Making of a Family

After worship on the fourth Sunday of Advent, the members of “El Divino Salvador del Mundo” El Mirador gathered in the home of the Valeriano family to celebrate Christmas. Those gathered were from before the church came alive again and the new members of 2005 as well as Padre Horacio, Horacio Darynel, and I. It was a shear joy to be part of the evening because I did not see a bunch of strangers getting together… I saw a family.

Someone brought out a few previously used pieces of streamer and the children and a few young adults took time placing them around the sheet metal, plants and the main gate each time tying the streamer together because they did not have tape. It was by no means the decoration of experts but they were proud of their work. Everyone pitched in with preparing the food, serving food, taking care of the younger children and even making sure that glasses were full of those interested.

Three young men, one 18 year old from a resettled community in the Northwest of Guatemala working in the Lutheran Center in order to attend Junior High, another 15 year old from a single parent, poor home trying to afford to attend eighth grade, and the third a 20 year old from a family that has been living on their land in the City for at least two generations and is currently attending college to be an engineer. Three young men from very different circumstances yet this evening off to one side singing together the songs for the worship service while one played the guitar.

The entire evening there was a sense of belonging, a sense of comfort that not even some families have. The church brought the families together and with the help of God they became one family.