retreat

For those who are interested or those who are ready my blog out of obligation, the retreat was a success. I find it hard to choose adjectives to describe a retreat on sexual abuse, so I will keep this to a minimal. Pastors and leaders were very moved and motivated to start informing, educating and working with their local communities on the topic. The majority of women who attended (around 50) and a few men spoke with our speaker or counselor about past abuse. For many of them it was the first time to voice their pain. Three support groups for survivors of sexual abuse will start this week!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!

Eclesiastés

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; 

       the more knowledge, the more grief.

Mientras más sabiduría, más problemas; 

      mientras más se sabe, más se sufre.

1:18

Work has been draining lately.  I have been translating a manual/outlines for support groups for survivors of sexual abuse.  My capacity to take in and spout out words from English to Spanish has come to a halt and the reality of what we work with is settling in a deeper manner.  I cannot think of a darker sin or worse evil than sexual abuse.  Murder kills the body, but the soul remains alive.  Sexual abuse kills the soul, but the body remains alive.  Not only does it murder, it also steals and destroys.  Taking a child's innocent, a person's dignity, destroying their sense of trust, self-esteem, and love. The more I know, the more I hate it, the more devastated I am. Such a dark evil that it almost seems to get darker the more light is shed on it.  

Knowledge may cause grief and wisdom, sorrow.  Yet, are we not called to desire wisdom? Have we not been given knowledge from the Knower of All? With this wisdom we shall not mourn alone, nor shall we let those who mourn be alone.  Sorrow should not kill our desire and duty to support those who have and will overcome. 

The more I know, the more I hate it, the more devastated I am. Such a dark evil that it seems to get darker the more light is shed on it.   Yet the darkness makes me think of light, I become fixated on how light can and will make the darkness disappear.  Similarly seeing and knowing of such blatant evil reminds that there is Great Good. Good that restores hope to the hopeless, peace to the troubled,  comfort to the devastated, and strength to the defeated.   

Next week is our big pastor/leader's retreat on sexual abuse and (in) the church.   This retreat will be huge.  Pastors and leaders representing over sixty churches in La Paz and El Alto are participating.  Some have never heard of a Christian perspective on sex, aside from don't do it until after marriage.  Some have been abused.  Others may have been abusers.  As much as I am excited to see Greatness move, I also realize how devastating, heartbreaking and overwhelming the topic can be.  I ask that the grief would not overwhelm, but that it would encourage those who participate to raise up; and mourn with those who mourn.  To not forget or look away from this darkness, but instead to be reminded of the power of Light.  To not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with Good. 

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night-  then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

Al dedicarme al conocimiento de la sabiduría y a la observación de todo cuanto se hace en la tierra, sin que pudiera conciliar el sueño ni de día ni de noche, pude ver todo lo hecho por Dios. ¡El hombre no puede comprender todo lo que Dios ha hecho en esta vida! Por más que se esfuerce por hallarle sentido, no lo encontrará; aun cuando el sabio diga conocerlo, no lo puede comprender. 

8:16-17

one story

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/20/boliva.girl/index.html

One story out of thousands of cases in Bolivia.

Millions throughout the world.

A sensationalized tale.

A raw reality.

 

God help us. 

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.

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. 

a sermon I am translating...

and thought it was worth sharing (Spanish version available upon request).


http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org/downloads/siwo.pdf

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.