Message from May 20, 2005

May 20, 2005

Hello family and friends!

We did it!  Last night we signed our contract with the Combonis committing ourselves to serve as missionaries in Alto Trijillo, Perú for the next three years!  Many of the Comboni priests gathered with us as we "signed on the dotted line" during Mass and then joined us for dinner afterwards.  We are a little nervous, but very excited to take this next step.

In addition to signing our contract, yesterday we also received our religious worker visas from the Peruvian government, granting us an indefinite stay in Perú.  They received us very well at the Peruvian consulate and we took that as a positive sign!

The parish next door, St. Louise de Marillac, will send us forth with a blessing during their 11 am Mass this Sunday, May 22. Father Louis Gasparini, the Comboni Provincial for North America, is coming to lead the celebration.  We leave for Idaho late Sunday afternoon.

We will be in Jerome May 25 through the 9:30 am Mass at St. Jerome's on the 29th.  We then leave for Boise to spend time there.  Our plane for South America leaves from the Boise airport on Thurday, June 2, at 7:40 am!   

Let us continue to pray for one another.

In peace,

Ralph and Theresa May