It seems that nearly every day we get whistled at on our way to lunch at Santa Cruz. Now, this is something that doesn’t happen much in the UK so I can only assume that the Mexican people are stunned that an Adonis with my ruggedly good looks, incredibly chiselled features and sculpted abs could simultaneously be so white. Cue whistle.
However, I feel that it’s something of a coincidence because it only happens when I’m walking with Liz and that it’s only the men who whistle [on behalf of the women?]. Apparently I should ‘dream on’. I’m wondering what might happen if I turn around and thank them…
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Newsletter 4: Hornos, illness and breaking stuff
Well hi everyone,
I remain alive and well in the now more English climes of Mexico. To get the obligatory weather report out of the way, it's cloudy, wet underfoot and a bit nippy on the old toes. I'm considering some sock-and-sandal action but I apparently that's still "such a fashion fopah" (I think that phrase works best when said in a Heather Lindsay-like Irish accent). Unlike the weather, things are going well and, if I can work out how, I should be able to post some photos of what I've been up to on the old blog ( http://mexicanchris.blogspot.com/).
First up, I am pleased to announce that I think I have solved my visa problems. And this means I will be back in the UK from the 15th Nov to 3rd Dec. I'm tying my trip in with Saul and Pilar's planned tour to celebrate 20 years of Armonía so it's likely that I'll get a chance to catch up with some of you although I'm busy all the weekends with church visits.
In our preparation for the trip back, we've been producing a PowerPoint presenting the recent story of the Hornos Community, it's an interesting work which came to a head over the summer. Armonía has been working with a community called Jalalpa for many years now and through them, came into contact with Hornos. These people are the poorest of the poor and lived on precarious steep slopes and sand cliffs above disused mining works in the lower part of the Jalalpa Ravine. The photos, which some of you will see in November, show houses literally built from whatever they can find (mainly cardboard) and almost piled on top of each other because of the gradient. In July a mudslide prompted the authorities to evacuate them and the people were given 30 minutes to move. Armonía mobilised food, clothes and blankets and started community consultation to work out how further to support them. They have now been moved from the sports centres where they were kept to hastily constructed chipboard homes. I say 'homes' but each family has just one room and for 2 more weeks the building fabric was so flammable that they were not allowed to cook inside. Over the summer, teams from the States took part in a carpentry project to build new tables and benches to give to the families. At the service of thanksgiving when they were handed over, over 30 people became Christians; the result of many years labour, love and witnessing for the gospel. Please do be praying for the new faith of these people and that, in partnership with Armonía, their poverty (in all forms) might be transformed into abundant life. A new bible study group is starting in a few weeks for them.
However, off the back of such excellent progress over the summer, it seems like the ministry is currently taking a battering. Josías has now come out of hospital (after a month inside) although he has to recover from his still unknown illness in isolation at Alheli. As a result, we (the volunteers) have moved to Casablanca, the Armonía hotel, as a result so we don't get infected or pass anything onto him. Yet, no sooner had he come out than Pilar Cruz was admitted with a suspected serious allergic reaction. She has been in Intensive Care for almost two weeks now and there remains some uncertainty over what exactly she has caught although they think she's not contagious. All this has meant that Saul hasn't been at work for 2 weeks and most activities dependent on him have ground to a halt. After such a positive summer, it really does seem like Armonía is under attack (I say this with some caution) – please be praying for our health as a team and that we can resume the activities soon. It's been difficult but we want to trust that God's way is best and he will work all things for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28). Nothing is outside of his control. One thing that has been affected badly is planning for the UK trip. It's three weeks away and very little has been set in stone. Maybe it's Mexican planning but I'm getting a little nervous because lots of people are emailing me asking for information and I don't know! :s
For me personally, things have continued to chug along nicely. I spent most of last week trying to teach some kids the numbers 11-20. I think they are getting it but it's slow work. Thankfully, I'm on English 2 this week so we'll be doing descriptions of people. Fun. :) My relationships with my friends from across the pond have settled down. Thanks for those of you who prayed and sent thoughts. I guess we get each other better now but we still have to be sensitive. Those of you hoping for a transformed sense of humour (from poverty to life?!?) when I return might be disappointed, I'm afraid to say. As a result, I seem to have sub-consciously moved onto trying to break other things and as a result I'm getting good at fixing stuff. I completely ruined their internet connection whilst trying to get my laptop to connect wirelessly. It's sorted now. [what a geek]. Last week I managed to delete all the contacts from the Armonía database. Thankfully I had the information from which to back everything up (although there was one heart-in-mouth moment!). I've also busted the door handle to our bedroom and I'm currently looking for something new to break. I can already hear Dad's response: "you're not at Scout camp anymore"!
There's a few more tales to tell (including eating pigskin in a vomit-tasting sauce) but I'll leave that to the blog. Well done for getting this far. Thank you to everyone who has been sending emails and thoughts etc. I'm sorry if I haven't had time to answer them all but now I've got wireless internet :) my response rate should improve.
With love and prayers,
God bless,
Chris
I remain alive and well in the now more English climes of Mexico. To get the obligatory weather report out of the way, it's cloudy, wet underfoot and a bit nippy on the old toes. I'm considering some sock-and-sandal action but I apparently that's still "such a fashion fopah" (I think that phrase works best when said in a Heather Lindsay-like Irish accent). Unlike the weather, things are going well and, if I can work out how, I should be able to post some photos of what I've been up to on the old blog ( http://mexicanchris.blogspot.com/).
First up, I am pleased to announce that I think I have solved my visa problems. And this means I will be back in the UK from the 15th Nov to 3rd Dec. I'm tying my trip in with Saul and Pilar's planned tour to celebrate 20 years of Armonía so it's likely that I'll get a chance to catch up with some of you although I'm busy all the weekends with church visits.
In our preparation for the trip back, we've been producing a PowerPoint presenting the recent story of the Hornos Community, it's an interesting work which came to a head over the summer. Armonía has been working with a community called Jalalpa for many years now and through them, came into contact with Hornos. These people are the poorest of the poor and lived on precarious steep slopes and sand cliffs above disused mining works in the lower part of the Jalalpa Ravine. The photos, which some of you will see in November, show houses literally built from whatever they can find (mainly cardboard) and almost piled on top of each other because of the gradient. In July a mudslide prompted the authorities to evacuate them and the people were given 30 minutes to move. Armonía mobilised food, clothes and blankets and started community consultation to work out how further to support them. They have now been moved from the sports centres where they were kept to hastily constructed chipboard homes. I say 'homes' but each family has just one room and for 2 more weeks the building fabric was so flammable that they were not allowed to cook inside. Over the summer, teams from the States took part in a carpentry project to build new tables and benches to give to the families. At the service of thanksgiving when they were handed over, over 30 people became Christians; the result of many years labour, love and witnessing for the gospel. Please do be praying for the new faith of these people and that, in partnership with Armonía, their poverty (in all forms) might be transformed into abundant life. A new bible study group is starting in a few weeks for them.
However, off the back of such excellent progress over the summer, it seems like the ministry is currently taking a battering. Josías has now come out of hospital (after a month inside) although he has to recover from his still unknown illness in isolation at Alheli. As a result, we (the volunteers) have moved to Casablanca, the Armonía hotel, as a result so we don't get infected or pass anything onto him. Yet, no sooner had he come out than Pilar Cruz was admitted with a suspected serious allergic reaction. She has been in Intensive Care for almost two weeks now and there remains some uncertainty over what exactly she has caught although they think she's not contagious. All this has meant that Saul hasn't been at work for 2 weeks and most activities dependent on him have ground to a halt. After such a positive summer, it really does seem like Armonía is under attack (I say this with some caution) – please be praying for our health as a team and that we can resume the activities soon. It's been difficult but we want to trust that God's way is best and he will work all things for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28). Nothing is outside of his control. One thing that has been affected badly is planning for the UK trip. It's three weeks away and very little has been set in stone. Maybe it's Mexican planning but I'm getting a little nervous because lots of people are emailing me asking for information and I don't know! :s
For me personally, things have continued to chug along nicely. I spent most of last week trying to teach some kids the numbers 11-20. I think they are getting it but it's slow work. Thankfully, I'm on English 2 this week so we'll be doing descriptions of people. Fun. :) My relationships with my friends from across the pond have settled down. Thanks for those of you who prayed and sent thoughts. I guess we get each other better now but we still have to be sensitive. Those of you hoping for a transformed sense of humour (from poverty to life?!?) when I return might be disappointed, I'm afraid to say. As a result, I seem to have sub-consciously moved onto trying to break other things and as a result I'm getting good at fixing stuff. I completely ruined their internet connection whilst trying to get my laptop to connect wirelessly. It's sorted now. [what a geek]. Last week I managed to delete all the contacts from the Armonía database. Thankfully I had the information from which to back everything up (although there was one heart-in-mouth moment!). I've also busted the door handle to our bedroom and I'm currently looking for something new to break. I can already hear Dad's response: "you're not at Scout camp anymore"!
There's a few more tales to tell (including eating pigskin in a vomit-tasting sauce) but I'll leave that to the blog. Well done for getting this far. Thank you to everyone who has been sending emails and thoughts etc. I'm sorry if I haven't had time to answer them all but now I've got wireless internet :) my response rate should improve.
With love and prayers,
God bless,
Chris
Friday, 19 October 2007
Ahorita
One thing I really like about the culture here is that at any point, you can interrupt someone, say the word “ahorita” (accompanied by showing them a pinched finger and thumb) and walk away without saying anything else. However, if someone says it to you, it means that the task you want doing could be done any time over the next 3-4 hours! “In a little while” really is a flexible word here.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Josías
Josías is home! Praise God. It's been a full month that he's been in the hospital and at last the kind Armonía staff can relax a bit from their 24-hour rota of care (Mexican hospitals do not employ many staff at nights or the weekend and so relatives or friends of the sick person have to be on hand to buy or administer medicine).
We arrived back to find him cooking for his Dad and Nico. He looks thin and after such a boring time locked away was slightly overwhelmed by all the people. But several moments last night, a wide grin moved across his face in response to the mad Esp-ingles lesson taking place. At last, Alheli was full: Nico, Joaquín, Josías, Mr Josías, Todd, Liz and myself.
Please pray for his full recovery and for Pilar. No sooner has one Armonía person come out of hospital than another is in. Again, the doctors don't know what's up with her. First it was a headache, then suspected severe allergic reaction to dust in the house, then the medicine damaged her oesophagus but now they don't know again. I'm praying hard that I won't get ill here because the medical care seems a bit hit and miss. :s
We arrived back to find him cooking for his Dad and Nico. He looks thin and after such a boring time locked away was slightly overwhelmed by all the people. But several moments last night, a wide grin moved across his face in response to the mad Esp-ingles lesson taking place. At last, Alheli was full: Nico, Joaquín, Josías, Mr Josías, Todd, Liz and myself.
Please pray for his full recovery and for Pilar. No sooner has one Armonía person come out of hospital than another is in. Again, the doctors don't know what's up with her. First it was a headache, then suspected severe allergic reaction to dust in the house, then the medicine damaged her oesophagus but now they don't know again. I'm praying hard that I won't get ill here because the medical care seems a bit hit and miss. :s
Sunday, 14 October 2007
What was that? You know I don’t speak Spanish Baxter:
Speaking Spanish is difficult. My speaking of Spanish is compounded by 4 things.
1) When I did my one year of Spanish at school, my teacher was French.
2) I learnt Spanish Spanish 5 years ago, not Mexican Spanish.
3) My weird ability in English to think one thing and say a totally different word seems to be manifesting itself here. It results in some interesting sentences.
4) Mexicans speak really quickly and slur their words together. Sometimes I have no idea what they’re saying.
As a result, my apologetic vocabulary is broadening rapidly. I now have a million ways of saying – ‘I haven’t got the foggiest idea what you’re saying’. I’m also getting good at interpreting body language and pretending to understand what they’re saying. I then ask Todd what they were saying. It’s amusing when he doesn’t know either!
If I have the unfortunate pleasure of having to communicate back, at the moment, I employ my own brand of ‘Esp-inglés’. That is, if I don’t know a word I think what it might sounds like when pronounced in Spanish and go for it. You’d be surprised just how many words you can guess that way.
1) When I did my one year of Spanish at school, my teacher was French.
2) I learnt Spanish Spanish 5 years ago, not Mexican Spanish.
3) My weird ability in English to think one thing and say a totally different word seems to be manifesting itself here. It results in some interesting sentences.
4) Mexicans speak really quickly and slur their words together. Sometimes I have no idea what they’re saying.
As a result, my apologetic vocabulary is broadening rapidly. I now have a million ways of saying – ‘I haven’t got the foggiest idea what you’re saying’. I’m also getting good at interpreting body language and pretending to understand what they’re saying. I then ask Todd what they were saying. It’s amusing when he doesn’t know either!
If I have the unfortunate pleasure of having to communicate back, at the moment, I employ my own brand of ‘Esp-inglés’. That is, if I don’t know a word I think what it might sounds like when pronounced in Spanish and go for it. You’d be surprised just how many words you can guess that way.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Latest update on Josias
Background Info: Josias is one of three students on scholarship to the university of Mexico City. He is from Oaxaca (South Mex) and is, I think, the first person from his village to ever get beyond basic secondary eduction. He was admitted vomiting blood the day after I arrived.
>>>>>>>
Dear friends,
It is with joy that I write to inform you that Josias is due to leave the hospital tomorrow. However, he will need to be under a very strict treatment regime as an out-patient for seven months. A clinic near Casablanca will be in charge of the treatment because the doctors want the lesion in his left lung to close up completely. Josias is very happy with this news and has decided to submit himself to the treatment although it saddens him that he won’t be able to attend classes at his university for a while. Doctors advise that he should not go over the next 4 to 5 weeks because he remains too weak.
We praise the Lord for the outcome of his medical care and thank you for all your prayers. We ask you to consider helping us with the medical expenses because we will need to contribute in buying some of the medicines. I spent the morning at the hospital talking to the social worker and nurse who are in charge of a government subsidy programme and they have been convinced that Josias’ parents cannot afford to pay. Armonía is a civic association and has not budgeted for this outlay so the hospital will cover the important and expensive medicines. We still need to finalise the details between the clinic and the hospital, and it is probable that we will have to provide blood donations as a type of payback for the services provided. But if everything goes smoothly, we can bring him home tomorrow under this new arrangement. If not, we will have to wait until Monday.
You will also be pleased to hear that Pilar is improving slowly having fallen ill last Sunday. Her stomach was seriously hurt by the medicine prescribed; we had to return to the doctor for more tests and to change the antibiotics and painkillers. Thank God that they’re now working and that she slept better last night. This morning, she was able to have some food which indicates that her stomach is mending. Her fever is lower and I thank everybody for your prayers for her health.
I ask also that you pray about Armonía’s resources because the last month has been a difficult time with many unexpected expenses for doctors and medicines. We hope we can recover soon whilst continuing to support our other projects around Mexico. An update on the summer’s activities is coming and we remain thankful in the Lord for the creation of the new Armonía blog, a new administrator in the UK, your prayers, your phone calls and your love.
With love and blessings in Christ.
Saul Cruz
>>>>>>>
Dear friends,
It is with joy that I write to inform you that Josias is due to leave the hospital tomorrow. However, he will need to be under a very strict treatment regime as an out-patient for seven months. A clinic near Casablanca will be in charge of the treatment because the doctors want the lesion in his left lung to close up completely. Josias is very happy with this news and has decided to submit himself to the treatment although it saddens him that he won’t be able to attend classes at his university for a while. Doctors advise that he should not go over the next 4 to 5 weeks because he remains too weak.
We praise the Lord for the outcome of his medical care and thank you for all your prayers. We ask you to consider helping us with the medical expenses because we will need to contribute in buying some of the medicines. I spent the morning at the hospital talking to the social worker and nurse who are in charge of a government subsidy programme and they have been convinced that Josias’ parents cannot afford to pay. Armonía is a civic association and has not budgeted for this outlay so the hospital will cover the important and expensive medicines. We still need to finalise the details between the clinic and the hospital, and it is probable that we will have to provide blood donations as a type of payback for the services provided. But if everything goes smoothly, we can bring him home tomorrow under this new arrangement. If not, we will have to wait until Monday.
You will also be pleased to hear that Pilar is improving slowly having fallen ill last Sunday. Her stomach was seriously hurt by the medicine prescribed; we had to return to the doctor for more tests and to change the antibiotics and painkillers. Thank God that they’re now working and that she slept better last night. This morning, she was able to have some food which indicates that her stomach is mending. Her fever is lower and I thank everybody for your prayers for her health.
I ask also that you pray about Armonía’s resources because the last month has been a difficult time with many unexpected expenses for doctors and medicines. We hope we can recover soon whilst continuing to support our other projects around Mexico. An update on the summer’s activities is coming and we remain thankful in the Lord for the creation of the new Armonía blog, a new administrator in the UK, your prayers, your phone calls and your love.
With love and blessings in Christ.
Saul Cruz
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
The crazy bus in the crazy world
The other day we went to a new shopping plaza in Tecámac. Unlike such places in the UK which are finished before they are opened, this was still being built and we had to negotiate builders, reinforced concrete pillars and ladders but we finally made it to … wait for it… Wal-mart. It felt horrible to enter such a mecca to Mammon surrounded by such poor shanty towns. Nico accompanied us and looked quite shell-shocked. Maybe it will be economically beneficial to the area, growth pole-style, but part of me thinks it won’t benefit those who need it. It seemed crazy to have my first Wal-mart experience in Mexico.
My spirit was lifted by the trip home. We caught this run-down old bus with no dashboard manned by a 15 year old driver and his 20 year old brother. Both smoked enthusiastically as we careered around the streets of Ojo de Agua. You just have to love this country. Mum, you may have to pray a bit harder for my safety if we take more public transport!
My spirit was lifted by the trip home. We caught this run-down old bus with no dashboard manned by a 15 year old driver and his 20 year old brother. Both smoked enthusiastically as we careered around the streets of Ojo de Agua. You just have to love this country. Mum, you may have to pray a bit harder for my safety if we take more public transport!
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
The United States of Everywhere
Many of you will be aware that I have had problems with my visa. Paradoxically, not my visa for Mexico but my visa for the USA. As a UK citizen, I can enter the USA for 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) but there are certain rules I have to fulfil and I now know the regs inside-out. I have to have a machine readable passport (tick), be travelling for business, pleasure or transit (tick), be in the possession of a completed IW-94 (tick), not stay inside the US for more than 90 days (uh oh) and, if my ticket is onward and terminates in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or any Caribbean Island, I must be a permanent resident of these countries (hmmm). It is unknown exactly how US immigration define their interpretation of the rules, but basically my current plans mean that I will overstay my welcome (despite only being inside the USA proper for a total of 5 hours between September and January) and will probably never be able to enter the USA on the VWP again. A bit inconvenient really.
More surprising is that my Cambridge Geography degree failed to inform me of the existence of this huge new country – the United States of Everywhere (USA, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean Island). Next time I fly here, I’m going via Spain. In the meantime, i'm probably coming home sometime this term to clear this up.
More surprising is that my Cambridge Geography degree failed to inform me of the existence of this huge new country – the United States of Everywhere (USA, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean Island). Next time I fly here, I’m going via Spain. In the meantime, i'm probably coming home sometime this term to clear this up.
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Newsletter 3: What am I doing here?
Hola Amigos,
Firstly, I must apologise to those who did not receive my last message. As a male of the species, I'm going to do the only thing I can and blame the tool rather than the workman. Something was up with Gmail… I don't know what. Hopefully this one will be more successful (or else this apology will be somewhat redundant!).
So, it's been 3 weeks since I arrived and I'm glad to report that I'm really enjoying being here. Since I last wrote, we volunteers have met with Saul a few times to discuss what he's trying to achieve with Armonía (best summed up by 'walking alongside the poor with the gospel') and how we fit into this. Our involvement has manifested itself in two main ways so far (hopefully these can give you an insight into what Armonía does and what I've been up to).
1) Doing small tasks for the community centre and Armonía in general. We've transcribed prayer update emails from Saul, organised the mass of books and CDs in the Armonía office and helped with whatever's going on at the Santa Cruz Community Centre. For instance, on Wednesday we cleared out the 'Bodega of doom' (bodega = cupboard) – a massive room full of 20 years of Armonía stuff. It was a bit like an archaeological dig! Amongst other things we found 7 sewing machines, 2 slide projectors, files and files of paperwork on kids who have attended community centre projects (including copies of their birth certificates) and a 70cm (24 inch) machete! I'm also teaching a basic English class although sometimes I think that I learn more Spanish than my students learn English!
2) Assisting Saul with the strategic efficiency of Armonía. Currently Armonía is very dependent on the income generated by visiting mission teams staying at the Armonía 'hotel' (Casablanca). The demand for contact with Saul and the need to be looked after leaves all the Armonía staff exhausted by the end of the summer (this year they received 13 groups). Unfortunately, contact is often lost with those who come here. One of my tasks for the next few months is to reassemble the Armonía contacts database and start to improve the flow of information out of Mexico, primarily to the US and the UK. It is hoped that this will raise Armonía's profile, increasing the flow of resources in and allow Saul to be more flexible in rejecting or accepting foreign groups.
It has been nice to develop a routine over the last 3 weeks. I usually find myself in the office in the mornings, then walking over to Santa Cruz for lunch (tortillas + beans + rice + some sort of fruit) and to assist with a homework club they're running every afternoon. It's great that we're being kept doing useful things and I really feel like I am contributing to this ministry. For the first week or so it was frustrating to spend lots of time sitting around because the illness of one of the Armonía students threw the usual arrangements into disarray – I would have preferred to throw myself into whatever was going on. However, by God's grace it gave me a chance to adjust to the pace of life here, start to get to know my housemates and spending time reading and thinking. Josias is now getting better too which is an answer to prayer.
Personally, things have been a bit more difficult. It's been quite an eye-opener to have to operate in this culture. Crossing boundaries is a old funny process made more difficult when a foreign language (that I studied for a year 5 years ago) is involved. It's frustrating not to be able to communicate properly and, even though I can see that I am learning, I really want to be able to talk to anyone I meet. (Plus, how can I make puns when I don't know the language?!). I am grateful that the staff members now speak slower and clearer when they give me instructions and I'm starting to develop relationships there. :) God has been very gracious in providing me with a good friend in Nico, one of the students on the Armonía scholarship to the local university. Spanish is his second language so I understand him much better - we've really clicked and it's great to hang out with him.
However, I have found my relationship with my co-volunteers harder to develop. Although we all speak English, many colloquialisms and even words are different and cause confusion. We have found that our intonation and humour is different – what is funny in, say, British humour is taken as offensive to the Americans; similarly I often find it difficult to distinguish between normal calm American expression and frustration. I guess it's a good thing that I'm discovering this with Liz and Todd rather than the local people but it doesn't make it any easier. I really need the humility to think others better than myself and to let things slide when I'm not sure. I can also see that I'm going to have to learn cultural sensitivity and spot my errors before I commit them (not necessarily one of my fortes).
But although this gives a slightly downbeat tone to this letter, I am alive and well. I am sure that this is where God wants me this year and I relish the challenge of cultural learnings. I am happy in my work and God has blessed me already in many ways. There is much that I do not yet know about taking the whole gospel to the poor but I want to learn.
Thank you for your continuing thoughts and prayers.
Love Chris
P.S: Although something in me hates this concept, I've started a blog. Urgh – even the word makes me shudder deep inside. However, I think it'll give a place to record amusing moments or observations about things that happen here. For those of you who want to stay more informed about my time here, you can keep up-to-date by reading it; for those of you content with my occasional newsletter, hopefully it'll reduce their length. Plus on my side I won't get so confused about what I've told to whom. :) http://mexicanchris.blogspot.com/
Firstly, I must apologise to those who did not receive my last message. As a male of the species, I'm going to do the only thing I can and blame the tool rather than the workman. Something was up with Gmail… I don't know what. Hopefully this one will be more successful (or else this apology will be somewhat redundant!).
So, it's been 3 weeks since I arrived and I'm glad to report that I'm really enjoying being here. Since I last wrote, we volunteers have met with Saul a few times to discuss what he's trying to achieve with Armonía (best summed up by 'walking alongside the poor with the gospel') and how we fit into this. Our involvement has manifested itself in two main ways so far (hopefully these can give you an insight into what Armonía does and what I've been up to).
1) Doing small tasks for the community centre and Armonía in general. We've transcribed prayer update emails from Saul, organised the mass of books and CDs in the Armonía office and helped with whatever's going on at the Santa Cruz Community Centre. For instance, on Wednesday we cleared out the 'Bodega of doom' (bodega = cupboard) – a massive room full of 20 years of Armonía stuff. It was a bit like an archaeological dig! Amongst other things we found 7 sewing machines, 2 slide projectors, files and files of paperwork on kids who have attended community centre projects (including copies of their birth certificates) and a 70cm (24 inch) machete! I'm also teaching a basic English class although sometimes I think that I learn more Spanish than my students learn English!
2) Assisting Saul with the strategic efficiency of Armonía. Currently Armonía is very dependent on the income generated by visiting mission teams staying at the Armonía 'hotel' (Casablanca). The demand for contact with Saul and the need to be looked after leaves all the Armonía staff exhausted by the end of the summer (this year they received 13 groups). Unfortunately, contact is often lost with those who come here. One of my tasks for the next few months is to reassemble the Armonía contacts database and start to improve the flow of information out of Mexico, primarily to the US and the UK. It is hoped that this will raise Armonía's profile, increasing the flow of resources in and allow Saul to be more flexible in rejecting or accepting foreign groups.
It has been nice to develop a routine over the last 3 weeks. I usually find myself in the office in the mornings, then walking over to Santa Cruz for lunch (tortillas + beans + rice + some sort of fruit) and to assist with a homework club they're running every afternoon. It's great that we're being kept doing useful things and I really feel like I am contributing to this ministry. For the first week or so it was frustrating to spend lots of time sitting around because the illness of one of the Armonía students threw the usual arrangements into disarray – I would have preferred to throw myself into whatever was going on. However, by God's grace it gave me a chance to adjust to the pace of life here, start to get to know my housemates and spending time reading and thinking. Josias is now getting better too which is an answer to prayer.
Personally, things have been a bit more difficult. It's been quite an eye-opener to have to operate in this culture. Crossing boundaries is a old funny process made more difficult when a foreign language (that I studied for a year 5 years ago) is involved. It's frustrating not to be able to communicate properly and, even though I can see that I am learning, I really want to be able to talk to anyone I meet. (Plus, how can I make puns when I don't know the language?!). I am grateful that the staff members now speak slower and clearer when they give me instructions and I'm starting to develop relationships there. :) God has been very gracious in providing me with a good friend in Nico, one of the students on the Armonía scholarship to the local university. Spanish is his second language so I understand him much better - we've really clicked and it's great to hang out with him.
However, I have found my relationship with my co-volunteers harder to develop. Although we all speak English, many colloquialisms and even words are different and cause confusion. We have found that our intonation and humour is different – what is funny in, say, British humour is taken as offensive to the Americans; similarly I often find it difficult to distinguish between normal calm American expression and frustration. I guess it's a good thing that I'm discovering this with Liz and Todd rather than the local people but it doesn't make it any easier. I really need the humility to think others better than myself and to let things slide when I'm not sure. I can also see that I'm going to have to learn cultural sensitivity and spot my errors before I commit them (not necessarily one of my fortes).
But although this gives a slightly downbeat tone to this letter, I am alive and well. I am sure that this is where God wants me this year and I relish the challenge of cultural learnings. I am happy in my work and God has blessed me already in many ways. There is much that I do not yet know about taking the whole gospel to the poor but I want to learn.
Thank you for your continuing thoughts and prayers.
Love Chris
P.S: Although something in me hates this concept, I've started a blog. Urgh – even the word makes me shudder deep inside. However, I think it'll give a place to record amusing moments or observations about things that happen here. For those of you who want to stay more informed about my time here, you can keep up-to-date by reading it; for those of you content with my occasional newsletter, hopefully it'll reduce their length. Plus on my side I won't get so confused about what I've told to whom. :) http://mexicanchris.blogspot.com/
And now I have a blog...
So this is my new blog. Something in me hates the idea; even the word makes me shudder. However, this will give me a place to record amusing moments or observations whilst I'm in Mexico. All being well, it'll reduce the length of my prayer emails back home without reducing the amount of information available to those who want to stay in closer contact.
I also hope that as well as giving me a place to demonstrate my written wit and general dubious sense of humour, you too will be challenged by the ministry I am involved in.
I also hope that as well as giving me a place to demonstrate my written wit and general dubious sense of humour, you too will be challenged by the ministry I am involved in.
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