Merry Christmas

Our family would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas along with a  happy,healthy New Year. We have been blessed to work this past year in Bocachica. We have seen the Lord use our ministry here on the island. We have established closer friendships with the community, been involved in the local church and have opened our hearts and homes to those whom we serve. Thank you all who play a role in us being here. We appreciate everyone of you. We hope you all have a wonderful day remembering the gift the Lord gave to us all!

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14 (NKJ)

 

 

With love from our family to yours,

The Ariels

A Sorrowful Day

"Bar-ba-row" that is what they called him, but his name is Elias David. He was 18 years old and lived with his aunt. His parents haven't cared for him since he was young, his dad is a drug addict and his mother works in another country. He worked with us here at the house on a number of occasions, and we talked with a lot about life and what he should do with it. He didn't go to school because he was kicked out two years ago for stabbing someone.
 Today his life was cut short as a result of revenge from the family of the person he stabbed.

 It is sad that the violence of revenge doesn't solve the problem, now, of course, the other family wants revenge. To stop the cycle someone will have to forgive. Pray the Lord can work in the lives of these people to reconcile them to each other.

 When we woke this morning we didn't expect Elias to be dead, we thought there would be more time. He was young and so there would be time for him to get his life straightened out. If you have people in your life that need your help, or you need to reconcile with- don't wait! We don't know the number of our days.

courtesy of Anne Allweier

The influence of the past

courtesy Amos Archer

We work with African descendants from the Spanish colonization of Latin America. I wanted to share further the connection of reality and the way it can form how we spiritually see the world. Our worldview is formed by our physical reality in some cases. The physical slavery of the Africans here formed the culture that still thrives today. Not because they are still enslaved, but because they still are viewed as inferior and not fully accepted into society. The result is, in general, in most African communities in Colombia is to live life for the day. They work enough to make it for the day, many that come here notice and are concerned about their lack of concern for the future. Americans especially are taught to know where you want to be in five years. Have a retirement plan.
 The view of a slave is that this life is a punishment, so get through the day and get what you can get. This is the view of the culture of the African communities. Considering that most of the communities are separated from the main public square they haven't changed in 200 years.
 You may say that seems to be a stretch, but if you ever are here in Bocachica when there is a death you will see the tradition still alive. Death here is sorrowful for the old people, but the young people here sit outside the houses and have a party for about a week. They get benches and tables , play cards and dominoes, and have snacks. Why do they party, because the one who died is free. He has gone to a better place. Life is seen as something you have to bear until you can get out. A friend of mine asked a boy if he was Christian and going to heaven and he said - of course. My friend asked how he knew. The boy said that every funeral he has been to they always say he (the dead person) is in a better place now. So of course he will be there to. Actually, although not practiced anymore, they used to cry and mourn when a baby was born because of it's destiny.
 As a result of slavery and the isolation from society, the reality of life has informed the culture, and now in dealing with the problems of the culture it is hard to change the what they have been familiar with for so long. It has penetrated even to the politics of the island so that they are easily pleased through corrupt government. If they have enough for today, it's OK. The big corporations here are destroying the environment for the fish and as a result the fishermen here don't have enough fish to make a living. The government has a contract with the corporations to train and work with affected communities so that they will have other options of employment when the fish are gone. When the business comes to "work" they pay off the community and its leaders with cheap gifts like bikes, canoes, food, and other things that are short lived. The people, however, love the gifts and are satisfied and demand nothing more. The people here don't know what they want for the future of the community, so the opportunity is being wasted.
 Being satisfied for the day is good, but at the same time they need responsible dialogue with the powers that be (Government or Corporations) to be able to have something for tomorrow. The gospel message speaks about being content, but it is also concerned with justice. If the gospel can renew their minds, perhaps Bocachicians will be able to demand what is right despite the history of injustice to them.

Reality impacts our spiritually

I want to do a few short blog posts about the development of culture and the affect it has on communities. These are simple observations, but have an impact on approaching other people. Knowledge of another person is important when trying to get to know them, not the history only, but the context. There are generalities that are seen when dealing with people groups, they are not absolute truths about the person, but could be the lens they see through.
 There is a Catholic article that shared an experience of a local priest trying to get the people of his Latin American congregation centered on God. They were involved in saint worship to the point of idolatry, even having alters set up to the saints to worship at. I don't want to discuss the nuances of the Catholic theology, but the cultural indications that were discovered. The priests eventually realized that they were not fighting the idol worship but a political mentality. To put it simply, the people were responding to God in the same way they respond to the reality they lived in. The way the people viewed the government influenced the way they viewed God. For example, they understood that God was sovereign, and this equates in reality to the governments claim to sovereignty.
 The governments of many Latin American countries have a history of corruption and elusiveness. Here in Bocachica it is very true. If you need the government to do something, good luck. Here they say that you need a contact. So to get what you need from the Sovereign you need good contacts. That is the reason for such a strong focus on Padrino programs, they are your connection to get the necessary items, sometimes even food and clothes. If you borrow money, you ask your boss not the bank. Not because the sovereign (the government or municipality) is bad, but it is too far away, takes too long, really it is unreachable even if the sovereign has your best interest in mind. You can see how this translates spiritually, God is good but unreachable in most cases, so you need good contacts, padrinos, an intermediary. When approaching this worldview (versus for example the American worldview), to change the culture for the better may involve redirecting these cultural norms that have existed for a long time, generations.

 This brings up the idea of the influence of powers and principalities. Sometimes the brokenness of society isn't answered with telling them to work hard, get a good education, or become like the worldview that I exist in. It would require restructuring the whole political system of a country to be like your country. The authorities have to be restructured to make the sovereign more approachable, and this may be the powers we struggle against to help the poor. The answer isn't making all countries the same per say, but changing the problems to allow the growth of a new culture that doesn't degrade or take advantage of the weaker part of society. If you are going on a short term mission trip, it is hard to learn the depth of the culture in a week. Helping is important, but for long term changes, it will take greater time and possibly confronting the powers and principalities that exist in the form of political injustice. Once there is room for change, the people have to be retrained to follow a direction they have never experienced. Next time we encounter a group that is different then our people group, we may need to take into account the context of their political history to know why they don't see things the same way we do. When we share, we need to be sure to give truth, and not our cultural preference attached that could become an additional burden to them even though it would make us feel more comfortable.

Churches- Eeny meeny miney moe

The other day my family was getting ready for church. While they walked off down the hill and I guarded the house, I thought about views on what church is. Do you ever think why or what made you go to the church you are at? How did you come to the conclusion this church was right for you and your family? Nate and I were talking this week about an article he had read, summarized, it said that maybe the reason why so many youth walk away from the church is because after their time in church from going to children's church and youth group is over, there is no other adult program for them. Most of the church and service activities are geared for the older majority of the church. So returning from college or just getting married, there is no program for them as a young adult. The author of the article said that perhaps there shouldn't be any programs so that expectation isn't there from the congregants that don't fit into a program, a commentator replied that their church thought the answer would be more young adult programs so that they would be included. In North Carolina there are so many churches that if you don't like your church, you can drive down the next block and you have another one to choose from. But, what if you only had one or two to chose from? What would your thoughts be about church? I certainly want to worship the Lord, and church is a public witness to those around us that we are Christians. With only a few to choose from here on the island I learned to look at church in a whole new light. What happens if we take what the church can do for me out of the picture and thought only about worshiping Him. Not what the church can offer our family, but how we can serve with the community in Bocachica. I have grown to love the church here on the island. I have seen the love the pastor has for the people of the church. I am in awe of how much the members spend time in church weekly. I notice the leaders have a strong desire to make this island better. I have noticed with only having limited choices for church I am more active in my desire to be part of the change. By the way this picture is not our church...it just shows the contrast. .