World Beginnings

Jesu was 19 years old when Katherine Spry and I met him in the North of Sri Lanka during the long-running civil war. The year was 2005 and the area was considered out of bounds by the US Embassy and our school but we forged ahead, emboldened with countless gin and tonics and our idea to brighten the weekend for the girls who had recently been freed from the LTTE, Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam, by the UN. Jesu's father had been murdered by the Sri Lankan military, right before his eyes a few years earlier and his mother had secured him a place with Father Paul, a Jesuit priest, for his safety. Unfortunately, Jesu had finished school and was now being pressured to become a priest or leave the compound. Leaving Father Paul’s was extremely perilous because the Tamil Tigers were still capturing young people to serve in their rebel ranks. And there was always his father’s fate as well, just waiting for him. Jesu is a gifted linguist and spoke excellent English, Tamil and Sinhalese

Once a cousin told me “Susan, your life is like a roller coaster but I am happy on my merry-go-round”. What a great metaphor for life! The Lake Chapala area of Mexico is home to over 10,000 ex-patriots and it is said there are four women to every man. One of the popular sayings here is that the men are looking for a “nurse with a purse” and while there are many women up for that role, I really don’t know any of them. Life here can be much like a crazy ride as people learn to navigate a different country, culture, and laws; although, some will argue there are no laws. So, no surprise to hear the incredible life stories of the women who show up here with their lives in three suitcases and others with a complete house in tow. One quality we share is a sense of adventure and rather than fearing the horse will bolt from the merry-go-round, we grab the safety bar on the scariest ride and get ready to scream. As this dark, sad year draws to a close,   friends are moving on and discovering new