Happy New Year!

A blessed new year to you from Oaxaca, Mexico!

Feliz Navidad

A Merry Christmas to you from Oaxaca, Mexico!

Photo of the Week: Ex-Convent

This is inside the ex-convent of Santo Domingo - downtown Oaxaca.  I love it :).

Trash Dump Field Trip

We haven't gone on many field trips this year.  And by that, I mean zero.  Planning anything just hasn't come together.  But, our administrator recently shared with us a vision to have the kids here pass on the blessings they receive to communities around us.  This seemed like a great idea and we made some calls to people who could connect us with various other ministries in the area.

 
And so, early this morning we loaded up two vans with our 25 students and headed to a school in a community over an hour away.  This community is called Vicente Guerrero and is one of the poorest (if not the poorest) neighborhood in Oaxaca.  It is located on the hills surrounding the city trash dump, and from the school you can see the piles of trash and the birds circling and circling overhead.

The plan was to have the kids all get to know one another through games and the exchanging of Christmas cards.  We brought some gifts and songs for them and their mothers made special snacks for us.  It turned out great.  Our kids so lack interaction with other kids beyond the home, it was a big struggle at first to "break the ice."  But once things got rolling they became more comfortable and enjoyed themselves more.

It would be great to go back there again in the near future - now that they are familiar with where we're going and can remember the kids they made cards for and played with.  We handed out little bags with candy and a few school supplies.  One little boy, in excitement, showed his mom what was in his bag.  He said, "Look mom! I got pencils and a pencil sharpener!"  Though the bag contained favorite Mexican candies, it was the school supplies that thrilled him.  :)

When I set up the Christmas tree at the school this year, I talked with the kids about how we are like the lights on the tree.  As Christians we shine our light in the world, and when we're with other Christians we can light up a whole room.  Just before leaving today, I told them they were going to shine their lights today, and if someone didn't act in love towards others, then their light had gone out.  Not sure how the theology of all that works out... but they got my point and did very well :).  When they gave the other students their Christmas cards, I even heard a few kids say, "You are special to God."

While we went there in hopes of sharing with them, they shared a great deal with us as well.  We brought piñatas and told our kids that they were only for the other school.  Well, turns out they had a piñata as well and they told their kids that it was only for us.  :)  The two teachers at the school had fun games planned for us, and the mothers there prepared an abundance of food - even following us to the vans still passing oranges out to us.  That is one of the blessings of ministry here - rarely can you give without also receiving.

Photo of the Week: Architecture

This is one of the beautiful buildings downtown Oaxaca.  Though I have never gone in, I hear that it has a beautiful theater inside.  Maybe someday... :)

Seeing Virtues

There are virtues in bold print all over Oaxaca.  I can't figure out who/what is behind it, but I think it's pretty neat.  I first started noticing it on government vehicles.  Since it's not exactly a great idea to take a picture of a police truck here, I wasn't able to share what I was seeing.  But now it seems like these words are all over, or maybe I'm just noticing them more...  Anyhow, I thought I'd share some of them here:

 

RESPECT

- - - - -

 ORDER

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RESPONSIBILITY

 - - - - -

FORTITUDE

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 COURAGE

- - - - -

GENEROSITY

- - - - -

 ENTHUSIASM

- - - - -

PUNCTUALITY

- - - - -

 HUMILITY

(and behind that is SELF-CONTROL)

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Others I've seen are INTEGRITY, HONESTY, HONOR, FRIENDLINESS,  LOVE, TOLERANCE, TRUST, and the list continues.  In a society where corruption is expected from political powers, it is interesting to see "integrity" written on the back of a police car.  Makes me wonder if it helps keep them accountable at all.

It also makes me ponder what word I would put on my car or wall or place of business - perhaps as a Facebook cover photo...  What virtue do I want to work on? What virtue do I value a great deal?  What virtue would I like to remind others of?  I'm not sure, but I'll keep thinking on it.

(Here's a list of 52 virtues, if you'd like to consider these questions for yourself.)

Praying together

Today our Sunday Advent message included a call at the end to rejoice continually, pray always, and give thanks in all circumstances.  Our pastor seemed to be of the opinion "no time like the present," and asked us to go around the room one-by-one and pray with thanksgiving.  It was just the adults and young people there, the kids were off at AWANAS, so there were only about 30 of us - but we were still encouraged to make it quick :).

I don't know quite how it worked out, but I happened to be sitting in the middle of a bunch of teenage boys today at church.  And as the prayer made its way through the congregation, it wound around me in the quiet voices of the young men.  To those sitting at a distance, it was just a murmur, but I had the privilege of being able to hear the boys around me pray.

The boys to my left are students at my school.  Young men whom the prison pastor has taken in as his own at the request of their incarcerated mother.  We occasionally struggle with behavior issues, but they're good kids.

The boys to my right no longer attend regular school.  One I met as an eleven-year-old explosively angry child and he has grown an amazing amount into a (mostly) mature 18 year old young man.

The other has been through great struggles this past year, including various actions that led to him being sent for a time to a different home that excels in helping young men like him.  He has returned to us with a new attitude and vision for his life.

The young man in front of me just got back from studying in the United States.  The kids have been overjoyed to have him back with us, even if it is just for Christmas break.  He was sitting beside his mother who was clearly grateful to be near her son again.

The boy behind me is rather your typical mental image of an orphan who can make it on the streets and has a history of theft and running away.  He has a lot of room for growth, but he too chimed in with his prayer of thanks.

It was so neat to hear everyone pick up praying where the person before them left off - to hear it travel around the room and to hear everyone participate.  It was a special time.

Photo of the Week: Look to the ants

Though their path right in front of our doorsteps is somewhat inconvenient, I'm amazed by the ants that make their daily commute every evening.  I still do not like bugs :), but seeing leaves walking by is pretty cool.  There's also something I like about seeing the large shadow such a small creature casts.

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Take a lesson from the ants... Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.

Proverbs 6:6-8

The Fatherless

Today three girls at the home found out that their father died last month.  The staff knew about this in advance and has been praying for them all week.

At lunch, I saw the girls enter with their mother and younger brothers.  The two younger girls had puffy faces and red eyes, the older sister never came to lunch.  They had been told.

Please join us in prayer for these young ladies and for their whole family.

One of the sisters on Independence Day.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
    is God in his holy dwelling.

Psalm 68:5

Little Red Birds and Trust Falls

It doesn't take an expert to see that Juan* distracts easily.  He seems to zone out quite often.  But in helping him one-on-one with homework, I've discovered that, though he seems absent, his mind is very sharp and active.  He sees things I do not notice.  For instance, the other day he was distracted by a bright red bird sitting on a post.

He told me that it's on that post a lot - every time he looks over, it is there.  I was amazed that he noticed that and I said that it was beautiful.  I suggested that maybe that post was that bird's favorite spot to be, and now please... finish your homework :).

The thing is, that bird was basically a dot on the horizon.  I don't think I exaggerate when I say that I never would've noticed it on my own.  Let's try something - I'll zoom out and you see if you can keep your eye on it.

Still see it?  Good job.

How about now?

And a little further out...

And here's Juan, posing with the bird in the background.  Still see it?  I can't.

I say he's posing, because he was.  This picture was set up - I asked him to pretend like he was working hard on his homework so that I could take a picture :).  I may have also done it with the hope that actual work would take place... ;)

Juan can often be a "problem child" in class.   He has a temper - in anger he has called me names, kicked me, scratched me, thrown things at my head.  He has so much trouble focusing.  He isn't ready for class when the other kids are and he often stares into space for periods of time.  I'm sure if he were in the States, he would have already been diagnosed with a learning disorder.

But after spending time with him, I also see that he is gifted to see little things, patterns in life, and irregularity in those patterns.  Now when I see him staring off into the distance, I am curious to know what he sees.  Sometimes I even feel bad interrupting him and give him a moment.  I'm often amazed at his observations.

Last Monday, we had a trust fall during morning devotions.  One by one, three people had to fall backwards into my arms on my count.  The point of the illustration was how far we truly trust God.  I was really hoping that I wouldn't drop them, so I braced myself well.  However, I intentionally placed my hands a little bit beyond where I knew they would be comfortable.  I would be there for them, but I wanted to see if they would trust me beyond the point of comfort.

The director of the home, my friend, went first.  And before I was able to catch her, she stepped back in mistrust.  Then I moved to the teacher, one of my housemates.  She too tried to catch herself when she felt like she was really falling.  I was a little disappointed they didn't trust me.

On to the third person, a young woman in junior high.  This teenager is socially awkward and learning is such a challenge for her.  She makes many social errors, but she has a pure faith in God.  And she was the one who trusted me completely - didn't even flinch as she fell into my arms.

People with Learning Disorders.  Behavior Problems.  Special Needs.  Outcasts in our society.  There is so much to learn from them, and they are all too often seen as lesser than the 'rest of us'.  Even to the point that our society dares to suggest that their lives be extinguished when it is believed likely that they will be born with disabilities (and, to our shame, brazenly acts on such ideas).

They have so much to teach.  We have so much to learn.  I hope we can learn to look around and see everyone as a special creation of God - for that is what they are.  Look around and see what you can learn from others, especially the ones that society deems as weak and lowly.

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But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28

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*Name changed for the privacy of the child.

Photo of the Week: Nochebuena

Christmas Eve in Spanish is called "Nochebuena."  That is also the name for poinsettias, and I am very happy to have a poinsettia tree right outside my front door.  The afternoon sun was so pretty and the sky so blue, I had to go grab my camera and snap a picture :).

Downtown

This weekend I finally was able to bring my shoes downtown to get them shined.  They were showing their age and I know the fellows in the zocalo can make them look like new.  Well, the outsides anyhow :).

I don't know if you can see, but in the picture my shoe is sitting on the ground beside the guy while he brushes the other one in his hand.  It makes me uncomfortable to sit in the chair, so I just bring my shoes along and I sit to the side while I wait.  They really do a great job.

I had a friend with me and she wanted to find some little presents for her students. So, after my shoes were spruced up, we did a lap around the zocalo.  Because of all the continued protests around here, vendors are camped out in the zocalo who really shouldn't be there.  It makes it very crowded around there, but also handy for shopping sometimes.

As we walked around, a woman came towards us with a cup in her hand begging for money.  I heard her saying something about tacos.  Usually I just decide in the moment whether or not to give in such situations.  But this time it was like it wasn't really a decision.  I just found myself reaching into my pocket for change.

Now please don't think too well of me, it was a rather pitiful amount I gave her.  However, as I found myself handing her a few coins, I also found myself grasping her arm and telling her "Que Dios le bendiga." May God bless you.  We both then moved on in opposite directions.  It surprised me that I reached out to her like that, but it also was a very nice moment.

Well, seeing as how my friend and I were doing a lap around the zocalo, we ended up crossing paths with this woman again.  She was still begging with her head down, her cup empty this time.  I looked at her until we made eye contact.  After a brief moment, she seemed to recognize me and we smiled at each other.  We kind of gave each other a head nod, and then went on our way again.

I wanted to share about this because these were moments that lifted my spirit.  I don't think that the money I gave helped her much, but I think maybe the physical touch helped us both.  It helped me connect with her as a person, and I'd like to think it was nice for her too.

  

I didn't notice until later on, but on the stand where I got my shoes shined, it has the word compassion.  It then defines compassion as knowing the suffering of someone and helping them.  I hope that God's chosen people can show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience in abundance during this season when we celebrate his coming into the world - when He knew the suffering of his people and helped them.

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Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12