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/