Puerta al Mundo just updated their brochure, which is unfortunately, only available in Spanish. Check it out if you'd like:
Side One
Side Two
Friday, January 12, 2007
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
kaboom!
A short video from Christmas Eve/12:01 am Christmas morning. No comments on the Spanish, please.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
A Very Honduran Christmas
Well folks, Christmas in Honduras has come and gone and it has turned out to be a great experience. Being away from family and friends was hard, but not as hard as I thought. Thanks to everyone who sent me words of encouragment and prayers! Celebrating Christmas out of the norm was a great chance to reflect on what Christmas is really all about and to see it through the eyes of another culture.
This last week I spent a lot of time listening to the same Christmas songs over and over on my computer. The line from Silent Night about ¨mother and child¨struck me as I thought about how many of these humble mothers and children I know around the neighborhood. I feel like I get to know Jesus a little better each day when I get to know people who live like he lived: poor, persecuted, humble, immigrant, oppressed, and rejected. What do Jesus´words mean as I hear them, knowing more and more who He was? I think about the simple idea that I chose for my Christmas card ¨Rejoice! Rejoice! He is with us¨. His presence is true, something that seems mysterious to me as I see so much suffering around me. How does the harsh reality of Nueva Suyapa fit with the perfect and intimate presence of Jesus and his Kingdom? This is what I don´t see, but what I hope for.
This last week I spent a lot of time listening to the same Christmas songs over and over on my computer. The line from Silent Night about ¨mother and child¨struck me as I thought about how many of these humble mothers and children I know around the neighborhood. I feel like I get to know Jesus a little better each day when I get to know people who live like he lived: poor, persecuted, humble, immigrant, oppressed, and rejected. What do Jesus´words mean as I hear them, knowing more and more who He was? I think about the simple idea that I chose for my Christmas card ¨Rejoice! Rejoice! He is with us¨. His presence is true, something that seems mysterious to me as I see so much suffering around me. How does the harsh reality of Nueva Suyapa fit with the perfect and intimate presence of Jesus and his Kingdom? This is what I don´t see, but what I hope for.
Celebrating with Honduran friends at midnight
Gringo Christmas brunch on the 25th
Friday, December 22, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
get the word out
"more than 2,000 security guards without labor rights"
"Lawyer of the Poor" murdered in Honduras; Associates Threatened
Dionisio Diaz's Death Marks the First Murder in Many Years of a Human Rights Advocate in Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , Honduras , 13 December 2006. Honduras is in mourning. Last Monday (December 4) it lost a great ally in the struggle for social justice and a great defender of the poor: Dionisio Díaz García was shot to death in his pickup truck while driving to court by two masked gunmen on a motorcycle. The gunmen shot Díaz in the head and chest from close range. This murder was the first time in years that a human rights advocate has been murdered in Tegucigalpa.
Since early 2006 Díaz had served as the primary labor lawyer for the Association for a More Just Society's Labor Rights for Vulnerable Populations program, which had been running since 2004.
Contact US and Honduran Officials
Tell Friends, Family, and Media-BLOGGERS make your own post
Donate to Support Dionisio's Family and Work
Read More about the Workers Dionisio Represented
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
10 things
Ten things I love about living here in Honduras, in no particular order:
1. I can see an amazing sunrise and sunset from my house
2. my roomate Katie and I get along great and my house is feeling more and more like "home" each day
3. my team here is really great-a huge blessing
4. the list of people I can just drop in on and visit, feeling at home, is growing each day
5. Teguc is beautiful, in a big valley with great clouds every day
6. I have high speed internet at my office
7. with in walking distance of my house: my office, a place to buy diet coke, friends
8. speaking Spanish every day
9. Pupusas and home made tortillas
10. my work-I love spending time getting to know people, building relationships and planning for our upcoming small groups
Ten things that fall in the "challenge" category, in no particular order:
1. there was a fairly large snake outside my front door the other day
2. today there was an army of ants in my laundry hamper
3. there isn't much to do after dark, outside of the house if you don't have a car, which I don't
4. it is hard to haul out our trash and refill our 5 gallon water water bottles because we don't have a car
5. you have to walk up hill both ways when coming to and from our house, Nueva Suyapa is very hilly
6. I really like to be on time and efficient, and here time and efficiency are in a different world, but I'm adjusting
7. not being home for Christmas or Thanksgiving this year
8. lots and lots of mud when it rains
9. laundry takes a long time to dry and has to be hand washed
10. I don't like the salty cheese here, which seems to be served with just about every meal
1. I can see an amazing sunrise and sunset from my house
2. my roomate Katie and I get along great and my house is feeling more and more like "home" each day
3. my team here is really great-a huge blessing
4. the list of people I can just drop in on and visit, feeling at home, is growing each day
5. Teguc is beautiful, in a big valley with great clouds every day
6. I have high speed internet at my office
7. with in walking distance of my house: my office, a place to buy diet coke, friends
8. speaking Spanish every day
9. Pupusas and home made tortillas
10. my work-I love spending time getting to know people, building relationships and planning for our upcoming small groups
Ten things that fall in the "challenge" category, in no particular order:
1. there was a fairly large snake outside my front door the other day
2. today there was an army of ants in my laundry hamper
3. there isn't much to do after dark, outside of the house if you don't have a car, which I don't
4. it is hard to haul out our trash and refill our 5 gallon water water bottles because we don't have a car
5. you have to walk up hill both ways when coming to and from our house, Nueva Suyapa is very hilly
6. I really like to be on time and efficient, and here time and efficiency are in a different world, but I'm adjusting
7. not being home for Christmas or Thanksgiving this year
8. lots and lots of mud when it rains
9. laundry takes a long time to dry and has to be hand washed
10. I don't like the salty cheese here, which seems to be served with just about every meal
Just a few reasons why I love my job....
Last week, Honduras Puerta al Mundo (HPAM) hosted two youth missions forums. Over 200 youth from around the city attended. We had music and also a panel of Hondurans who have gone out as missionaries. The panel responded to questions from the moderator and the crowd. I was blown away by their answers as it became clear that God is really at work here....
What is missions? "missions is the duty of the church, not another ministry"
Why leave Honduras to be a missionary when there are so many needs here? "Honduras is not a mission field, but a missions force.... the spiritual needs of the unreached world are a priority for me"
How were you called to the trans-cultural mission field? What was the process like? "there were various moments in my life when I knew God was calling me.... God spoke to me through dreams and prayer times..... my pastor doubted me, I've been discouraged to be a missionary because our church doesn't send out missionaries...God spoke to me as I sought him in the midst of the tragedy of Hurricane Mitch here in Honduras..."
We also had the privilege to do a presentation about the agency and to have a visiting SP missionary who works in India share at a few different churches. One small church we visited here in Nueva Suyapa has been in existence for 20 years. Jen's presentation was the first time they had met a cross-cultural missionary who didn't work in Honduras. Our presentation about missions was the first time they had been asked as a church to be a part of missions, their first missions experience. Their response was overwhelming and so exciting... such a great thing to be a part of.
What is missions? "missions is the duty of the church, not another ministry"
Why leave Honduras to be a missionary when there are so many needs here? "Honduras is not a mission field, but a missions force.... the spiritual needs of the unreached world are a priority for me"
How were you called to the trans-cultural mission field? What was the process like? "there were various moments in my life when I knew God was calling me.... God spoke to me through dreams and prayer times..... my pastor doubted me, I've been discouraged to be a missionary because our church doesn't send out missionaries...God spoke to me as I sought him in the midst of the tragedy of Hurricane Mitch here in Honduras..."
We also had the privilege to do a presentation about the agency and to have a visiting SP missionary who works in India share at a few different churches. One small church we visited here in Nueva Suyapa has been in existence for 20 years. Jen's presentation was the first time they had met a cross-cultural missionary who didn't work in Honduras. Our presentation about missions was the first time they had been asked as a church to be a part of missions, their first missions experience. Their response was overwhelming and so exciting... such a great thing to be a part of.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
My new casa
View from the front of the house
View from the back (we have sort of a covered porch)
Bathroom, shower and closet
Front of the house
Kitchen and dinning room table
Living room, front door
Our bedroom (I´ll get a real bed soon!)
Friday, December 01, 2006
who would have thought
A great story....
So a couple of weeks ago, we found out that the missions agency I work with here in Honduras had been given a free space on a Christian radio station here in Teguc. We have every Thursday from 1-2:30 to talk about missions. The radio station plays 'alternative' style Christian music, hence the name "Alternativa 103". Their audience is youth and they play everything from contemporary praise music to Christian reggeaton (is that how it is spelled?)
We decided for this coming Thursday to have our visiting guest, Jen, share during the program. Jen is an SP missionary in India and they were excited to hear stories about her time on the field.
Little did I know. #1 I found out about half way through our time that I was the next person to be interviewed on the air. #2 We were being interviewed by "Icthus", the mascot of the station. Icthus is a fish and so he has to talk in a disguised voice like he is underwater. Not so easy for us non-native Spanish speakers participating in a separate room, listening through a speaker that is in yet another room.
Everything came out ok, and the time was less than we thought. Tune in next Thursday to hear more...
So a couple of weeks ago, we found out that the missions agency I work with here in Honduras had been given a free space on a Christian radio station here in Teguc. We have every Thursday from 1-2:30 to talk about missions. The radio station plays 'alternative' style Christian music, hence the name "Alternativa 103". Their audience is youth and they play everything from contemporary praise music to Christian reggeaton (is that how it is spelled?)
We decided for this coming Thursday to have our visiting guest, Jen, share during the program. Jen is an SP missionary in India and they were excited to hear stories about her time on the field.
Little did I know. #1 I found out about half way through our time that I was the next person to be interviewed on the air. #2 We were being interviewed by "Icthus", the mascot of the station. Icthus is a fish and so he has to talk in a disguised voice like he is underwater. Not so easy for us non-native Spanish speakers participating in a separate room, listening through a speaker that is in yet another room.
Everything came out ok, and the time was less than we thought. Tune in next Thursday to hear more...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Luces
Last night I went with my host family, neighbors and friends to a fireworks show down in Teguc. We ate chicken, bean sandwiches, banana soda and brownies in the back of the pick up. Good times were had by all! The fireworks are sponsored by a fast food chicken place called Campero.
For the next 10 days, I{m hanging out with Jen, a SP missionary who works in India. She will be doing various presentations and promoting Servant Partners and India. Today we are going to a radio station to share (I think she{ll be doing more of the sharing). This Christian radio station has given Puerta al Mundo an hour and a half each week to talk about missions.
I will also be moving into my new house sometime next week. I have a mattress and my roommate has already furnished part of the rest of the house.
For the next 10 days, I{m hanging out with Jen, a SP missionary who works in India. She will be doing various presentations and promoting Servant Partners and India. Today we are going to a radio station to share (I think she{ll be doing more of the sharing). This Christian radio station has given Puerta al Mundo an hour and a half each week to talk about missions.
I will also be moving into my new house sometime next week. I have a mattress and my roommate has already furnished part of the rest of the house.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Good Bye
I leave on Wednesday, only 3 days left in Colorado! We had some family pics before I left, which had to be taken using the self timer.... so despite the many tries, we had a hard time finding pics that everyone was smiling in. Here are a couple:
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
..meaningful media..
A couple book and music recomendations to pass along
This is a great CD. Thanks Tara for introducing me.
A new and pleasant surprise in this new disc from Enter the Worship Circle. Their usual style is folk, but this album is all electric. I really love Simple and Tambourines.
Here are two books that I read for my Servant Partners training. The first is a great overview/introduction to the urban slums of the world. The second is a very complete resource for community organizing, and how the Kingdom of God intersects with the powers of the world (politics, economics and religion). Both are great reads.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Good bye
This weekend I've said good bye to many things:
Manila, Pilippines after being there for 5 weeks
our friends and community in Balic Balic
my team (pictured above)
being too hot and sweaty 24/7
rice with every meal
the threat of giant cockroaches crawling on me in my sleep
pandesal with mango jam for breakfast
bucket showers (not really good bye, more like 'see you later')
Monday, October 30, 2006
Balic Balic Up in Flames
I wasn't planning on writing another update from Manila, but a recent event has made such an impression on me that I can't help but share:
Around 5 pm on Sunday night a fire started in a house along the tracks in Balic Balic. I was opening the door to sweep out dirt and was surprised to find the sky filling with thick smoke! A rush of terror and action hit eveyone as they scrambled to find out where the fire was. I ran just 30 yards from our house to the tracks... I can't describe the scene that was there: people everywhere, running, yelling, kids crying, everyone close to the fire taking as much as possible out of their houses, flames and black smoke coming from the dense jumble of buildings along the tracks. What really touched me was the bucket line that had already formed from the river towards the fire. Jeoporadizing their safety and health, men jumped into the river/sewer and the buckets of blackish water were quickly passed all the way to the roof. My host family lived just a few houses down from the fire, so I joined them in running their belongings out of the house and dousing their walls with water. At one point I ran past Myline, 21 yr. old niece of my host family. She was standing on the sidewalk near a pile of their stuff watcing as the fire approached the house. I stopped and hugged her and we both cried and didn't say anything. It felt painful to not have any words of comfort for her. The fire trucks did eventually arrive, but even then, the fire lasted almost 2 hours. There aren't any fire hydrants in Balic Balic, so every other fire truck is a water tanker. Almost a dozen trucks attacked the fire from different angles.
After the fire was deemed "out" we went back to the Sears' house (my host family) and helped them clean up. It was surreal to be on hands and knees cleaning dirty water out of the kitchen where we had previously shared meals, laughter and life. While I was experiencing the pain of the situation, I was also struck by the fact that I would never really know what it was like to walk in their shoes. Many were displaced by the fire and or wet homes. We all painfully wondered where they would sleep and what they would eat that night as we went back to our own safe homes. Later that night and into today, a typhoon passed close enough to Manila to bring on constant and heavy rains. Monday the tracks were much more quiet than usual as the damage was assessed, the buildings gutted out and remains salvaged. Nobody was hurt or killed, but around 12 homes were completely destroyed.
Ironically, this has happened just a week before we go home... just when we were getting a little more used to the poverty. For me this has been deep and meaningful reminder that below the surface of poverty lies a very fine balance between life and death, stablity and chaos, enough and desperation as the poor live in a constant state of vulnerability. Perhaps even more than this realization, I have been touched by the pain of the poor that is both deep and wide. I truthfully ask God what comfort and what hope He has for those who live in this reality of vulnerability and pain. I have renewed my own hope in the truth found in Is 61:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Tonight I am thankful that Jesus came not only for our sins, but for our brokeness and pain also. Please keep the community of Balic Balic in your prayers.
Around 5 pm on Sunday night a fire started in a house along the tracks in Balic Balic. I was opening the door to sweep out dirt and was surprised to find the sky filling with thick smoke! A rush of terror and action hit eveyone as they scrambled to find out where the fire was. I ran just 30 yards from our house to the tracks... I can't describe the scene that was there: people everywhere, running, yelling, kids crying, everyone close to the fire taking as much as possible out of their houses, flames and black smoke coming from the dense jumble of buildings along the tracks. What really touched me was the bucket line that had already formed from the river towards the fire. Jeoporadizing their safety and health, men jumped into the river/sewer and the buckets of blackish water were quickly passed all the way to the roof. My host family lived just a few houses down from the fire, so I joined them in running their belongings out of the house and dousing their walls with water. At one point I ran past Myline, 21 yr. old niece of my host family. She was standing on the sidewalk near a pile of their stuff watcing as the fire approached the house. I stopped and hugged her and we both cried and didn't say anything. It felt painful to not have any words of comfort for her. The fire trucks did eventually arrive, but even then, the fire lasted almost 2 hours. There aren't any fire hydrants in Balic Balic, so every other fire truck is a water tanker. Almost a dozen trucks attacked the fire from different angles.
After the fire was deemed "out" we went back to the Sears' house (my host family) and helped them clean up. It was surreal to be on hands and knees cleaning dirty water out of the kitchen where we had previously shared meals, laughter and life. While I was experiencing the pain of the situation, I was also struck by the fact that I would never really know what it was like to walk in their shoes. Many were displaced by the fire and or wet homes. We all painfully wondered where they would sleep and what they would eat that night as we went back to our own safe homes. Later that night and into today, a typhoon passed close enough to Manila to bring on constant and heavy rains. Monday the tracks were much more quiet than usual as the damage was assessed, the buildings gutted out and remains salvaged. Nobody was hurt or killed, but around 12 homes were completely destroyed.
Ironically, this has happened just a week before we go home... just when we were getting a little more used to the poverty. For me this has been deep and meaningful reminder that below the surface of poverty lies a very fine balance between life and death, stablity and chaos, enough and desperation as the poor live in a constant state of vulnerability. Perhaps even more than this realization, I have been touched by the pain of the poor that is both deep and wide. I truthfully ask God what comfort and what hope He has for those who live in this reality of vulnerability and pain. I have renewed my own hope in the truth found in Is 61:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Tonight I am thankful that Jesus came not only for our sins, but for our brokeness and pain also. Please keep the community of Balic Balic in your prayers.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
A few things about Manila
I am currently in Balic Balic, a slum in Manila. Here are a few things worth listing:
9 hours slept on our flight from LA
13.5 total hours of flight
10 hour time difference between Manila and Colorado
3 stories in the house I am staying in
2 bucket showers per day is the norm for Balic Balic
100% humidity, my guess anyhow
6 SP staff in my group, 4 from Lincoln Heights team, 1 from Thailand team and me
5.5 weeks we will be in Balic Balic
$2 the cost of my dinner tonight
9 hours slept on our flight from LA
13.5 total hours of flight
10 hour time difference between Manila and Colorado
3 stories in the house I am staying in
2 bucket showers per day is the norm for Balic Balic
100% humidity, my guess anyhow
6 SP staff in my group, 4 from Lincoln Heights team, 1 from Thailand team and me
5.5 weeks we will be in Balic Balic
$2 the cost of my dinner tonight
Sunday, September 24, 2006
GUTS...
...yes, I've got them, and I'm officially there. I am in LA for my official Servant Partners new staff training, called GUTS (Global Urban Training School). We start tomorrow, Sunday, so I haven't met anyone else yet. I'm staying with my friend Lauren and her roomates in Pomona. Today I drove up to Encino and saw my cousins, Stacey and Tyson. We had not all been together for a while, so it was good to see them. We are definitely all on different paths: Stacey, married and ready to have her first baby any day now, Tyson, engaged and pursuing a music career in LA, and me, moving to Honduras to pursue my own dreams. I'll post a picture later.
So I'm in LA for one week and then on the 1st we fly to Manila, Philippines. I'm a little nervous for the flight but generally very excited about everything. We'll be there until Nov 5th.... a long time. I still have $110/month left to go-so keep praying and advocating. For those of you who actually read closely, here is a preview of the new website I'm working on.
So I'm in LA for one week and then on the 1st we fly to Manila, Philippines. I'm a little nervous for the flight but generally very excited about everything. We'll be there until Nov 5th.... a long time. I still have $110/month left to go-so keep praying and advocating. For those of you who actually read closely, here is a preview of the new website I'm working on.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Almost there!
I need $110 more a month in pledges before I can go to Honduras. I'm doing pretty well on my one-time gift needs, I think I'm with in a few hundred dollars.
Keep praying! Only 14 days left in Colorado to work on fundraising (4 now, 10 in November).
Keep praying! Only 14 days left in Colorado to work on fundraising (4 now, 10 in November).
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Photo Shoot
Today my dad and I took some pictures of my sister, Sarah, for her senior pics. Here are a few shots from the day. It was pretty windy, so she might have to try again on a different day.
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