The Life of (Liam) Reilly: August 2010

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that you will live deep in your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation, of people and the earth. so that you will work for justice, equity and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer so you will reach out your hands to comfort them and seek to change their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so you will do the things which others say cannot be done.
Amen.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Primera Comunion en el sector Cerro Redondo.

First Comunion in Cerro Redondo, 29 of August, 2010.

A beautiful day with 25 children receiving their First Communion. There was great celebration and fanfare. A mad rush ensued the week prior to prepare the chapel for the celebration. The day itself, unforgettable...

Some more images from Cerro Redondo yesterday.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A Cead Mile Failte from the indigenous community of Cientos where we shared hard boiled eggs and some corn. From what little they have, you WILL have to have some. (C'mon, it wasn't that long ago in Ireland, was it?...)

Yet another birthday party for Mum in the community of Hermana Gregorio II in the Parish in Guayaquil. No chance of going to nothing here, especially while the tourists are around.

The wonderful missionary team from the Great Mid-West, Indianapolis, USA, who spent 2 weeks building tables and chairs for our new school and child-care centre, some of which are visible in this photo. From left Sam, Mike, Bob, Roberta, Matt, Mum, Doris and Mary Joe. They gave two weeks of their lives seeking to help those living in poverty in our parish, Gospel living I think they call it. I hope it inspires more to do something similar. Let me know when you're flying in, I will collect you at the airport. See you next year amigos if not before...

With their heads in the clouds as usual... Mum and Doris in the parish of Chontamarca, the province of Cañar, Ecuador. Photo taken at 3100 metres.

With Francisco Guaman and his family in Pomatoglla, Cañar, Ecuador. Francisco is a good friend and a member of the indigenous community, a descendant of the Cañari tribe which predates the Incas. In this paradise they live a very humble and peaceful live at close quarters to their Creator.

In the background, the Andes. This photo is taken at close to 3000 metres. Don't look down...

A typical home of the indigenous communities

This is the home of Carmen Saeteros. She has just turned ninty (she thinks). Very often they have difficulty remembering their date of birth. Her very simple house is typical of the indigenous community and made from clay and stray blocks (bloques de adobe) with the luxurious models having tin roofs, (many with stray). These homes are bitterly cold for a man from Belmullet used to the bit hearth full of good black turf. But these are a tougher people. Carmen sleeps on the floor on a large bag filled with animal coat. Inside it is just one room with a table at one end and her bag (bed) at the other. She survives on milk and eggs (dairy products in large quantities being bad and all that jazz, she must have missed that health supplement) With no shoes and no socks, the earthen floor can be well... Recently we have decided to "renovate" her local run-down chapel at a cost or between $2000-2500. She said it was the best New Year present she could have received. She (as the elder stateswoman), and the rest of the community of Rumiurco are very proud of their Christian Catholic faith. Say one for her, she is quite ill at this moment.

Our New Church at Cimientos

Ciemientos is a community in the wilds of the mountains of Ecuador, untouched until recently by the "outside" world. It is a community constituted entirely of indigenous peoples. They speak Kichwa and are intensely uncomfortable speaking in Spanish (as am I, so at least we have that in common). Thanks to the support of the people of my native Erris, Co Mayo, this chapel is nearing completion. Unfortunately because of the incredible effects of the "La Nina" and associated weather patterns, the inauguration will take place in the summer, probably September. But it is a beautiful chapel, built on the foundation of an old Inca structure. (Ciemientos means foundation) They do not rue the loss of the Inca relic because they are decendents of the Canari people who were subjugated by the Inca Empire in the thirteenth century. One back as it were, if not a little too late.