Greetings from Chimbote,
(Author`s note: After writing this entry, I realize that I have rambled in a haphazard, stream of consciousness type manner. I hope you will forgive the disorganization as I share with you a dumping out of some of my recent thoughts.)
Time seems to go by quickly here, just passed the 13-months-in-Chimbote mark this week, and my time remaining here seems short now rather than long. I am celebrating events and seasons for the second time around now, from a perspective that can only come as a result of the intervening months. A year ago I was still in a sling from my dislocated, looking for where I might be useful, Emily and Nicole were doing my laundry, and I was going on four weeks without a shower, getting ready to start English classes the first week of November, and not really knowing enough people to to have a birthday party. Now, Emily and Nicole are back in the US, I have three great new missionary companions, we have grown in numbers and organization in our English courses, my arm is good and strong, and we just had about 70 people over, with a live band, to celebrate my birthday at 9:00 on a Sunday night. It was actually visits from the two choirs last year for Emily and I`s birthday that began a process of meeting more people in the parish. I have ideas for more projects than there are time for, I have adapted more to the flexible rhythm of life, and have gotten a lot better at subjunctive verb forms. I still miss fall and its rites -- football, leaves, crisp air, etc -- but not as poignantly as last year. I have found a few good friends that I know I will miss, even as I also know I will be excited to return to the US to see and be with family. I missed being with Suzanne, Ryan, Michelle, Mom and Dad as they gathered in Redding during this week when my dad had a major surgery, but the marvels of modern communication have also helped keep us in better touch that we imagined before I came. I am enjoying the guitar lessons from Roger, finally getting a little grasp of the theory behind it all, and still pick up the quena and zampoña now and then. Our JUMIFRA youth council has big plans for advent and Christmas -- posadas, Christmas play, Christmas music concert, Christmas party and gifts for parish children, our own website through a free program offered by the archdiocese -- I`ll be sure to share stories and photos from all this as it comes along. On Sundays, instead of running out into the fields as I do most mornings, I continue my custom of walking past downtown to the ocean (about 30 minutes each way) -- past the honking cars, the combi assistants drumming up business, the elderly ladies selling all shapes and sizes of fresh-baked bread from huge baskets on the street, the greasy feel and smell of the sidewalk along Galvez Street near the market, people stopping for fresh-squeezed orange juice at street stands where the reuse the glasses after a perfunctory rinse, the smell of meat frying and fresh fish all mixing together. There were Sundays last year at this time when, upon arriving at the (very polluted, I now realize) bay, I wondered to myself what the heck I was doing here. Why had I come? I still might not know exactly the end purpose of my stay here in this desert port city, but thoughts of regret stopped coming to me a long while back. I know I have -- and will be -- changed when my time comes to return to the US, even though I struggle when asked to define the exact nature of this change. In a discussion with my housemates this week about our spirituality as missionaries, we agreed that in some ways we are not challenged as much here in our faith: sermons are only occasionally engaging or inspiring (aside from the language issue) and faith of people as a generalization tends to be less intellectual and individual than we are accustomed to in the US, instead the focus being on community, ritual and feast day celebration, and music. The parish here, we are discovering in our survey conversations with youth, has a huge potencial to be a place of gathering for youth: to learn (faith based and otherwise), develop skills (art, music, carpentry, baking, etc), socialize (a safe place to interact with others in a neighborhood and city that holds so many potencial dangers and detours for young people), and work toward societal change (environmental pollution and conservation, less corruption and better use of resources, etc). We have thus far taken a few small steps toward addressing these potencial roles, but so much more could be done (I am finding that even writing this reflection is newly inspiring me to keep striving onward). Though I am sometimes not challenged or inspired intellectually as I might be in a US parish, we agreed that just living here daily challenges us to solidarity, to simplicity (those cold showers will never be easy), to self-reflection on priorities, to a weighing of this new culture -- its positives and negatives -- that I am immersed in. I pray each day that I might be open to what God might want to teach me, that I might have eyes to see and take in even the small details of this gift of an experience, and that somehow I might be able to plant seeds that will someday grow into a harvest of a better, saner, healthier and more just life here in Chimbote, Peru.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Fiesta de San Francisco
Greetings! Before beginning, an editor`s note: Courtney is not from St. Paul, as I mistakenly indicated in my last entry, but from Minneapolos. Apparently there is a rivalry between the two cities, and she wanted to make sure I knew the true site of her origin. I hope that by writing a bit more often, I can avoid the extra-long entries such as last week`s and give a few more details along the way. Within the next few days, I`ll post photos of some of the events described below, but for now a summary...
FIESTA PATRONAL
Last week and weekend was occupied with activities surrounding the parish celebration of its patron saint (St. Francis), and with the parish run by Franciscan priests, the feast holds even more weight. As they do each year, we first had a procession through some of the parish neighborhoods carrying the large platform with the image of St. Francis, accompanied by a band and various parish groups (Confirmation, choirs, prayer groups) and a number of students from the public high school (Santa Marìa Reyna) across the street, many carrying signs. As happened last year, I was drafted to take shifts helping to carry the image, and my memory of the moments of marching through the evening streets, alegre music, watching out for dips in the dirt, the people watching from the houses, is one that will stay with me and return, I hope, each year at this time. In addition to the normal parish festivities, this year a young man named Elmer, who grew up in the parish, was ordained at a Mass on Saturday the 4th, the actual feast day, with a lunch and entertainment following. Youth of the parish were in charge of decorations and of organizing the entertainment for the 500 people who were to attend. Each night during the week about 10 of us gathered to cut out stirofoam letters, paint, etc, and then arrived 6:00 am Saturday to sweep, blow up balloons, make a balloon arch, etc. Our English class performed a song (Here I am, Lord) in English and several of the members helped serve food. They were nervous, but did pretty well -- Jane, Courtney and Julie joined the singing and Jane also performed later with the parish folkloric dance group. Several other individual youth and my choir also sang. We finished the day tired but satisfied. The Saturday ended with a birthday party of one of the girls in my choir, which I departed from `early` at 1:30 a.m. very sleepily.
ONE YEAR REFLECTIONS
On Sunday we rested a bit before going with the confirmation group to a multi-parish youth rally in downtown Chimbote, 3-9 in the afternoon/evening. A few short talks and testimonies, lots of music (with associated actions and dancing) and finally a festive mass to close made for a fun event which was also valuable for me in a reflective sense as I evaluate my goals for the coming year. A few main general goals/plans as to what my next year here might look like...
1)Neighborhood intra-parish youth communities and home visit initiative -- I envision working with current leaders and group members to make personal contact with more youth in the various sectors that the parish serves. Having made personal contact these next three months, I picture inviting them to a retreat during the summer (Jan-March) for the dual purpose of spiritual growth and motivating the formation of small fellowship communities that will continue meeting afterward in their neighborhoods. These small groups would then be a base for continued growth personally for the youth, but also for initiatives concerning the environment, local social change, parish events, etc. As a start, I went out the weekend before this last one with Lenin and Nelly and we had some good conversations with about 12 young people over the course of a couple hours, using a form of our earlier survey which I have modified to provoke a bit of faith-based conversation and discussion.
2)Inter-parish networks for change -- The experience of meeting with youth leaders from various parishes in advance of this weekend`s rally, and seeing the success of the effort (400-500 youth for the first time event), inspired the idea in me to work toward building relationships between these leaders/groups and those of our own parish, especially around issues of common concern (again, pollution comes to mind) as a step to more coordinated church-based effort to effect actual social change. In addition, I believe that if youth see that their church in truth takes real-life problems seriously and is working to improve the world, they may be more likely to see it as worth investing their time in becoming involved. A start would be to go with members of our youth council to visit leaders from other parishes, and then meet together with those who are interested to come up with a common vision. I know the diocese here has monthly meetings for youth workers, but I don`t see much real connection or coordinated efforts.
3)Continue to offer English classes, which can empower and create more opportunities for those who apply themselves to it but has the side benefit of being another way to connect with the parish.
4)Continue to take advantage of opportunities to learn and grow in musical endeavors: guitar, flute, etc. I am learning a lot from Roger and am excited about the opportunitiy to develop this part of me. Julie commented to me in her first couple weeks here about how musical a person I am, which struck me because I have never seen myself in that way. Here, though, I feel more freedom to explore and do what I can, even if I will never sing amazingly.
5)Accompany the confirmation groups, and attempt to initiate a program of follow-up for those who are confirmed, a plan for helping them continue to meet and build on both the fellowship, personal growth, and parish involvement that have definitely grown during their experience of preparation. As in the US as well, it is such a shame to lose that by forgetting about the confirmed youth as soon as the ceremony is over. I hope to take some time to brainstorm and formulate a strategy.
6)Corvallis-Chimbote confirmation interchange. I have had our kids here in the confirmation group fill out forms about who they are, what they like, their impression of their country and of the US, etc, and have had our advanced English students help me translate them. In these next few days I will be sending them via email, with electronic photo, to the confirmation youth in Corvallis -- who are working on a parallel intro-form in English. After translating to Spanish, we will have the first step of a cultural exchange and hopefully continued contact between some of them, to encourage the realization of the larger body of Christ and how people in another part of the world live.
Well, I realize now that though this entry does have more details, it is no shorter than the last one -- sorry! As always, thanks for reading and God bless.
FIESTA PATRONAL
Last week and weekend was occupied with activities surrounding the parish celebration of its patron saint (St. Francis), and with the parish run by Franciscan priests, the feast holds even more weight. As they do each year, we first had a procession through some of the parish neighborhoods carrying the large platform with the image of St. Francis, accompanied by a band and various parish groups (Confirmation, choirs, prayer groups) and a number of students from the public high school (Santa Marìa Reyna) across the street, many carrying signs. As happened last year, I was drafted to take shifts helping to carry the image, and my memory of the moments of marching through the evening streets, alegre music, watching out for dips in the dirt, the people watching from the houses, is one that will stay with me and return, I hope, each year at this time. In addition to the normal parish festivities, this year a young man named Elmer, who grew up in the parish, was ordained at a Mass on Saturday the 4th, the actual feast day, with a lunch and entertainment following. Youth of the parish were in charge of decorations and of organizing the entertainment for the 500 people who were to attend. Each night during the week about 10 of us gathered to cut out stirofoam letters, paint, etc, and then arrived 6:00 am Saturday to sweep, blow up balloons, make a balloon arch, etc. Our English class performed a song (Here I am, Lord) in English and several of the members helped serve food. They were nervous, but did pretty well -- Jane, Courtney and Julie joined the singing and Jane also performed later with the parish folkloric dance group. Several other individual youth and my choir also sang. We finished the day tired but satisfied. The Saturday ended with a birthday party of one of the girls in my choir, which I departed from `early` at 1:30 a.m. very sleepily.
ONE YEAR REFLECTIONS
On Sunday we rested a bit before going with the confirmation group to a multi-parish youth rally in downtown Chimbote, 3-9 in the afternoon/evening. A few short talks and testimonies, lots of music (with associated actions and dancing) and finally a festive mass to close made for a fun event which was also valuable for me in a reflective sense as I evaluate my goals for the coming year. A few main general goals/plans as to what my next year here might look like...
1)Neighborhood intra-parish youth communities and home visit initiative -- I envision working with current leaders and group members to make personal contact with more youth in the various sectors that the parish serves. Having made personal contact these next three months, I picture inviting them to a retreat during the summer (Jan-March) for the dual purpose of spiritual growth and motivating the formation of small fellowship communities that will continue meeting afterward in their neighborhoods. These small groups would then be a base for continued growth personally for the youth, but also for initiatives concerning the environment, local social change, parish events, etc. As a start, I went out the weekend before this last one with Lenin and Nelly and we had some good conversations with about 12 young people over the course of a couple hours, using a form of our earlier survey which I have modified to provoke a bit of faith-based conversation and discussion.
2)Inter-parish networks for change -- The experience of meeting with youth leaders from various parishes in advance of this weekend`s rally, and seeing the success of the effort (400-500 youth for the first time event), inspired the idea in me to work toward building relationships between these leaders/groups and those of our own parish, especially around issues of common concern (again, pollution comes to mind) as a step to more coordinated church-based effort to effect actual social change. In addition, I believe that if youth see that their church in truth takes real-life problems seriously and is working to improve the world, they may be more likely to see it as worth investing their time in becoming involved. A start would be to go with members of our youth council to visit leaders from other parishes, and then meet together with those who are interested to come up with a common vision. I know the diocese here has monthly meetings for youth workers, but I don`t see much real connection or coordinated efforts.
3)Continue to offer English classes, which can empower and create more opportunities for those who apply themselves to it but has the side benefit of being another way to connect with the parish.
4)Continue to take advantage of opportunities to learn and grow in musical endeavors: guitar, flute, etc. I am learning a lot from Roger and am excited about the opportunitiy to develop this part of me. Julie commented to me in her first couple weeks here about how musical a person I am, which struck me because I have never seen myself in that way. Here, though, I feel more freedom to explore and do what I can, even if I will never sing amazingly.
5)Accompany the confirmation groups, and attempt to initiate a program of follow-up for those who are confirmed, a plan for helping them continue to meet and build on both the fellowship, personal growth, and parish involvement that have definitely grown during their experience of preparation. As in the US as well, it is such a shame to lose that by forgetting about the confirmed youth as soon as the ceremony is over. I hope to take some time to brainstorm and formulate a strategy.
6)Corvallis-Chimbote confirmation interchange. I have had our kids here in the confirmation group fill out forms about who they are, what they like, their impression of their country and of the US, etc, and have had our advanced English students help me translate them. In these next few days I will be sending them via email, with electronic photo, to the confirmation youth in Corvallis -- who are working on a parallel intro-form in English. After translating to Spanish, we will have the first step of a cultural exchange and hopefully continued contact between some of them, to encourage the realization of the larger body of Christ and how people in another part of the world live.
Well, I realize now that though this entry does have more details, it is no shorter than the last one -- sorry! As always, thanks for reading and God bless.
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