Much of what I have been doing so far can fit into the
category of exploration.
new places.
foods.
friends.
communities.
work.
churches.
coffee shops.
books.
new forms of passing the time.
It is often that I have time to fill. I will get home from
work early or all of my family will be working on an evening or I will have a
Saturday to myself. It is strange getting used to living in an environment
where I can’t distract myself with internet or TV or homework all the time. I
have been learning to go on bike rides with the hope of getting a little lost
and having to really understand and get to know the area where I am. For the
first time in a while I have been an extremely faithful runner, going on at
least 3 or 4 runs a week. I walk to work and try to take a slightly different
route every day. I read a lot: newspapers and random publications I find at
work and, currently, Abril Rojo. I
find pleasure in discovering new embassies (Apparently this is the area where
they like to be located. There are SO many… Off the top of my head: Malaysia,
Japan, Poland, Russia, India, Italy, Guatemala, Belgium, El Salvador, Bolivia,
and Uruguay. These are only the ones I’ve actually seen too). I spend time in coffee shops and
teaching the puppy we currently have at our house how to “siéntete” (sit) and
“ven” (come).
Another big area of exploration has come in the way of
finding a church. So far I have visited six different churches. Quick
observations:
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Miraflores
This is the church that Jed and Jenny attend. It is Anglican,
which is more or less a mix of Catholic and Protestant traditions. It is a
small chapel, and the service we attended had around 35 people. Good message
and apparently usually has good and decently contemporary music (the week we
visited there was no music because the music leader was gone). There was a
fellowship time after where we got to meet and talk with members of the
congregation. Possibility.
Peruvian Evangelical Church – Kilometer 13 in Comas
This is where one of the other YAVs, Blake, is working
during this year. There were a ton of kids, and they were included throughout
the service. They had upbeat and good music. The sermon was excellent as well. After
the service we had a really great time of conversation and getting to know the
community. If I lived closer, this would be a definite possibility. Check out
this YouTube video that Jed made of our visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwng959GmnU&feature=youtu.be
Parish San Juan María Vianney of Magdalena del Mar
This is where my host family goes on occasion. It is only a
few blocks from my house. We went to a mass at 7:30 at night. There were
probably about 50 people there, and it felt like a very solemn service to me.
This was only the second time I have ever been to a Catholic mass, so I was
often lost as the rest of the people recited things they already had memorized.
There was a decent reflection and decent music. I’d return with my family if
they went again, but a no for the year.
Christian Missionary Alliance Church of Pueblo Libre
What could be defined as a mega-church. There were several
hunder people in attendance (although the majority didn’t show up until 15 or
20 minutes after it started in typical Peruvian fashion). I never have even
been to a mega-church in the U.S., so this was definitely a new experience.
They baptized 20ish people in a built-in pool at the front of the church, had
about a 15 person band up front, projected a live video of the service on a
screen up front, had an altar call after the message followed by a mass prayer
where everyone squeezed up together in the front of the church, and
announcements for the multiple big events that were happening during the week.
Decent music and decent sermon. Would return but probably not for the whole
year.
Nazarene Church of Jesús María
I walked past this church on my way to CENCA one morning. It
was just a storefront with a sign above it that gave the times. Emma and I
decided to give it a try. We were 2 of 9 people in the service. Attached to the
back was the pastor’s house where kids kept running in and out of the service.
The pastor was a woman who was very welcoming and made sure we had song lyrics
and a Bible. The music was played on a boombox. The sermon wasn’t very meaty.
Good to see this faithful community meeting together. Probably will not return.
Parish San Antonio de Padua of Jesús María
This I also discovered on my walks to and from CENCA. It is
a beautiful Catholic church that takes up an entire block with all the
additional buildings and services attached. A medium-sized service… Maybe 175
people at the noon service. Great music and great reflection. Even though it
was Catholic, I felt that, with a little time, I could learn the pattern of the
service and be able to participate more fully (except communion). They recite
the Nicene Creed and the Lord’s Prayer and do a call and response of St.
Francis’s famous prayer. Friendly and welcoming. Definite possibility.
Returning next week. Must start memorizing!
**Pictures coming... I don't have them on my computer yet and want to get this posted while I have internet!
PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
English:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Español:
Señor, haz de mi un instrumento de tu paz.
Que allá donde hay odio, yo ponga el amor.
Que allá donde hay ofensa, yo ponga el perdón.
Que allá donde hay discordia, yo ponga la unión.
Que allá donde hay error, yo ponga la verdad.
Que allá donde hay duda, yo ponga la Fe.
Que allá donde desesperación, yo ponga la esperanza.
Que allá donde hay tinieblas, yo ponga la luz.
Que allá donde hay tristeza, yo ponga la alegría.
Oh Señor, que yo no busque tanto ser consolado, cuanto consolar,
ser comprendido, cuanto comprender,
ser amado, cuanto amar.
Porque es dándose como se recibe,
es olvidándose de sí mismo como uno se encuentra a sí mismo,
es perdonando, como se es perdonado,
es muriendo como se resucita a la vida eterna.
