I arrived fine in Quito without any problems on Wednesday Dec. 4. The city of Quito has its annual celebration of its founding as a modern city Dec 6, so there were all sorts of festivities happening when I arrived. That made for some tough traffic and change of travel plans once I arrived at the airport. But everything went well, and I arrived by cab from the airport in a little over an hour and a half. (That ride cost $25.)
Celebration in Quito at Vida Verde
I spent a few days in Quito in Vida Verde, which is a Spanish school owned by a friend, Rosa, who is from Chontal originally. With the teachers and staff and current students, we had our own celebration with the traditional elements: music, food, drink, and cards. The card game '40' is unique to Quito, and there are big tournaments in the city during the days of celebration. Canelazo is a hot cinnamon drink with a local whiskey injected in. A lot of that is homemade and sold as well at fiestas. Fernando, one of the Spanish teachers in the school, is talented in a lot of instruments and learned in Ecuadorian culture, in fact, he's a '40' card game champion! He was the life of the party. I got out the charango, and between guitars and charango and kena flutes and zamfonia flutes, we were playing a whole variety of songs, up to English ones as well.
I always meet new interesting people in Vida Verde, students or staff from the States and Europe who are taking classes. There always seems to be a bond of friendship that forms, likely as foreigners voluntarily investing in learning a new language and culture.
I took care of a few errands in Quito as well, including getting a new phone chip and local phone number. The website has been updated with my new number.
¡Que viva Quito!
Arrival in Chontal
I arrived in Chontal on Saturday, December 7. It was good to begin to see everyone and start to catch up. There are some changes, and probably the biggest is the paved main road!
I have always felt that that was the biggest problem that the people faced: the dirt main road. Only because of the dirt an dust that it causes, principally in the homes on that main road. In the dry season, the dirt gets onto and into everything: bedding, clothing, technology, home surfaces, food, everything. And also human lungs. It was a great cause of pulmonary infections and colds and allergies and other sicknesses. Now, with at least the principle road paved, that whole problem of the dirt and dust has essentially gone away.
The main street is now paved with asphalt
It extends until the ends of the village
One family has begun a whole cleanup of their home, getting the rooms ready for use for new things, including renting for overnight stays. The fact that people don't have to worry about the dirt coming back makes it an easy choice to do a wholesale cleanup of everything. It makes me think about our spiritual life and the offering of Advent. Preparing the way for God to come as a guest requires getting our "insides" cleaned up. But before we can do that, a way has to be paved. Otherwise, our cleanup is just temporary, and has no lasting effect. With the coming of Jesus, we're called to level and straighten and pave the roads of our relationships first. Then, the big cleanup will stick.
This is the message of Isaiah that the Gospels refer to when John the Baptist comes. Luke is the one who explains what that passages means, to level out the mountains and valleys, to make the crooked roads straight, to make the rough ways smooth. In Luke's Gospel, John the Baptist explains what each of these means, and it begins with sharing and leveling with those around us who have less, to level out. It continues with the corollary: not seeking advancement by taking from those below you.
This is the basis that has to come before any spiritual "cleanup", whether it's examination of conscience, sacramental confession or group or personal confession, or just personal inventory of what you’re doing right or wrong. We have to check our financial standing and possessions and career/lifestyle goals with respect to equality with our neighbors and communities, and take the action to level them out. Then, our cleanup sticks. But if we don't first fix the roadway, the dirt will just keep coming back, and the cleanup is just pointless.
This is why many Christians keep coming back to repeat the same sins. This is why John the Baptist has hard words for the Pharisees who come out to be baptized. Because they regularly do their cleanups and think they're good religious people, but have skipped - and firmly resist - the wealth redistribution. They use all the "God" language and are fully involved in the religious activities, but they have no foundation.
Advent is a time to look first at our possessions, wealth, and how we foundational live life materially with respect to the people around us. This is the real fruit of "repentance", or taking time to step away from everything and reflect on one's own life and the reality around them. Do we actually look out financially just for me and my family, my community, my church, my country (i.e., me and mine), or for myself and whoever is "other"? Do I put aside extra money for myself in the future (my retirement account), when there is someone else who needs it now to survive? Is my career in service of just me, or is it for me and for others - equally? Am I happy to be with my family, or am I happy that I am with my family *and* others are with their families?
If you do those things, then your confessions will "stick".
"Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Lk 3:8-9)
Rain
Of course when I arrived in Quito it rained, and when I arrived in Chontal it rained like you wouldn't believe. It seems to happen everywhere I go when I first arrive. It really has become a sign that God is with me - which was one of the requisites that I gave to God when I left a lot behind and really set out in this journey about 15 years ago…
“Yet just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down
And do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty, but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it.
Yes, in joy you shall go forth, in peace you shall be brought home;
Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you, all trees of the field shall clap their hands.
In place of the thornbush, the cypress shall grow, instead of nettles, the myrtle.
This shall be to the LORD’s renown, as an everlasting sign that shall not fail.”
Kids
I hadn't arrived more than an hour when a pile of kids were looking for me. I'm happy to see them, and they want to play right away. A friend saw it and said, "When I saw all the kids come looking for you, I thought of Jesus: "Let the children come to me."
I make time to enter the kids' world and play with them. They, in return, are willing to follow me when I invite them into the things of God.
Typically I'd get out and play soccer with the kids. This time, I brought a small, soft American football with me. I had a regulation football a few years ago and it disappeared. Folks enjoyed the novelty. But there was one boy who particularly had a drawing to playing catch with the ball - he called it the papaya. I was thinking of him when I got it (I got it used for $3). So, I got it out and he was so excited! Together with the rest of the kids, we all played some form of running with the ball to a goal.
Some of the kids playing with the football
I don't allow tackling, or grabbing of skin or clothes. You just have to get the ball out of the other team's hands before they can throw the ball somehow into the goal, of which there is one at each end of the field as in soccer. You can throw and run in any direction, there are no downs or fumbles, kind of like soccer except you're holding and passing the ball with your hands. When there's a tie-up, there's a jump ball at mid-field. So, essentially, it's a hybrid of soccer, football, basketball, maybe some rugby I guess - lol. And even though I explain that it's different from American football, to them, it actually is "American football." They ask each day to get the ball out to play!
“Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” (Lk 18:16-17)
Next Steps
I've met the new pastor here, and am in discussion with him and other members of the community about what I might do here over Christmas, if I stay here in Chontal. Folks have now seen me do a variety of what I do here, so I'm in the mode of going around and renewing greetings and asking, "What would you want me to do this time here?" I'll see if/how what I find out intersects with what I myself feel that I desire and am able to do, i.e., what is within my mission to do, and make a decision from there.
Have a great feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe and advent, feel free to drop a note in the comments section, and thanks for your prayers and support.
Jerome