By Sr. Virgie Mozo

Sr. Virgie Mozo arrived in Chile in 1989. After a few years, she was assigned to Lancoche which is peopled by the Mapuchi race. There is a great lack of pastors so she joined a summer team to set up some Basic Christian Communities.

I was invited to be a part of a summer mission team in Loncuimay through Mirta Urra, a lay missionary from Lancoche and two other youth who are in the group of Jovenes Sin Fronteres (the Missionary Youth Group) of the parish of which I am the coordinator.

Mirta went two days ahead of us. I traveled with the other two, Magdalena, and Angelica. The journey to Loncuimay was 8 hours via Temuco by bus.

Loncuimay is in the cordillera a famous mountain range. The virgin forest is still visible in the area. The snow-capped cordillera looks like a Black Forest Cake with a white icing on top of it! The place is famous for its very cold weather. In the winter they have snow which is about two meters deep the housed are all made of wood and the heating system is the wooden fire oven.

When I arrived, the people were inside the unfinished capilla. Each one of us introduced ourselves to the assembly. We met the other two missionaries who where from Loncuimay. We divided the community into two sectors North and South. The distance from each house is very far. The nearest neighbor is one kilometer away!

First Foreigner

The chapel is in the middle of a meadow near a running stream. There is spring water all over the place coming from the mountain and open canals. We walked from the capilla to the house of a family where I stayed for a night. The sound of the spring water, like music, was so soothing after a long journey. There is no electricity. During the house visitation, the people were all delighted to see us. And said that I was the first foreigner who had arrived there.

Trunk of Trees

For three days we were visiting houses inviting the people for the afternoon meetings. We had a guide with us, Olga the daughter of the family where I stayed. She was patient, as I was having a hard time of walking on the trunks of trees every time we were crossing the river or streams. There was even a point when I nearly lost my balance, so I decided to wade through the water. The water was very cold, but crystal clear, coming from the mountain.

Mate and Tortilla

We arrived at the house of a young woman and her child. They were pasturing their animals. She was delighted with our visit ad her place was the farthest, about 8 kilometers from the boundary of Argentina and Chile and 25 kilometers from the capilla! She gave us some cold spring water. After that she offered us “mate” and tortilla (bread cooked in a open fire). “Mate is a hot drink which consists of herbs and a little sugar added. It is taken with a stainless pipe to sip (like a straw).

Horsewomanship

Returning we met a girl who was riding on a horse who offered us a ride, so I got up behind her. When we were crossing a canal, the horse got fright. I thought he saw a snake, and I got fright too. The horse turned back and galloped. In a reflex action I leapt off the horse – tumbling on the ground. I just got bruises on my left knee, but was covered with dust. My companions were all laughing when they saw me all covered with dust, especially on my face so that the only white thing they could see my teeth. They said I was like an Indian and I thought, maybe like the “ati –atihan" of Iloilo.

Faithful People

Every six o’clock in the afternoon we had our meetings with the with people, finishing past nine o’ clock at night, but the sun would still be up because we were so far south. I really admired the people, that in spite of the distance, they were all very faithful to the afternoon gatherings. It could be twilight when we will when we all reached home. But it was an enjoyable walk as we reflected on the beauty of the mountains and the sound of the water.

We Celebrated

On our last day there were Mass, wedding and baptism rites. It was all held outside the chapel as there was a big crowd, thank God that during the mission and on the last day it never rained.
The parish priest was delighted to see the people. After the Mass he asked to have a monthly liturgical celebration, and part of their commitment also was to have a weekly meetings and fund raising for the finishing of their chapel. Also they asked if we could return sometime in the middle of the year for the leadership formation of the youth in the area. I really saw hope and a future there. I commented to then that with the recent visit of Pope John in Manila for the World Day, the youth has something to offer if we only know how to listen to them, looking at the two youths with me Magdalena and Angelica) I thought of Pope John Paul’s word, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”