This morning I was tired and I contemplated going on the walk. In the amount of time it took me to decide, my brain woke up and I jumped up and joined the rest. I’m glad I did. It was the most beautiful walk so far and filled with some of the best conversation.
We went up city where we met a man who moved to the town only a few months ago. He told us how if we continued up the road we would find a place where there used to be an old railroad that has now been cleared and is a lovely path to walk along. He likes to take his horses there. The group of us went and found the path and you could look down on the entire city and surrounding cities.It was magnificent! The sun was rising and peeking through the clouds with its rays of light hitting the city below, saying good morning to the world in a breathtaking way. We stood at the top and admired the view for some moments before starting our way back down... wish I brought my camera.
On the way we discussed different non-profit organizations and different projects they're working on. We reflected on the past days and shared some of our goals, ideas and hopes for the future. One thing we agreed was how any one person
is able to make a difference and create change.We talked about the children in La Estacion and how their sponsors give them the opportunity to a better life they would never see without those funds. About how our payment for the visit gave the school money to provide their services. We discussed how our payments for staying in the Abbey give the Sisters enough to keep going for a whole year and how without even realizing it we have the power to help effect lives. It’s crazy what people can do when they work together.
After breakfast we headed to meet Loraine so she could introduce us to the families we would be spending the day with. Chrissy, Caitlyn and I went together to a lady named Juan’s house. We met her two daughters and granddaughter and accompanied them to mass. None of the family spoke English, and the three of us Canadian girls were nervous, more so Caitlyn and I.
When we arrived at the service the church was completely full. It started off with people playing ukuleles and singing, while the pastor walked down the aisle sprinkling holy water on everyone. Following was a parade of people holding candles on huge poles and lanterns with smoke coming out. I’m not an extremely religious person nor do I normally attend Sunday services so this was quite an experience. The music was beautiful and so was the church... but it was cold.
Between the cool temperature, calming music and aroma of incents- it was difficult for me to keep my eyes open for the full hour and a half service (done completely in Spanish of course). I nodded off a couple times and luckily Caitlyn nudged me before I sank too low in my seat... oops!
After the service we went and watched a part of a volleyball game where it was mothers against daughters. Usually the family we were staying with would play but not today. We then returned to their house for lunch and a lovely dessert of apples, pineapples, nuts and some cream that tasted delicious.
After lunch the 16 year old daughter, her friend and a family member named Gabriel took us in the car up through the hills to the lagoon....we were speechless. The roads were winding up and down and all over the place, and Gabriel was just ripping it around the corners. The three of us Canadians were in the back and the two Mexican girls shared the front seat. The trees were massive and green and there was a light rain so the moisture was rising off the ground. We took pictures but they don’t justify the beauty and energy of this place. The six of us walked through this lagoon laughing and trying to talk. The lagoon was more a type of ranch because there were horses everywhere. Chrissy and I decided we would do some riding so we each hoped on a horse and to our surprise the man just let go of the reigns and let us do as we pleased. It was awesome!Time flew by and soon it was time to go, so one more time through the beautiful mountains we took the winding roads singing to the radio and laughing like 12 year old girls. It was a priceless moment between complete strangers from different worlds mixed with nature and luck that created this unforgettable bond. As funny as it may sound, it’s something none of us can translate into words and may be something only those who have experienced it can understand.
When we returned from the lagoon we took some photos of us all together, presented the gifts we had brought from Canada, exchanged emails, thanked them and said our goodbyes. We all met at Loraine’s house and listened to Matt play the guitar and stepped outside for a bonfire where we discussed our day’s events.
We all agreed it was a magical day filled with great memories and learning experiences.
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