Beyond the Propaganda and Fear

Growing up in the United States, I heard a lot about the Middle East and Central America... and not much of it was positive. Palestinian and terrorist were usually synonymous and Guatemala for me was where the Guerrilla war was happening.

When I spent six months in the Middle East, I had to learn to let go of some of my fear and be with people on all sides of the conflict. I was still afraid much of the time… especially when Clinton decided to visit Israel while we were there and then bombed Iraq. We celebrated Christmas Eve in Bethlehem and spent Christmas day in Jerusalem. Christmas Day happened to also be the first Friday of Ramadan, the Eve of the Sabbath so the streets were full. As our group was walking from Jaffa Gate to the Mount of Olives to worship with the Expat community, a man approached me. He told me that he wanted to kill me—my blond hair and blue eyes made me easy to select as not from Israel. Our government’s policy was affecting the lives of many and I represented America to him. I said something in Arabic to him and melted into the crowd. Forever Christmas will have the nuance of death for me.

Now I live in Guatemala. Last week my sister in law received a few prank phone calls and yesterday my husband received a phone call that “they are going to kill you.” We have received prank calls before but this is the first death threat we have received by phone. It is usually someone from the church who wants power and wants to threaten us into leaving—it could be the same reasons this time. It brings fear and we will investigate the number and then inform the members of the church, if it is indeed from them, that such threats are taken seriously and have legal consequences.

We could end here and have all of the propaganda who heard growing up be validated. But that would not be correct.

In the Middle East I received my call to be a pastor and in Guatemala I have had that call fulfilled (almost officially =D ). Each country has a painful history of violence and war but each of these countries also has a rich history and depth in the present that have much to teach us as well.

Listening

At the end of January the ILAG held its first National Council Meeting of the year with leaders from the 14 churches and 4 missions of the ILAG in Guatemala City. We have four National Council Meetings and two leadership retreats each year in order to give reports on the ministry of each church but also to offer three days of seminary classes.

National Council Meetings are always enjoyable. The leaders have traveled long distances to get together and share life with one another. I have heard the men share with one another how to keep the number of fleas down in their homes; what kind of plants can help with health problems; even recipes. They also share with one another what they have learned working in the church.

Many of the communities are so isolated that the members have few chances to socialize with people outside of their own community. The other difference is that by being a church event there is a level of trust inherent to all conversations that does not necessarily exist in other meetings.

Horacio, Beatriz and I took time one afternoon to speak with each church that will be having a delegation in February and March. Three communities will have an extended visit for the first time… for one it will be their first delegation visit. Nueva Guatemala talked about their intention to build a guest house for the delegation. They took the initiative and responsibility for receiving their brothers and sisters in the best way they possibly could… and it will be difficult for them for they are one of our poorest community. However, to see to hope spark in their eyes that they would be receiving a visit was testimony to how important visits are.

With each group we met with, we took the time to listen. How are their crops? Do they have water available? How is the new corn grinder working? How many children are in their church? Having someone to listen, knowing that their lives are important is perhaps the only thing we have to offer but it is priceless.

R and R

The reason I did not write for two months once again was that I was in Minnesota and Atlanta for a month and a half. It was supposed to be some church work and a good bit of rest. Horacio and my parents still are getting to know each other and since I came to Guatemala I have not seen family much and friends even less.

What I did not realize was how much I need an extended time home in the States every so often. Guatemala is home now too but in Minnesota we get to relax… simply by getting off the plane and going through immigration we relax.

Our life here is stressful… I have learned to notice when a car is following us, I can usually pick out gang members, I can distinguish gun shots from firecrackers without a thought, I have learned to not trust police (the very people we are taught from a very young age in the US to trust), I can sleep on a board and walk into a community with my rubber boots and backpack.

Don’t get me wrong, I also love our ministry here in Guatemala. I love it when small children come up to me in front of the gang members for a hug, visiting the sick in their dirt floor homes, teaching Sunday school, preaching, climbing down the steep steps of El Tuerto… these things give me life.

However, every so often our batteries need to be recharged. Friends and family are an excellent way to recharge… to just be Amanda. They knew me before I came here and they will know me when I return.

I did not get to see everyone I wanted to see… we ended up working more than we thought… and also allowed the reality that you cannot see everyone and do everything.

Thank you all for the time that you spend with Horacio and me while we were up in your neck of the globe.

Teaching the thirsty

At the end of January the ILAG held its first National Council Meeting of the year with leaders from the 14 churches and 4 missions of the ILAG in Guatemala City. We have four National Council Meetings and two leadership retreats each year in order to give reports on the ministry of each church but also to offer three days of seminary classes.

The ILAG is still a very young church, with nearly 16 years of existence. In that time one of the strengths of this church has been education. As churches ask to be part of the ILAG, they are included in National Council Meetings and classes. As in the Reformation time, we have found that many Catechists from other denominations that become Lutheran do not know the Creed, Lord’s Prayer or the 10 Commandments.

It is a challenge to teach our leaders because many have only a second or third grade education, Spanish is their second language and some are illiterate. We have the hope of bringing all the leaders to the high school level education one day.

This meeting, I gave a Biblical Studies class. Using laminated pictures of bible stories, I had the leaders work in groups to tell each other the Bible story in each of their pictures. Each then had to present their story to the entire group and share what it means for us. We also used the cards to put the bible stories in order. We had fun and we learned.

The thirst to learn is essential but so are materials that can be used by both literate and illiterate alike. These men and women that we are walking with are already leaders. We work with those who naturally rise up in the communities. That being said they deserve our best and opening up the scriptures as their own is one of my favorite things to be involved in here in Guatemala.

Blissfully dancing

Horacio and I have moved into our new townhouse... we yet to have electricity but candles can be romantic. The trouble is no refrigerator. So we live in a house/ hardware store/ construction site... since we are having our back walls (between us and our neighbors to each side) built right away and the materials cannot be outside so in my kitchen and dinning room we have large metal rods 18 feet long and in my living room are 4 sheets of sheetmetal 12 feet long each-- oh and I cannot forgot 14- 100 lb bags of cement and 380 cement blocks. It is a kind of dance getting around but I do it blissfully.