Where the duck and priest meet


One privilege of missionary work is living in a different culture. After a 37 hour journey to get to Colombia, we've just spent 2 days in a hotel restarting our Latino existence. Here a duck nests in the open, feet away from the hotel's main door; long-legged birds dive-bomb Olwen when she walks into their territory and you can hire your own tennis ball-boy for £1.50 an hour.

On Good Friday an open air mass was celebrated in the hotel grounds and 200 of the faithful visited the 14 Stations of the Cross chanting their Our Fathers and Hail Marys.

Missionaries are sometimes accused of destroying native cultures. The duck, long-legged birds and ball-boys needn't worry. But I'm afraid the priest had better watch out. Ancient Rome couldn't halt the message brought by missionaries: there was something supernaturally powerful in it.

This week we start to teach that message. Thanks for your interest, support and love during our furlough. And it's thanks to you we're here again.

Photo: Priest arriving at station 7

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