Navidad 2007

I don`t have much time left here to write today, but I wanted to say a brief, share a few things, and let you know that there are some Christmas photos posted that you can access using the photo link at the right.

Though my Christmas day itself was spent largely feeling sick and in bed with a fever, the celebration as a whole was a memorable one, though different in many ways from my usual Christmas in the US. Some notes:

- Here the day of celebration is the 24th, la noche buena, and many here will tell that the 24th is indeed Christmas. Celebrations include gathering with family for a late evening meal (after the 9 pm mass if the family goes), and then for many a party late into the night -- followed by sleeping most of the day on the 25th. I took a walk at about 7:00 am Christmas morning and looking in a few open doors along the way I saw people still dancing away to loud music. Indeed, the party across the street from us didn`t end until about 11:00 am.

- I had the privilege of being involved in the Christmas play put on by the youth of the Confirmation program, and even filled in an empty spot as San Josè. We performed amidst a lot of noise and distraction at a chocolatada on December 23 for children of our poorest parish neighborhood, and at the beginning of Christmas eve Mass on the 24th in the church (see photos). For the Christmas eve version we had more attention but were missing several key players, so the hour leading up to the event was a bit harried. Still, we recruited a couple extras, had some play multiple roles, and just plain skipped some lines -- but still we received several compliments on how it turned out and it was a bonding experience for those who did participate in either of the shows. It was a powerful moment for me, sitting with ´Marìa´ at the altar on Christmas eve, the wise men and shepherds gathered around, in Peru and south America, so far away from home. Mass was festive and afterward we were invited to dinner at a friend´s home (myself and the six Tardio family members). It was generous of them, but Emily and her brother ended up getting food poisening from something, we think a cold cucumber salad.

- The Tardios enjoyed their visit other than the sickness, and I was able to join them for lunch one afternoon at a nice restaurant outside of town. It was an enclosed outdoor courtyard, very pleasant except for the exceedingly loud music an singing entertainment for a graduation party that was also there for the afternoon (the school year just ended last Friday for most). We could hardly hear each other talk, but still laughed at the 1/2 cuy (guinea pig) that Adam, the youngest brother, ordered -- it came laid out in full on the plate, head seemingly screaming from its painful death not long ago. :)

- The chocolatada was largely a success, and I was proud of how so many of our youth worked so hard to help make it a good event: the parish dance group, the choirs leading songs and games, confirmation group organizing a toy/food drive and putting on the Christmas play, everyone helping to distribute paneton (sweet bread) and hot chocolate. The gift distribution at the end grew quite chaotic, however, and the parents/children refused to pay attention to or heed any attempt at organizing the process -- so the final moments were a bit tense. Fr. Carlos grew so frustrated that he (understandably, in my opinion) decided not to raffle off the gift baskets that we had prepared and brought but to give them to others. I was exhausted at the close, but had only a few minutes before heading to meet with youth at the posada of one of the sectors, where we had a good initial meeting of about 10 youth and young adults who want to help organized future activities.

- Our trip to Lima was not good for our sleep schedule (the night bus down was extremely uncomfortable), but we did secure our residency cards, valid for one year (see photo). We stayed at one of the sisters´ houses in Lima and returned on Friday evening. The immigration office was actually relatively well-organized and efficient, the employees helpful.

- I have had some time these past two days to gather some thoughts for the summer, which is just beginning here, and am excited about some ideas for the coming year. Michi and I have also discussed connected San Francisco and St. Mary`s as sister parishes, a desire that the social justice commission in Corvallis has. The opportunities for helping the two communities learn from and assist each other are numerous, and I will keep you posted. I still plan to take a group of jovenes to youth ministry training course in Lima January 28th for a week, and the cost details I will communicate soon to those of you who mentioned previously that you would be interested in assisting.

- I was listening to a Christian song from one of my CD´s recently called ´Remember Me´ in which God asks his follower to remember Him in various moments of his life -- prayer, in Church, teaching religion, reading the Bible -- since God is so faithful at remembering us. It struck me all of a sudden though I´d listened to the song many times before (by Mark Schultz), that there was a gaping hole in the message. At such times of peace and communion with God it is relatively easy to remember Him, it´s in the struggles and pain, in loneliness and in viewing poverty, when you or your friends are victims of attempted robbery (while I was running this Monday, no harm done in the end) when it is at times difficult to remember the hope and the love of God. During the everyday decisions of how I spend my time and money I can so easily forget about God. So my prayer as we celebrate this Christmas is to remember more often, and decide with God in mind.

I will write again soon. God bless!
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