Coffee & Writing

I just realized that I have been talking about my book When in Juarez, but I haven’t told you anything about it really.

Here is the Prologue…

This book is a blog I kept every day during Advent and through Christmas in 2012 when I was in the convent and sent to the mission, El Manantial, in Juarez, Mexico where the order served special needs youths and adults–a very underserved population.

There were some interesting things that somehow did not manage to make it into the blog. I’ve pared it down to the funniest moment and the saddest moment.

There is a major security system for the house since Juarez is such a violent city. It was morning, and I was in the chapel praying before the tabernacle. I have a sleep disorder, so I fell asleep for about half an hour. When I was just waking up, I heard the front door close. My first thought was I should go to my room until they realize I’m not with either of them. I started to stand, and the alarm went off. Seriously, I just barely moved, and it sounded like an air raid. I had no idea what to do. I left the chapel and stood in the front room.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was a gentleman from the security company coming to see if something was wrong. He only spoke a few words of English and my Spanish was probably worse than his English. Suddenly, the superior, Sister Veronique Marie, came thundering in, and she doesn’t speak much English either. However, she was able to say, “Where Mary Margaret?”

She’s fluent in French and I took four years of French in high school, so I remember enough of it to communicate with her, if English isn’t working between us. I may have said, “Je ne sais pas.” instead of, “I don’t know.”

I think that was more funny for me than her. She was taken away from goodness knows what and I think it was mildly understood that I was Sister Mary Margaret’s responsibility because she spoke English. So, I sort of felt sorry for Sister Mary Margaret because she probably got chewed out by Sister Veronique Marie.

The saddest thing had to do when the sisters I was staying with moved. In their tabernacle they had a monstrance, which holds a large, consecrated Eucharist that you would display for Adoration. To have one in your home, you must have permission from the bishop, so it’s mainly religious that have them in their homes. Unfortunately, you can’t just pick up that large consecrated Eucharist and move it to another house without the bishop’s permission.

I had a wonderful time, met fabulous people, and have such precious memories.