can't wait to see them again!

It looks like after orientation in New York wraps up on August 8th, I will be waiting around a couple of days until August 10th, and then the adventure begins. I will be heading out of New York first to Mexico City where I have a short layover. Then I will be going through Lima, Peru where I have a seven hour wait, and then to La Paz where I will get on another flight to Cochabamba, Bolivia. Cochabamba is where I will spend a few months learning Bolivian Spanish before heading down to the Santa Cruz region in eastern Bolivia to serve.

This should a great and fulfilling experience. Please pray for me, and I will keep all of you in mine. I will be sure to post more details once the time gets closer for me to leave.

Until Next Time, Adios Amigos!

Bolivia!

You read right, Bolivia!

I just got off the phone with Adam Rudin, the director of the Salesian Lay Missions and I was invited to Orientation in New York from July 6th to August 8th. During this first phone interview placement is also discussed, and there are three potential places in two Bolivian cities that are possible sites for me! I can't believe it, woohoo! So excited!

Anyway, I guess I better brush up on that dusty corner of my brain that has Spanish written on it. I will likely have to do some preliminary language training for a few months in Bolivia before going to my site. This will cost me some money, but I know God will provide.

More to come! Good Day and God Bless!

Milwaukee

Hello from Wisconsin! I hope all is well with everyone. This discernment trip has been enlightening. I spent two very good days in Chicago, Illinois and then made my way here to Milwaukee to see my Aunts Chello, Susan, and Jenny. We have had a rather enjoyable few days and have seen a great deal: Marquette University, Gesu Church, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Titanic Exhibit and IMAX film that is visiting, Lake Michigan, and of course eachother. Today we are headed to another university and maybe we'll see a few more sights before I return on Sunday.

My poor aunt Jenny hurt her leg while we were at the IMAX theater and so all I want is for her to feel better and rest. I will tell you all about it when I return.

Anyway, I hope that fair New Mexico is a happy place to be now, and I will return in a few days. God bless you all!

-Chris