Granny, Shamrocks and Space Quest

So I will start with a prayer of thanksgiving for Granny, for her strong, simple faith, for her quiet constant love for her family. My thoughts are with you all. We should not say that our family has lost its center. Instead I pray that her memory will keep us close to her joyful spirit, and thus draw us closer to each other.

My mom and dad tell me that her passing was peaceful, and that Anna sang beautifully at her funeral, and I am glad for that. As for me, I am sorry I can´t be with you guys during this time. But the neat thing about family is that I am somehow still with you anyway. I feel Granny´s presence with me here in Sopachuy. Obviously she would not forget to visit me here, since, after all, I am her favorite.

My Trinity brothas will be glad to know that Joey Porter ´78 will be named an Honor Alumnus at graduation this weekend. I say, it is about damn time. Through him I have lived and breathed Trinity since I was a youngin. Many of my first memories are hanging out at Steinhauser gym, collecting lost quarters and dimes while my dad coached basketball practice. He loves Trinity so much that he even agreed to assume the dreaded post of disciplinarian for like 7 years. He hates St. X with a 15 year-old´s passion. Trinity is his second home, and I cannot think of anyone who represents that place and what it stands for better than my father. I know better than anybody that he is a very good teacher. I am proud of my dad. Go Rocks!

Brief Sopachuy update: Patience, the pictures will come. Next time I go to Sucre I´ll upload a few. In the mean time, I am learning how to gather information from community members, to find out what interests them and what potential exists for various projects. If you guys remember the old Sierra computer games, King´s Quest, Space Quest, etc., you would often have to explore a new city, and there were always like 2 or 3 people hanging out on the street corner that you had to approach, and ask the right questions to advance in the game. They would give you information, like where to buy a tool you needed or where the bad guy lives, etc. Otherwise you would just have to wander around the city indefinitely. Being a PCV is pretty much like that: most of the valuable information I have collected, and ideas we have come up with, stem from casual conversations with folks on the street. Thanks Space Quest!

More soon. Peace and love...