KRAKOW, AUSCHWITZ, PANDILA'S WEDDING!

12 SEPTEMBER 2011 KRAKOW, AUSCHWITZ, PANDILA'S WEDDING.
When en route to Krakow, we had time in Vienna. I wrote a blog entry but it disappeared except for the title. I was left with the computer in German!!

We arrived safely in Krakow on Sunday afternoon. The Salvatorian Centre, where we were resident, was top quality. We were five Good Shepherd's - Clare, New York, Helene, Paris, Melitta, Vienna and Mirjam, who is here with me in Albania, but is in Germany at the moment. There were 74 of us from 19 countries. The Conference - "When we hear the cry....." was a credit to Clare Nolan and to the Planning Team. It was a great learning curve for all, but especially for the Polish Sisters and those further East in Europe. We had a small meeting during the week with Sisters from Kosovo, Bosnia-Hertzagovina(sp!) and Croatia. Romania also joined us but contact there would not be viable. We hope to meet the other Sisters at least once a year. There was a group from Slovakia and eight Sisters from there will come to Albania next week to see the work here.

On Thursday last, we had a free day. We were given three choices. With 37 other Sisters, I decided to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. I had previously made contact with a Mercy Sister from Dublin. Sister is fulltime at the Reconciliation Centre. On Wednesday evening, it was decided we would visit there first, so I rang to tell her. Sister works with two priests, one was away and the other was ill, so she hosted us very graciously. After a splendid lunch, we saw some objects left to them by relatives of prisoners. Then, Sister Mary gave us a very meaningful talk to point us towards the day. "Listen to the earth" and "Listen to your heart" were her two words of advice. We finished at the Centre and went to the camp before 3.00p.m. We left Birkenau around 8.00p.m.! It was a long but very powerful day.

The Conference finished on Friday lunchtime. I got back here in late afternoon on Saturday. I took the earliest furgon available! When I arrived here, there was no landline and no internet of any kind. Our road repairers had cut through the cables and there was not a trace of either! That evening, I visited Pandila, my first teacher! I was at her wedding in the Cathedral yesterday. I went with Ana, my present teacher, and her friends to the Valbona Restaurant, where there was quite a banquet. Pandila returns to America next week.

Today, Ana has gone to Tirana to begin a month of training. This will hopefully lead to employment for her. Also, we got back our landline and internet connection late this morning, thank God. As I write, I am aware that the second anniversary of our Albanian Project is later this week. I hope to do a little work on the Conference material of last week and link it with photographic efforts!!!

Have a great week!