Tomorrow I`m leaving Tapachula to spend the next week at the shelter in Arriaga (Señor de Misericordia). I won´t have internet access for a week so I´m writing a short note before I go.
I´ve taken a big risk---I´m driving now! (Maybe it´s Olga who´s taken the big risk letting me drive!) I definitely need a copilot for a while. I need someone to tell me when I have preferencia (right of way) and need to keep moving through intersections so I don´t get hit from behind, and when I don´t have preferencia (right of way) so need to yield. It´s marked by red arrows (preferencia) or black arrows (no preferencia) painted on the corner buildings. I also need that copilot to tell me where to go. I am catching on to how to get to San Juan, Sam´s club, Chedraui, and Ahrrorar (the places where we buy in bulk), the hospital, the shelter Albergue Jesus el Buen Pastor, and immigration. I still have some difficulties finding my way home!
I´ve found immigration because I´m getting the equivalent of my ¨green card¨.
I can find the shelter because that is where I try to spend as much time as I can. I´ve been giving rehab. Mostly what I do is listen and talk with people while I am able to physically touch them--range of motion, strengthening, stretching exercises or massage. I´ve always treasured being able to place hands on people as something special that a nurse can do. Socially it´s not possible for others to touch the way a nurse or therapist can.
While I´m doing therapy I hear stories. A lot of stories about chanaged lives. D is a young man that had bilateral amputations. We started out talking about phantom pains. It ended up moving into talking about self acceptance and his spiritual journey. He said ¨we were each given a life to desarollar (develop). When my legs were cut off, I was given the opportunity to desarollar a different life.¨ That was so powerful and it came from deep inside of him, not some pious platitude. It didn´t happen for him overnight. He´s had his amputations for 3 years and he´s worked hard and prayed hard. He´s joyful, helpful, positive, funny, sensitive, grounded. When I asked him what he was like before, he said, ¨not like this.¨
One of my first impressions at the shelter was the joy that is so present. I didn´t expect it. After that conversation, I have a better understanding of the spiritual development that happens at the albergue. I´m appreciating the opportunity to learn and hopefully develop my spiritual life just being here.
With this I´ll close until after next week.
Good lent to you all,
Lillian
