VBS and Atole con arroz

Today was started a 3-day VBS program at the orphanage that we visited on my first day here. However, it was much different today. I am in a much different place (minus jet-lag, altitude sickness, complete disorientation, and the feeling of being completely overwhelmed). We were also a lot more prepared and organized about this trip to the orphanage.

We spent the first hour singing songs and doing a puppet show talking about how God made us. The theme for these three days is God made you and knows you, God loves you, and God hears you. Then we had a snack, and had a craft and more singing and story time. Afterwards we ate with them in their cafeteria. I am looking forward to the next few days.

These kids are hilarious! They are so affectionate and loving, but they are also pretty rough. They have been through a lot that I have no idea about. I’m am really excited to be part of this group which God is using to show these kids some love. It is an amazing blessing to be used by God as he works in his world and his people. I look forward to God continuing to work on me as he works through me.

I was also excited to try Atole tonight. It is a rice and milk dessert which is delicious! It is like a liquid rice pudding, it was very cinnamony and perfect after a rainy cold day. I’m hoping that this is something that I will be able to recreate upon returning home.

El Zocalo y Teotihuacan

On Thursday Meredith and I went to the Zocalo with Ruth. Ruth is a native Mexican who works with the CUR as a full time counseling staff member. She studied art history and counseling, and seems to have done everything there possibly is to do! (She is very impressive.) Her presence, translating ability, and knowledge made for a fascinating tour of the National Cathedral and the National Palace.

This was my second time at the national cathedral. The first time I was awed by the grandeur. The place is amazing! Gold leaf everywhere, marble pulpits, the largest pipe organ that I have ever seen, and much much more to impress. However, this time I felt a bit less of the touristy aesthetic appreciation, and was a bit overwhelmed by the fact that this best of the building is many people’s place of worship.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is central, there are offering boxes in front of every shrine, and mysticism is a big part of belief and practice. Syncretism is very present in Mexican Catholicism, Christ’s victory in not the center of this religion, instead the Virgin of Guadalupe is the focus. There is a saying that all Mexicans are Guadalupans, even many otherwise secular people, venerate Our Lady the “Queen of Mexico.”

John Paul the II was a very beloved Pope by the Mexican people. He is the pope who recently officially canonized Juan Diego (the peasant in the legend to whom the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared and upon whose cloak the famous image of the virgin miraculously appeared) and he visited Mexico many times. After his death the Cathedral commissioned a statue of him which was made entirely out of keys which residents of Mexico donated.

The statue has the Virgin of Guadalupe as the dominant figure on his cloak, he is holding a staff (right word?) with a small crucifix on the top, and he is wearing a hat with a dove on it representing the Holy Spirit. The placement and proportion of these elements makes clear the focus and emphasis of this church. Instead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; it seems to be the Holy Mother, Son, and Spirit. The visible church of Rome is central in this, and the Pope holds the key (hence the significance of the donated materials) to heaven. It is a beautiful statue, and is interesting because not all of the keys were complexly melted so they are clearly visible in the rear of the statue. But it is revealing about Mexican Catholicism.

The National Palace was my favorite part of the tour because we were able to see Diego Rivera’s amazing murals of Mexican history. With incredible talent and skill he painted and the complex and twisted history which is Mexico.

One mural contains all of Mexican history. It takes you through pre-Hispanic history, the conquest, independence, the French and American Invasion, and Revolutions. Diego Rivera ends this particular mural with his hope for Mexico’s future. This hope stands in stark opposition to that which is offered by the National Cathedral which is right next door! Diego depicts Mexico as a machine, which had been corroded by greed, religion, greedy and corrupted church clergy, Americans, and capitalism. He presents his hope for Mexico in the picture of his two wives Frieda Kahlo and his long-time manager along with education, and nationalism, and the local people. This hope for Mexico is depicted with Marx at the very top of the mural in a deistic position, looking down upon Mexico’s progress.

Rivera correctly saw all the flaws and corruption clearly apparent in the Mexican system, he saw man’s fallenness and brokenness, yet he continued to look to man and a system for a solution.

Both of these essential landmarks and centers of Mexican culture offer hope in very different things. Although ultimately, the hope they offer is shallow and illusory. There is no problem in seeing the state of the world, especially for Mexicans whose history has been a beat-down leading to chronic fatalism; however, the solution of mysticism or man and his systems are sure (and have clearly proven to in the past) to fail.

A lot to see, and much more to think about.

Yesterday’s visit to Teotihuacan was wonderful. The place is amazing. We climbed the Pyramid of the Sun and then continued down the Avenue of the Dead to the Pyramid of the Moon and climbed that too. How amazing to think that we have no idea who built these amazing structures, the Aztecs just found them when they arrived! They continued to build Teotihuacan into a very great city, full of order, progress, trade, and culture, however it was marred by the unbelievable bloodshed of their sacrificial system. Thousands and thousands of people lost their lives to pacify and honor gods on the pyramids that I climbed.

There were over 20 students who came with us on the trip. It was a very wonderful time of fellowship. I am really loving the people that I am meeting. I pray that I would be used in their lives and that they would be used in mine. The hour long trip out to the pyramids, the climbing (or rather the breaks to recover our breath), and lunch were times to have some really good conversations.

I did not plan for this to be this long, sorry about that.

partial Sunday morning update

Good morning! There is nothing too big planed for today. In about half an hour I will head to church and then after church I will be attending a birthday party. The son of the family we live with, the Platas, had his birthday yesterday and so today we are having a fiesta de Gami. There was some serious food prep going on yesterday, so I think it is going to be really enjoyable. (2 different types of mole!)

After that I think Meredith and I are in total agreement on some plans just to take it easy and maybe watch a movie or read. This has been a really full week, really good, but exhausting.

On Wednesday we had English Club and then afterwards we went over to Peter’s apartment and had a Games and Taco night. There were games of Taboo, Apples to Apples, and Nerts going on. It is amazingly impressive to me that all 20 people or so from English Club were able to play Taboo and Apples to Apples in English. Jenga was also an option, but (surprise) no one decided to play. The game night provided a couple hours just to hang out and talk. It was very relaxing and I think provided the opportunity for people to really connect.

Game night also served a duel purpose of celebrating one of the student’s 21 birthday. After a few hours of games we went over to El Jardin (during a torrential downpour) and had tacos alambre and tacos al pastor, then we sang to Jacob (while he wore a ridiculous felt party hat which seems to be part of the CUR/ English Club birthday tradition) and had cake which one of the students, Eva, had made to celebrate his birthday. (delicious- iced with nutella!) Dinner was a really good time, good enough to distract the students from the Spain-Greece soccer match which was playing at the same time, and that is quite a feat!

For now I must go, but I’ll be back to tell you about Thursday (The Zocolo), Friday (crepes), and Saturday (Teotihuacan).

week 3 is well underway

Monday had a whole new sort of feel for me. I have been here three weeks, and I am feeling much more established in my schedule, my responsibilities, my abilities (an inabilities), and the relationships that I have begun are really growing. Exams officially ended on Friday and so, sadly, there are a few students who will be going back home to their families and I probably will not see them again, but there are many more who here for summer and very eager to be involved with English Club.

Yesterday’s English Club was my favorite thus far. We talked about “memory” so it consisted entirely of story-telling about favorite memories from this or that, the most beautiful place ever seen, and even about humor or embarrassing moments. Afterwards we headed to the architecture faculty and had lunch. Lunch lasted for about 2 hours, and there were 10-15 people who stayed the entire time. The two hour mark, did most of us in because the comfort level the cafeteria seating is not condusive such extended conversation. Instead of heading home a few of us headed to Starbucks where comfy couches and delicious cajeta lattés made us feel right at home.

It was really great to have some extended fellowship with new friends and real conversations. Each person I meet is startlingly unique and has so much to teach me. I know that God is bringing each person in to my life purposefully, to work both in my life and in theirs. I am excited to see this continue.

Today was our “day off.” Thought it is only the second day of the week, a little bit of R&R was very welcome. After some debate, we chose to go to our favorite part of the city to tour and relax.

This beautiful part of the city is called San Angel. Just sixty years ago this suburb was an entirely separate village, distinguished from Mexico City by fields. That is no longer the case, and it is now a beautiful, and charming, pretty affluent suburb within walking distance to the university. It is the site of the Bazar Sabado (Saturday Bazaar) which is so much fun, and there is plenty to do there on weekdays as well. We began by grabbing a bite for lunch at this wonderful restaurant which has become our favorite spot in the city. We then walked around the square and window shopped.

We stopped into an “Institute of Culture” which didn’t quite live up to its name. It contains a beautiful fountain made entirely out of Talavera pottery, but otherwise it really only offered some pretty funny policemen on security duty. As we were leaving I though that the police officer was asking Meredith and I if I wanted him to take a picture of the two of us. It was a nice offer so I accepted, however it turns out he was asking us to take a picture with him…? So now I have a photo of Meredith, me, and Mr. Policeman to remember the “Institute of Culture.” That is exactly what I wanted.

After a few more laps around the square, a walk through a beautiful flower market, a tour through a neighborhood, and a small amount of directional-uncertainty, we headed back to our favorite restaurant for the most delicious crepes that I have ever had (blackberry with nutella). I now have added to the list of my life-long goals the ability to make crepes as delicious and that which I tasted today. I am sure if I had that skill I would never be without friends, company, or motivation to head to the gym. However, until I am able to gain those skills and for long as I am here in Mexico City, I will be returning to that blessed establishment…often.

Grace and Peace from the D.F.

loss of a friend

I just found out that my friend and landlord, Dave, died a week ago. He was a wonderful man– always kind and helpful, taking much more than simply a passing interest in my life and wellbeing.

I didn’t know him very well, but we were friends. He was an especially good friend to me last summer when I was living by myself for the first time and was totally stressed out with school. He watched my dog Cocoa for me on occasion and even joined me on a few walks with her. I really enjoyed the few beautiful summer mornings that I joined him for a cup of coffee on his front porch while he read the paper and I read Chaucer for class.

Fall semester started and tons of people rushed back into my life and school, life, and relationships hit me like a freight train. I saw less and less of Dave, though we still talked on occasion, mostly by phone. He was a man who really loved people. He loved his work, and he was good at it. He loved his family and talked about them often, especially his son and grandchildren. He is an example and a blessing to me.

Dave was someone who was literally right next door who cared for me and who I cared for. I don’t think that I was there for him the way I should have been during the school year, mostly for very selfish and inadequate reasons. However, his care meant a lot to me, and I know that had I been there for him in the fall and spring the way that he had for me that it would have been very meaningful to him.

Dave wasn’t a Christian. I don’t really know what to say besides, that really sucks. I think that is all that I can say.

I pray that God will bless Dave’s family, and use this event to work in their lives.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

naps atop Cuicuilco

Well, capture the flag went wonderfully. It was pretty exhausting and I got very muddy a little scratched up but it was great. There were about 20 of us total which means that 15 or so students were willing to get up and meet at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. Impressive! The yellow team (my team) dominated the first game. After that we played a game of sardines, which was hilariously miserable. We were all lying on the wet ground, and I happened to sit in the middle of a spider neighborhood. The last girl to find us took a very long time because she got hungry in the middle of the game and decided to sit and have her lunch. It wasn’t until she heard us making a ruckus that she deci

ded that she would put us out of our misery.

After another game of capture the flag (which ended in a draw) we had lunch. I am amazed with how willing Mexicans are to share. A bag of Cheetos, a big box of WINIS, some sugar cookies, and come pan dolce were offered by students to the entire group. There is wonderful community in this group that met in English Club and I am blessed to be a part of it.

After lunch we went to see Cuicuilco. Cuicuilco is the archeological sight of Latin America’s only circular pyramid. It was beautiful, and the sight of the city from the top was one of the best that I have seen so far. Cuicuilco was buried by an eruption of Xitle around 100 A.D. when it had a population estimated to be around 20,000. We were all so tired from a morning of Captura la Bandera that we ended up just laying on top of the pyramid enjoying the sunshine and the view.

Saturday Plans

In the morning we are playing Capturar la Bandera with English Club. Capture the flag is defiantly an obvious gringo import, but it seems to have gone over well so far. It will be exhausting but great. Hopefully the weather will stay nice for us.  After the war game, I am planning on getting a delicious torta and spending some time with a good book. I think it will be great.

La Ley de Herodes

As of tomorrow, Meredith and I will have been here for 3 whole weeks.
Half of our time here! It has flown by!

On Wednesday, Meredith and I had our study program and then we went to English club. After English Club a number of people from the group went to go eat in the Architecture cafeteria where I decided that I do not really care for guayaba seeds. U love the fruit, but the seeds are just too much for me. You know, in case you were interested.

After lunch about 10 of us went back to Peter’s apartment to hang out and watch a movie. We watched a movie called “La Ley de Herodes” or “Herod’s Law.” It is a pretty hilarious parody on Mexican politics specifically targeting the long-ruling party PRI. In the movie, after the corrupt former Mayor is killed by the peasants, former dump worker Juan Vargas is appointed the new Mayor of a desert town in central Mexico by the PRI hierarchy. He comes trying to “modernity, peace, and progress” to the town, though what that exactly looks like, he has no idea. Unsurprisingly, it becomes clear to him that there is nothing to be done to fight the corruption… except to become corrupt. Slowly he is transformed, helped by his pistol, he himself become the law and the worst Mayor in the town’s history. When things finally catch up to him, he is forced to climb up the one telephone pole that he has installed in the town to get away form his angry “constituents.” He is saved by chance and then only continues to advances in the PRI hierarchy.

After the movie we had a very interesting conversation. The movie is best described as fatalistic and pessimistic, and our conversation was led by this to talking about men’s hearts. Popcorn, lemonade, and the depravity of man… who would have guessed?

Why is it that everyone can see injustice, revolutions start with such noble and right ideals yet when it comes to implementation everything goes to pot? Some thought it is the power that corrupts, others wanted to point to something inside of man himself.

What was consistent throughout our talk was the desire for a solution. There where a number of “If I were…”’s and the solutions offered ranged from healthcare to education. We never came to any conclusion as was to be expected. It is clear from Mexican political history and all history in general that there is no solution that any political party can promise and implement.

We are always looking for these solutions. There are a number of students that I have met that view their education as that solution in which they place their hope. For example, a couple of the women in English Club are returning to get their degrees after failed marriages. Their degrees are signs of a new beginning; they are a mark of independence and a sign of their determination to “make it.”

We are always looking for saviors, many times we foolishly believe that we can be our own savior, but this hope is illusory and fragile. It results either in self deception or apathy and depression.

Being able to speak with Mexicans about a government that they know is full of holes, fragmented, and what their reaction is to this parody is was an incredible opportunity. Many criticisms were offered against government and history, but only a few solutions could be offered, and those offered were admitted to be just a grasp at the wind.

The comfort I have in the safety of the United States political system has protected me from seeing the reality that a political history such as Mexico’s makes so clear.

God comforted Samuel when Israel wanted a king, saying that the people had not rejected Samuel but God himself. The people had put their faith in what they perceived and hoped that a king could offer, rather than what the King of the Universe had proven himself more than capable and ever so willing to offer and provide.

We are continually doing the same thing, snubbing God and his clearly manifested attributes in favor of myths and the desires of our hearts. This truth was clearly stated in our discussion after the movie, the problems are clear; it is the solutions that many students are still struggling with.

popcorn, Vargas, and a book recommendation

This morning was another interesting morning on the public transport. I have never been so close to so many people in such a small space. It is pretty funny now but I cannot imagine having that as my daily routine. I couldn’t handle the transport system for much more than a summer, let alone my entire working career!

Today will be a full day. In just a few minutes we will be going over the Romans study that we are working through this summer. Today’s passage was 5:1-11 which tells us what justification by grace through faith brings. It tells us of our confidence, our peace with God, our free access to grace, our hope of glory, and the joy that we can have in daily life even when that life involves suffering.

If I understand that Christ died for me while I was a meritless sinner, when I was God’s enemy, how much more then will he keep me now that I am justified by his blood and can be called a friend of God! God has poured his love out on me, and he died for me! If I understand this and see suffering through this perspective my troubles can only serve to increase my knowledge of the rest that I have in Christ.

As I think this through, I am more and more aware of how small and subjective my understanding of suffering is. I have no idea what entrenched, unavoidable, and violent corruption and suffering looks like, which is something that many people around the world experience on a daily basis. My morning transport problems are nothing compared to many people’s lives.

After going through Romans we will be talking about The Heart of Evangelism by Jerram Barrs. I like the book a lot. It is making me think a lot about my concept of “Evangelism” and what it means to live daily as a Christian, how I love people, and what my friendships really mean.

I highly recommend it if you are looking for some good summer reading.

This afternoon is English Club. Now that I am getting to know people a lot better I am enjoying it in a whole new way. After English Club we are planning on spending the evening hanging out. We are either going to watch a movie back at Peter’s apartment or go to the movie theater. Wednesday is cheap movie day, but even so, 25 pesos is a lot for many students so we may be staying in. Either way, there will be popcorn and fellowship. It will be a goodnight.

Yesterday I saw the museum of Modern Art, I got to see a huge collection of the work of Remedios Vargas. Her stuff is amazing! I am hoping to go back before I leave so I can see them again.

Quick holla.

It is a beautiful day here. The pollution is not too thick, a slight breeze, but the sun is not too hot.

Today we have small group, and then English Club. After English Club we always end up hanging out for a few hours, especially on Friday. (last week it was volleyball, maybe we’ll have a rematch this week)  It is amazing the community that has been built in this group. I am excited to become a bigger part of it and to get to know the students better. Beginning next week there will be more English Club meetings, 3 a week, and a couple of “cultural outings” a week. It will be a great time just to relax and for the students to spend the summer in fellowship. I am really pumped about starting to get to know the students better and about some of the conversations that we have been starting.

Tonight we are going dancing! This will probably be hilarious for everyone around me, but I’m looking forward to it. Saturday morning we will be heading back to one of our favorite markets which is a wonderful taste of Mexican culture, life, and arts.

Our study program of Romans has just taken us through the third chapter so we are also full to the brim with things to think about and wrestle with. It’s challenging, but I trust it will be fruitful.

It’s a good day here in Mexico City.