Thanksgiving Memories

Experiencing the holidays in mission isn’t always easy – missing family and friends and the traditions we grew up with can initially be overwhelming.  However, the holiday celebrations in mission can also be the source of our fondest memories – they were for me.

While we didn’t have turkeys, we did have chickens, and I managed to make most of the other trimmings – mashed potatoes, dressing, and even pumpkin pie – from fresh pumpkin.  Numerous people came to the feast – Irish, British, Italians, and on occasion, other Americans.

One year, I had about a dozen people coming to celebrate.  Eva, a volunteer from England, said she had passed an American volunteer she did not know on her way to my house.  She felt bad because this was an American holiday, but she didn’t think it was her place to extend an invitation since there were so many people coming already.  We immediately sent someone to find this volunteer and invite her to the party.

Mary was that volunteer.  She had been in country, in the capital, for several months and this was her first Thanksgiving away from home.  She said she had woke up that morning feeling a bit sad to be so far away from home, with no hope of celebrating Thanksgiving, and prayed the rosary for her family.  Now, here she was, not only celebrating Thanksgiving, but eating pumpkin pie.  Her enthusiasm and thankfulness was infectious.  We became fast friends.

Now, 20 years later, Mary and I always send each other a message on Thanksgiving – remembering it as the best one we ever celebrated.  The British volunteers, when they went home the following summer, said they were so disappointed that they would miss Thanksgiving that year.

I give thanks for all of our LMH in the field – and pray that they find a way to celebrate in one form or the other and make new and lasting memories – not only for themselves but for others.

Happy Thanksgiving!