The celebration of New Year in Ecuador is quite the tradition and quite the experience. Roaring bonfires are set in the streets late at night, and go until dawn. The entire city looks like it's on fire and you wonder how all these fires do not actually burn down the city. Traveling anywhere the following day is out of the question until the pyres of burnt ash are cleaned from the streets. I was more than a little nervous about all the fires in the streets and especially the ones in the streets near my home, as you never know if things may get out of control and your life is suddenly in jeopardy and threatened.
Also part of the tradition with the bonfires are Munecos or dolls. Life size dolls of various creatures and people are made from wood and paper and the families and people will beat these dolls with sticks and with their hands and feet to express release the anxieties and frustrations of the past year and then burn the dolls in the bonfires which will then burn those frustrations and problems of the year before and bring about the new year clean and refreshed. It was actually quite fun just taking out your anger and frustration on a doll with a stick and your hands and feet. Afterwards, watching it burn was to help settle the heart and mind and bring about a new fresh perspective on the year to come.
The last and final tradition of the celebration, and by far my favorite, were the viudas or crossdressers. Men would dress as women and prostitutes and raid the streets and public buses dancing looking for money. They would set up barriers along the streets stopping and slowing traffic until they were paid for their dance and 'entertainment'. It was a lot of fun to watch and see, but made going anywhere a pain as they would block streets and stop traffic until they were paid. They would harass the drivers and passengers until payment was made. Seeing full grown men dressing as best as possible as women, wearing dresses, skirts, and even some going as far as wearing bikinis in public. It was all quite a sight to see. I hope everyone reading this post had a fantastic New Year celebration and many blessings and prosperity in your year to come!!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Dame Navidad...Christmas in South America
I celebrated a South American Christmas and was it a new experience. I mostly spent the majority of my time traveling as I had two weeks off from work. It was nice, but I didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked. Anyways, on to the meat of this blog post.
Christmas in Ecuador is a lot like our Halloween. But instead of children coming to your door trik-or-treating, entire poor families come looking for Christmas charity. They go door to door ringing your doorbell and when you answer they simply state, 'Dame Navidad' which translates to 'Give me Christmas'. Sometimes they will add, 'por favor' (please) to their asking. Normally it is traditional to have prepared fundas de comida/caramellos, bags of food/candy, for the families and children. In church, at the Christmas eve service, we collected clothing and food, and gave them to the poor that regularly attend the service every year looking for help and food. The poorer people from outside the city wil come down from the hills and mountains and spend a few days in the city looking for charitable donations. They will also come to line the highways that lead out of the cities looking for charities. Some families would drive out of the city Christmas day and leave things on the highway for the poorer people to collect. AS I was traveling out of the city Christmas day, I saw hundreds, if not thousands of people lining the highways, and generous passerbys stopping to unload their cars for these people. If/when a car stopped, they would be immediately rushed by the people looking to receive something from the generous givers. Others did not stop and simply through food or items from their car to the people lining the highways. It was quite a site to see.
At the Christmas eve service, we celebrated Eucharist and gave a first communion to a young girl. Although we do not do this in the Episcopal Church in the United States, here Catholic influence still plays a large part on the culture and the way many will begin receiving communion and taking communion on a regular basis. For example, some in the Episcopal Church will confess before taking communion, and others will not be satisfied with a morning prayer type service...all must have the Holy food with EVERY service. The parents will also have their children attend first communion classes before receiving their first communion. For most of the year now, we've had a class of first communion participants attending church every Sunday waiting for when they can receive. The service was beautiful and afterwards, we distributed the food and clothing we had been collecting to the poor who had attended hoping for some charitable help. 'Dame Navidad' was all they could say, and after receiving, could only mangage a faint 'Gracias' as you saw tears come to their eyes.
Christmas eve is the bigger day than actually Christmas day. Gifts are exchanged and opened on Christmas eve and the big dinner also takes place. I spent Christmas eve dinner with Padre Eduardo, my boss and director of the school, and his family for Christmas. The dinner was absoulutely incredible. Marjorie, Eduardo's wife, is quite the cook. I've been spoiled with every new family I have a meal with. They're such great cooks here and Ecuadorian food is so rico (rich)!!
I stayed the night Christmas eve at Padre Eduardo's and on Christmas day we traveled to his family's house in Ibarra, where he and his twelve siblings are from, and had a huge family reunion. It was insane. We ate so much food and played so many games from futbol (soccer), volleyball, board and card games. We also spent one day at the hot springs in Ibarra and just relaxed. It was nice.
Also during the break, I visited Colombia for a couple of days to visit with some family of theirs who are missionaries working in Pesto, Colombia. It was a nice smaller city. I was concerned about border patrol as recently relations between Colombia and Ecuador have not been great and Colombia is always going back and forth from closing it's borders to prevent immigrants hoping to escape the bad in Colombia and come to Ecuador. We didn't have any problems and we spent two days visiting the family of my host family. I also met up with the Bishop, his wife, and family to visit with him as Colombia is his home country. He took the week and a half of break visiting back home with his family so I briefly met his family in Colombia as well, before returning to Quito to celebrate the New Year. The traditions and customs of the new year will be saved for my next post. Until then, take care and here's wishing you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! Blessings!
Christmas in Ecuador is a lot like our Halloween. But instead of children coming to your door trik-or-treating, entire poor families come looking for Christmas charity. They go door to door ringing your doorbell and when you answer they simply state, 'Dame Navidad' which translates to 'Give me Christmas'. Sometimes they will add, 'por favor' (please) to their asking. Normally it is traditional to have prepared fundas de comida/caramellos, bags of food/candy, for the families and children. In church, at the Christmas eve service, we collected clothing and food, and gave them to the poor that regularly attend the service every year looking for help and food. The poorer people from outside the city wil come down from the hills and mountains and spend a few days in the city looking for charitable donations. They will also come to line the highways that lead out of the cities looking for charities. Some families would drive out of the city Christmas day and leave things on the highway for the poorer people to collect. AS I was traveling out of the city Christmas day, I saw hundreds, if not thousands of people lining the highways, and generous passerbys stopping to unload their cars for these people. If/when a car stopped, they would be immediately rushed by the people looking to receive something from the generous givers. Others did not stop and simply through food or items from their car to the people lining the highways. It was quite a site to see.
At the Christmas eve service, we celebrated Eucharist and gave a first communion to a young girl. Although we do not do this in the Episcopal Church in the United States, here Catholic influence still plays a large part on the culture and the way many will begin receiving communion and taking communion on a regular basis. For example, some in the Episcopal Church will confess before taking communion, and others will not be satisfied with a morning prayer type service...all must have the Holy food with EVERY service. The parents will also have their children attend first communion classes before receiving their first communion. For most of the year now, we've had a class of first communion participants attending church every Sunday waiting for when they can receive. The service was beautiful and afterwards, we distributed the food and clothing we had been collecting to the poor who had attended hoping for some charitable help. 'Dame Navidad' was all they could say, and after receiving, could only mangage a faint 'Gracias' as you saw tears come to their eyes.
Christmas eve is the bigger day than actually Christmas day. Gifts are exchanged and opened on Christmas eve and the big dinner also takes place. I spent Christmas eve dinner with Padre Eduardo, my boss and director of the school, and his family for Christmas. The dinner was absoulutely incredible. Marjorie, Eduardo's wife, is quite the cook. I've been spoiled with every new family I have a meal with. They're such great cooks here and Ecuadorian food is so rico (rich)!!
I stayed the night Christmas eve at Padre Eduardo's and on Christmas day we traveled to his family's house in Ibarra, where he and his twelve siblings are from, and had a huge family reunion. It was insane. We ate so much food and played so many games from futbol (soccer), volleyball, board and card games. We also spent one day at the hot springs in Ibarra and just relaxed. It was nice.
Also during the break, I visited Colombia for a couple of days to visit with some family of theirs who are missionaries working in Pesto, Colombia. It was a nice smaller city. I was concerned about border patrol as recently relations between Colombia and Ecuador have not been great and Colombia is always going back and forth from closing it's borders to prevent immigrants hoping to escape the bad in Colombia and come to Ecuador. We didn't have any problems and we spent two days visiting the family of my host family. I also met up with the Bishop, his wife, and family to visit with him as Colombia is his home country. He took the week and a half of break visiting back home with his family so I briefly met his family in Colombia as well, before returning to Quito to celebrate the New Year. The traditions and customs of the new year will be saved for my next post. Until then, take care and here's wishing you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! Blessings!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Dia de los Disfuntos and Quitofest
Well now, in my brief time here (now a little way into my fifth month here), I have celebrated more holidays than I thought possible. I thought we had a lot of holidays in the United States. It seems every time I turn around, classes are cancelled for another holiday. I now wish to share some of these unique holidays with you.
To begin with, let's start with the Ecuadorian days (that's right, days, plural) of Independence. Ecuador has three official days of Independence. All of which are celebrated and the days taken off. The reason for their being three days of Independence is because the country of Ecuador celebrates the major cities victories over the Spanish as well as the day the country decided to be free from Spanish rule and declare independence. It was on August 10 of 1820 in the city of Quito that a representative council of Ecuadorians called for Indepence and so have now established the first celebrated day of Independence in Ecuador. The second day of Independence is celebrated by the victory of the city Guayaquil, being the first to win independence, over the Spanish in October on the 9th in the year of 1820 and so October 9th is the second Independence Day of Ecuador. The last and final celebrated day of independence in Ecuador is on May 24 where in 1822 the rest of the country of Ecuador gained it's independence from the Spanish. The Ecuadorian Independence Days aren't heavily celebrated as the fourth of July back home, but most major businesses are closed for the holidays.
The next big day of celebrations that gave me a respite from work came in November. While I was hoping to celebrate Halloween on the 31st, here in Ecuador and many other Latin American cultures, Dia de los Disfuntos or Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on the first and second of November. It is on these days that families celebrate the love of loved ones lost and will share a meal at their graveside in honor and memorial to them. You dress up in your best clothes and leave food and flowers for them. A special bread is made for the occasion called pan de gua gua (pronounced wa wa) and a special drink that I can't seem to figure out what it's made from called colada morada. The entire celebration is very unique and lots of fun. The pan looks like little gingerbread men and stuffed with jam! Yum! It's also sad though becuase you're visiting lost loved ones. Sometimes, small children.
Quitofest, or the festival for the foundation of the city of Quito, is a week long celebration. Schools do not take the entire week, but do take from Friday through the weekend. During the week of Quitofest, students at elementary schools are taught the history of Quito, it's foundation, traditional dances during the time of the foundation, and other fun facts and put on a presentation for the families. The children work really hard on these presentations. During this festival, it is customary to crown the Quitena Bonita or the most beautiful Quito girl. During the school presentation, through an election of the teachers, we crowned the most outstanding girl from each grade. In the city however, there is a giant pageant in which girls compete for the honor of Quitena Bonita. The winner is presented on Saturday during the city's parade. Each night, the city was regailed with fireworks and their were three parades. Within seperate neighborhoods of the city, were block parties and concerts were held in every major park throughout the city. It was a fun time and to see the people of Quito so proud of their heritage was a week to remember.
This about wraps up this blog and these two unique holidays that I wished to express. Until next time...Bendiga con Dios
To begin with, let's start with the Ecuadorian days (that's right, days, plural) of Independence. Ecuador has three official days of Independence. All of which are celebrated and the days taken off. The reason for their being three days of Independence is because the country of Ecuador celebrates the major cities victories over the Spanish as well as the day the country decided to be free from Spanish rule and declare independence. It was on August 10 of 1820 in the city of Quito that a representative council of Ecuadorians called for Indepence and so have now established the first celebrated day of Independence in Ecuador. The second day of Independence is celebrated by the victory of the city Guayaquil, being the first to win independence, over the Spanish in October on the 9th in the year of 1820 and so October 9th is the second Independence Day of Ecuador. The last and final celebrated day of independence in Ecuador is on May 24 where in 1822 the rest of the country of Ecuador gained it's independence from the Spanish. The Ecuadorian Independence Days aren't heavily celebrated as the fourth of July back home, but most major businesses are closed for the holidays.
The next big day of celebrations that gave me a respite from work came in November. While I was hoping to celebrate Halloween on the 31st, here in Ecuador and many other Latin American cultures, Dia de los Disfuntos or Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on the first and second of November. It is on these days that families celebrate the love of loved ones lost and will share a meal at their graveside in honor and memorial to them. You dress up in your best clothes and leave food and flowers for them. A special bread is made for the occasion called pan de gua gua (pronounced wa wa) and a special drink that I can't seem to figure out what it's made from called colada morada. The entire celebration is very unique and lots of fun. The pan looks like little gingerbread men and stuffed with jam! Yum! It's also sad though becuase you're visiting lost loved ones. Sometimes, small children.
Quitofest, or the festival for the foundation of the city of Quito, is a week long celebration. Schools do not take the entire week, but do take from Friday through the weekend. During the week of Quitofest, students at elementary schools are taught the history of Quito, it's foundation, traditional dances during the time of the foundation, and other fun facts and put on a presentation for the families. The children work really hard on these presentations. During this festival, it is customary to crown the Quitena Bonita or the most beautiful Quito girl. During the school presentation, through an election of the teachers, we crowned the most outstanding girl from each grade. In the city however, there is a giant pageant in which girls compete for the honor of Quitena Bonita. The winner is presented on Saturday during the city's parade. Each night, the city was regailed with fireworks and their were three parades. Within seperate neighborhoods of the city, were block parties and concerts were held in every major park throughout the city. It was a fun time and to see the people of Quito so proud of their heritage was a week to remember.
This about wraps up this blog and these two unique holidays that I wished to express. Until next time...Bendiga con Dios
Amenities and Life in Quito
It has come to my attention that I haven't really discussed what it's like living here in Ecuador and what I have available to me in terms of living conditions. Currently I live with an Ecuadorian family in Northern Quito that is only three blocks from work. The house is really tiny and I share a room with my two host brothers. The room we are in is pretty tiny as well, perhaps the smallest in the entire house. If I were to put my hands outstretched over my head, my feet and my hands will touch the walls on opposite sides of each other in both directions of the room. Ecuadorian people are a shorter people by average and so roofs and doorways are smaller. I've hit my head numerous times on doorways in houses because they are made smaller, at least the houses I've been to, and so I have learned to instinctively duck at doorways. At public buildings, this isn't a problem. I'm not tall by any means or by definition in the United States, just shy of six feet, but in some doorways in Ecuador, they are a bit small for me.
I will not lie and say that I expected such modern ammenities when I signed up for missionary life. When mission work came to mind before I left, the typical stereotype came to mind. Living in terrible conditions, without the possibility of bathing often or having running water from a tap in the house. I have learned not to think so stereotypically since my arrival and have learned much about the modern city (by standards of developing world countries) of Quito and Ecuador. Don't get me wrong however; there have been places I have visited in Ecuador where the people live in grass huts and do not have the modern amenities that exist in the city.
When I wake in the morning, I have the ability to shower with hot water before work as I enjoy for I like starting the day with a shower. It helps me to wake and start the day. I don't have to go and draw water from a well and heat it to take a bath haha. You do have to switch a plug to turn on the hot water so as not to wast the electricity. This is something we could learn to do in the states I think.
Kitchens are equipped with stoves and ovens and are run on gas not electric. However, gas is not piped to houses directly. Instead, families buy their propane gas in tanks like we have for our bbq's in the states. Several trucks drive around the city honking their horns selling the propane gas tanks for the stoves. You give the empty tank to them upon the exchange and purchase. This is typical vending in Ecuador and is often how you do business. Many people don't have cars and can't just run to the market in their own vehicle but rely on public transportation and the traveling vendors. The vendors start the day very early and often times you will wake up to the screeching howl of a vendor selling their wares or the honking of the propane truck or even taxis and buses waiting outside to pick up their passengers. The concept of ringing a doorbell is foreign to Ecuadorians and so taxis and buses honk their horns to alert their passengers of their arrival. The horn is also greatly overused in driving in Quito and all of Ecuador for that matter.
Heaters within houses are non existant. This is because of the weather here. At ten thousand feet elevation, even the coldest days and nights will only see a low temperature around the low 50's. This really isn't all that bad. At night you just throw on a sweatshirt with your pajamas and call it good with the four or five blankets on your bed. Seven in my case with my weak Hawai'ian blood.
I am also able to keep in contact with family and friends through a wireless internet connecrtion within my house. Without this, I think I would go nuts. Staying in contact with family and friends is what helps keep me sane. It is also what allows me to keep this blog updated.
Through all this, I have learned to not be so stereotypical in thoughts, but have also realized that I have spent time with people here in Ecuador who live how I imagined mission life to be like. While visiting parishes throughout Ecuador, I have lived in grass huts for a weekend and other similar style housing without any regard as to how fortunate some people in Ecuador are over others. It also really made me thankful for what I have as well. But to some, this is a way of life and don't know any other. I spent time among an indigenous tribe in the Amazons who do not know electricity and hunt with bows and spears. The diversity of living in Ecuador is extensive and the culture and the amenities change between the cities, the countryside, and the rainforests. It is truly a unique experience living among the several different cultures and lifestyles of Ecuador.
That wraps up this blog. Until next time, as always, may the blessing of God be always with you.
I will not lie and say that I expected such modern ammenities when I signed up for missionary life. When mission work came to mind before I left, the typical stereotype came to mind. Living in terrible conditions, without the possibility of bathing often or having running water from a tap in the house. I have learned not to think so stereotypically since my arrival and have learned much about the modern city (by standards of developing world countries) of Quito and Ecuador. Don't get me wrong however; there have been places I have visited in Ecuador where the people live in grass huts and do not have the modern amenities that exist in the city.
When I wake in the morning, I have the ability to shower with hot water before work as I enjoy for I like starting the day with a shower. It helps me to wake and start the day. I don't have to go and draw water from a well and heat it to take a bath haha. You do have to switch a plug to turn on the hot water so as not to wast the electricity. This is something we could learn to do in the states I think.
Kitchens are equipped with stoves and ovens and are run on gas not electric. However, gas is not piped to houses directly. Instead, families buy their propane gas in tanks like we have for our bbq's in the states. Several trucks drive around the city honking their horns selling the propane gas tanks for the stoves. You give the empty tank to them upon the exchange and purchase. This is typical vending in Ecuador and is often how you do business. Many people don't have cars and can't just run to the market in their own vehicle but rely on public transportation and the traveling vendors. The vendors start the day very early and often times you will wake up to the screeching howl of a vendor selling their wares or the honking of the propane truck or even taxis and buses waiting outside to pick up their passengers. The concept of ringing a doorbell is foreign to Ecuadorians and so taxis and buses honk their horns to alert their passengers of their arrival. The horn is also greatly overused in driving in Quito and all of Ecuador for that matter.
Heaters within houses are non existant. This is because of the weather here. At ten thousand feet elevation, even the coldest days and nights will only see a low temperature around the low 50's. This really isn't all that bad. At night you just throw on a sweatshirt with your pajamas and call it good with the four or five blankets on your bed. Seven in my case with my weak Hawai'ian blood.
I am also able to keep in contact with family and friends through a wireless internet connecrtion within my house. Without this, I think I would go nuts. Staying in contact with family and friends is what helps keep me sane. It is also what allows me to keep this blog updated.
Through all this, I have learned to not be so stereotypical in thoughts, but have also realized that I have spent time with people here in Ecuador who live how I imagined mission life to be like. While visiting parishes throughout Ecuador, I have lived in grass huts for a weekend and other similar style housing without any regard as to how fortunate some people in Ecuador are over others. It also really made me thankful for what I have as well. But to some, this is a way of life and don't know any other. I spent time among an indigenous tribe in the Amazons who do not know electricity and hunt with bows and spears. The diversity of living in Ecuador is extensive and the culture and the amenities change between the cities, the countryside, and the rainforests. It is truly a unique experience living among the several different cultures and lifestyles of Ecuador.
That wraps up this blog. Until next time, as always, may the blessing of God be always with you.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Advent...The Season of Waiting
Advent, the Season of Waiting has arrived. It is in this time that we now wait patiently for the birth of Christ. During this season we hear the stories of being prepared and waiting for Jesus to come. We don't know when he will come, only to be prepared for his coming. I am reminded of the story of the ten bridesmaids (this story follows the one we just heard in Sunday's Gospel lesson)where there are five wise and five foolish. The story tells us that the bridesmaids are sent out to greet the groom and five wise brought with them extra oil for their lamps and the foolish brought none extra. When the groom had appeared and it was time for the bridesmaids to go out and meet him, the foolish asked the wise for some of theirs but they would not give to the foolish for they would not have enough for themselves. The wise told the foolish, go out and buy some from the peddlers before it was too late. In their time of going out to buy more oil, the groom came, lead by the wise bridesmaids, and went into the party. The doors were shut. When the foolish arrived, they were not allowed in for they were not known to the master.
Sitting around and waiting is hard work. It can be boring and tiring. But what does that mean in the context of waiting for Jesus? We are not prophets and we do not know the hour and time at which he is coming? We can choose when we talk to him and prayer, and worship Him in service, but how do we wait for an hour we don't know when it is coming? I have come to relate this season of waiting to patience, something I am coming to develop more and more everyday with my work here in Ecuador.
With waiting comes the need for patience. Like many of us, myself included, patience can be difficult; especially when we are waiting for an unknown event of time of occurence. My patience has increased exponentially with my work that I am doing here. Teaching children who don't want to learn is a very difficult task. Teaching alone is a very difficult task. I am even working in a new country let alone in a familiar surrounding.
In this season of Advent, I feel I am not only waiting for the birth of Christ, I am waiting to find what I am seeking here in the work I am doing with the Episcopal Church. I am seeking out that feeling of accomplishing a worthwhile work here when I am constantly feeling like what is the point? I find myself asking what work am I accomplishing for God and His church when the children don't even want to learn? Am I making even one impact on at least one child?
My work here has become easier for me to accept a sense of accomplishing work for a change now that I have helped create and now lead free twice a week community tutoring and English classes through the Cathedral, where I attend weekly service and work at the Cathedral school. It is a relief and refreshing feeling to actually have students who respect you and listen to you. I am very excited about this program more so than I am with my actual work at the Cathedral school. No one said teaching would be easy.
I also find myself asking, where am I going with my life. I not only took on this mission work to further my exploration of my faith with the Episcopal Church, but to also look, seek out, and patiently wait for the answer of what God is asking me to do with my life. I was very excited to finish college but at the same time terrified because I had/still have no idea where God is leading me in this confusing ride called life. I know where my interests lie for the most part but I struggle to find where and how to apply these interests with the next steps in this game called life.
This brings me to remember the season I am currently in. Advent is a time to apply our patience or learn some for those of us who don't have patience. It is the season to reflect on and turn back to our faith, because it is in this beautiful season we await for the return of Christ. We eagerly look forward to the birth of our savior. With His return and reign, our faith is transformed, and for me, it renews my strength in trusting in Him to guide my life and my purpose for His work in this world.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (Collect for First Sunday of Advent, BCP)
Sitting around and waiting is hard work. It can be boring and tiring. But what does that mean in the context of waiting for Jesus? We are not prophets and we do not know the hour and time at which he is coming? We can choose when we talk to him and prayer, and worship Him in service, but how do we wait for an hour we don't know when it is coming? I have come to relate this season of waiting to patience, something I am coming to develop more and more everyday with my work here in Ecuador.
With waiting comes the need for patience. Like many of us, myself included, patience can be difficult; especially when we are waiting for an unknown event of time of occurence. My patience has increased exponentially with my work that I am doing here. Teaching children who don't want to learn is a very difficult task. Teaching alone is a very difficult task. I am even working in a new country let alone in a familiar surrounding.
In this season of Advent, I feel I am not only waiting for the birth of Christ, I am waiting to find what I am seeking here in the work I am doing with the Episcopal Church. I am seeking out that feeling of accomplishing a worthwhile work here when I am constantly feeling like what is the point? I find myself asking what work am I accomplishing for God and His church when the children don't even want to learn? Am I making even one impact on at least one child?
My work here has become easier for me to accept a sense of accomplishing work for a change now that I have helped create and now lead free twice a week community tutoring and English classes through the Cathedral, where I attend weekly service and work at the Cathedral school. It is a relief and refreshing feeling to actually have students who respect you and listen to you. I am very excited about this program more so than I am with my actual work at the Cathedral school. No one said teaching would be easy.
I also find myself asking, where am I going with my life. I not only took on this mission work to further my exploration of my faith with the Episcopal Church, but to also look, seek out, and patiently wait for the answer of what God is asking me to do with my life. I was very excited to finish college but at the same time terrified because I had/still have no idea where God is leading me in this confusing ride called life. I know where my interests lie for the most part but I struggle to find where and how to apply these interests with the next steps in this game called life.
This brings me to remember the season I am currently in. Advent is a time to apply our patience or learn some for those of us who don't have patience. It is the season to reflect on and turn back to our faith, because it is in this beautiful season we await for the return of Christ. We eagerly look forward to the birth of our savior. With His return and reign, our faith is transformed, and for me, it renews my strength in trusting in Him to guide my life and my purpose for His work in this world.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (Collect for First Sunday of Advent, BCP)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Most Dangerous Parts of Mission Work in Ecuador and South America
Working in South America, specifically Ecuador, I wondered just how dangerous life might be. You hear of the notorious stories of international kidnappings for money, muggings, or even the run ins with unstable governments or violence over drugs. However, if I were to get hurt or be in any form of mortal danger, it won't be from any of these. My peril will come in a different form; the most dangerous activity I have experienced thus far here in Ecuador. That peril is being involved in a car accident.
I just recently returned from traveling to Santo Domingo, and I thanked God upon my arrival in Quito after praying for the two hours asking for His guiding hand in safety. There is no regard to speed limit here and passing on blind curves because of impatience is sport here.
I've always been the type of person to be able to read when I am traveling if I get bored and not get sick. Five minutes into riding the bus to and the car from Santo Domingo, my stomach was in knots and I knew I was going to throw up. (Sorry everyone.) I recently needed to download a new attachment on metric to American conversions so I could comprehend just how fast we were taking these blind curves. It seems the Ecuadorian people have no sense of patience and love a good thrill ride.
Also, hitchiking is very popular here as well.It is not uncommon to see a family or strangers catching a ride in the back of a pickup on the way to their destination. Seat belts are a foreign concept and most don't use them. The majority of taxi's, approximately ninety-five percent of them don't even come equipped with seat belts except for the driver's seat.
Although I have been robbed only once (outside a bus station by a man keeping one hand in a pocket and shouting dame, dame, which means give me, at me. Robbery does not scare me. It is not my greatest fear here. You simply hand over what you have on you so they leave you alone. Fortunately all I was carrying was my wallet at the time with sixteen dollars and a photocopy of my passport (which is why I carry copies and never the original). Fun fact for you, U.S. passports can be valued as high as 1500 dollars on the black market. I now no longer carry more than ten dollars on me. You also stay away from the areas of high crime activity. It's the same in the U.S. If I were in L.A. I wouldn't go straying into south central or Compton, nor would I venture into Richmond or Oakland in the Bay Area. Common sense is what keeps you from trouble, and small robberies such as the one I experienced could happen to anyone, anywhere. What I fear the most of my time and work here in Ecuador is everytime I board a bus or a taxi. With the way they drive here, the Ecuadorian impatience and the need to break land speed records, it is public transportation that makes me nervous.
I apologize for the long lapse in postings. Thank you to my readers for your patience and more to come and follow. Blessings and peace be with you all.
I just recently returned from traveling to Santo Domingo, and I thanked God upon my arrival in Quito after praying for the two hours asking for His guiding hand in safety. There is no regard to speed limit here and passing on blind curves because of impatience is sport here.
I've always been the type of person to be able to read when I am traveling if I get bored and not get sick. Five minutes into riding the bus to and the car from Santo Domingo, my stomach was in knots and I knew I was going to throw up. (Sorry everyone.) I recently needed to download a new attachment on metric to American conversions so I could comprehend just how fast we were taking these blind curves. It seems the Ecuadorian people have no sense of patience and love a good thrill ride.
Also, hitchiking is very popular here as well.It is not uncommon to see a family or strangers catching a ride in the back of a pickup on the way to their destination. Seat belts are a foreign concept and most don't use them. The majority of taxi's, approximately ninety-five percent of them don't even come equipped with seat belts except for the driver's seat.
Although I have been robbed only once (outside a bus station by a man keeping one hand in a pocket and shouting dame, dame, which means give me, at me. Robbery does not scare me. It is not my greatest fear here. You simply hand over what you have on you so they leave you alone. Fortunately all I was carrying was my wallet at the time with sixteen dollars and a photocopy of my passport (which is why I carry copies and never the original). Fun fact for you, U.S. passports can be valued as high as 1500 dollars on the black market. I now no longer carry more than ten dollars on me. You also stay away from the areas of high crime activity. It's the same in the U.S. If I were in L.A. I wouldn't go straying into south central or Compton, nor would I venture into Richmond or Oakland in the Bay Area. Common sense is what keeps you from trouble, and small robberies such as the one I experienced could happen to anyone, anywhere. What I fear the most of my time and work here in Ecuador is everytime I board a bus or a taxi. With the way they drive here, the Ecuadorian impatience and the need to break land speed records, it is public transportation that makes me nervous.
I apologize for the long lapse in postings. Thank you to my readers for your patience and more to come and follow. Blessings and peace be with you all.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Football, Mayonnaise, and the Catholic Influence
We've all heard the arguments of which sport is undoubtedly the favorite among sports fans. In the United States, American Football, Baseball, and Basketball dominate the leading popularity of sports among sports fans. Football(Soccer) is not even a blip among popularity in the United States (unless you're a UCSB Gaucho!). Here in Ecuador, there is no such thing as another sport other than soccer. Don't get me wrong, they play baseball, basketball, and volleyball on occasion for fun, but football in Ecuador is more than just a game; it is a religion and a way of life.
It did not dawn on me just how important soccer is to the Latin community until I witnessed two very extraordinary events. When Liga, a professional soccer team from Quito, Ecuador, hands down the best in the country and a top contender in all of central and South America, played for the South American championships back in September, the game was played on a Sunday morning and every church I knew of, had moved service times to accomodate the spectacle watchers. This included the Catholic Church. No joke. It blew my mind that God was put on hold until after a game. The second event was when I went with my family to watch Liga play an away game at a near by restaurant to cheer on our team. It was raining and rather cold that night. Outside the restaurant and outside a nearby television electronics store, I witness people gathered in the freezing rain to watch the game because they can't afford to enter the restaurant or don't have a t.v. at home. I don't care who you are, that's dedication. I don't know too many people in the U.S. who would do that.
The atmosphere of soccer games in Latin America is absolutely intense. I thought Locos at Gaucho games were intense but UCSB doesn't even scratch the surface of the atmosphere of games here in Latin America. I realize that the Locos at UCSB is just that; college level fun. Let me tell you now though of the intense atmosphere at a soccer game in Ecuador (or in any other part of the world for that matter where soccer is life).
We're no different from the Ecuadorians in cat calling when players are not playing their best. However, an entire stadium, even fans will do that whistle when your cat calling a woman when a player is being thought of as playing, well, like a girl. It is tradition you stand through all times during play in respect for your team. I wondered where that tradition came from at UCSB. When your team scores, it is not uncommon to start a fire in the bleachers while singing at the top of your lungs your teams anthem. I kid you not, fires in the bleachers, and the police can't get to the sections because of the crazy fans. The fires are quickly put out but I can't even imagine doing something like that. In the two games I've been to thus far, I've seen fires started and then put out. Fans, those who have one, will bring in large drums to bang away at during the game to keep the stadium loud, and set the beat to the songs being sung for their team. Professional soccer players are treated like gods and walk on water in their hometowns. The atmosphere is absolutely one of a kind and different.
Quito is home to five professional teams alone, and Ecuador, for a country the size of the state of Colorado, has a total of twenty-four professional teams. In Quito is home to one of the best professional soccer teams in all of Central and South America. They are Liga. They are by far the most popular team in Quito and all of Ecuador for that matter, and have won the South American Championships numerous times and even have a few International championships under their belts. Most recently, they have just won another South American championship making them the best team in S.A. this year. Liga is who my family cheers for, and by default, who I cheer for. Games are a must see, and you don't miss them. If we're not at the stadium, we're at a nearby restaurant that plays the game cheering on with other fans who aren't at the game at the time. The Liga stadium actually is not too far from the Cathedral and where I live and so home games at night can be heard from where I live, and I even have a great view of when they set off fireworks. Soccer truly is a way of life here and a unique and incredible experience. I've been to my share of professional games in the U.S. and watched on television, but nothing I feel compares to the wild excitement of the most popular sport in the world.
Mayonnaise is used here to the equivalence of our use of Ketchup in the U.S. Ecuadorians use it for everything! It is the preffered condiment for dipping fries, it is heavily layed on thick with sandwiches, and put on as a salsa for all foods you eat. This is difficult for me as I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise. My extensive use of mayonnaise is simply for sandwiches, spread thin, and at times on hamburgers, spread thin. The thought of simply eating mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for my fries or as a salsa to cover my rice and potatoes is absolutely disturbing to me. I politely not use mayonnaise the way Ecuadorians use it, and when I order a sandwich, I ask for mayonnaise spread thin which always gives me strange looks. It is definately different but it is a favorite among the Ecuadorians.
As I have mentioned before, Catholicism is the dominant faith here in Ecaudor even though a lot don't practice it. This is especially among the young adults. In fact, I look around, and I don't see much difference from young adults here, and young adults in the United States. Relationships are just as common with public displays of affection as we would see in the the United States. I have even lost count of how many women I have met with children at such a young age (most confessing having had the child out of wedlock and were forced to marry as soon as they were found out to being pregnant). I'm getting a little off track with this, and I did not mention this to bash on the ideals of the people here, for they are not much different from what we see in some people in the United States, but to show what I have found to be what is more 'common' in the United States and not seeing that strict Catholic stereotype I've always heard about.
Where I do want to go however with the Catholic influence is within the Episcopal Church itself. Recently, around the beginning of October, the Cathedral and many other parishes around the city have begun classes for first communion and confirmation. Now many of you who know you're way around the Catholic faith, all faithful must first attend First Communion classes before being allowed to receive the Sacrament of the Great Eucharist. As you know, we as Episcopalians, the shunned cousins of the Catholic Church, do not believe this is necessary and we will never turn anyone away from the Lord's table who wishes to receive. This is not the case with the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador. As I have mentioned before, there is a very strong Catholic influence among the people and is to be expected as it is their history. It was by the Spaniards that conquered the native people of Ecuador and brought with them the Catholic faith. This influence has spilled over into other denominations of Christianity. It is most seen in the Episcopal Church in Ecuador through the first communion classes.
It would be unheard of for a child to be receiving Communion within the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador under the age of nine. The adults with their strong Catholic influence upbringing would take offense to this. It is around that time of nine years old that a child may begin the classes of first communion and take the steps to receiving communion. Here in Ecuador, the Episcopal Church's first communion classes are far shorter than the Catholic's and so each year, the Episcopal Church receives numerous Catholic children into the classes of first communion so they may begin receiving communion within the Catholic Church much sooner.(The Catholic church accepts the Episcopal certificate of first communion classes. The length of time for classes with the Episcopal Church is more or less a year long where as the Catholic Church's classes are around two years long.)
Chris and myself have voiced our absolute distaste in this situation. We feel that it is misleading of our church to be allowing these classes to continue when we do not abide by that rule nor is it a requirement of our church. We feel that it is not appropriate for a church to be misleading about who it is and it's clear structure of receiving the sacrament as outlined in the Catechism of our faith. It is our job as members of our church to portray who we are and be true to the full elements and structure of the church and not bend here or there to satisfy the lingering influence of history that has become of the people of Ecuador. I feel it is the responsibility of the members of the church to uphold the structures of our faith and not be misleading about it. If you are to be a contributing member, you need to fully commit to the ways and foundations of the church and not conform to misleading ways. Some traditions are not to be tampered with in my opinion, especially if those traditions are clearly misleading the ideal faith and intended mission of the church. Many of us Episcopalians have seen our church evolve and conform for the better...it is what a growing church needs to do to survive in an ever changing world. We have seen recently that even the Catholic Church has made astounding changes, but has never been misleading. I feel we need to return to the firm stance of being who we are and not changing the traditions that are not meant to be changed.
If there is to be an upside to this however, it is that Chris and I are taking the opportunity to share with the classes what the Episcopal Church is and teach them about us. We hope to see this as an opportunity to share the point of view of the Episcopal Church and hopefully bring new members to the Episcopal Church and build up the Episcopal Church in Ecuador.
Until next time, God's peace and blessings be with you all!
It did not dawn on me just how important soccer is to the Latin community until I witnessed two very extraordinary events. When Liga, a professional soccer team from Quito, Ecuador, hands down the best in the country and a top contender in all of central and South America, played for the South American championships back in September, the game was played on a Sunday morning and every church I knew of, had moved service times to accomodate the spectacle watchers. This included the Catholic Church. No joke. It blew my mind that God was put on hold until after a game. The second event was when I went with my family to watch Liga play an away game at a near by restaurant to cheer on our team. It was raining and rather cold that night. Outside the restaurant and outside a nearby television electronics store, I witness people gathered in the freezing rain to watch the game because they can't afford to enter the restaurant or don't have a t.v. at home. I don't care who you are, that's dedication. I don't know too many people in the U.S. who would do that.
The atmosphere of soccer games in Latin America is absolutely intense. I thought Locos at Gaucho games were intense but UCSB doesn't even scratch the surface of the atmosphere of games here in Latin America. I realize that the Locos at UCSB is just that; college level fun. Let me tell you now though of the intense atmosphere at a soccer game in Ecuador (or in any other part of the world for that matter where soccer is life).
We're no different from the Ecuadorians in cat calling when players are not playing their best. However, an entire stadium, even fans will do that whistle when your cat calling a woman when a player is being thought of as playing, well, like a girl. It is tradition you stand through all times during play in respect for your team. I wondered where that tradition came from at UCSB. When your team scores, it is not uncommon to start a fire in the bleachers while singing at the top of your lungs your teams anthem. I kid you not, fires in the bleachers, and the police can't get to the sections because of the crazy fans. The fires are quickly put out but I can't even imagine doing something like that. In the two games I've been to thus far, I've seen fires started and then put out. Fans, those who have one, will bring in large drums to bang away at during the game to keep the stadium loud, and set the beat to the songs being sung for their team. Professional soccer players are treated like gods and walk on water in their hometowns. The atmosphere is absolutely one of a kind and different.
Quito is home to five professional teams alone, and Ecuador, for a country the size of the state of Colorado, has a total of twenty-four professional teams. In Quito is home to one of the best professional soccer teams in all of Central and South America. They are Liga. They are by far the most popular team in Quito and all of Ecuador for that matter, and have won the South American Championships numerous times and even have a few International championships under their belts. Most recently, they have just won another South American championship making them the best team in S.A. this year. Liga is who my family cheers for, and by default, who I cheer for. Games are a must see, and you don't miss them. If we're not at the stadium, we're at a nearby restaurant that plays the game cheering on with other fans who aren't at the game at the time. The Liga stadium actually is not too far from the Cathedral and where I live and so home games at night can be heard from where I live, and I even have a great view of when they set off fireworks. Soccer truly is a way of life here and a unique and incredible experience. I've been to my share of professional games in the U.S. and watched on television, but nothing I feel compares to the wild excitement of the most popular sport in the world.
Mayonnaise is used here to the equivalence of our use of Ketchup in the U.S. Ecuadorians use it for everything! It is the preffered condiment for dipping fries, it is heavily layed on thick with sandwiches, and put on as a salsa for all foods you eat. This is difficult for me as I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise. My extensive use of mayonnaise is simply for sandwiches, spread thin, and at times on hamburgers, spread thin. The thought of simply eating mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for my fries or as a salsa to cover my rice and potatoes is absolutely disturbing to me. I politely not use mayonnaise the way Ecuadorians use it, and when I order a sandwich, I ask for mayonnaise spread thin which always gives me strange looks. It is definately different but it is a favorite among the Ecuadorians.
As I have mentioned before, Catholicism is the dominant faith here in Ecaudor even though a lot don't practice it. This is especially among the young adults. In fact, I look around, and I don't see much difference from young adults here, and young adults in the United States. Relationships are just as common with public displays of affection as we would see in the the United States. I have even lost count of how many women I have met with children at such a young age (most confessing having had the child out of wedlock and were forced to marry as soon as they were found out to being pregnant). I'm getting a little off track with this, and I did not mention this to bash on the ideals of the people here, for they are not much different from what we see in some people in the United States, but to show what I have found to be what is more 'common' in the United States and not seeing that strict Catholic stereotype I've always heard about.
Where I do want to go however with the Catholic influence is within the Episcopal Church itself. Recently, around the beginning of October, the Cathedral and many other parishes around the city have begun classes for first communion and confirmation. Now many of you who know you're way around the Catholic faith, all faithful must first attend First Communion classes before being allowed to receive the Sacrament of the Great Eucharist. As you know, we as Episcopalians, the shunned cousins of the Catholic Church, do not believe this is necessary and we will never turn anyone away from the Lord's table who wishes to receive. This is not the case with the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador. As I have mentioned before, there is a very strong Catholic influence among the people and is to be expected as it is their history. It was by the Spaniards that conquered the native people of Ecuador and brought with them the Catholic faith. This influence has spilled over into other denominations of Christianity. It is most seen in the Episcopal Church in Ecuador through the first communion classes.
It would be unheard of for a child to be receiving Communion within the Episcopal Church here in Ecuador under the age of nine. The adults with their strong Catholic influence upbringing would take offense to this. It is around that time of nine years old that a child may begin the classes of first communion and take the steps to receiving communion. Here in Ecuador, the Episcopal Church's first communion classes are far shorter than the Catholic's and so each year, the Episcopal Church receives numerous Catholic children into the classes of first communion so they may begin receiving communion within the Catholic Church much sooner.(The Catholic church accepts the Episcopal certificate of first communion classes. The length of time for classes with the Episcopal Church is more or less a year long where as the Catholic Church's classes are around two years long.)
Chris and myself have voiced our absolute distaste in this situation. We feel that it is misleading of our church to be allowing these classes to continue when we do not abide by that rule nor is it a requirement of our church. We feel that it is not appropriate for a church to be misleading about who it is and it's clear structure of receiving the sacrament as outlined in the Catechism of our faith. It is our job as members of our church to portray who we are and be true to the full elements and structure of the church and not bend here or there to satisfy the lingering influence of history that has become of the people of Ecuador. I feel it is the responsibility of the members of the church to uphold the structures of our faith and not be misleading about it. If you are to be a contributing member, you need to fully commit to the ways and foundations of the church and not conform to misleading ways. Some traditions are not to be tampered with in my opinion, especially if those traditions are clearly misleading the ideal faith and intended mission of the church. Many of us Episcopalians have seen our church evolve and conform for the better...it is what a growing church needs to do to survive in an ever changing world. We have seen recently that even the Catholic Church has made astounding changes, but has never been misleading. I feel we need to return to the firm stance of being who we are and not changing the traditions that are not meant to be changed.
If there is to be an upside to this however, it is that Chris and I are taking the opportunity to share with the classes what the Episcopal Church is and teach them about us. We hope to see this as an opportunity to share the point of view of the Episcopal Church and hopefully bring new members to the Episcopal Church and build up the Episcopal Church in Ecuador.
Until next time, God's peace and blessings be with you all!
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