PASTORAL VISIT and VAI Re-ECHO

THE VISIT


The families of VAI-houston were very much privileged to have Fr. Rhey Garcia for his first pastoral visit in Texas. Not even the downpour of hurricane Dolly could dampen our spirit nor doubt Fr. Rhey’s resolved to visit Houston. (Artesian parishioners even warned him of not coming to Houston where a “category 5” hurricane was brewing)

FIRST STOP:

Right after arriving from Hobby Airport we immediately proceeded to Kris’ and Giovan’s family sponsored dinner at Jade Restaurant, a small place to dine right along Highway 6, but with a lot of surprised succulent menus that could be found only in an upscale restaurant in downtown Houston. (We had no clue that right in front of our noses lies a “real Chinese restaurant).

Although, for some of us, it was only the first meeting, yet you can very well observe the “thread” that bound us to get along fast and bond; the SVP experience. Indeed, no matter from what generation you belong, whoever were your formandi, and whether or not you reached SVS, VHS or DPH the moment you talk about Vincentian formation, the brotherhood snapped so fast that you can’t help but noticed you belong with one another.

A little while after dinner, we transferred to a coffee shop. But not long after we were seated, we were informed that the store is closing in 15 minutes. Frustrated yet not down and imploring St. Vincent’s charisma for the poor, Giovan winked at the gracious lady in the counter and asked if he could take some of the pastries for free since they are going to dump them anyway.

The charisma worked and the lady complied giving him two full small bags of cakes and pastries which we devoured on our way out.

DAY TWO
While most of them were at work, Fr. Rhey and I went to NASA. It was a weekday; hence, the usual throngs of people on weekends were absent. We didn’t even had a hard time lining for the tram tour. Unfortunately, a small torrential downpour drenched us while we were on the way to the Historic Command Center.

While seated in the public viewing center of the old Command Center (remember the Apollo XIII, “Houston, we have a problem!” experience?), we were briefed on the history and future development of NASA, how excited they are for the forthcoming launching of another space shuttle comes October, and how ecstatic they are for the “return to the moon” project. They even shared that by 2030-35, NASA could possibly land the first man on Mars.

The site of the Saturn V amazed us. How in the world can man create such an intricate web of electronics, copper, helium and others, yet flies so fast and powerful? Indeed, it was a rocket science.

Leaving our astrophysics questions behind, we opted to take pictures instead with the famous astronauts who conquered the moon and came back. Fr. Rhey in fact tried carrying the moon on his shoulder, (ala Sharon Cuneta of Pasan ko ang Daigdig).

While we enjoyed fascinating the wonders of man’s space conquest, Fr. Rhey was too delighted to savor the process of “going there and experiencing the here and now” of man’s space odyssey evident inside the NASA center.

First on our list was the Blast Off, where you were given a first hand feel of space shuttle’s lift off, (with its rumblings and shaking). Next was the history of moon’s conquest shown in cinematic concept with a real touch of the historic podium where JFK spoke at Rice University. Fr. Rhey had a chance too to touch one of the rocks of the moon flown from the space.

The top of the list was in the Kiddo’s World. (I had no idea why we stayed there the longest time). Although I tried convincing (and forcing)

Fr. Rhey to stay fast and out of that area, yet he was determined to experience all that it offered, from the weighing scales (where you can find out how much you weigh if you are in Saturn, Jupiter, etc.), balloons and weight lifting to the simulation docking of space shuttle.

I saw his undying determination in life when he was waiting for his turn to dock the imaginary space shuttle. He was trying to compete with the school age children with their parents in tow.

He can’t get himself seated in the pilot’s seat because a new kid comes right after the other with parents in tow. Even though Fr. Rhey was supposed to be the next in line, he would always comply to give way.

He was only able to dock the ship when all of the kids were done and no grown up was looking at us.

We tried going to Kemah for a boardw2alk and rides, yet the weather did not permit us.

Instead, we turned around and went back to Pearland for our dinner with Fr. Rhey’s former high school students from San Jose Iloilo, who happened to be living and working in Houston.

To be continued…