Although the missionaries are sightseeing at Malinalco today, here are a few more pictures of their work. We have some painting, plus a finished house and then shots of the group celebrating with local residents on Thursday evening.
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The missionaries finished their work yesterday! Here is Fr. Andrew’s final update.
Dear Friends and Families, Today was an easy day, in comparison with the last two days doing concrete. We only had to paint the houses, and put the corrugated metal roof on. We all started the day happy, knowing that today we would be giving two families a house to live in, but at the same time not wanting this week to end. We have all made friends here, and we have been received so warmly! Everyone had something to give us, whether it was a kind word, practicing a few phrases of English they had picked up, giving us bread, avocados, we had everything we needed. Fr. Dan has spent the last few days making for each house a cross he carved and painted himself. Today we mounted the crosses on the front wall of each house, and then we all took part in blessing the new home we left to the families, asking God to be present here always. At 6:00, we had the final Mass with the townspeople. Many of them came to say good bye. We took with us all the candy, soccer balls, toys, coloring books, that we brought to give out to the kids, and after Mass we all had a great time meeting each other, and exchanging gifts, photos, best wishes, and even a few hugs from friends we made this week. We now have more bread and avocados than we could eat in a week! Everyone just wanted to show their appreciation, and to ask us to come back soon. Maybe we should ask to have two spring breaks! We could start a petition, and have at least 45 signatures right away! Tomorrow we will have an exciting day as well, visiting a place called Malinalco. We have to leave early, so we will try to pack up what we can tonight, and be ready on time to leave at 7:30. May God bless all the people of this town, that have received us so warmly and found their way into our hearts in such a short time! In Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Below: Painting the houses (the Calvary house was a white-pink, while the farm house was more of a turquoise; the inside of both houses is painted white; the smile of the little girl who will be able to sleep in her new house tonight (she told me she already picked out her room!); a picture outside the farmhouse with the “farmers,” or the guys who built it. Below is Fr. Andrew's report on the work the group did on Wednesday.
Dear Friends and Families, Today we all had one mission: we needed to finish all the concrete before the end of the day. There was a lot to do at both houses, and it was going to be a real challenge to get it all done. Today we had all the supplies we needed right from the beginning, which was a huge help. Today was also one of the hottest days so far, so a short break in the shade was about all that we could catch during the work. We still started out our day with a morning reflection in the Calvary church/tent. It is important to begin with that spiritual motivation as well. What I am doing during the day does not just affect me here and now; I’m not just throwing cement on the walls of a house. I can take advantage of the work I do to form my spirit, my willpower, and most importantly, my love for Christ. We definitely needed a good lunch to keep up our strength, and once again the ladies helping to prepare the food outdid themselves. It really shows something when there are never any leftovers… Everyone worked long into the afternoon to get all the cement finished, as well as getting the plywood on the roofs. Mass started a bit late because everyone was trying to just get one more thing done before it was time to stop for the day. The pressure was on, but everyone was able to rise to the challenge, and we finished all the concrete, on both houses! Congratulations to everyone for their hard work! After a dinner of hamburgers prepared once more by Fr. Dan and a couple of volunteers, we all sat around a bonfire, sharing some of our “highs and lows” of the week. It was very inspiring to see what made an impact on each one, what experiences each had that he would take back with him. Tomorrow is a lighter work day. We have to put on the corrugated metal for the roof, and paint. We are looking forward to seeing the houses fully completed! God bless! In Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Attached: hard at work mudding the Calvary house; raising the roof; a view of the Calvary church on top of a hill, where we have our meditations and Mass; having fun around the bonfire Here are some pictures from Wednesday. They were sent by Mr. Righter, Mr. Rief, and Mr. Nigro. You can see some shots of the town, different phases of work, and some midday snacks. Dear Friends and Families,
Today was mud day! We started mixing cement (mud) to coat the walls of the houses. It is hard work, and it was hot today, but what kid doesn’t like playing in the mud and getting dirty? We started the day off with a great reflection from Fr. Matthew, then we headed out to the two building sites. We had a lot to do—we needed to have the first coat of cement on today. Once the concrete mixers started up, they wouldn’t stop until lunch, or for the end of the day. Since the farm house is a bit more accessible, they got a little further today, and were able to get the whole first coat on! The Calvary house got most of the first coat on. Tomorrow we should be able to get an earlier start, and still finish everything on time. After another great dinner prepared by Fr. Dan and a few volunteers, we had a holy hour back up at the Calvary church/tent. We started with the Rosary, followed by a reflection on the Gospel about confession. Fr. Matthew and I were then available for confessions in the time of personal reflection that followed. How awesome to be able to come on a mission trip, build a house for a needy family, and be nourished spiritually at the same time! Hopefully this holy hour was a time of spiritual enrichment and an experience of God’s love and mercy. God bless! In Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Attached: Fr. Matthew directing the morning meditation; a view of the town from the patio of the Calvary Church; mixing concrete and mudding the walls. Here is the latest from Fr. Andrew. Remember that these updates are delayed by a day, so the work he is talking about here happened on Monday.
Dear Friends and families, Today everyone was up and ready to work bright and early! After a quick breakfast, we all headed up to the Calvary church for a morning reflection. We all tried to think on our expectations for this mission trip, and come up with some goals to achieve during this week. What do I want to take back with me from this trip, and what do I want to leave the people here? It would be a great thing if the lessons learned during these days could inspire me through the whole year, and if I can leave to the people here an example of a hard-working missionary, who is willing to make sacrifices for others. Back at the work sites, we still had a bit of difficulty getting all the materials, so we started a bit slower. The two sites we are building are pretty remote, so it is difficult to get a full load of sand, or a tank of water, or a pick-up loaded with mortar all the way up! In both houses, we were able to reinforce the walls, and put up the beams that will support the doors, windows, and roof. Tomorrow is going to be a hard and messy day, mixing concrete and plastering the walls with the first coat. We had a wonderful lunch, prepared by some ladies that live here in the town. They sure can cook! Tacos, rice, and beans is the normal menu, but there are a lot of ways and varieties to prepare the same meal. God bless them for volunteering to take such good care of us! At 6:00, we all went to the Calvary church again for Mass. We actually had Mass under a tent set out on the patio of the church. There was some minor interior damage to this church as well from the earthquake, so it has been closed for renovations. It is mostly minor things, like repainting and replastering some parts, but until it is opened again, Mass is outside. From there, we enjoyed a nice dinner, compliments of Fr. Dan! Afterwards, Fr. Matthew gave a reflection and led night prayers. We then had a bit of time to go and buy a couple snacks in the local corner store, and head off to bed. In Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Pictures below: a view of the farm house and the Calvary house; working to put up roof beams on both houses; cutting steps in the soft dirt down to the Calvary house to start carrying cement tomorrow I have not received an update from Fr. Andrew yet today, but here are some pictures from Mr. Davis and Mr. Righter. Looks like the houses are coming along nicely! You can see here how the styrofoam walls are put up to give the house its shape, and then how they are covered in mortar. The mortar is made by combining dry cement, sifted sand, and water in the cement mixers, and then it is applied to the walls with trowels. You may also see video of this here (taken by Mr. Righter): youtu.be/qc1owtrvl68 Here is the latest update from Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC. Dear Friends and Families, We had a great first day of our mission trip! In the morning, we had Mass right away to start our day off well. Unfortunately, we still had to wait a bit for all the building materials, so we took advantage to hike up one of the nearby hills with one of locals, who gave us a great explanation of the whole area. In this town, they are known for baking bread, for cultivating flowers in big, long greenhouses, and cultivating “avocados from México”! We are definitely going to enjoy some for lunch! After our hike, we were able to go to both sites where we will build the houses. The materials arrived, and we started work right away. One site we named the “Calvary house,” since it is on a hill overlooking the town, and it is close by the church dedicated to Our Lord’s passion on Calvary. The other site we named “the farm house,” since it is right next to a field where the family we are building for has their little farm. After a late lunch, we went back to work to make sure we were able to do as much as possible before the sun set for the day. Around 7:00, we went back for dinner. To finish the day, we split up into groups of seniors and juniors, and each one was able to share his highs and lows, and some of the expectations and goals he had for this mission trip. By 9:30, we were all ready for bed, tired out after a long day of work. When was the last time a bunch of teenage guys was ready for bed by 9:30? Jokes aside, I have been very impressed with how hard everyone has been willing to work. It is very edifying to see everyone pitch in wherever they are asked, whether it be to help prepare dinner or wash plates, or to carry 50 lb. bags of cement from the trucks to the work site. Keep us in your prayers, there’s lots of more work to be done! God bless you all! In Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Attached: the Church that was damaged by the earthquake, with one of the towers and the roof missing; loading up materials for the houses; men hard at work at the Calvary house and the farm house Here are pictures from the first couple days, including some walking around the town of Tecomatlan, the sleeping arrangements for the group, and early stages of house construction. Thanks to Mr. Rief and Mr. Righter for the photos! Update on day one from Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC:
Dear Friends and Families, We arrived safe and sound to Tecomatlán last night, after a long day of travel. Arriving to Mexico City, the Mt Michael group and the Legion of Christ chaplains were able to meet up. Fr. Michael Mitchell, director of Mission Youth, was able to join us for the next two days. Fr. Matthew Schmitz was able to join us from Houston where he works. This is the fourth year that I have the privilege to join the Mt. Michael group on their mission trip, and my second year helping as chaplain. We are also fortunate to have the help of Fr. Dan Lenz, from Mt. Michael, for the sacraments, and for carving the crosses that we will place in the homes we will build this week. After collecting all our luggage and getting a bite to eat, we went directly to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to have Mass and entrust to our Blessed Mother in heaven the fruits of our mission trip. All the missionaries received their mission crosses as a sign that we are sent out in the name of Christ. We then had some time to visit the rest of the shrine before heading to Tecomatlán by bus. The town received us very warmly, and did everything they could to make our first night as restful as possible. Even though it was around 10:00 when we arrived, there were several of the towns people that came to make sure we had everything we needed. This looks to be the beginning of a great mission trip! Yours in Christ, Fr. Andrew Kolenda, LC Pictures: Fr. Michael preaching the homily during Mass at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe; the Mt. Michael missionaries receiving their mission crosses; a group enjoying an ice cream at the shrine. After their arrival in Mexico City, the missionaries went straight to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They were able to tour the grounds and have mass on one of the side altars. What a great way to begin their week of prayer and work! In just two days, the 2018 mission will begin! This year we have thirty students, ten dads, and one alumnus joining Fr. Daniel Lenz OSB, Mr. Hotovy, and Mr. Connealy on our mission to Mexico. They will be working in the town of Tecomatlan (Muncicipio de Tenancingo) in the State of Mexico. This town was ravaged by the September 19, 2017 earthquake, and this year's project will be to build houses for two families who lost their homes that day. Watch this space for updates on the mission throughout the week! Also, please keep all of our missionaries in your prayers. They all appreciate the support of the Mount Michael community and all other family and friends.
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AuthorMr. Cormier will update this blog whenever he receives pictures or other news from the missionaries while they are in Mexico. Check back during spring break (March 3-10) for any updates! Archives
March 2019
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