August Prayer Letter

Here is a sneak peek at my August prayer letter, hitting mail boxes in a couple week....click here.

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!

Listening to Saint Francis this 9/11 Anniversary

(The oldest known icon of St Francis of Assisi, ca. 1230 (Church of San Fransesco, Pescia)

The community I serve among, Word Made Flesh, is considered part of the New Friar’s mission movement. Two books, written and edited by Scott Bessenecker, share the history, background, and distinctives of the New Friars, if you want to read more.
- The New Friars: The Emerging Movement Serving the World's Poor (2006) 
- Living Mission: The Vision and Voices of New Friars (2010)

Last week I shared my desire to dive back into the life of Saint Francis and Franciscan spirituality in preparation for Saint Francis’ Feast Day on October 4. This week I have done just that. It turns out it was perfect timing to listen and learn from Saint Francis and Franciscan spirituality to grow in my perspective on this 10th anniversary of 9/11. Saint Francis was about peacemaking and the Franciscans today continue to live these principles of peace. My focus on St. Francis this week began with the below Franciscan responses and reflections in light of this 9/11 anniversary.
- American Franciscan Response to Anniversary of 9/11
- Franciscan Voices on 9/11 [Kindle Edition]

I found these words from Patricia Normile, S.F.O. in her contribution to the Franciscan Voices on 9/11 book (“Making Peace a Verb”) to sum up well the posture and priority of peace we learn from Saint Francis...
“I now tend to think of peace as a verb rather than a noun. It moves, it empowers, it inspires, it sacrifices, it challenges. Peace urges us to reach beyond our own comfort, beyond our security, beyond our righteousness, to gain understanding of the “others” in our world. Peace asks us to respect their “otherness.” Peace refuses to allow us to remain in one place too long; it encourages us to move toward greater understanding. Peace seeks to discover new realms in need of healing in ourselves, our country, our world.”

Here are some other Saint Francis resources I have discovered and plan to read and utilize this month ahead. More to come!
- Video – “Who Cares About the Saints? (St. Francis)” featuring Fr. Jim Martin , S.J.
- The St. Francis Prayer Book: A Guide to Deepen Your Spiritual Life by Jon Sweeny
- The Road To Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis by Paul Sabatier (Edited by Jon Sweeny)

Preparing for Saint Francis Feast Day ~ October 4

If you have followed my blog at all these past five years you know that Ignatian and Benedictine spiritualities have recently played a significant role in my formation. Ignatian spirituality has formed and shaped my understanding of discernment and vocation. It has taught me to be attentive. Benedictine spirituality has encouraged me to deepen stability and call to place, as well as cultivate a rhythm of life.

The month I plan to revisit Franciscan spirituality. Our global Word Made Flesh community has been influenced and shaped by the life and spirituality of Saint Francis. When staff are commissioned to begin our service with WMF, we receive a San Damiano cross necklace as a symbol of our commitment. This year our WMF Argentina has decided to observe the Feast Day of Saint Francis on October 4. In preparation for this day, I am looking for recommendations on books, articles and resources on St. Francis and Franciscan spirituality.

Can you help me out? Please post any recommendations in comments or send me an email! 

Stay tuned for more reflections on Saint Francis these weeks ahead.

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!

June Prayer Requests

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

WMF Argentina ~ El Verbo Entre Nosotros

Last year our Word Made Flesh Argentina community revised our Mission Statement. I share them below in both English and Spanish. We are still moving forward in registering our organization in Argentina, called El Verbo Entre Nosotros. We pray this process will be completed in the months ahead.

You can read more about WMF Argentina and El Verbo Entre Nosotros on the WMF website, as well as on our brand spanking new Spanish website (Thanks Jason!). See links below.

Word Made Flesh Argentina ~ Mission Statement

WMF Argentina, in collaboration with Argentine partners, is called to serve and discover Jesus among vulnerable children and young adults living in poverty. Through mutual friendships based on love and trust, we accompany our excluded friends in experiencing and knowing Jesus and a fuller life in God. Intentional hospitality is essential to our ministry creating a space for intimacy with God and neighbor.

WMF Argentina (http://www.wordmadeflesh.org/argentina/about/)

El Verbo Entre Nosotros ~ Propósito del Ministerio

El Verbo Entre Nosotros, en colaboración con sus amigos y amigas de Argentina, está llamado a servir y descubrir a Jesús en medio de los niños, niñas y jóvenes adultos en situación de pobreza. A través de una amistad recíproca basada en el amor y la confianza, acompañamos a nuestros amigos y amigas excluidos, en su experiencia y conocimiento de Jesús y de una vida plena en Dios. Para nuestro ministerio, la hospitalidad intencional es esencial para crear un espacio de intimidad con Dios y el prójimo.

El Verbo Entre Nosotros (http://www.elverboentrenosotros.org/)

A Morning Prayer for Sabbath

The below prayer is a portion of a morning prayer liturgy for Sabbath (Living Into a Resurrection-Created World). It is taken from the book Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God’s World by Chrisine Sine. This week our community started going through the seven themes, prayer and liturgies of faith shared in this book. I will probably share highlights from these prayers in the weeks ahead.

Risen Christ, we live today in anticipation of your resurrection-created world,
We live in the hope of your forgiveness,
We live in expectation of your healing,
We live in the assurance of your salvation,
Risen Christ, we will live in anticipation of your resurrection-created world.
Risen Christ, we take on your life today,
A life of loving and caring,
A life of healing and wholeness,
A life of sharing and giving,
Risen Christ, we take on your life today.

We will go into the week with compassion and love,
Knowing we are touched by the God of life,
May our lives shine with the holiness of God,
May our hearts be transformed by the glory of Christ,
May our ways be filled with the joy of the Spirit.
The love of almighty God surround you,
The peace of the risen Christ indwell you,
The fellowship of the Spirit unite you,
The life of the Triune God be yours,
This day and evermore,
Amen.

To read a little more, click here.

To order the book, click here:
http://msainfo.org/promo/available-now-new-prayer-book-by-christine-sine-light-for-the-journey

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/

December Prayer Letter & Prayer Requests

My December prayer letter is now posted on the Word Made Flesh website, as well as December prayer requests from our WMF Argentina community. To read them, click on the links below...

December Prayer Letter -

Advent in the Southern Hemisphere

December Prayer Requests from WMF Argentina

Five Years of Blogging!

This week marks five years since my first blog post. It also marks the beginning of a journey unaware of where it would lead. The name of my blog, “The road goes ever on and on,” was taken from a Bilbo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien’s’ Fellowship of the Ring. The quote was very appropriate as I was entering a season of Sabbatical, exploration and discernment.

I initiated my first blog post on November 25, 2005 with the following….

"The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow it if I can. Pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins the larger way. Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say?
"

~ Bilbo Baggins in the Fellowship of the Ring



The Lord of the Rings begins with Bilbo Baggins leaving the home at the Shire for an unknown destination. He did not know what was ahead on the road but he headed off with eager feet. He knew the road was far ahead, yet he was off to follow it as best he could. 



Bilbo’s song resonates with me. I feel a bit like Bilbo not knowing what is ahead. This blog is my attempt to share my path on the road with all of you. It is good for our paths on the road to meet.

Yep, that pretty much summed up what I was feeling five years ago! I get a little sentimental reading that first post. I am reminded of so many of the hopes, emotions, feelings and unknowns at that time. Soon after my first blog post, I began a couple years of travelling, exploring, and discerning where God would lead. My blog address, “wheresdavebayne,” was a frequent question asked by many for over two years. Then in March 2008, I followed and pursued the road to Argentina, where I now live and serve alongside the Word Made Flesh community in Buenos Aires. After 2 ½ years, I’m still here, striving to put down deeper roots of stability and to love my neighborhood!

Five years and 358 posts later, I am so grateful for this blog space to reflect and share my journey. Thank you to the many who have dropped by every now and then, even after many long periods of being missing in action. These past five years have been significant and transformative for me. This blog has been a meaningful and important space to journal and share snap shots of my journey.

While my feet have landed here in Buenos Aires, my journey and my blog will continue ever on and on! While the “wheresdavebayne” part may not be as relevant today, the blog remains a space to share my journey and intersect with yours. Drop by any time! I am grateful!

Photo taken from: www.ForestFoliage.com

Light for the Journey

I recently received my copy of Christine Sine’s new book, Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God’s World. If you follow my blog or the Prayers & Creeds blog, you know that Sine’s Godspace blog is a favorite of mine and I often share her beautiful prayers and liturgies. Our Word Made Flesh Argentina community often utilizes Sine’s liturgies during our weekly community formation and worship gatherings. We translated one of her Advent liturgies in Spanish to share with our Argentine friends. One of Sine’s liturgies focusing on hospitality has become a regular part of our community rhythm whenever we have visitors in Buenos Aires.

I am excited to now have this latest collection of morning and evening prayers in a book format. I look forward to sharing them with our community in the months ahead, as we seek to live more fully into God’s resurrection created world. I trust these morning and evening prayers, along with the suggested exercises, questions and prayer topics, will enrich our community formation and rhythm of life. Thank you, Christine, for sharing this gift with us all!

Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

“In Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God’s World, you are invited to journey together with sisters and brothers from around the world into a rhythm of morning and evening prayer. This rhythm is intended to help us connect our daily prayers to the values of God’s resurrection world in a way that strengthens our foundational beliefs and equips us to become part of God’s mustard seed conspiracy, making a kingdom difference in God’s world.”

To check out the book and order it, click here.

Celtic Prayer of Hospitality

I have been thinking a lot about hospitality this past month. Our Buenos Aires community finished a book discussion on Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine Pohl. This was my second time reading the book and I was challenged in new ways. Last week I finished reading Friendship at the Margins: Discovering Mutuality in Service and Mission by Chris Heuertz and Christine Pohl. This book does an excellent job explaining the WMF posture of ministry that we seek to live out among our friends who are poor. I highly recommend both books! They deserve blog reflections all of their own.

Reflecting on hospitality, I recently found this "Celtic Prayer of Hospitality" that I just posted on the Prayers and Creeds blog this weekend.

Celtic Prayer of Hospitality

We saw a stranger yesterday.

We put food in the eating place,

Drink in the drinking place,

Music in the listening place,

And with the sacred name of the triune God

He blessed us and our house,

Our cattle and our dear ones.

As the lark says in her song:

Often, often, often, goes the Christ

In the stranger’s guise.

True evangelical faith

cannot lie dormant

it clothes the naked

it feeds the hungry

it comforts the sorrowful

it shelters the destitute

it serves those that harm it

it binds up that which is wounded

it has become all things to all creatures.

~ Menno Simmons, 16th century

(Taken from: With All God’s People: The New Ecumenical Prayer Cycle (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1989), 131.)

Next Steps in Partnership for WMF Argentina

Our Buenos Aires community just posted a letter sharing some next steps in partnership with our Argentine friends who serve alongside us here. To read more, click here:
http://www.wordmadeflesh.org/argentina/2010/03/nextstepsinpartnership/

mission & partnership

My upcoming April prayer letter will include letter from our WMF Argentina community sharing some next steps of partnership with our Argentine friends and leaders who serve alongside us. We are moving forward in establishing a legally recognized Argentine organizational structure, which will include a board of eight Argentine leaders. Please pray with us as we take these steps forward in partnership.

The following quote Oscar Muriu, pastor of Nairobi Chapel in Kenya, summarizes well the posture we strive to live out here in Buenos Aires.

“But as you come, come as a new-paradigm missionary. Come as a people who seek to develop bridges of healthy interdependence. Come as a people who build reciprocity into the task of missions. Come as a people who approach the cultures of the world with respect and with humility. Come as a people who are learners and not cowboys. For this century must be the century of genuine partnerships and nothing else.”

~ Oscar Muriu, “The Global Church”

(Urbana Missions Conference 2006)

To listen to the audio of the entire message that Oscar Muriu gave at the Urbana Missions Conference in 2006, click here and look for his message titled, “The Global Church.” It is worth a listen!

http://www.urbana.org/archives/2006/session-info?session=3