Monday, August 11, 2008

Kanuga helps me know what I think



Baptism and Preaching at 5pm...Mission Committee meeting at 6pm...hitting the road to drive to NC at 7pm...a stop for Five Guys just before 10pm...and checking in at the Kanuga front desk at 3am....and yet -




Nothing beats the fresh mountain air and someone else having cooked a full-on breakfast, complete with the inimitable Kanuga toast at 8:45am!




A day of respite here is like a week of 'days off' at home. No one needs a darned thing from me and I can focus on a single endeavor and hopefully see it to completion.


My goal: To get a full draft done - maybe even edited - on a paper for continuing ed. But the paper is only the vehicle for exploring in depth something that we're about to launch at Christ Church.
The working title is "Soul Food" - for the paper and for the 'thing.' The idea is that on Wednesday nights at church we will have a community worship/meal to help launch us into our evening programs.
Granted, for many Wednesday night church is not a new concept. As a matter of fact, what we're hoping to accomplish is as old as THE church itself. Based on early house church models of a Eucharistic Agape meal, what we plan to do is to nourish folks, body and soul, around common tables in a communal fellowship. I'm seeking out lay preachers from within the parish and the clergy will be on rotation to preside at the Eucharist...I think. But that uncertainty is exactly why, my friends, I must get to the paper writing. As E. M. Forster wrote, "How do I know what I think until I see what I say?"

Sunday, August 3, 2008

All's Well That Ends Amazingly!





It's late and like the little rose in the photo at left, I really want to go to bed. However, I would be remiss if I didn't at least mention a couple of things about our last full team day here in Honduras.






First, we had a rare opportunity as a mission team when this morning some of our team members became Godparents for some of the OLR girls! It was a very moving service, so make sure you check out the 'Honduras II' photo album at left to get a sense of the spirit of joy and celebration that started off our Sunday. [Warning: Album photos have not been edited yet so there are some really poor quality shots floating around there.]






Second, we partied like it was 1999 tonight at the 'Disco des las Rosas' complete with loud dance tunes, a disco ball (spun ably by Tall-Man-Ted), and confetti eggs. What a great end to a wonderful trip. As we had our final team circle time tonight back at the hotel, the question shifted from "Where did you see a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven in the day?" to "Where did you sense God at work in YOU?" We have all had profound experiences of being part of something greater than ourselves, of reaching out with love we don't always realize we have in us, and of moving in new directions and being stretched in new ways.






This trip team has really been fantastic and we all gave prayerful thanks that God called us here together and bound us with one heart and mind to serve God, serve the people of Honduras, and serve each other. Thanks be to God!



Peace Out.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

SABBATH

Today was beach day. A bus load of girls from OLR and our two vans of team members headed out this morning for a lovely coastal resort where we played in the sand and surf, had a great lunch on the veranda, and then spent the afternoon at a water-park-like pool. Here are the pictures to prove it:

















Friday, August 1, 2008

FIESTA!




Today was another one of those long and yet wonderful days, where at the end of the day we're tired, and sweaty, but feel like the girls really had a great day...and so did we! They never cease to amuse us with their creativity, energy, and antics.

Part of our group did another round of pool ministry, while the rest of us treated the girls who didn't go to the pool to a "Spa Day." We did pedicures, manicures, hair-do's and makeup. Of course the girls wanted to get in on the action and try out their creative skills on us. For some reason, all the guys on the team opted for the pool ministry. Hmmm... Nevertheless, you can see by the pics that there was some real creativity involved in this activity!






Tonight we hosted a Fiesta for the group. Turns out that our highly informed guide and driver, Julio, is also an excellent chef. That was some of the best potato salad and pork chops I've ever had! Ron ran the grill while the girls ate healthy portions of everything topped off with their favorite - watermelon!




But before we got to that portion of the meal, we shared Eucharist in the pavilion around tables arranged in the shape of a cross. Several of the girls participated in leadership roles - their English skills are very impressive. One of them acted as my interpreter as I gave an introduction, instructions, and the homily. You can see in the picture how we morphed the holy table into the family table.






Tomorrow we head to the beach for a much needed Sabbath day with about 50 of the girls! Sabbath? Well.....it may not be the ideal, but it will be a joyful one.

Peace Out.