Pastoral Visit to Two Rivers

Well, now I know what all the fireworks are for: not just celebration but to announce events, such as the arrival of the bishop's caravan on rough and winding roads. When spotted, the fireworks echo round and round the hills and mountains that circle the village we were going to. Folks began to gather, and the bishop left his nice Jeep, climbed in the back of an old pickup, suitably decorated and sat on the red velvet covered chair there. One of the sisters that keeps his household stood behind him with a parasol and we all set off in a slow, stately procession, taking 2 hours to cover most of the rutted dirt streets, skirting the piles of construction materials piled here and there in the streets, and stopping at several stations along the way to pray and soak the folks in holy water, lavishly tossed about by the pastor and Deacon Dick. We must have looked a little like an Eastern Potentate and his entourage.Three men on horseback led the parade.

We passed little wooden shacks, tin roofs, decorated with cans of geraniums, and right across the street, a magnificent, two story house painted orange, with green striped pillars. (I am not making this up.)Banana plantations shaded growing coffee plants, berries turning red and sweet. Their coffee is mostly sold, each family keeping enough for its own use. No one will starve as long as the bananas flourish. Bamboo grows 30 ft. high, or more.

It looked like no one went to work or to school this day, all were lining the road, or perched on rooftops, smiling and waving happily, tossing confetti and flower petals and the village matrons wafting ceramic incense holders to welcome the bishop. The crowd continued to grow, and stayed with us, pressing against our Jeep giving us nightmares of running someone over, even at that snail's pace. Two hours later we finally arrived at the Parish church, and made a run for the nearest bathroom.

Then followed a celebration of the Word, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick, all of whom had previously been to confession. No worries about anonymity here. Everyone just lines up, steps 2 feet ahead of the line, and speaks to the priest. I went home after lunch at the novitiate of the sisters there, to take care of a consultation for the exorcism team. Dick went back for the 2 hour evening mass, left while the bishop was still hugging the hundreds of parishioners who lined up for an episcopal hug. Tomorrow we go back for the morning before our Preachers' Course in the evening, then Saturday, all day again. It's fun and memorable and totally exhausting.