One story out of thousands of cases in Bolivia.
Millions throughout the world.
A sensationalized tale.
A raw reality.
God help us.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Northern Ireland is not so far away
In the past week I have been asked if I was a Christian more than in my 23 years combined. I hated it each time.
While the Christian community here is tightly knit, it sometimes seems too uptight to me (actually not just here, but in lots of places). I have decided that next time I am asked I will respond, “Yes, I go to mass every Sunday” just to see how the person will react. Here Christians are separated from Catholics. My question to this is- Who exactly do Catholics believe in? I am pretty sure we broke off from them. I have met amazing people who believe in anything, everything and nothing. I have met wonderful Catholics and horrible Christians, inspiring Jews and loving Buddhists. There are few things that really make me angry, but segregation among “loving” believers is high on my short list.
How valid is my response to this question? If I say I am, does that really make me one? I mean Bill Clinton said he didn’t have sexual relations with Monica, and we all know how that ended. People say things all the time they don’t really mean or that they intend for them to mean something completely different.
How true is our Christianity, which calls us to love our neighbor, when our second question to our neighbor is; are you one of us? Of course I realize that it could be intended with love, but love is usually felt- and I haven’t really felt the love when I have been asked that. Plus, such a question seems to segregate and segregation is the complete opposite of the unconditional love of Christ- whom "Christians" claim to follow.
While the Christian community here is tightly knit, it sometimes seems too uptight to me (actually not just here, but in lots of places). I have decided that next time I am asked I will respond, “Yes, I go to mass every Sunday” just to see how the person will react. Here Christians are separated from Catholics. My question to this is- Who exactly do Catholics believe in? I am pretty sure we broke off from them. I have met amazing people who believe in anything, everything and nothing. I have met wonderful Catholics and horrible Christians, inspiring Jews and loving Buddhists. There are few things that really make me angry, but segregation among “loving” believers is high on my short list.
How valid is my response to this question? If I say I am, does that really make me one? I mean Bill Clinton said he didn’t have sexual relations with Monica, and we all know how that ended. People say things all the time they don’t really mean or that they intend for them to mean something completely different.
How true is our Christianity, which calls us to love our neighbor, when our second question to our neighbor is; are you one of us? Of course I realize that it could be intended with love, but love is usually felt- and I haven’t really felt the love when I have been asked that. Plus, such a question seems to segregate and segregation is the complete opposite of the unconditional love of Christ- whom "Christians" claim to follow.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
things I miss that cannot be mailed:
1- baby spinach
2- running at sea level (or any level lower than 2 miles in the sky)
3- efficiency
4- tall people
5- beaches
6- sleeping in
7- blame taking
8- Target
9- a choice group of family and friends (who I think could adapt and live here- for a while)
10-Chipotle
The top three are pretty much on my mind daily, the rest were harder to think of, which I think is a good sign.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
a sermon I am translating...
and thought it was worth sharing (Spanish version available upon request).
http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org/downloads/siwo.pdf
http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org/downloads/siwo.pdf
Monday, March 2, 2009
moving down moving up
Yesterday I moved to Zona Sur, the lowest part of La Paz. Like I mentioned long ago, La Paz us relatively bowl shaped and while I used to be right at the point when you realize that you need more milk or cereal, I now live at the level where the flakes are always present. Basically, I have more oxygen to breath, less congestion, less public urination and most importantly less mini bus riding. A few other perks include making my own meals, washing my own clothes, making my own bed and having a living room that I feel comfortable hanging out in.
Yes, its the simplest things that make life great.
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