Join Together: Nov. 7, 2015
First some good news. We got the apartment mentioned last week and can start moving in next week!
More good news. We found and bought a vehicle (a dandy dark grey Hyundai Tuscon) that we'll get to start driving (slowly and safely!) this week. So we're thanking God for those things.
Random activities: AJ has renewed his addiction to baking during slow mornings/evenings. We sometimes get to be babysitters for the 2-year old Isabella Burkholder and Alaina is a lot better at playing with babies. AJ visited his first Guatemalan barber shop. We started Spanish school and are daily humbled by it.
Now an anecdote: We just watched the movie "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" last night thanks to free rentable downloads from our esteemed Holland Library. In said movie, Mandela, addressing his cohorts, holds up his fingers and says, ""Alone we have no power," (then making a fist,) "Together, we have the power to change the world."
We were a part of a conference on urban transformation called SINERGIA (Synergy) this week (blog post here!). In between the creative process finding ways to and from the conference other side of city without a car (Justin, taxis, our Guatemalan friend "Grinch," fellow TEAM missionary Amie...), 200 some folks from G-City, Nigeria, Kenya, Grand Rapids, Washington, and around the world came to think, talk, experience city transformation for the week. One day included an off-campus trip into a few communities whose residents scavenge the neighboring garbage dump and whose homes range from cinderblock down to plastic tarps with no utilities at all. Seeing real people and kids with bikes living there made my heart cringe in so many ways. We met with the leaders in those communities to learn about their situations, concerns, what it means for them to lead their community, etc. Rubbing shoulders with these folks was a real honor.
Problem: While 30 organizations/ministries exist to "serve" these communities, and garner outside funding to do so, no one sees much long-term change/improvement. Which makes many of our minds spin about helping vs. hurting, sustainable vs. survival, open-handed vs. wisely withholding, giving fish or teaching to fish, etc., regardless of what community we're in. And there is little to no collaboration between them. Just 30 institutions and thousands of resident "fingers" avoiding fistedness like in-laws at Christmas (I happen to like my in-laws, but you get the idea).
Finally, we did meet some folks at SINERGIA (and not at SINERGIA) that could potentially become our friends, or maybe even partners in ministry here in the city (like a fist. BOOM!). Either way, pray that God brings the fruit out of these connections that delight Him most.
Thanks for your prayers and love. Two weeks have flown by!
-AJ & Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com
More good news. We found and bought a vehicle (a dandy dark grey Hyundai Tuscon) that we'll get to start driving (slowly and safely!) this week. So we're thanking God for those things.
Random activities: AJ has renewed his addiction to baking during slow mornings/evenings. We sometimes get to be babysitters for the 2-year old Isabella Burkholder and Alaina is a lot better at playing with babies. AJ visited his first Guatemalan barber shop. We started Spanish school and are daily humbled by it.
Now an anecdote: We just watched the movie "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" last night thanks to free rentable downloads from our esteemed Holland Library. In said movie, Mandela, addressing his cohorts, holds up his fingers and says, ""Alone we have no power," (then making a fist,) "Together, we have the power to change the world."
We were a part of a conference on urban transformation called SINERGIA (Synergy) this week (blog post here!). In between the creative process finding ways to and from the conference other side of city without a car (Justin, taxis, our Guatemalan friend "Grinch," fellow TEAM missionary Amie...), 200 some folks from G-City, Nigeria, Kenya, Grand Rapids, Washington, and around the world came to think, talk, experience city transformation for the week. One day included an off-campus trip into a few communities whose residents scavenge the neighboring garbage dump and whose homes range from cinderblock down to plastic tarps with no utilities at all. Seeing real people and kids with bikes living there made my heart cringe in so many ways. We met with the leaders in those communities to learn about their situations, concerns, what it means for them to lead their community, etc. Rubbing shoulders with these folks was a real honor.
Problem: While 30 organizations/ministries exist to "serve" these communities, and garner outside funding to do so, no one sees much long-term change/improvement. Which makes many of our minds spin about helping vs. hurting, sustainable vs. survival, open-handed vs. wisely withholding, giving fish or teaching to fish, etc., regardless of what community we're in. And there is little to no collaboration between them. Just 30 institutions and thousands of resident "fingers" avoiding fistedness like in-laws at Christmas (I happen to like my in-laws, but you get the idea).
Finally, we did meet some folks at SINERGIA (and not at SINERGIA) that could potentially become our friends, or maybe even partners in ministry here in the city (like a fist. BOOM!). Either way, pray that God brings the fruit out of these connections that delight Him most.
Thanks for your prayers and love. Two weeks have flown by!
-AJ & Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com