A view of the San Felipe sector of Sicuani where we live Sister Eileen with the teachers and teens who helped with the Kids Summer Program Some of the girls from our IHM boarding house with Mirjam Meyer, a volunteer from Germany who accompanied us during 2004 Some of the neighborhood children pose in front of our house Sister Eileen with some children in an outlying village of the Andes mountains. Notice that the sandals on the kids are made from old tires

Video Slideshow, Sicuani IHM Boarding Home Mission Sharing; Sicuani, Peru The Mission Work of Sr. Eileen Egan Christmas, 2004 from Sicuani, Peru Christmas, 2005 from Sicuani, Peru Christmas 2008 from Sicuani, Peru Blessings for Christmas and the New Year 2009 from the Andes mountains of Peru. It's been a year since retirement from the Diocesan Religious Education Office and I'm still fighting for my pension. What a way to learn patience! On the other hand, there are so many pastoral activities here in the parish, which I wonder what I did when I "worked". Some months ago, the police came and asked if I'd pray with them for about an hour each Wednesday evening. They'd gone to three priests in neighboring parishes and all said they were too busy. Sharing the Word of God is a real privilege for me, and we reflect on the Sunday readings together. About 60 cops participate. At the end of the prayer, they come up in line to be sprinkled with holy water. It's humbling to be an instrument of God's tender care as I say to each one, "God bless and protect you". One of my friends visits the jail so we say, "we work both sides of the aisle". Christmas Is Responding To Whatever Need There Is Well, I got robbed three times this year, fortunately not assaulted; but, as I look back, it is amazing how "the Lord hears the cry of the poor", in one instance, thieves removed the double traction gears from the front wheels of our jeep. Toyota informed us that each one was worth $300. Then, the mechanic asked me if I knew the Sisters from a neighboring village. Their car had been totaled by a truck whose driver fell asleep at the wheel. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. The only part of the car that remained intact was the front wheel clips we needed for our jeep. They gave them to us and we only had to pay $30 for labor. Our resentment turned to gratitude in less than a day. I bought those generous Peruvian Sisters a bag of US candy when I returned from the States last summer. Christmas Is For Celebrating Solidarity Our "kids", Rufina and Victor are doing well. Victor is a sophomore at Marywood. He's hoping to be a dorm proctor next year so as to help with his room and board. A company wants to hire him during the summer to do translations. Maybe in the future, he'll be able to get a work visa. We're helping Rufina and Valentine fix up their little house which is about as big as a regular dining room and living room. They sleep in the upstairs loft: all in together: three little boys and parents. Recently, some guys sold me bamboo sticks to divide the room, plastering over the frames. So, now, there's one side for the kids and the other side for the parents. They love it! Valentine only makes the equivalent of $3 a day, taking people around town on a Peruvian style rickshaw. Any other help comes from us. Ishmael, their 6 year old, now goes to the market and runs errands for the family. He'll go to first grade in March. Christmas Is For Making A Welcoming Home This year I had the chance to visit the jungle city of Iquitos, Peru on the Amazon River. The only way in is by boat or plane . . . no roads! The nearest city is two days down the river. Just a few cars take people to the airport. Most people travel around the city in motorized carts. One of the delicacies is monkey stew, which we didn't try. In visiting one of the tribal villages, a man showed us how they use poison darts to bring the monkeys out of the trees for cooking. Some people bought blow guns as souvenirs only to have them confiscated by airport security. . . .An interesting take on recycling. . . . My favorite part was visiting the butterfly farm, A Swiss woman set up a sanctuary on an island and has a beautiful display of various insects under giant cheesecloth tent. We learned that after the long process of development, the various colored butterflies only live a few weeks. Christmas Is For Being Open to Unique Cultures Our IHM House of Studies is thriving. Each girl brings a lamb once a year so that we have meat a few times a week. In the evening we pray together, reflecting on the next day's gospel. Presently, I'm teaching them Christmas carols in 5 languages. "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" in Latin and English, "O Christmas Tree" in German and several carols in Spanish and Quechua. During Oct. there was a 10 day strike against government appropriation of common pasture lands. Because the roads were blocked, five of them couldn't get home since they're from a different Province. We tried to organize various activities for them to keep them from getting bored. One day they learned how to carve a jack-o-lantern from a big yellow squash for lack of a pumpkin. On Dec. 6th they'll receive little gifts in their shoes because summer vacation begins before Christmas. When most of them arrive from the mountains in 7th grade, they’re very timid and shy. Seeing the girls grow in self confidence as their studies progress is a great experience. It's an IHM success story. My wish for you this Christmas is an Irish proverb: "Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, and live each day as if it were your last". The latter phrase reminds me of what the eye Doctor said to me last year. My cataracts are growing so slowly that I'll probably be dead before I need an operation. Thank you for remembering our mission, I love passing on the gift, I love you, too. Eileen Hope you are well. Please keep an eye on Victor. See you all in the summer. Love, Eileen

Working at making a driveway at our IHM Boarding House Some of the girl sfrom the IHM Boarding House Some of our dancers in typical Andean costumes after performing a folk dance Our boarders doing a folk dance in our yard A young mother with her baby visits the children's art display Sisters Norma and Tomasa doing quality control for our peanut butter production Sharing and reflecting on the Word of God at our community Faith Day each month Confirmation retreat with parish teens Sister Tomasa attending our parish library Sister Eileen with children in church Father Luciano Ibba, a missionary from Sardenia, Italy, who is pastor in Sicuani, baptizes one of our children Flora Cruz, prepares flowers in church Street stations of the Cross during Holy Week Kids Summer Program Singing together before going into groups at the Kids Summer Program Some women in one of the Andean communities of our Parish Our local street market Garbage pick-up in our neighborhood Sister Susan Hadzima visits Sister Eileen in Sicuani IHM Boarding House in Sicuani Jennifer Gonzales, our volunteer from Germany during 2003, dances with one of our boarders at their goodbye party Some of our dancers in typical Andean costumes after performing a folk dance Our boarders doing a folk dance in our yard Our boarders, Nalida and Sandra, doing dishes A December 8th surprise from the parish team 2004 Sister Norma teaching a song in one of the schools in a remote community of the Andes Maria Cruz attending our parish library Inspecting a construction site for a new chapel in one of the outlying villages of our parish. So far, we've built seven with the help of a European Non-Governmental Organization, Aid to the Church in Need A vocation day with teens. Jennifer, our German volunteer shares her calling. Serving hot chocolate after Christmas Eve Mass The most snow we ever get in Sicuani Fun at the Kids Summer Program Kids Summer Program Some young women selling alpaca wool Our local street market A lost, little lamb having dinner with us Flora, who is house mother at the IHM Boarding House, lunches with Sister Tomasa