Vigil

As members of the church and community gathered on a crisp evening in the dirt streets of the neighborhood perched on the edge of a cliff spirits were high. A musical group from the East of Guatemala had arrived to share in the fourteenth anniversary of the Augustinian Lutheran Church. Members from the other three Guatemala City churches were also arriving to partake in the Vigil that was to greet the first Sunday in Advent as the sun rose the following morning. Many brought blankets to wrap around themselves as sleep claimed them during the evening and they found space on the unfinished concrete floor. Horacio Darynel and I were not able to attend the Vigil but were to help lead the worship and I was to preach the next day.

It was an evening already filled with the hope of the time of Advent that was fast approaching. This was the first anniversary celebration in nearly eight years and a celebration of the resurrection of a church. A church who when I arrived was little more than a few dry brittle bones but into whom the Holy Spirit had breathed life and now there was life abundant.

In the midst of the celebration of new life death almost swung its sickle. Into the church and vigil one of the members of another one of the churches brought her brother; a brother who chose to dress in a similar manner as the gangs who claim the area. As he entered he was spotted by the gang members in the neighborhood and mistaken for a disliked member of a gang from another part of the City. It did not take long until a group from the neighborhood gang congregated outside the church demanding that the young man come out to be killed. If he did not come out they were threatening to come in and kill him inside of the church. Fear flooded into the celebration and threatened to sweep out the newly given life of the church.

The young man cowered behind the altar expecting to be killed that evening but hoping against reason for the gift of a new dawn. Celebrants tried to figure out how to help the young man that was in their church as a guest and not get hurt themselves. Padre Horacio exited the church to speak with the group of men congregated outside and was rudely received by the young leader of these gang members but continued to calmly speak with them saying that he was not being disrespectful of the gang member and therefore desired to be respected.

It is hard to describe how the situation came to an end only that it did. The young man’s father came, scolded his son for the way he was dressed and brought him and his sisters’ home. Many of the celebrants returned home not wanting to remain for their safety and the safety of their families but others kept vigil throughout the night.

Later the next day we had our Anniversary worship service. While less people attended than we had hoped, representatives from every church except the church of the young man who had received the gift of another day filled the worn benches in support and solidarity of one another and in faith. Two young children were received into the body of Christ in baptism.

In the midst of adversity, during the aftershocks of near death the Body of Christ came together to say that violence and sin was answered once and for all by Christ. While they can threaten us and make us know fear, in Christ we know hope and life. It is there that we cling to the promises of our Lord for us.