St. Michael the Archangel Honduras Mission Project

When reflecting on these, it became clear to me that God gives us opportunities to experience these expressions daily, through the gift of relationships – relationship with God and relationship with others.

Think about it!  We unconditionally and regularly experience God’s love and mercy (receiving gifts); live a personal relationship with God through a committed prayer life (quality time); give our thanksgiving and praise, glory and honor to and for God (words of affirmation); love for our neighbors (acts of service); and receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist (physical touch).

For this team, God graced each of us today with the gift of a reciprocal relationship with the elderly and girls.  Besides the aforementioned love and expressions we experience in our relationship with God, we received and shared love in a profound way with these beautiful people of Honduras.  We did so by spending quality time in meaningful conversations; giving words of affirmation to the girls through wisdom, advice and encouragement; receiving hugs; and receiving words of love and appreciation from the Sors (nuns)

and girls.  Yes, the financial support and gift of our time are extremely important to these people. But the love and laughter they have shared with us is equally important to each of us.

On our way back to our rooms tonight, I told my daughter Emily, “now you know why this is one of my favorite weeks”…a comment I shared because of my experience here two years ago. Her reply was brief.  “I’m already beginning to understand why you feel this way”.

The gift of a reciprocal relationship; now that’s a true love language!

Tito