Three Part Night

Last Thursday, Fr. Nicholas and I went out in the evening to do some visiting of people in the parish. We originally were only going to two people's houses (one for a visit and one for dinner). The first person we were planning to visit was a woman from Cambodia named Georgette. She tragically lost her baby during pregnancy (she was five months pregnant) and had just gotten out of the hospital.

Now Nicholas is a wonderful and bright man, but when it comes to directions he really doesn't have a clue. The trick is, you see, that when you are a priest you play the game and refuse to let on that you actually DON'T know where one of your parishiners live. So around this apartment building we went while Nicholas patiently studied the door number of each door and continued to mumble "I just know it is around the corner.." Finally, when we came to Flat #11, his eyes opened up with joy. "This is it! I remember now!" He then confidently knocked on the door. As soon as the person came to the window, Nicholas mumbled "shoot.....this isn't the right house..." It turned out to be one of the older woman of St. Paul's Chuch named Naiomi. I tell you one thing though, if anyone doesn't miss a step when they know they have made a mistake it is Nicholas. As soon as Naiomi opened the door, Nicholas burst out "Hello Naiomi! We were just in this part of town and decided to drop by for a little bit!" I couldn't believe it, a priest who actually lied! We both kept up the act for 45 minutes as we had tea with Naiomi. What a great time!

We finally figured out where Georgette lived and visited her for another hour. I can't find the words to describe how hard it was to comfort this young woman who felt worthless inside. It is hard to imagine the pain that a woman must feel after such an episode. I really didn't know what to say the entire time we were there. It certainly was much more of a listening ministry more than anything else.

We then headed out on the tube and went to a young Equidorian couple named Jenny and Kurlie. They both entered the country as refugees and Nicholas helped them earn their citizenship. They have three wonderful daughters and a son who were very fun to talk with. We watched a movie of their oldest daughter's 15th birthday party. And when I say birthday party, I mean EXTRAVAGANZA. In Equadorian cutlure, when a female turnes 15, it means that she has past from the world of being a girl to being a woman. Thus, it is a very big deal and this family went all out. They first had a mass at St. Michael's where there were 15 "bridesmaid" and "grooms man" type people for the ceremony. Father James (who was doing the mass because Nicholas was on Summer holiday for this event) blessed a pair of high-heel pink shoes that the daughter later put on to symbolize the "entrance into womanhood". After the mass, they then went to a venue nearby and danced the night away with 180 people! I don't know what I would do if that were my 15th birthday!

After watching this movie for two hours (both parents had to pause it and point out every single person that was present to Father Nicholas), we had dinner and went home. I got home at midnight. A long but good night in the parish of Old St. Pancras.