Franciscan Friends Music Mission: Part One of a Four Part Series

Wendy and Denis Grady are part of a unique music mission known as the Franciscan Friends Music Mission. They are currently recruiting musicians to join them on their next mission in November (see separate article in Grapevine's JUST FOR ARTISTS section). In this series of articles, Wendy shares personal reflections from her diary which paints a vivid picture of what it's like to serve on a mission.

My name is Wendy Grady and together my husband Denis Grady and I organize a yearly Music Mission. Are you a musician who enjoys sharing the gift of music with those less fortunate?? Perhaps your gift is not using an instrument but you are someone with a gift of compassion and a great love for Jesus. We are looking for people who believe in working together in community to serve for the betterment of those less fortunate such as the palliative, the addicted, those imprisoned, and the poor living in the West Indies and Grenadine Islands. If you feel called to serve in a new and exciting way please join us as part of the Franciscan and Friends Mission Tour. I have included an excerpt from my diary of 2008 to give you an idea of what you can expect. I can promise you one thing. You will grow in your love for Jesus. Please check out our website at www.franciscanandfriends.com or call Denis and Wendy Grady at 403-243-1049

St. Vincent - Part One

I woke at 6 am after a sleepless night. Too hot for sleep though my body and spirit was weary. I lay back down till my husband Denis awoke then got up for an early Mass at 7 am. Denis, Cathy, Hedi, Brent, Guy and I attended with a few "sisters" from the Pastoral Center where we are staying. Afterwards we made breakfast of two hard boiled eggs, toast and two small pieces of bacon, orange juice and fresh coffee or in my case a cup of tea using teabags I always bring from home. Then the cleanup, I washed dishes, my sister Paula dried. Hedi made egg salad for lunch and Paula made coleslaw for supper. Catherine and I did laundry, lots and lots of laundry. Then hung it all up in the porch only to have "Rueben" (security for the Pastoral Centre) complain to Sr. Ann and I that it was in his way. So I had to move it all down one more level and rehang it. Yikes!! Five trips I made carrying heavy wet laundry in terrible heat down stairs into the yard. I was hot and exhausted. Denis caught me at one point and I began to cry but stopped just as quickly. I’m tired. On one of those trips Rueben locked the two large metal gates leading outside where the clothesline was. I had my arms full of wet clothes! I told Sister Ann and she said she would speak to Rueben and was perplexed at his behaviour. Anyway soon it was lunch and everything we prepared earlier was nearly gone. The musicians had all left at breakfast time to do Radio Interviews but not before grabbing eggs and toast on the run. One of the guys even made himself a plate to come back to. When they returned they ate again!. Then they ate lunch! I really felt the Lord telling me to "let it go" all day. Before we left I said "let’s all wash our own dishes and drinking glass for the next meal" and I did just that. Then we were off to do what we came here for, working for Jesus.

We will continue with Wendy's diary about the mission in Part Two of our series on the Franciscan Friends Music Mission, coming in a few days. Stay tuned . . .