I'm back in Boston, and had a covid test a few days after arriving that thankfully turned out negative. So, I'm out of quarantine and beginning new steps while making the adjustment to being back here.
Visits in Chontal
In my last days, I made sure to make some rounds around the pueblo, respecting the local social distancing practice. As I mentioned in one of the recent posts, I was able to withdraw some more cash that I could use in helping people out - cash being the greatest material need right now. I had met with Ines, the president of the local church, to identify the people and households most in need, and was able to give between $20 and $160 to each of about 8 households or so.
Most especially benefiting were Maria and Jimmi, as Maria has cervical cancer and has not yet had treatment for it. She had been experiencing symptoms for almost 6 months before she began to receive attention in January for diagnosis. But that was delayed, and the shutdown struck just before she was scheduled to enter treatment in the national cancer hospital in Quito. So it never began, and now 4 months later, she is uncertain how she can go because of the prohibitive costs and what I would call a depressed lack of will power on the part of her and her husband. She had been feeling better with alternative medicines, but in the times before I left, her health had deteriorated. She is currently jaundiced with swelling throughout parts of her body, including her face, though the family says that it's anemia.
I shared a special last visit with her and her family, with a time of prayer. I aim to keep in touch with them to see how things progress. One the one hand, I have an instinct to team up to try to find resources for them to get the basic needs for treatment. On the other hand, there is always a risk in families as to what they would actually do with money given. It gets more complicated if I'm not present. It would be a tough situation if money was given and then arose a lot of rationalized excuses as to why it was used for other seeming necessities - a real possibility when there isn't so much a strong sense of risk and danger, the value of life, and the real solutions that might exist with some more resources at hand. This mindset can be quite common in rural poor places.
Hike to Chontal Medio
I hadn't left the pueblo really in 4 months, except for 4 days: one day going about 3 hours roundtrip to try to get cash (without success); another day going about 2 hours roundtrip to get cash (again without success); one day climbing the mountain partway to make some of the Spirituality of Equality videos; and one day I went with a friend from the pueblo to climb the mountain again, this time a little further to Chontal Medio. (The pueblo Chontal is sometimes called Chontal bajo. There is a village even higher up the mountain called Chontal Alto.)
It was a great hour walk and a good view of nature and the surroundings. A great opportunity to get out of the routine. Chontal really has great natural beauty, as you'll see in the photos here.
Click on Image to Enlarge. A panoramic view of the pueblo Chontal and surrounding area from a stopping point on the mountain. To the left is visible the Guallabamba River, which joins with the Anope River at Chontal. Off in the distance to the right is the community Magdelana.
A direct view of the pueblo Chontal from a stopping point on the mountain.
Waterfall in San Roque
As my time was drawing near a close, I invited the priest, Pd Moises, to do something recreational together. He invited me to come and check out some of the natural tourist attractions in the village next door to Chontal, called San Roque.
I’ve been in this area off and on for 10 years, and I’ve not known about this tourist location. Moises, who does a good job of getting to know the local people, had visited these spots a few times already, so he knew where they were. It was a good 3 hour activity, including the time walking to and fro.
There are 3 main attractions: (1) the waterfall, which is hidden some 50 yards off the main road; (2) the viewing area of the Cock of the Rock (a rare, red-crested bird), which is a somewhat precarious hike up a hill; and (3) another viewing location of a rare bird nesting area (I’ve forgotten what they’re called). The second has to be done at a dawn or dusk, while the 3rd is done in the evening dark, so we didn’t get to see any birds. But the waterfall was beautiful, as you can see in the photos. These locations are semi-prepared for outside tourists (or maybe “rustically” prepared, you could say).
There is also the local chapel of San Roque nearby. I’ve been reflecting for a year or so on the possibilities of a retreat house just outside the pueblo of Chontal, so this gives more to consider…
Reflections From the Rooftop
Sunday Mass was celebrated in a small upper room in an unoccupied house next door to where I was staying. It holds audio equipment and a microphone to make public announcements through the speakers that are mounted in the house where I was staying. Every other week in the Mass, I shared reflections every other week to the pueblo. It made me reflect on Jesus' words when he sent out the disciples in mission:
"What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops." (Mt 10:27)
The silver rooftop in the center is where the speakers broadcast the Mass
I collected here a short summary of the messages in the reflections. Enjoy:
Things will make sense when we come out of quarantine, and see the empty place where we've quarantined from a new perspective.
The quarantine is a pregnancy, that is leading to new life.
Let gratitude give birth to generosity. You are a gift - be the gift.
The quarantine develops our appetite, our hunger for life. Just as Jesus was in the desert getting hungry, he eventually came out renewed for his new life.
What can give us hope and confidence while life is taken apart is the knowledge that God has a plan for us for a new and better life, like when the church was taken apart so a new one could be built. And Jesus knows the plan.
We're invited to dialogue with Jesus. To tell him what's going on inside, and to listen to him: what is he saying to you?
Farewell
Over the loudspeakers, I shared a few parting words to the pueblo at the last Mass. Afterwards, I received goodbyes from many people, including the church president, who left a nice note. People were getting used to my being around, and most were concerned about my going to area that is so infected with the virus. (That is the belief.) There in Chontal, in Chontal Medio or Alto and almost all of the communities in the parish, there hadn't yet been a single case of the virus. There's actually nowhere else that I would rather have been to pass the pandemic. It seems like I am there for all the disasters that happen: landslides, suicides, earthquakes, and pandemics! Though you might imagine they'd see me as bad luck, I think it's much the opposite: a manifestation of God's accompaniment during the dark times.
Near my last night, I received a farewell, or despedida, from the family I was staying with, and the priest came by. It wrapped up with a meal and a cake and some drinks and music. The priest and the owner of the house where I was staying are very good musicians, so we had great music and dancing. I'll leave a few photos here.
When the pandemic began, Ramiro had just injured his right shoulder in an accident, and lost regular use of his left arm. It reminded me of when I was a teen and had right elbow surgery, how I began to develop my left arm in a whole variety of ways. By the time my right arm had recovered, I was ambidextrous. I used that analogy for the experience of the pandemic for everyone: it shut down our strengths and invited us to develop our weak sides, to be more balanced. It still is an ongoing process of discovering how we are invited to develop a weak side in ourselves during this time, and to see Ramiro back to playing the guitar with his right hand was a reminder for me that it was a good time to evaluate: how is my "left" now? That's something I also offer to you to consider: How has a weak side of yours developed in this time? How is your "left" now?
The sun rising over the eastern side of the mountains.
The last morning in Chontal
Traveling
Ramiro and some family members gave me a ride in Ramiro's truck to Quito, right to the door of my friend Rosa's house (who is actually Ramiro's cousin - everyone is related in Chontal!) It was a good, safe trip.
In Quito, at Rosa’s
I was able to leave some things at Rosa's to pick up and use in my return to Ecuador (whenever that might be), which lightened the travel load for me. She is always a great host. Her Spanish school is a great resource, and so if you ever think of Spanish lessons, I highly recommend online lessons with Vida Verde:
Click on the image to visit Vida Verde
I was able to do some simple shopping in Quito for my flight, to walk a bit with Rosa, to visit a church there. The next evening, a friend of hers, who had the required safe-passage documentation, gave me a ride to the airport.
Everything at the airport seemed to be calm and normal, except for the new covid-based policies. But light traffic made everything move smoothly. My flight was for 3:20am, so being there at midnight or so meant a smaller crowd. Everything went smoothly.
My flight from Quito looked to be pretty much filled, even the middle seats. I had been switched to the emergency exit, with an empty seat next to me. When the doors closed, I was happy to have the empty seat there. But then the stewardess got someone seated in the back to move up to that seat, which was good for them - more legroom. But sleeping proved to be almost impossible, not so much because of the mask I was wearing, but more from trying to sleep sitting upright.
Everything went smoothly in Miami, and the connection was on time. That flight looked to be about 75% filled, and I had two empty seats next to me. It all went smoothly, and the low traffic meant that everything moved quickly along, even with the social distancing requirements.
I arrive in Boston very much discombobulated because of the dramatic change in the previous two days (I really hadn't left the rural pueblo in 4 months), but very glad to have arrived well and safe.
Quarantine and Covid Test in Boston
Once arriving, I began a quarantine in the top floor of the house, but within several days, I had taken a free covid test here in the North End, which came back negative. So, after 6 days, I was out of quarantine. I've spent the time adapting to the new reality here in Boston, while doing some needed updates of the computer technology that I have, that will serve well in the new communications situation the pandemic has placed us in.
Updates on Ministries
In good pastures I will pasture them; on the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down on good grazing ground; in rich pastures they will be pastured on the mountains of Israel. (Ez 34:14)
“In good pastures I will pasture them; on the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down on good grazing ground; in rich pastures they will be pastured on the mountains of Israel.”
As I'm continuing the reflection/processing (chewing the cud) phase of my return, I'll be listening to see how that turns into next steps here. There are a variety of things going on:
Updating My YouTube Channel
I’ve updated my YouTube channel, so you can come by anytime to find the video series I’ve been publishing. I hope to completing the ones I have and adding new series as time goes on. So, click on the image and come on by!
Completing Food in the Desert
I've been working gradually on completing a few more videos for Food in the Desert. I've completed one - English and Spanish versions - having to do with the Rock at Peter's confession. I'll finish the next one on the Good Shepherd and the washing of the feet soon. If you haven't yet, come and check out the videos here. Each is about a half hour, and I would usually do them in a workshop format. They really touch on a sort of sweet spot of Christian meditation on the Gospels.
A Spirituality of Equality
I am still working on the descriptions and the Spanish version of the videos series A Spirituality of Equality, but I'm publishing the videos here for you to watch early.
The equality situation in the States spurred me to start to put some of my social Gospel thoughts to media. I'd been considering writing a book for some time, but now I decided for the short term to make a series of videos. I've finished and uploaded the videos - all that's left is to provide descriptions and ways to translate (YoutTube's auto subtitling isn't bad, but not sure if it works well enough.)
In any case, I will be publishing those after I finish the descriptions. Each video is shot on location related to the theme I talk about, and we go from animals to mountains to rivers and bridges to fruit trees, and even the cemetery. I really like the work and am glad to share it. I will post when I'm done.
Biblical Prayer
Fr. Peter Grover is someone who was very instrumental in shaping my understanding of discipleship of Christ based in the scripture. He is a biblical scholar with the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, and for years, I "fed" on his scriptural teachings at St Clement Shrine in Boston, as he lived them and taught them. Now, he is posting videos on YouTube (funny, at just the same time as I was having the same idea - unrelated…) of his reflections about Biblical Prayer. I always highly recommend any opportunity to listen to him. My own way of spirituality and engaging and living scripture really came to form and birth with the stimulus of his example and teachings. You may see similarities! And if I could say, "I learned everything about discipleship from so-and-so," it would be him. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed! Click on the image here to go to the video page.
Tree of Life workshop
I'm continuing to keep the Tree of Life workshop on the table, and will be considering how to move it forward in the coming weeks.
Testimonials
I'll soon be updated pages with testimonials that folks have generously sent me. Stay tuned ….
Immigration Workshop & Retreat
I also have the immigration workshop in mind. It focuses on transition stories, and can be useful and adapted to a variety of life transitions, especially in the pandemic.
A Pandemic Experience Retreat - Transitions
I've been thinking a bit about forming a short retreat / workshop for people to bring their pandemic experience to. More on that if / when it develops.
Language in Communion for Youth and Young Adults
I noticed an increased desire for English in the pueblo this time around. I'm reflecting on the possibility of Language in Communion at a distance, by way of technology. That also connects with the difficult internet situation there in Chontal. More to come ….
Health
Leading up the daily exercises in the house where I was staying really helped everyone who participated to adapt to the quarantine lifestyle. It brought some of us together each day in a common purpose, created a trackable goal to follow, generated physical well-being, and also mental and emotional well-being. We had anywhere from 3 to 7 people participating each day, including 5 who were making the regular commitment. It really was a part of our quarantine surviving and thriving.
I've been in great cardio-muscular shape from doing exercises throughout my time in Chontal. But being back, I have an opportunity to take care of some bumps and bruises. I'll be getting physical therapy for my left hip bursitis, I'll see a podiatrist about the toenail fungus I've picked up in Ecuador, and, though I'm only pushing 50, I'm getting some pretty good-looking varicose-veins compression socks! All a part of taking care of my legs, which are so important for what B2B is about.
Financial
I'll be posting more financials at some point, but B2B is at the lower end of funds these days. Probably not a surprise! But I would like to find a good tax accountant, someone who understands small businesses and non-profits.
Nature and Odds and Ends
Enjoy some of the pictures. Feel free to send me a note anytime, have a great and blessed rest of July, and stay safe!
Jerome
