Parle italiano?

This morning was my first Sunday back in Colorado.  If I were in Mexico, it is likely I would've been called upon to translate the sermon.  Well, it turns out I didn't get out of translating today anyhow.  The only problem was, today I was translating for a language that I don't even speak...

I was getting ready to leave church and go to a Mexican restaurant for lunch, to watch what would turn out to be Mexico's final game in the World Cup.  However, before I got very far, someone stopped me to ask if I would translate for a family looking for help.

It didn't take me long to realize they were not speaking Spanish, but Italian.  For the next half hour we tried our best to communicate with each other, gathering what we could from the similarities in the two romance languages.  It was a very unique experience for me, and certainly unexpected.

(my limited Italian is as follows...)

Pizza

Pasta

Cappucino

And, Buongiorno Principessa!  Aw, Life is Beautiful.

As I reflected on my Italian experience, it put me in mind of an article I recently read, Things No One Tells You About Going on Short-Term Mission Trips.  I really like everything the author has to say in that article, and highly suggest reading it.  But one paragraph in particular stood out to me - mainly because I have never really heard it suggested for short-term mission trips.  That is the following:

"Historical Context May Be Just As Important as Immediate Context.

"Have you studied the history of the country or neighborhoods where you’re going? Do you understand the role that the U.S. has played there? Do you know what the role of the Church and missions has been? Do you know the current needs and issues of the people? Having background knowledge of where you're going will help you know how you can best fit and help in your immediate context."

I am not an angry U.S. citizen wishing immigrants would learn to speak English - I know how challenging another language can be.  I don't know the circumstances of this family moving from Italy to the USA, in what appeared to be a search for work.  But, how good and helpful it would have been for them if they had more of a grasp of the language of the country they traveled to.

How good and helpful it would be if the 1.5 million people who participate in short term missions every year had more of a grasp of the language of the country they traveled to.  Some do, many don't.

But to also study the history of the country or neighborhoods you're going to?  The role that the U.S. has played there?  To know the history of the church and missions in the area? I'm not saying that never happens, but it seems like kind of a revolutionary thought in the world of typical short-term mission trips.

This challenged me to go to the basement and pull out my Mexico: A History book from college.  If I'm honest, I'm a mostly fiction reader, and re-reading this 400 page book is not the most thrilling prospect.  But I think it'll be worth it, and will probably be more interesting to me now that I've invested more of my life in Mexico.

How much are short-term mission groups willing to invest?  How much should they be willing to invest?  Short-term missions is a tricky animal.  How can it be done to have good lasting kingdom effects?

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"Perché Dio ha tanto amato il mondo, 

che ha dato il suo unigenito Figlio, 

affinché chiunque crede in lui non perisca, 

ma abbia vita eterna"

Giovanni 3:16

Photo of the Week: Beauty in Small Packages

I was walking back from the highway on a rainy afternoon when these beautiful flowers caught my eye.  They're actually quite small, but they sure are intricately beautiful.

 



World Cup Continued

Yesterday Mexico played in the World Cup again.  I couldn't watch the game because I needed to run errands.  But, I did happen to be in the zocalo (town square) when Mexico scored 2 of their 3 goals.  You could feel the emotion as the roar of the celebrating crowd went up.

I took the upper left photo because I've never seen it so empty in front of the cathedral.  Mexico had just scored, and everyone ran to find a TV for the replay.  On the top right, a crowd gathers outside a restaurant to watch the soccer game.  Bottom left is the local grocery store - even employees are stopping to watch the game.  Bottom right is a vendor watching on a little portable tv.  I was glad many vendors seemed to be watching the game - seems unfair for them to have to miss out :).

The following is a video of moments after Mexico's second goal.

Though I wasn't watching the game, I certainly couldn't ignore that it was on.  I think there might be a sermon in there somewhere ;).

Bonus Photo: Up She Goes

I left the house at 5:55 this morning for an airport run.  The first thing I did was to promptly walk through a spiderweb in the dark.  The second thing I did was to find the flashlight on my cell phone :).

On the drive home, the sun had finally made it over the mountains, 

and this hot air balloon was just taking off.  It was a beautiful 

and wonderful treat for having to get up so early.

Under the shadow of the Alimighty

Oaxacan vendor in the zocalo

 
I like to get into town at least once a week - it helps me unwind and relax.  However, the getting to town part is not always relaxing.  I often take a colectivo - a taxi that runs the bus route, but collects people along the way and goes faster than a bus because it doesn't have to stop as often for passengers.

I've seen colectivos that go at the nice pace of the rest of traffic, but I don't seem to get in those ones.  I always seem to be in the ones who have NASCAR aspirations.  I have, on occasion, just closed my eyes and prayed that I arrive safely.

This past week, as I set out, one of the kids called to me from the playground.  She wanted to tell me the Bible chapter the pastor challenged us to memorize - Psalm 91.  I don't know Psalm 91 in English, but after hearing it over and over and over again from the kids, I now know a good portion of it in Spanish.

That morning, as the girl recited her verses for me, it felt like God was reminding me of His promise to guide and protect.  "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty...  He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge...  You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day..."

When I got in my colectivo that day, I was uncomfortable with the way the driver kept looking back at me.  But peace came as I remembered the verse about not being afraid.  Then the all other people in the colectivo were getting out, and fear crept back up at the thought of being alone with this guy.  But again, I felt calmed as I remembered the verses - and as the other passengers got out, two women ran up to get in with us.

As the ride went on, the driver swerved all over the road to avoid potholes, but by then my fears had mostly lost their hold on me.  I praise the Lord that I arrived safely and had a great day in Oaxaca.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

El que habita al abrigo del Altísimo

Morará bajo la sombra del Omnipotente. 

Diré yo a Jehová: Esperanza mía, y castillo mío;
Mi Dios, en quien confiaré. 

Salmos 91:1-2

Photo of the Week: Sunrise rainbow

Well, good morning to you too. :)

The World Cup

Living in Mexico, it's hard to ignore that the World Cup is taking place right now.  I'm not a soccer person, but since Mexico was playing the home team of Brazil today, I decided to tune in.  Apparently Brazil was favored to win, and so the game ending in a tie of 0-0 was well done for Mexico.

Google's confused octopus angel...? I'm guessing this was not the Google logo in the States today...

You'd think that a 0-0 game wouldn't be very exciting, but it was actually quite stressful to watch.  Even as an outsider (rooting for Mexico, of course), I was amazed by Mexico's goalkeeper.  I don't know how much money he makes, but I think that guy needs a raise or a bonus or something after that game.  Boy, was he constantly blocking goals.

In case you're curious, here's a video of some of his many great saves:

I probably could have been doing important work instead of watching a soccer game, but I decided it would be a good cultural experience... :)  And, now I know who Memo Ochoa is - the amazing goalkeeper for Mexico - and my roommates new crush ;).

Father's Day in a Children's Home

Today is Father's Day.  We have a large group of young people here right now from the Bible Institute in Baja.  Many of them are strong, Christian young men, passionate about serving the Lord.

As I stood in the back of the full sanctuary, I thought about how great it is for young men to be stepping up and becoming positive leaders and role models.  Women in ministry is, of course, essential.  But I think for things to truly look like God's kingdom, the family structure needs to be restored, with good men present in the life of the church and in the lives of children.

As I sat there in church, I also saw something else - a man who comes often to visit his children at the home.  He is shorter and compact, like many Oaxacans, and the first time I met him was from across a highway.  I was getting off a bus and as I crossed the road towards them, his kids greeted me with excitement, showing me their gifts and telling me they were going home for a visit with their dad.  It was obvious how happy they were.

This day in church, this man's young daughter delighted in sitting in the protection of her father's lap.  As we stood for songs, his young son clung to his arms and rested his head on his shoulder.  In the midst of a congregation of people who were largely lacking in positive father experiences, I was so thankful for the moments these kids were able to share with their caring father.

I pray that the cycle of broken families be interrupted with the love of Christ, all over the world.  That God's kingdom coming might manifest itself in restoration of the family as God designed it to be.  And, by the way, I'm very thankful for my own kind, loving, and faithful father :).  I love you Dad!  Happy Father's Day!

 

"Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling."

Psalm 68:4-5

Bonus Photo: Dinner and A Show

The other day I recognized the woman in front of us at Sam's Club.  My friend helped me place her - she and her husband run Pacos Tacos in Tlacolula.  We love Pacos Tacos.  It usually doesn't open until 6 or 7, so you can often catch a sunset while you wait for your order. 
Dinner and a show ;).

Photo of the Week: While the Dew is Still on the Roses

Every Sunday morning after I wake up, I go outside to do laundry.  I love standing in the morning sun as I wait for the washer to fill up, and I especially enjoy the mornings when the dew rests beautifully
on the rose petals.

The Not-So-Secret Garden

"You want your class to have a garden behind the school?  Sure, just be sure to check with the gardener."  Little did I know, that conversation would be the start of many frustrations for me, and for the gardener...

The kids from the 2nd-4th grade class enthusiastically threw themselves into the project.  They were so enthusiastic, that they went through piles of trash to find old chairs, tires, and scraps of wood to adorn their garden with seating areas.  They found rocks to line its paths.  They spent all their free time there, making sure things looked just right.

The problem?  They were removing bricks from other gardens to line their own.  There was trash everywhere.  They were finding nests of baby animals and keeping them for themselves.  And, to top it all off, their plants were completely neglected - the soil caked dry and the plants shriveled and brown.

To be real honest, I couldn't stand it.  The kids were only thinking of themselves - not of the earth they were supposed to be caring for, and not of others they were taking from.  Multiple times I was ready to tell them it was over, but I didn't want their memories of school to be the director taking away their fun garden.  I talked to the gardener about how it was going, and he said he too was ready to call an end to it.

Then one day as I walked home, I recalled a quote from 28 Days, a movie in which Sandra Bullock's character is court ordered to attend rehab.  In one of the therapy sessions, someone asks how to know they are ready to be in a relationship again.  The speaker tells them to buy a plant.  If they can keep it alive for a year, then get a pet.  If the pet and the plant are alive after two years, then they think about being in a relationship again.

I thought about these kids.  About how taking away their garden wouldn't really teach them much.  About how much they could learn if they actually began to care about the plants in their garden.  So plants die in the process - it's not great, but if that's the cost for them to learn life lessons?  I think it might be worth the price.  Poor plants...

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"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

Bonus Photo: Let there be light

The light in the boys' bathroom wouldn't stay on.  I came in later in the day to find that the boys had rigged this up.  Pretty ingenuitive, boys. :)

Photo of the Week: 11x11

We were making flash cards and he didn't believe me
when I said 11x11=121.  Maybe it was just a long study session,
but it sure cracked me up when I saw him doing this. :)

Where two or more are gathered...

The children's home is going through some challenging times right now.  The staff in the California offices are focusing on fasting and praying, and this week the staff here is signing up to pray together at each meal time.  

I invite you to join us in prayer.