Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you all! How was your 'Holy Week'? Mine was just about normal - well, apart from sleeping on a kitchen floor with 4 rats, getting into a scuffle with a drunk guy on the highway that landed him under house arrest by armed soldiers, a 2nd degree burn to my bottom lip and a split big toe. Oh yeah, the real Carribbean experience... I've crossed the border into Columbia and am on the coast now. I've found a group of Capuchins (Franciscans) who I spent yesterday with and will again today. I'm happy to just sit a chat and eat their delicious food! As I've been walking I've become aware more and more of the many people who have faith but are not united with the church for various reasons. I've often heard people say that they want nothing to do with the church because of scandals, abuse, hypocrisy, relevance, etc of the church. Prayers directed in this particular area of disunity is well worth our attention as well! On a lighter note, the walk from La Mohan to Paraguapoa was one of the most satisfying I've had. A 10km long boat ride across Tablazo Bay and then 35km of unbroken, unihabbited coastal wilderness along the Maracaibo Gulf. I did meet to Indiginous cowboys on their horses going for a beach ride and finished my day in an Indiginous house with a 'traditional' toasted ham and cheese sandwich! Congratulations to the organisers of both "Light to the Nations" in NSW and the "Richmond Pilgrimage" in Tasmania - hope you all survived! Please keep praying for unity and for me as I head into another week! God bless, Sam.