Internet...

I would never have thought until this summer that I depended on the internet. I mean, sure, I enjoy facebook and emails are essential for work...but this summer the internet has had new meaning for me. For example, right now I am at a fairly isolated retreat center on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. You can only access this place by boat (like most of the towns around here). There is no tv, one phone, no junk food...but there is internet access. So this morning I have talked to my mom via facebook, uploaded some pictures so my family can see where I am, checked on the status of Hurricane Bill, and am writing on my blog.

But I am struggling with whether or not this dependance on the internet is a good thing. I mean, "sabbatical" is time away...time a part from normal, daily routines. But I am not comfortable with being totally alone...isolated....a part. Hmmm....

And yet, when I was nervous on the boat ride, with choppy waves splashing over the sides, the internet was not helpful.... only other person I could talk to about my fear was God...and yes..I prayed the entire was across the lake!

Reality bites

Guatemala is an a amazing country. It is beautiful, it is full of variety, colorful, and every person I have met has been very nice. But the other day I heard a speaker from a non-profit group called Wings, that reminded me about the reality of being Guatemalan. In this country, 40% of children will flunk first grade and the average person only completes 5.5 years of school; chronic malnutrician is rampant resulting in an IQ that is estimated at 15 points lower that it should be; the political system is democratic, but weak and corrupt; the police mean well (mostly) but are outnumbered 3 to 1 by private security guards; drug trafficing in the Peten (northern region) is growing because of illegal airstips and its rainforest area being too difficult to be policed; 600 bus drivers have been killed recently because gangs expect bus drivers to pay them in order to stay alive; poor women (insert "indigineous") have on average 7 children; there are 20 native languages still spoken here; the number one source of income for Guatemala? The money immigrants in the U.S. send back to their families. This country has so much to offer....yet it can't seem to beat the corruption that keeps it divided and oppressed.

Consequetnly, it is hard to know what to do or what to even pray for. Guatemala does not need to be another "U.S." but the people are unable to reach their fullest potention because of the lack of basic neccesities like education and pure water. And the malnutician...well, that is simply poverty at work...since this country produces an amazing array of fruits and vegetables and beans....

The gap between the poor and the rich is one of the most offensive there is in the world....

And yet I have heard several people who gave up their lives in the U.S. in order to help those in need here. Non-profit organizations contine to provide for the people what the government fails to: healthcare, education, housing.

Please keep the poor and indigenous people of Guatemala in your prayers....

A Weekend in Tikal

Tikal National Park is located in the northern part of Guatemala known as the Peten. The Peten is jungle; hot and humid. Access to electricity and running water is not guarenteed. And it is here, in Tikal, that one of the largest Mayan ruins has been uncovered (well..only 35% uncovered..it is hard, tedious work to restore the ruins). The earliest structures are dated to be around 600 AD and there are 5 large temples and numurous other buildings and smaller temples. Of course, the first thing that I thought when I saw this area for the first time was how did people build these things over 1400 years ago? No machines, no steel..total manual labor. It is impressive. Then I began to wonder how did such a people, so advance in their constuction skills, their astology (they correctly predicted by their calendar a major astromical event on Dec 23, 2012...which happens once every 26,000 years), and even their irrigation and resevoir techniques for water, could disappear. We know a lot about them, but there still remains many unanswered mysteries.

For me, exploring the Mayan ruins gave me time to think about the ingenuity of humankind; the ritualism we crave and develop; the lengths we will go to in order to live. The Mayans were able to do amazing things with their hands and their minds....and people are still as creative today. How wonderful it is that God has given us our gifts of intelligence, perserverance, community...

List making

I am a list maker. I make lists about pretty much everything...what to buy at the store, what errands to run, what plans to make, who to call, what restaurants I want to try...you get the idea. Well, being on sabbatical has put a crimp in my list making rountines. I mean, I had many, many lists before I left on this adventure...but now, my list (if I make one at all) is for one or two things at the La Bodegoda (supermercado) or maybe a new place to visit. It is so much less clutter for my mind to only have to think about Spanish verbs, where to go for lunch, and remembering to buy a new jug of water on Saturday mornings (Q15..with home delivery). I guess God heard Pastor Steve's prayer when he prayed that I do no work while I am on sabbatical....

It's about relationships

I have now been in Guatemala for 3 weeks and it is still amazing. Each day I see something new, I try something new, I learn new words and I find out somethings else I want to do while I am here. I've climbed an active volcano, I've had black sand from the Pacific Coast between my toes, and I have removed the outer shell of a dried coffee bean. This is definately a summer to remember.

And yet...(isn't there always something).....and yet something is missing. I spent some time reflecting on what was not settling well with me, what was missing from my experience here in Antigua and I finally realized it was relationships. I am meeting many people through the language school and who live near me....but they are all North Americans. Apart from the teachers and the secretary at the language school....I only interact with the Guatemalans when I am shopping or eating out. Without the language skills needed, it is difficult to engage locals...although it is funny how even speaking with North Americans is sometimes hard....I love to ask questions and hear stories...I am not sure people always like to tell me things, especially when to them we have no context to have a relationship. (I say "to them" because in my mind we have a common bond by coming to Guatemala...not usually the first country people think of when they want to go on vacation).

This is certainly a different experience than when I travel down here for the mission trips. The whole point of the mission trips is relationships. When we travel for 2 days into the Peten it is for the sole purpose of sharing our lives with the lives of the people of Nueve Guatemala. I miss Don Salvadore and Don Pablo. I want to find out how tall Jaime is and see if there are any new families in the church. What new English words has Geronimo learned? Has Gregorio had another child?

My time here in Antigua is to learn the Spanish language. I know it will help me, in the long run, to have deeper relationships with our friends in Guatemala. But each day, I miss my friends in the Peten and I long to be with them again.

Missing OSLC

Things these past few weeks have been great, but hectic. It is a lot of mental work to learn to live within a different culture. Plus, I have really enjoyed teaching my sons how to appreciate cultural differences and enjoy experiencing new things.

But this morning I was able to take a peek at a church service at Our Saviors. As the youth were being blessed for their trip to the Youth Gathering, I realized how much I missed everyone.

May God continue to watch over everyone at OSLC! I look forward to hearing how summer went back in Circle Pines.

Catholic/Lutheran Dialogue

My Spanish instructor is Belli (short for Ana Isabela) and she is about 50 years old, with two grown children and a beautiful smile. She is a little shorter than me, has dark curly hair, and she is very nice to work with. Belli is also Catholic, so when she asked me what I did, I told her I was a pastor and instead of being dismayed or confused, she just said, "that's good," and went on to explain that there were no female pastors in Guatemala. Then as we finished for the day, the first thing she told the other teachers was that I was a pastor and wasn't that neat. Despite never having met a female pastor before, she accepted me for who I am.

Then today we actually talked more about the differences and the similarities between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church. She wanted to lump Lutherans in with all the other protestant churches in Guatemala, but many of them are quite evangelical and have a more decision-based theology. So we shared with one another about infant baptism, confirmation, and first communion. She was surprised at how many similarities there are and she was very open to learning about the differences. She wrapped up our conversation by saying that she enjoys having a student that she can talk about her faith with. Too often, she has students that don't believe in anything and that makes her quite sad and concerned. Her faith is important to her and it was such a joy for me to hear her speak so freely about it. She still doesn't understand why we don't pray to Mary..she compared it to when a child asks mom to ask dad for something....and I do understand her point of view. It is interesting to me how easy people get riled up when someone believes differently than they do...but why? Why is it so difficult to simply share and learn and seek understanding?

It certainly is a God-thing when we do...and if Belli and I, speaking two different languages, can have such a dialogue....I definately saw God in action today.