autumn saturday

Looks like I have been “missing in action” for two weeks in the blogger’sphere. Where did the two weeks go? As it turns out, “time flies” here in the Southern Hemisphere too. Between full weeks and battling some sort of cold or allergy (possibly brought on by smoke in the city last week from rural fires a few hours away), I haven’t found time to write much. This Saturday morning was the first morning I have felt good and rested enough to enjoy some downtime.

Today really feels like autumn...the air is crisp (and thankfully now smoke free!). I am feeling refreshed! Some of the leaves on the trees are actually changing color. The Deans moved into their new house last week. Jeremiah commented that he did not expect to be racking/sweeping leaves here. We will see how this so cal boy adjusts to the dropping temps in the weeks and months ahead.

Six weeks into life and ministry here, the rhythm and routine of the week is beginning to take more shape. I am still working it all through and trying to find the best way to make it all flow. But, here is just a brief “work in progress” snapshot of what some of my weekdays looks like…
- Monday - Spanish tutoring & study
- Tuesdays - Staff meeting; time on the streets with the youth (and/or Friday)
- Wednesdays – Spanish tutoring; day with the youth at the church community center
- Thursdays – Spanish tutoring & study
- Friday – Spiritual Formation with WMF North American community; time on the streets with the youth (and/or Tuesday)

In between there is a lot of getting around via foot and public transport, reading, settling in, planning, etc. I am also taking the lead on facilitating the North American WMF community here through a process of spiritual formation which will include covenant to one another after our first year sharing life and ministry together. It has been an exciting role for me to jump into and opportunity to integrate all God has shaped and formed into me these past few years. I am enjoying working closely with Adriana on this, as she provides the valuable experience and essential context. But more on this later.

I hope to get back into a blogging groove soon and share some more regular updates and reflections…I know, I keep saying that. Specifically, I hope to write more soon on my first experiences with the youth here.

Until soon….

mate

The Forcattos welcomed me to Argentina with a mate gourd! Mate is the traditional hot drink of Argentina. Over years of friendship with Walter and Adriana I have shared mate at many of their family gatherings in California. So, I have acquired a taste and appreciation for the drink and custom. It is a drink shared with family and friends. It is a staple here throughout the day...casually hanging out or during meetings, etc. Walter beings his mate, yerba, and thermos of hot water with him regularly when we spend time with the youth on the streets. Serving mate is an art and a science. Here are eight steps I found online. Below is a description from Wikipedia.

"Mate is traditionally drunk in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. One person (known in Spanish as the cebador) assumes the task of server. Typically, the cebador fills the gourd and drinks the mate completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. In some places passing the first brew of mate to another drinker is considered bad manners, as it may be too hot or too strong; for this reason the first brew is often called mate del zonzo (mate of the fool). The cebador subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the next drinker who likewise drinks it all, without thanking the server. The ritual proceeds around the circle in this fashion until the mate becomes lavado ("washed out" or "flat"), typically after the gourd has been filled about ten times or more depending on the yerba used (well-aged yerba mate is typically more potent, and therefore provides a greater number of refills) and the ability of the cebador. When one has had his fill of mate, he or she politely thanks the cebador passing the mate back at the same time.

The drink has a pungent taste like a cross between green tea and coffee, with hints of tobacco and oak. Some drinkers like to add sugar or honey, creating mate dulce (sweet mate), instead of sugarless mate amargo (bitter mate). It is considered bad for the gourd (especially for the natural (squash or wood) ones) to be used for mate dulce so it is normal for households with drinkers of both kinds to have two separate gourds."

one month in buenos aires!

Tomorrow I have been here one full month! God continues to go before me...day by day, step by step!

April prayer requests for the Buenos Aires community and ministry have just been posted on the WMF website. Click here to check them out.

Here is a picture of the argentinos and norteamericanos (minus Jeremiah) serving among the youth on the streets here. Last Saturday we met together to discern, envision, and pray about what God has ahead. Our Argentine friends from the church here are committed to the youth and open the church doors on Wednesdays for fellowship and community. We kicked things off on this past Wednesday. We had a fun time of friendship, sharing a meal, and some ping pong. I helped prepare the spaghetti lunch...my goal of improving my cooking skills. Just call me "Cocinero David." HA!

Prayer for Eastertide....Third Sunday of Easter

This prayer is adapted from The Book of Common Prayer for Resurrection Sunday. I think it is a good one to take hold of throughout the Eastertide season…

An Easter Prayer (Adapted from The Book of Common Prayer)
O God, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to death on the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection has delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant that we who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit. Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection, empowered and transformed by your grace in and among us.

O Lord, so stir up in your church, indeed in each of us, that Spirit of adoption and reconciliation that is made possible by your grace revealed in Jesus the Christ, that we being renewed in both body and mind, may worship and serve you in sincerity and truth. We pray this in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

living the resurrection in kroo bay...

As I consider living the resurrection more fully, it is the example of my friends in Freetown, Sierra Leone who inspire me with the hope of new life they live out and share in the slum community of Kroo Bay. This article captures my own experiences in Freetown well and my admiration for Noah Tullay and the community there.

The Echo of a Saint: Signs of Hope in a Slum Community by Chris Heuertz

learning to listen...

Yikes, another week has come and gone without a lot of blogging. I have now been in Buenos Aires for three weeks and the days continue to fly by! The days continue to be filled with Spanish tutoring and studying, finding my way around, learning public transport routes, and just learning the culture here. I am making progress! Each day seems to get a little more familiar and routine. This week I went with Walter to “el calle” (“the street”) to visit the youth for the first time. I know better then to go with any expectations. Each day ministering on the streets is different and you never know what to expect, especially those first times. The only predictable thing for me is that it will be awkward and a little uncomfortable those first visits getting to know the youth and their culture.

I also knew that I could not expect the experience and culture among the kids to be the same as other places I have visited, especially my time in Rio. One of my biggest intimidations is playing soccer/futbol with the youth! My lack of skill got me kicked off the field in Lima, Peru. Believe it or not…in Brasil it was not an issue. The places we hung out did not have space to kick around a futbol. Not so here! As soon as we got to the plaza park with the youth, a few of the youth invited me to play futbol. It wasn’t a regular futbol game. It involved quite a few rules including heading the ball into the goal or kicking it in with some special fancy footwork. So, not only did I lack any skill, but I did not understand the rules or Spanish. Thankfully, Walter helped translate some of the key rules to save me a little embarrassment. The few guys were great and very gracious to the new guy without a clue! It was cool to see them interacting and having fun, especially when the goalie got kicked in the butt by each person when they missed a certain number of goals. Needless to say, I got my fair share!

Overall, it was a good first day with new friends! I look forward to how God will continue to grow relationships and opportunities to grow into serving among the youth on the streets here.

So…learning to listen! It occurred to me this morning on my way to Spanish tutoring that I need to learn to listen in Spanish. As important as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are, I need to learn how to listen and hear the language. God has been teaching me a lot on how to listen to Him and listen to others more deeply. Listening to God, Scripture, one another, and a new language does not always come naturally or easily. It takes attention and discipline! Anyway, it was a good lesson and analogy for me this morning. I’ll keep you posted.

There is so much more to share, but I am tired and want to chill for awhile with Sufjan Stevens on my ipod and my glass of Argentina vino! More soon! Chau for now!