Teacher confirmation:
There are many things lacking in our Catholic church here in Paraíso, but one of them that is not on the list is student catechists. We are blessed with the approach that Sister Yolanda has taken in the start-up of this ministry. Whereas in El Factor de Nagua we had no young catechists, here in the different communities of the parish (Ojeda, Los Patos, Los Blancos) we find that all the catechists are young people. This experience of teaching children gives the students a different outlook on the Church and the sacrament of Confirmation. They approach it with a deeper appreciation for the mystery and hidden presence of the Lord.
The retreat center:
Going to the Cachote echo-tourism center requires some rough driving. After Noel, the main road no longer works, since it is very difficult to cross the river. One has to drive on the north side of the river, passing through Villa Nizao and on to Platón. There you bare left and head up to El Toro. Beyond this little community you eventually run into the road to Cachote coming from La Cienega. The center is located in a high semi tropical forest, with many unusual trees and plants growing around the property and on the dirt road. One of the most remarkable trees is the "Palo Viento" or the wind tree. Its leaves rustle with the slightest breeze and can give one the effect of mysterious presence... as the other trees are silent and the wind only seems to catch this tree. Is this not a simbol for a retreat? To be still in order to catch the slightest inspiration that comes from the Spirit of God...
Cold:
People from Elko and the northern parts of the USA would find the climate to be delightful, with cool evenings and mornings. Our catechist confirmandi rarely encounter temperatures down into the low 60´s and high 50´s, so they were shocked by the change. They also had a taste of Sister Yolanda´s strong words when the youth lapsed into a stream of endless chatter, instead of keeping silence during the times outside of the conferences.
Bishop Raphael Felipe,
The local bishop does not enjoy good health. Last year he spent months in the hospital and then in a slow process of recovery. But he radiates serenity and joy. He celebrated confirmation with the students pictured above on January 20th, the day before the major feast of Altagracia.
