Loving Africa

  Food! We will break from the narrative to address the three questions I get asked most frequently about my time in Gabon: what was a regular day like, what did you eat, and am I going back.  I will answer the last question first: I would love to go back to the Mission. It hasn't worked out yet, but if the opportunity presents itself, I would be happy to take it.  Bien!  Moving on.  A Day in the Life: 06h30: My alarm goes off. I get up, say my prayers, get dressed and washed up and hike 100 yards to the little chapel. 07h00: Meditation in the chapel 07h30: Mass (followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday) 08h00: Breakfast 09h00: French Class (death by grammar...) 10h00: Work: usually in the dispensary, but if there were no patients, I would see of there was anything to do in the kitchen. Once all the patients were gone or at 12h30, I would go help get ready for lunch. 13h00: Lunch 13h30: Siesta, personal time 17h00 on Wednesday: Choir Practice ...

  Joyeux Anniversaire …    I can still remember the day Canon Fragelli arrived back to the mission. After wondering when it would be, having been told "Tuesday", and Tuesday and Wednesday having past, I got up from my siesta on Thursday afternoon and headed to the chapel for my 3 p.m. holy hour. One of the candidates who was outside started grinning-- I think it was when he saw me notice Canon's car! I asked him if it meant what I thought it did. He said yes, and I told him I was going to spend the next hour telling Jesus how happy I was.  It was such  a relief to have him back! I wrote in my journal, "Everyone seemed happier." Things simply hadn't been the same without our superior. Aperitif was such fun that evening, "everything was joyful and relieved". Canon had Institute calendars for everyone; he gave me one in French, then asked if I wanted an English one. I insisted on keeping the French one-- I was going to learn! Clearly, I needed it: Can...