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in this way.” Not everyone was or had been so lucky. In addition, Leiva added that he had heard a lot of stories where people “have to let their relatives die due to not being able to afford the vaccine” or health care more generally, a side effect of poverty in the not as fortunate country materially speaking. At the same time, the “warmer” Ecuadorian culture in terms of human relationships (such that people naturally stand closer to each other in conversation during the best of times) was also making the pandemic hard on many, with underground parties reportedly having been organized by some as a way for people to stay close to each other. “Not having that is really hard for people,” he said of close human interaction in Ecuador.

Closer to the Stanley-Boyd Country, meanwhile, the All Saints church bulletin letter dropped off at the newspaper of- _ce by a parishioner had somewhat better news to share. In the _rst place, parish religious education was to be back in session as of January 6th for grades 6-8 as well as grade 10.

It was reported that St. Joseph’s School in Boyd had gathered by the patio area of the church rectory (pastor’s house) for a Christmas tree blessing along with some hot chocolate, cookies, and Christmas carols, while the 2020 Christmas concert had been videotaped without parents, each family receiving a DVD of the event instead. There was more though, in the pastor’s letter.

“For obvious reasons, I have really appreciated the lights and decorations this year,” Father Felix wrote his church family in the weekly ‘Pastor’s Journal,’ with Felix due to reach ‘senior priest’ status at 70, having been _rst ordained in the 1980s. “Happy New

Year everyone!” he wrote. “Finally 2020 is over!”

In due and proper fashion then, here’s to the year 2021 and the (hopefully if uncertain) better days to come.