July 15 and July 22nd—Welcome The Rev. Luis Garcia, from the Dominican Republic. Cookie and Johnny have helped to support Luis in his journey from his days in the orphanage and through his years of education, and St Peter’s has helped also.
Luis and his family will be in Virginia visiting the Davis family, and Luis has graciously agreed to be the celebrant for these two Sundays. He will pray The Great Thanksgiving in Spanish.
Cookie and Johnny visited Luis in 2017. Luis was last here at Christmas 2011 The Luke 2 traditional Christmas story was said in both Spanish by Luis, at that time a visiting seminarian as well as English. .
From Cookie’s article in the August, 2017 newsletter : “I met a student named Luis Garcia in one of the schools I visited in 2005. His grandmother with whom he lived had died recently and he was staying with the priest and his family. He spoke no English and my Spanish was not the best, but we communicated…. perhaps on a deeper level.”
Cookie and Johnny have also become part of Luis’ family over the years, supporting him in his education. “Today the Rev. Luis Garcia has completed his studies at the Seminary and is in a rural area in Bani where he serves 3 churches and another being built. St. Mattias, in the complex where he lives, has two church schools and a guest house for visitors.”