Tag Archives: Carmelite

Updates from Azua, October 2020

5 Oct

Hola Amigas!

I hope you are staying healthy and well. Sister Fifi contacted me Friday on WhatsApp and I wanted to share with all of you the latest from the home.

It’s a lot. It is all in the same order she gave me.

Sister Dione died a little over two weeks ago. She had been sick; it wasn’t covid. Most recently she lived at El Carmelo and was very warm and huggy when we visited there, before heading to Azua. I’m not sure, but I believe she was also a school teacher. This picture doesn’t show it, but she had a big smile. We will miss her. 

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The girls have not left the property since March, about when we started quarantining. She said COVID is still bad there, not safe for the girls. But they girls are doing well, attending remote school.

And, Sister Fifi thanked us again for the donation earlier this summer. On that subject, I’m preparing to send money again. If you gave money to Saint Ed’s directed to the home since last camp (July 2019) please let me know when and how much. I’m aware of only one right now. I’m going to have those donations wired down if possible, if not we’ll send it now that we know it works.

The next news is that Sister Maira is very sick with COVID. Sister Maira usually greets us at El Carmelo. She’s like the CFO of the order in Dominican Republic. She’s usually very hale and healthy. I don’t know how she got it. They live pretty sequestered. But, as we know, it doesn’t take much. She’s still sick, but is getting better.

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The major news 😭😥😭 is that Sister Fifi was assigned to a new project – a spirituality center at El Carmelo in Santo Domingo. She will live at El Carmelo, so we will still see her, but she is giving up her position at the home. I was very surprised and at first sad to hear this. She is such a special person, uniquely suited to direct the home, but I think she’ll have a big impact in the capital, as well.

She thanked all of us for the years we’ve shared. She thanked us for caring about the girls. Your contributions of time, talent, and treasure (today was Stewardship Weekend at St. Ed’s) is very touching to her and all the Sisters. 
She said the older girls are especially sad. Here are some recent pics. She said she’s having a hard time leaving the girls, but she has to start this new mission. 

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She’s leaving this week. Imagine the tears! I told her it will be 1000 times worse than the last day of camp!! I hope we have camp next year and that she can come visit. Or at least see her at El Carmelo! 

She said that God has given us all so much. I agree!

To answer the next question – Sister Sandra is returning! For the last few years has been running the home for retired Sisters. You can imagine, a lot of the administration is the same, just (I imagine) at a slower pace. There are people to feed, employees, activities, etc. 
Here’s an older picture of Sister Sandra, when we were on a community visit. She loves children and babies. She founded Hogar Teresa Toda, the home, 25+ years ago.

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Here is my latest picture of her from 2018 with some travelers

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That’s it for the updates. Please, send any updates you’d like to share!
Peace,

Ann

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Campamento Memories

6 Jul

Monday, July 8th – if the world was normal, today would be Day 1. It’s usually an overwhelming day. We’re still a little tired from travel. The heat goes from novelty to oppressive. The girls are primed for camp! Most of them have been there before, so they know the ropes.

Usually on day 1, our “Woman of Faith” is from the Old Testament, like Eve, Hagar, Rachel, Jochebed, Miriam, Naomi, and Ruth. Hardly anyone is named in the Old Testament, even fewer women, so each of these women are quite substantial and have a lot to teach us. One joy of camp for me personally has been learning insight on these women from Heidi Busse, a Biblical scholar. Thank you Heidi for helping me understand how these women speak to us thousands of year later after they lived on Earth.

Day 1 is often the time to cram Spanish. “They speak so fast.” “Their pronunciation is not what we heard in Jefferson High School Spanish class.” And occasionally “Wow, my college Spanish is coming back to me!” Between Duolingo, the Spanish Learning Club and my dorky attempts at practicing on patient Spanish speakers, I am getting better each year!

The most frequent observation from first-time travelers is that everyone – even the first-time travelers – are welcomed with open arms. It’s like visiting distant family. And it’s appropriate; we are Sister Communities. Our communities, not just the people who travel, are all connected over faith, time, and common values.

On joys and blessings… one for me is getting to know travelers in a way I don’t think I’d ever without sharing a trip like this. The Konkoly family is very special in so many ways. I met Jane and two of her daughters while rafting through the Grand Canyon. You know I can’t go very long without bring up Campamento. On that trip, I think I held back until about day 5. After telling Jane about it, she decided to join along with her daughters. She sees the potential in these girls and gives what she has to help them reach their dreams. Check out this video Jane and daughter Michelle made about last year’s camp. “Try Everything” by Shakira was the theme song in 2017.

Throw back to 2009

Some Girls at Campamento 2009

Travelers and volunteers – if you have a memory and/or a picture you’d like me to post, please send it to me over the next two weeks.

Please consider donating over these next two weeks as well. We are raising money for shoes and back-to-school supplies. Shoes are about $30 at Dominican Republic stores. PM me for details on how to do that.

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