Ginni's broken, gotta run faster.

Wow, 3 weeks since my last post - I'm slipping. Well when you hear about what's been going on I think you'll understand.

Most of you know my wife goes home to do some nursing every other month. That gives us the extra money we need to pay for international health insurance and an opportunity to check in on our home we are renting since we couldn't sell it when we started this ministry (my sense is the housing market is still pretty lousy).

Anyway, about 4 weeks ago, on one of these trips she slipped on the ice and broke her left arm. So, back in Boston, she's dealing with Doctors, Therapists, Insurance, et. al. Not an easy task when your healthcare is this international healthcare we now have that primarily covers you out of the country.

On my end I had geared myself up to do double duty on CCD, plus all the other stuff for a 2 week gig, now we're not sure if (not when) Ginni would rejoin me. So I shuffle my priorities and get my head on straight to do 5 CCD classes, plus RCIA, 3 weekend homilies, sick calls, and (did I mention) an outreach to a Catholic Haitian population I had started before Gin left.

Somehow (can you say Holy Spirit) it is getting done. Meanwhile, back in the States, Ginni is doing all she can to get back here. Our son Joe went to Canton and took her to NY to stay with him (which she loved), and with the help of our family in NY Ginni had great care. Three weeks after the break the Doctor gave her the permission to travel and last week she landed back on Andros safe and sound - but not sound enough to teach CCD just yet (sigh). So, while I am still doing the 5 classes, Gin and I are together again.

Earlier in the year I had decided that during Lent I would do a Lenten Mission. Something the parish had done in the past but hadn't for years since there was no permanent clergy. The mission is scheduled for next week and I am stealing something St. Timothy's is doing back in Norwood "How to have a Mary heart in a Martha World". For those unfamiliar with scripture, Mary and Martha were the two sisters of Lazarus. Martha was a busy, busy, busy lady. Mary was more contemplative. When Jesus visits Martha is running around cooking up a storm and Martha complains. JC says Mary has chosen the better part. So enough with the bible lesson, the point of the mission is how, in the midst of our busy, busy, busy lives (like Martha), do we nurture a quiet heart (like Mary). Cool idea right? Right. Except doing this with a functioning Ginni had been the plan, doing this while I'm still doing double duty makes life interesting.

Gin and I learned long ago that whenever you are going to do something extra for the Lord, don't be surprised if life starts getting tough. The evil one doesn't like to lose any more territory and the Mission is exactly the kind of thing that he tends to battle against. So, while life is a bit nuts right now I praise God. This Mission is going to be great if so much is going wrong.

Now, having said that, I don't look for satan around every corner and this next bit of news is one of those. Sometimes God's plan is hard to understand, but that's why we are blessed to have faith. In my last few posts I have talked about a family where the grandparents are raising 8 of their grandchildren in rather spartan conditions. All 8 will be baptized on Easter morning. Well, last Thursday I got a call at 6AM that grampa had died. I got dressed and drove the 30 minutes to their house. He had been found by one of the kids on the living room floor and he was still there, although covered by a blanket. The police and doctor and nieghbors and friends were all there and it was very sad. Eventually, when the police and doctors were done they left the room so we could pray and despite the tears the prayer came easily and it seemed to help as tears and wails were replaced by a few 'Amen, Faddah' and 'Yes, Jesus'. From depair and crying, to resurrection and victory, sounds to me like the Holy Spirit was in the room!

Funerals here are a big deal. EVERYBODY in town comes and it can be incredibly emotional with wailing outbursts that can be intense. This funeral will be bigger than most since this man was a mainstay of the town, very well liked, with a huge family (19 children, 33 grandchildren). So - add that to the pile and you get a sense for why I haven't written in 3 weeks - sorry about that.

Right now his body is in Nassau. It will be sent back on Friday and there will be a viewing at the church all day Friday and into the evening. The funeral itself will be Saturday morning and the church will be filled, as will the front lawn and most of the street.

The week ahead will include the regular regiment of CCD classes, the Mission, preparing for the funeral and, by the way - Palm Sunday, with the processions and pomp that comes with it. So, keep us in your prayers, without your prayers and support we wouldn't get out of bed in the morning - with them, all this gets done, plus a new outreach to the Haitians in the northern part of the island. Ain't God Grand!