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Showing posts with label Buenos Aires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buenos Aires. Show all posts

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Republica de La Boca!


Despite my recent run in with a local street dog on my block, there are a lot of things I will miss about my La Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Here are a few things that come to mind…

1) The roar of the Boca Juniors fútbol fans (and fireworks) from the Bombonera stadium just 4-5 blocks from my apartment.
2) The sights and smells of traditional Argentine asado (bbq) being made in the streets (literally).
3) Summer days and nights with neighbors out on the streets trying to stay cool.
4) Neighbors on my street enjoying late-night summer dinners around the table on the sidewalks.
5) The sounds of tango music from the tourist area of La Boca just a block from my apartment.
6) Greeting neighbors on my street as I make my almost daily walk to the bus stop.
7) Greeting the Chinese family that runs the local market where I regularly shop.
8) Greeting the guys on Caminito (the tourist area of La Boca) that hustle the tourists into the local restaurants.
9) The local drummers that beat away on their drums on my block and then drum and dance their way through the neighborhood just about every weekend.
10) Walking past the local park where youth are always playing fútbol. And kicking the stray fútbol back to them when they yell at me to save them from chasing the ball.
11) Walking in the street instead of the uneven sidewalks...like all the La Boca locals.
12) Last but not least, living just a few short blocks away from very dear friends!

To be continued....

Thursday, December 05, 2013

A Summertime Advent Reflection

This Advent I contributed a reflection to Christine Sine’s annual Advent blog series on Godspace. The theme of this year’s series is “Coming Home: Uncovering Our Roots in the Advent Story.” Godspace is one of my favorite blogs, especially during Advent. The Advent series includes daily reflections, prayers, resources and a weekly podcast.

You can check out my reflection and the entire Godspace series here…
http://godspace-msa.com/2013/12/05/a-summertime-advent-by-david-bayne/


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

a little reverse culture shock...

I am still in California for a couple more weeks. After being in Argentina for almost five-years, I always experience some reverse culture shock when I visit the U.S. I continue to strive for a deeper sense of enculturation, home, and stability in Buenos Aires. I still have a loooooooong way to go, but every trip to the United States reminds me just a bit of the progress I have made. Here are a few of the funnier examples….

1) Greeting and Saying Goodbye at Gatherings – In Argentina it is customary to greet and say goodbye (with a kiss on the cheek) to everyone at a gathering (within reason). It always throws me off a little when people leave a party in the U.S. and don’t say goodbye. I also feel the urge to go around the room and greet everyone with a hug when I arrive or leave a gathering. My classes in San Francisco included daily evening prayer, which was closed with “passing the peace.” I found such a sense of home in Argentina with this worship tradition of saying goodbye to everyone in the room with a hug or handshake. I did catch myself leaning in for a kiss on the cheek. Thankfully, I resisted and didn’t break any social norms.

2) Late Night Dinner & Parties – I still am readjusting to dinner at 5:00 or 6:00. Someone in my class was talking about visiting Argentina and the parties and dancing that went until sunrise. I responded, “Oh, that makes me homesick for Buenos Aires.”

3) Pedestrians and the Right of Way – Oh yah, I have the right away in the U.S. I can’t tell you how many times I have stood at a crosswalk waiting for the cars to pass before crossing the street. Drivers stop and look at me like, “What are you waiting for?? GO!”

4) Summertime in La Boca – Talking about the hot humidity of summer, I recently shared about people in my neighborhood and all the activity that just happens outside on the sidewalk and street  (asado cooking, beer drinking, kiddy pools, guys with shirts off, etc.). I said , “Yah, I will know I have truly arrived when I feel comfortable walking down the street with my shirt off, perhaps with a bottle of beer.” I got some pretty strange and somewhat alarmed looks with that one. One guy responded, “Maybe that is a sign to leave?” I say…NAH!


Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011: My Year of Stability

Giant tree in Plaza San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina

My friend Daphne recently posted an article on her blog about “Choosing to Name Your Year”…HERE.  “A year name can help align us with purpose and help us live our days more fully focused on what we are committed to.” While I am still considering what I will name my 2012, I am recognizing that I named my 2011 without even fully realizing it.

2011 was my year of stability.

This season of growing in stability actually began back in July 2010 when our WMF Staff Gathering focused on the theme of stability. The book, The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove was our primary guide. I highly recommend this book. It is up there as a top book that has formed and shaped my life. In the book Wilson-Hartgrove points us towards Benedictine spirituality and rhythm of life as our example. The Benedictine Rule requires commitment to stability, fidelity to monastic life, and obedience. Benedict put stability first. “If we’re going to climb Jacob’s ladder toward the humility of Jesus, Benedictine wisdom says the first thing need is a stable place to begin.” You can read some of my favorite quotes from the book…HERE.

Then last January I wrote “Attentiveness and Call to Place,” posted on This Ignatian Life blog….HERE.  In the article I wrote, “This new year I desire to do just that. I intend to make effort for more exercises like my Christmas top ten. I plan to pay attention to the things I love about the city, culture, and people of Buenos Aires. I trust that this posture will enable me to more deeply embrace and share in the fullness of life with those I am called to serve among.” And I did just that. I identified and shared eight of my favorite things about life in Buenos Aires throughout 2011 here on my blog. I am still hoping to round out a top ten before too long.

The image of trees and roots became my symbol of stability. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove speaks of establishing ‘roots of love’ that bind us “intimately to our landscape and the people who share life on it.” He goes on to say, “If the love of God and neighbor is our end goal, roots of love in stability are the means God has given for making progress in this life.” The depth and reach of our roots directly impacts the reach of our limbs and fruit we bear. Fortunately, Buenos Aires is full of trees. So, I spent a lot of time paying attention to trees. I did not lack reminders of my desire to grow deeper roots of stability this past year.

So, as I close out 2011 tonight, I begin with gratitude to God for my year of stability. Grateful for the meaningful ways my roots have deepened in community and place. Grateful for those who have encouraged me and accompanied me along the way in this desire for stability. Thank you!

Tomorrow I begin the new year seeking to name my 2012. While I intend to give it some more space to take shape, I believe it will have something to do with “living in the present moment.” Stay tuned!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#8 – Christmas)


I leave for California this Thursday! I have been looking forward to Christmas with family and friends in SoCal for several months. In early-January I will also spend several days with my sister, bro-in-law, nieces, and nephew in Toronto. I can’t wait!

As excited as I am for my trip, I will also miss the remaining days of the season with my community down here in the Southern Hemisphere. I have spent the last two Christmas’ here in Buenos Aires. Last year I shared a top ten list of favorite things about Christmas in Buenos Aires. While Christmas in Argentina does not bring the same feel of Christmas in the U.S., there are customs and traditions I have come to look forward to.

This past year I have been sharing my favorite things about living in Buenos Aires. Today I close out my favorite things list for 2011 where it all began. I am reposting a revised 2011 version of my “Christmas Top Ten” that I posted a year ago. This list really inspired and kicked off my year of stability.

1) Our annual community Advent Gathering, when we light the first candle of hope and pray for our friends. Then each week we light the remaining Advent candles on the wreath with a time of liturgy and prayer.
2) All the neighbors out on the street sitting on the sidewalk as both the weather and festivities warm up before Christmas.
3) Our church “pesebre” (nativity) that takes the entire stage (see photo above).
4) Our annual Christmas party with the youth, which took place TODAY. We hosted 11 young adults and 18 children this year.
5) The wire Christmas trees light up in the plaza and parks throughout the city, surrounded by the summertime green and shade of all the trees.
6) The cold drinks of the season…Gancia (similar to vermouth with soda water, lemon, and lots of ice); Sidra (a cider drink); and extra cold cerveza.
7) Our church’s Christmas worship service, which I will miss this year. Candles will be light around the pesebre and the baby Jesus will be laid in the manger.
8) Spending time with our friends at the Retiro train station and sharing some Christmas “pan dulce” and mate.
9) It’s all about Christmas Eve here! Fireworks go off at midnight, gifts are opened, and the festivities continue through the wee hours of the morning. (Definitely not a “silent night”!) I’m gonna feel some culture shock this Christmas Eve when all is quiet and tranquilo in California when the clock strikes midnight.
10) Holiday drinks at Starbucks, Argentina-style…Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha, and Chocolate Carmel. (This year I am holding out for some gingerbread and peppermint!)

¡Amigos y amigas en Buenos Aires, voy a extrañarlos mucho! 
¡Feliz Navidad...y nos vemos pronto!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#7 – Cultural Events & Festivals)

I thought I would take a break from Advent posts and share another favorite thing about living in Buenos Aires. I am working on a top ten list of favorite things in Buenos Aires. Links to my first six are below. It’s looking like I will have to pick up the final three next year. But, for now, here is #7…

These past few years living in Buenos Aires I have enjoyed taking in some of the various cultural events and festivals. There is never a lack of things to do in the city, especially this springtime of year. November seems to be especially full with events and festivals. Just this month I attended three events. Earlier in the month there was the Jazz Festival Internacional with concerts throughout the city for three days. La Noche de los Museos is an event when all the museums in the city are open for free until 3:00 AM. I have attended this Night of the Museums each of the four years I have lived here. This past weekend I attended the Noche de Librerias, when the city closes off one of the major streets known for its many bookstores. All the bookstores were open until the wee hours of the night and special activities were held throughout the night. It’s been a fun month joining the festivities!

You can check out links to my previous favorite things posts here….
First Five Favorite Things
#6 - Seasons

Jazz Festival Internacional

Noche de los Museos in my La Boca hood

Noche de Librerias

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Speaking of Seasons....


My below “favorite things” post on seasons reminded me of this recent reflection from Blessings of the Daily….

“As we journey along the pleasant and sometimes unpleasant rhythm of the season, we become more and more aware of the immutable wisdom of the seasons and of their Creator. We become more attentive to the questions of living in harmony with nature’s cycles, of looking deep into the seasons which shape our daily lives. From then, we glean inspiration and inner sustenance.

Ultimately, our lives become fully integrated only when we accept the guidance of God and harmonize with the cycles of nature, the cycles of the heart, the cycles of the liturgy, and the cycles of life and death.”

Taken from: Blessing of the Daily: A Monastic Prayer Book by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourette (September 22 entry)

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#6 – Seasons)

It’s been awhile since my last “favorite things” in Buenos Aires post. As Facebook friends in the U.S. are sharing about pumpkin patches, Halloween costumes, fall colors, carving pumpkins, and crisper weather; we here in Buenos Aires are enjoying some of our first consistent warmer temperatures of spring. September and October are typically warm one day and cold the next. I’ve learned to not put away the warmer clothes too soon. But, I think I can now safely pull out the flip-flops and shorts! The parks and plazas are full of people enjoying the sun.

I have written a lot about the seasons here these past few years. Being from Southern California, experiencing the cycle of seasons was something new to me. And while I whine when it is cold and whine in the sweaty heat, I do enjoy the rhythm of seasons here in Buenos Aires. Below are pictures I took of one tree through the seasons. This tree is just down the street from my apartment.

You can check out my first five favorite things by clicking here.




Saturday, October 08, 2011

Spiritual Practice of Drinking Mate


My latest post on This Ignatian Life blog reflected on my appreciation for the Argentine tradition and custom of drinking mate. You can check out my reflection by clicking here...
The Spiritual Practice of Drinking Mate

Photo credit: Margi Felix-Lund

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

First Five Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style


In my ongoing desire this year is to deepen stability and my call to place, I have been sharing a list of favorite things I love about life in Buenos Aires. This is a result of my January reflection on “Attentiveness and Call to Place,” posted on This Ignatian Life blog. You can read the reflection here: http://ignatianlife.org/attentiveness-and-call-to-place/.

I hope to identify my top ten (in no particular order) by the end of the year. I have some catching up to do. But for now, here are my First Five…click below.

#1 – Fiestas! 
#2 – Walking in the City!
#3 – Mate!
#4 – My Hood!
#5 – My Community of Faith!

Saturday, September 03, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#5 – My Community of Faith!)



My ongoing desire this year is to deepen stability and my call to place. One way I am doing this is by blogging my favorite things in Buenos Aires. I hope to identify my top ten (in no particular order) by the end of the year. Looks like I have some catching up to do…so here is #5!

This past week I have found myself reflecting on community and friendship. My pastor here in Buenos Aires, Juan Jose Barreda, recently wrote a reflection on friendship that is now posted on our WMF website here…"Friendship Along the Way.” This morning I watched another new video from Jean Vanier on community here…“Loved As You Are.” 

Both of these reflections reminded me how grateful I am for my church community, my community of faith here in Buenos Aires! I have attended Iglesia Evangelica Bautista Constitucion since my arrival to Argentina almost 3 ½ years ago. Since then the community has become family for me here. They partner with our WMF community in many valuable ways. They warmly welcome our short-term teams, our family and friends who come to visit with open arms (along with some besitos and abrazos). They have accompanied me with such love and care this past year, as I have been away from my mom during her cancer recovery and treatments.

The community continues to demonstrate how to welcome one another, to love one another, to accompany one another, to offer hospitality to one another and those who are poor, to grieve together, to celebrate together, to grow and learn together…and so much more! I am thankful for the many ways I have grown and all I have learned from my friends in my community of faith. When I made my decision to renew my commitment to WMF Argentina, having a church community here that I love was a significant part of my decision.

This year I have taken some steps to get more involved in the church community. I am teaching the preschool Sunday school class every Sunday (los chiquitos!). I also am helping out with various children’s special activities. Last month I began attending a neighborhood home fellowship group just a few blocks from my apartment. It has been good to connect weekly with this group of neighbors, learn and share in some Bible reflections, and, of course, share some mate (see #3 on my list below)!

This month ahead I am looking forward to the annual all-church retreat and the annual epic costume party to welcome spring! Good times!

Gracias por todo, hermanas y hermanos!

To check out favorite things 1, 2, 3 & 4 click below.
#1 – Fiestas! 
#2 – Walking in the City!
#3 – Mate!
#4 – My Hood!


Tuesday, June 07, 2011

June Prayer Requests



June prayer requests from WMF Argentina are now on the WMF website.  CLICK HERE...June Prayer Requests

Monday, May 16, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#4 – My Hood)

Yep, I’m still here! I know it’s been awhile. I returned to Buenos Aires yesterday after two great weeks in the U.S. The first week I was in Omaha at our Word Made Flesh offices helping with some new staff training, as well as further envisioning and defining my role as Coordinator of Formation for our community. The bonus was good times catching up with O-Town friends in between it all! The second week I met up with my parents and grandma for a week of vacay in Virginia. Why Virginia? Well, it was one of the nicest timeshare units available on short notice. It was a fun and special time with my family (although we sure missed my sister & co.!). It was especially meaningful to be with my mom after all her chemo and radiation treatments these past nine months.

So, after being away for a couple weeks I am overdue for my next favorite thing about living in Buenos Aires. Today, as I was out and about running some errands, I was quickly reminded how much I love my neighborhood of La Boca, specifically, the street where I live! I love that it is common for me to greet people on my street within a few block radius. Whether it is the owners of the restaurant a couple doors down, the older men who sit in front of their homes to people watch all day, the men who are homeless and recycle to earn some money, the managers who run the local store, or the young guys who work down the street hustling the tourists to eat in the restaurants just a block away…it is always fun to recognize and greet people along my regular walking route in my La Boca hood.

In addition, I love that I live within walking distance to the Forcatto family and the Dean family. I love that on futbol game days I can hear the roar of Boca Junior fans from the “Bombonera” stadium about five blocks away. I love the way neighbors hang out on the streets sharing mate or cerveza. I love the trees that line my street and the way the leaves change with the seasons. I love the drum lines that often beat their drums and dance past my apartment. I love that if I listen closely I can hear tango music being played in the tourist areas just a couple blocks away.

And the list goes on and on with things I love about my neighborhood. It is always super hard to say goodbye to family and friends in the U.S.! But, I am grateful that I can return to an apartment and neighborhood that feels like home!

To check out my favorite things #1, 2, & 3 (in no particular order of importance)...click below.
#1 – Fiestas! 
#2 – Walking in the City!
#3 – Mate!

More to come...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Día de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia

Today, March 24, is a holiday in Argentina, Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice. The holiday commemorates the victims of the military dictatorship that began with a military coup on March 24, 1976. This period of military dictatorship is known as the “Dirty War” and lasted for about seven years (1976-1983). It is estimated that at least 13,000 people disappeared during this dark and sad period of Argentina history. Anyone resisting or opposing the dictatorship were kidnapped, tortured, and murdered.

I can’t imagine what it must have been like to live in Argentina during this time. In my three years here I have read books and articles and have watched several documentaries and movies about this fairly recent period in Argentina. I have also visited a couple museums and demonstrations commemorating and remembering the period. All of it is very tragic and sobering.

The Madres of Plaza de Mayo are Argentine mothers whose children disappeared during this period. During the dictatorship, they marched daily around the Plaza de Mayo in front of the Casa Rosada government house for the return of their abducted sons and daughters. They are known for the white scarves they wore on their heads when they marched. The Madres still exist as an active human rights movement.

Many of today’s Argentines lived through this period and will never forget. The idea of today’s holiday is that what happened will never be forgotten, so that it will never happen again – ¨nunca más¨!

To read more in English:

Here is a government education site in Spanish: http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/24demarzo/index.html

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style! (#3 - Mate)

Sharing mate around the picnic table!

A collection of mates and thermoses!

As a response to my desire to be more attentive to my call to place, I am blogging on my favorite things in Buenos Aires. (See my January 22 post by clicking here.) These favorites are in no particular order of “favoriteness.”

This February our church community enjoyed two summertime picnics about an hour outside the city. These days were a fun time of playing, eating, and relaxing together. Among other things, these days with my Argentine friends reminded how much drinking and sharing mate is something I love about Argentine culture. I have described mate quite a bit on this blog, so I won’t repeat myself. However, for my blog description of mate, click here.

The picnics began and ended with mate and snacks shared around the picnic table. As the mate gourd is passed around the circle from friend to friend, conversation, friendship, and laughter are enjoyed. I had to leave the first picnic early and everyone expressed disappointment that I would miss the time of sharing mate. I have found sharing mate to be a meaningful gesture and act of hospitality, welcome, and friendship. Go to any plaza or park around 5:00 PM in Argentina and you will quickly notice circles of family and friends drinking and sharing mate. I love it!

Sharing mate is a staple activity with the youth and young adults at the train station. Usually one of the first things our friends ask for is our thermos, so we can fill it with hot water (which is available just about anywhere in Argentina). Just about every Sunday afternoon our community gathers to hang out and play. Sharing mate is a common part of these community gatherings. Church events and gatherings always include sharing mate. No visitor to our community can escape trying and experiencing mate.

Our WMF community recently began expressing our commitments to one another through covenant, once a staff member renews his or her contract. As we discussed meaningful symbols to include in our Buenos Aires covenant celebrations, mate was one that all agreed needed to included on the table. We have one specific mate that always goes with us to the train station. Walter bought this mate when he first started building relationships with our friends at the train station. I love how this particular mate represents six years of friendship, welcome and hospitality with our friends, whether sitting on the train station floors or the grass outside in the plaza. So, this mate is a perfect symbol to include in our covenant ceremonies.

So, yep, mate...another favorite thing in Argentina!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style! (#2 – Walking in the City)

As a response to my desire to be more attentive to my call to place, I am blogging on my favorite things in Buenos Aires. (See my January 22 post by clicking here.) These favorites are in no particular order of “favoriteness.”

I have always enjoyed walking. Back in California several times a week I would regularly walk my neighborhoods of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Long Beach. When possible walking near the water is definitely preferred. The Seal Beach pier and the waterfront harbor in downtown Long Beach are still favorites when I am back for a visit. Walking is life-giving, restful and refreshing for me. It is often a time to clear my head. Many of my best times of prayer, attentiveness and reflection happen when I am walking. In many ways, it is a spiritual practice for me.

It is no different here in Buenos Aires! These past few weeks I have had some foot issues that have made walking pretty painful. I, finally, found a podiatrist here and, hopefully, I am now on the right track! But, in the meantime, I am realizing how much I miss my regular times to walk some of my favorite places in the city. I took a retreat day this past week and had to cut my plans short, which included a little walking in a park and visiting a museum. I was over ambitious and my foot just couldn’t hack it.

This all made me realize how much I really enjoy walking in Buenos Aires….another favorite thing! I enjoy my short walks (5-6 blocks) through my La Boca neighborhood to visit the Deans and Forcattos. I look forward to my 20-minute walk to church on the unusually quiet streets on Sunday mornings. I can take a 20-minute bus ride to Puerto Madero where there is a long stretch of walking along the old river docks of the city. There are many parks and plazas that are nice to walk through. The stretch of blocks on Avenida de Mayo between the government buildings of Plaza de Mayo/Casa Rosado and Congreso is another favorite stretch of walking. The beautiful architecture, the tree lined streets and the people watching are all part of the experience for me.

So, today I am grateful to live in a place where I can enjoy walking.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style! (#1 – Fiestas!)

For the past few weeks I have been meaning to compile a list of favorite things I love about life in Buenos Aires. This is a result of my recent reflection on “Attentiveness and Call to Place,” recently posted on This Ignatian Life blog. You can read the reflection here: http://ignatianlife.org/attentiveness-and-call-to-place/.

These first weeks of 2011 I have often found myself out and about thinking, “Oh yah, I love this about Buenos Aires!” But, I neglect to make a note of them. So, instead of waiting to make a list, I will post favorite things as I recognize them (in no particular order).

So, #1…FIESTAS! Argentines know how to throw a party and it usually involves lots of food, music and dancing into the wee hours of the night (or morning). While I have now acquired quite a few favorite Latin dance tunes, I am afraid I still lack the moves. I was reminded of how much I love Argentine parties just this past week when we had a despedida (farewell party) for our WMF intern, Matt. Parties here don’t really get going around 10:00 PM and go until at least 3:00 or 4:00 AM. And if you leave at 1:00 or 2:00, you are the first to leave. After three years in Argentina, this party timeframe has become my new normal and I even try to be one of the last to leave (a goal not always reached). I still have a lot to learn about hosting a party myself, but I will keep working on it. The Deans and I recently hosted a sabbatical despedida for the Forcattos. We laughed at how often we huddled together to try and be good hosts. (How many norteamericanos does it take to throw an Argentine party??)

Our church and circle of friends really know how to celebrate well community, friendship and big life events! All one has to do is scan my FB pics for highlights of these fun celebrations.

So, thank you Argentina, friends and community for the celebrations of friendship and life together!

Monday, December 27, 2010

WMF Argentina Year in Review


Check out our WMF Argentina Year in Review by clicking here...
http://www.wordmadeflesh.org/argentina/2010/12/wmf-argentina-year-in-review/

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas from Buenos Aires!

liturgy

Sending all my love to family and friends in California and around the world this Christmas Eve! Thinking of you all and missing you! Today in Buenos Aires it is a tad bit cooler in the low 90’s. But Christmas Day is forecasted to feel like 100. If you haven’t seen my top ten favorite things about a summertime Christmas in Buenos Aires, click here.

Yesterday Silas from our WMF office in Omaha sent this Christmas blessing and reflection from Henri Nouwen. I thought I would share it on my blog today.

A Christmas Blessing from Henri Nouwen
May the Child born today be the center of all your celebration
May He be the source of your joy
May the Child born today shine His light into the recesses
of your stress, sorrow, grief and despair
May He strengthen you and uphold you
May the Child born today dwell within you and go before you
May He shine out from deep within you
That you may be the visible sign of the Child born today

A Christmas Reflection from Nouwen, Christmas at Genesee Abbey
(An excerpt from Genesee Diary, Henri J.M. Nouwen)

I keep thinking about the Christmas scene that Anthony arranged under the altar. This probably is the most meaningful "crib" I have ever seen. Three small wood-carved figures made in India: a poor woman, a poor man, and a small child between them. The carving is simple, nearly primitive. No eyes, no ears, no mouths, just the contours of the faces. The figures are smaller than a human hand - nearly too small to attract attention at all.

But then - a beam of light shines on the three figures and projects large shadows on the wall of the sanctuary. That says it all. The light thrown on the smallness of Mary, Joseph, and the Child projects them as large, hopeful shadows against the walls of our life and our world.

While looking at the intimate scene we already see the first outlines of the majesty and glory they represent. While witnessing the most human of human events, I see the majesty of God appearing on the horizon of my existence. While being moved by the gentleness of these three people, I am already awed by the immense greatness of God's love appearing in my world. Without the radiant beam of light shining into the darkness there is little to be seen. I might just pass by these three simple people and continue to walk in darkness. But everything changes with the light.


Finally, today I posted a prayer liturgy for Christmas on the Prayers and Creeds blog. It is taken from the new prayer book, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Enuma Okoro (http://commonprayer.net/). This is a great prayer book for the new year!

To check out the Christmas prayer….click here.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Christmas in Buenos Aires...My Top Ten!


It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas (in the Southern Hemisphere). Yesterday hit 90 degrees here in Buenos Aires with a much higher humidity “feels like”! We are experiencing a weekend break from the heat before it is forecasted to return in full force just in time for Christmas. I’m sitting here in my apartment this afternoon with the window open, fan blowing, my little Christmas tree lights on, and drinking some Christmas coffee. (Thanks World Market for my 52 pounds of coffee prize! Thanks mom and dad for the monthly 5 pounds of coffee runs to claim my prize! And thanks Howie for bringing the latest Christmas supply!)

These past few weeks I have been asked many times when I am leaving for “las fiestas”? Most of my friends assume I am headed to North America or somewhere on vacation. I have had fun responding that I am staying here in Buenos Aires for Christmas. Yes, I will deeply miss being with my family in California these days ahead! But, at the same time, I am trying to soak in the season and receive all it has to offer in Buenos Aires. While Christmas in Argentina does not bring the same feel of Christmas in the U.S., there are customs and traditions I have already enjoyed and others I still look forward to this Christmas week. Here are just a few highlights:

1) Our annual community Advent Gathering, when we light the first candle of hope and pray for our friends. Then each Friday morning we have light the next candles on the wreath with a time of liturgy and prayer.
2) All the neighbors out on the street sitting on the sidewalk as both the weather and festivities warm up before Christmas.
3) Our church “pesebre” (nativity) that takes the entire stage (see photo above). Last Saturday all were invited to the annual community tradition of assembling the pesebre. It was really meaningful to join in that tradition!
4) Our annual Christmas party with the youth, which took this past Monday. We had a total of 30 people, including our community, Servant Team, Argentine partners, and our friends. Our time included a pollo asado (chicken bbq), a Christmas reflection in front of the pesebre, special crafts, and Christmas movies. We shared 18 Christmas gifts to our friends.
5) The wire Christmas trees light up in the plaza and parks throughout the city, surrounded by the summertime green and shade of all the trees.
6) The cold drinks of the season…Gancia (similar to vermouth with soda water, lemon, and lots of ice); Sidra (a cider drink); and extra cold cerveza.
7) Our church’s Christmas worship service, which will take place tomorrow night. Candles will be light around the pesebre and the baby Jesus will be laid in the manger.
8) This week ahead I look forward to visiting our friends at the Retiro train station and sharing some Christmas “pan dulce” and mate.
9) It’s all about Christmas Eve here! Fireworks go off at midnight, gifts are opened, and the festivities continue through the wee hours of the morning. (Definitely not a “silent night”!)

So there are nine favorite things about Christmas in Buenos Aires (in no particular order of importance)! I will keep my eyes and ears open to round out the top ten. Stay tuned!

10) Okay, that was quick…how could I forget? Number #10! Holiday drinks at Starbucks, Argentina-style…Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha, and Chocolate Carmel. (gingerbread, peppermint, and egg nog are not the tastes of Christmas here.)


So, there it is my top ten....so far!