Retreat Day No. 1 8 January 2014

Today was the first full day of retreat. There were two sessions in the morning and that will be the pattern throughout the week. Nonie Gutzler, the retreat leader, asked that a spirit of silence be observed throughout.

	Each day begins with a morning prayer in the retreat chapel. This year the prayers were organized by Sr. Len Montiel.
	In today's first session, Nonie Gutzler spoke of our inner self and our outer self and illustrated the concept with a Mobius strip.
	A crack team of the Maryknoll leadership figured out how to use the new coffee makers.
	After the break, a second retreat session preceded the liturgy. The weather is quite nice and allows for open doors and windows in the large meeting room.
	To illustrate one idea drawn from the Japanese book Deep River, Nonie asked Steve Chinnavaso and Karen Bortvedt to assist with a role play.
	At the liturgy at the end of the morning, the whole Maryknoll Asia South and especially Myanmar and Cambodia welcomed new members and gave them gifts.
	Impromptu conversations are the mark of this annual gathering. Here Dee Dungy and Gerry Lee talk before lunch.
	In the afternoon, because we had a good number of first-time people coming to our gathering, there was an introduction session to help us to get to know each other. Arlene Sale (L) and Sr. Ann Hayden introduced each other.
	Dinner table conversations are usually lively as people catch up and they sometimes continue on after the meal is finished. (L-R): Sue Gubbins, Ann Sherman, Nancy Davies.
	Sr. Len also prepared evening prayers. Karen Bortvedt prayed silently before the formal prayer began.

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