El Pas·o (n.) –
1. Spanish, meaning “the pass,” or “the hallway/passageway”.
2. In this case, referring to the west Texan city wedged tightly between two distinct worlds: New Mexico, United States, and Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. So named for the city’s location in the pass between the Franklin Mountains in Texas and the Juárez Mountains in Mexico. Located on the Rio Grande.
a. Site of a Jesuit Volunteer community, where community members commit one year to doing justice, witnessing faith, living simply, and building community.
b. community information-
i. population: 700,000 (compared with 1.7 million in Juárez)
ii. known as second safest city in the U.S.
Other things you should know about El Paso:
Downtown goes to sleep around 5 each evening - even on weekends
Sacred Heart, the church where one of my community members works, has a fantastic restaurant attached to it, and a pretty neat garage sale every other weekend.
Al Fresco Fridays = free music in the square. No outside food or drink allowed, but it is very possible to sit just outside with a full picnic dinner.
Non-possession of a trumpet is not an effective evasive technique. Thanks Brother Pete.
The JesRes is the place to be for Sunday night dinner and movie nights. This is not the Jesuit Volunteer house, but the Jesuit Residence at Sacred Heart Parish.
The Sisters of Charity have a beautiful home, and lovely welcoming spirits.
Lightening!
El Paso's AAA baseball team, the Diablos, are terrible, but they beat the Wichita Wingnuts when we went last weekend.
We have some fantastic neighbors. - Banana cake, watering our 'plants', feeding the wildlife, 'playing' guitar, and simple conversation over meals.
To reduce the number of cats in the house, close the door.
Yoga in the park is rad. I'm sore.
Two hours of yardwork changed our backyard from a jungle back to a desert.
Phyllis and I could be sisters. Probably are, actually. Separated at birth. Or, at the very least, I want to be Phyllis. There is no way I could just happen to bear a striking resemblance to the lady who held my job before me.
There are a million stories and, at the same time, life here feels really normal. I mean, plenty of things about El Paso are different from my experience up to this point, but there's something inviting about this place and these people, and we've felt so welcomed by the people we've met so far. (As if I needed another place to call home.) I'll admit, I could be challenged more, but I think that will come soon enough.
Peace to you all - I'm off to clean a bit and then head to work - today will be my first day with the kiddos while their moms are in a parenting class. I'm looking forward to it.
