Please pray for peace, perspective and I don't know what else...

Lately we have had to deal with a lot of Americans with a Savior complex. They want to come down and help the poor Guatemalans-- bringing stuff, but not willing to be in relationship. They want to come down and see the gratitude towards themselves on the people's faces. Some come to take pictures using their cameras as a barrier of protection-- as if they were at the zoo (or on safari) and observing the species in its natural habitat. Really while they want to sing the praises of themselves, show their benevolence, their good-- they are breaking the first commandment but they are also trying to pay for their own guilt, by being able to prove their goodness and ability to create a better life.

Few are able to trully be in relationship-- creature to creature, as brothers and sisters in Christ.. to arrive there things need to change, ways of being need to end. Humility needs to be gifted. This is true for the guatemalan half of the relationship as well who wants to make gods out of the visitors (and of us... we arrive and all their prayers are answered... then when we preach Christ the reaction is anger).

Visitors want to be received with joy upon their return visits, showering gifts on the community.

What they don't understand is that by giving through the church not individually and getting to know the members of the community (building up the body) they will still be received graciously upon return for who they are not for who they pretend to be and this way (working through the church) they will not leave problems and broken communities in the wake of their generosity.

So meanwhile we are in the middle... witness to the violence done to the people in the name of God and being called to witness those who cause the pain as well. We are tired.