When a missionary dies, an empty space is left.Farewell to a good friend!!
Last week a Vicentian missionery friend of mine died, Father Juan Wardrope. Father Juan, a missionary with a smile to inspired the service to the Poor, died because a health problem related with gastric complications.
Juan Wardrope was born on july 7, 1954 in the province of Colon, Panamá, a land that has been exploited by commerce and ambition with no limits by foreigners since colonial time. Juan Wardrope was proud of his black skin color. Many times he made comments about discrimination he felt even in Panamá and his experiences in defending his principles and ideas.
Juan Wardrope studied in the Normal de Colón (school for teachers), and he was teacher in rural areas for several years, until he discovered his Vicentian vocation at the CM. He had his priest preparation in Boquerón, ChiriquÃ, Panamá in 1984 and in the year 1989, year of many changes, just before the U.S. invasion to Panamá, he was ordened priest in his native city of Colón. He was working on preparing priests and other brothers for the mission in charge of the House of Philosophy and of the Noviciado, besides the work he did at the “pastoral Afro” and other missionary parishes in Panamá which belongs to the Philadelphia Province.
The empty space left by father Juan is big, because when a Vicentian missionary like him died with plenty of life before him, truly we are questioned about the cares for personal health of a missionary and it is that father Juan always fought against excess weight, he made great efforts, but finally, heath was not his allied.
I always remembered the personal style of father Juan, his sincere and open smile showing all his teeth and saying with slow voice: ”A moment”, which was a call to take things easily, analyzing the situations with enough time, not falling in the conformity of endless waiting.
This writing wants to be a humble tribute to father Juan Wardrope, who always had words of encouragement and he said goodbye with a particular phrase which identified him and he mentioned it frequently: “ Echen pa´lante pelaos”*
Sincerely,
JULIO CASTELLANOS
*Pa´lante: deformation which is common in the Caribbean area for the words “para adelante” (forward!, continue!)
Pelaos: deformation of the expression “ pelados” used in Panamá to refer to young people.
