Today was my first day celebrating St. Dominic’s feast day with a full Dominican community and I got to experience it in true Solomon Island fashion! The community here at Fanulama pulled out all the stops and came together for a family-style dinner at Bishop Chris’ house. Staff members and their families, priests from all over Maliata, DMI sisters of Auki, and even students from Alegegio helped celebrate this special feast day honoring the Dominican friars and sisters (and the honorary Dominican guest!). Following a special mass in St. Augustine chapel and a wild half-mile race back to Fanulama (here’s where I have to admit that I was beat out by 5-year old Clemente…I’ll blame it on the flip-flops!) we gathered in a small hall for a large feast –staka kaikai. And it wouldn’t be upholding the Dominican tradition of preaching without some speeches! Bishop Chris invited all the community members –even the little pikininis –to say something and I, too, am getting quite good at impromptu speeches. Although far away from home, this community came together tonight and I felt welcomed and blessed to be considered part of the Dominican family.
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