April 2008

I've been back in Iowa since the 20th of March - arriving quite late. And the very next morning I had to hop on a plane to go to my niece's wedding in Atlanta. I got home from that on Monday the 24th. It's been a bit of an adjustment to say the least... and as I look out my window now ... there are huge, wet and heavy snowflakes falling furiously! Good grief. I do miss my hot weather. But that will come soon enough.

Much more than climate is missed though. But I think you know that. A big part of my heart is still with my sisters in the Pastoral House. And another part of my heart is living in the thickening dust in the cantons. Still more of my heart is in Berlin - I must have dropped a bit of it on the streets in the market. More of my heart is even with the people I don't know: the many faces that passed me in the streets ... the faces I would see on the sides of the roads as I drove from here to there. The faces I could not even see over the fence from my room ... My heart is there.

I have to say that I have a great deal of gratitude to have had this opportunity to serve the mission in this manner. It was an experience of a lifetime. It was extremely educational to learn so many of the intricacies of the work on the ground with the Pastoral Team. And it was indescribably satisfying and fulfilling to work in this capacity. I only pray that I did more good than damage in my stumbling in the learning process. Not to mention the sometimes humorous attempts at communications with my limited Spanish!

I feel oddly speechless.

So I think I'll close for now.

If any of you have a desire to hear about a specific theme - or if you have questions - please don't hesitate to contact me. It will always be my joy to share what I know about this mission. And it is a true joy when people want to know more and want to get involved more deeply!

Con mucho carino a todos,

kathy

Kathy Mahler
(Now distant) Interim Mission Co-Worker

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