A New Type of Living

Two weeks.

That’s how long I’ve been in Trinidad and with the Living Water community. Two weeks and one day ago, I was sitting on a plane and hearing about the culture that I was about to immerse myself in from a stranger coming to visit his father. Two weeks to the day, I had already helped out in the coffee shop, had inspiring conversations with my household, prayed with the larger Living Water Community, received an e-mail a day from Sr. Angela Ann and had met what seemed like the entirety of Port-of-Spain. Little did I know that the whirlwind of activity that defined my first two days here would be a pretty solid indicator of what was to come. I can’t speak for the future, but I can’t imagine that life will get any slower1 J

I had been planning to blog a little earlier about my experience, but unfortunately I lost my computer cord and my computer had died. Let me be honest, it wasn’t really that unfortunate. I was able to contact people as needed via my kindle and I was able to be disconnected enough to immerse myself in the life and movements of this community. So, I’m sorry for not updating you earlier (especially those who have missed my Facebook pictures!) but I had a reason.

I truly trusted the spirit when coming here and wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do here nor the lifestyle I was going to be living. Looking back, I’m really grateful for that gift of faith because everything became a surprise and an adventure. I wasn’t ever sure what was coming next. I still don’t think I am. So, the last two weeks, I’ve really been getting to know the members of the community. All of them are just. .. beautiful. I don’t think I have a word to describe the joy and energy that just radiates off of these lovely people. I’ve also been getting some insight into what the community does. This means that I’ve been hoping from ministry to ministry helping out. So far, I’ve helped in the coffee shop (a lot), been to the food bank and helped stuff bags, the halfway house to play and share with the children,  Duncan street (poor ministry) to help with breakfast for those living on the street, and Cancer hospice just to hang with the patients. I’ve been able to spend time with children’s, teens and young adult prayer times as well as participate in youth band. Like I said, its been a full two weeks.

Community life is its own joy in and of itself. We pray together, we work together and we celebrate together. While I’ve been here there has been a lot of celebration: The Feast of Corpus Christi, the Worldwide day for Eucharistic Adoration, sending off parties and just good old time with the community. They are truly a fun bunch, and love to have a good time.  We even had a little fun dancing to Calypso as we sent one of the community members off on mission. What I’ve found the best is conversation and prayer. I feel like I’ve already learned so much about my faith and personal relationship with God, and really I’ve only just begun. We pray the liturgy of the hours together every day and each member also has a prayer day (I have a prayer morning). It’s a time of connecting with God, so important to the movement of ministry! I must say that even though prayer motivates me and rejuvenates me, it’s also a challenge. Morning prayer starts at 5:45 during the week. For those of you who know my schedule, you know that’s not normal for me. Some mornings I’m fine, some mornings I don’t think a coherent thought passes through my mind. Either way, I’m growing and learning.

I know that this is quick and a little haphazard, but I think I will do some little blogs about culture and community here as well as updates about where this journey is moving in my soul. Unlike Italy, this blog will be a little bit more personal, but it will still be plenty long! Just a warning for the future. Anyway, I’ve also decided not to download my pictures here. I will be using a dropbox that will be linked to my blog account so everyone can see the journey that I’m living. Pictures may be far and few (out of respect for those I work with and also so I can be present where I am) or there might be a whole bunch of pictures of what seems like random silliness but holds a lot of meaning for me … we’ll just have to see!

Until next time, I hold you in my thoughts and prayers and hope that you will do the same for me!
Peace & Blessings

Cassie