Twisted Cross

“Bienvenido, welcome to our main dining room,” Blas said. It looked more like a picnic ground. An open cookfire crackled with steaming clamshells, dozens of small red fish roasted on sticks and a basket filled with berries lay on a rough blanket sitting on the dirt.

Several more Brothers made their way from the brush hut with baskets of bread and cheese. “It is my great pleasure to introduce you to the most revered Brother Luis Jayme.” Blas’s formal introduction sounded ridiculous in these rustic surroundings.

“Gracias Señor. You see, our new Mission requires much work, Coronel Salvador,” Brother Jayme said. “The gift of tools and building materials came right when we needed it.”

Because of Jimenez’s uniform, the Brother assumed Sal to be a soldier and called him Coronel. The men celebrated Sal and his oxcart with toasts and praise. Sal noticed all the Brothers were as chubby as Blas.

“Now we can replace the thatched chapel walls with more sturdy stuff. We’ll train Joseph and the others to use the tools and raise a roof for our dormitories,” Blas said. Sal began to relax and eat with the clerics, but noticed none of the natives were welcomed to enjoy the meal.