Monday, December 9, 2019

Noelle "La iglesia"

One word and we found connection.  Our 2019 Christmas season is filled with joy in our service to those most in need.  Yesterday, a new Vincentian*,  named Noelle,  and I went to visit a family in need of food and diapers.  They were Spanish speaking and so our ability to communicate was primary through smiles. However, a little boy named Daniel, curious to see who is mother and aunt were speaking to,  came to the front door. Up to that point we were trying to determine if mother and auntie would like to pray together using such words as Jesus, prayer, God.  We asked Daniel if he spoke english which he did.   We used the name of Jesus and they said we have no Jesus, thinking we were asking for the name of one of the family members. However, Daniel was wearing a cross so we thought, hmm, they must be Christians. We  asked Daniel if they believed in Jesus and his mother said "no Jesus,"  and Daniel looked at his mother trying to explain that we wanted to pray. After much confusion, Noelle said her one Spanish word la iglesia, ahh, YES, Si, we had connection. Daniel led us all in Spanish, "Padre nuestro que estas en los cielos...."  Noelle and I returned to our car with great joy that in her two words La iglesia we had connected, prayed and received the JOY of a family who welcomed us.

*Vincentian is a title we use for a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  We are a global organization that serves the poor in our local neighborhoods, offering food, clothing and rental assistance. I have been a member since 1989. Noelle and her husband have just joined our mission here at St. Catherine's church in Burlingame, CA and we are fast friends and quite possibly I have met angels in disguise.

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