Category : Guatemala 2010

Evotional – October 10

How many parents remember seeing the first time a baby is invited to the dinner table? Often the baby recognizes the smells as food long before they are ready to taste them. Tiny hands reach out to grab everything within reach. Food is touched and tasted and painted into hair or thrown on the floor.  Even though the first attempts are often awkward, the child begins to enjoy being included at the table. By experience, they come to know the family table is a place of belonging, love and sustenance. 

A couple of Sundays ago, the children of Central were invited to stand all around the Communion table to ask questions about Communion. Their big eyes were full of wonder as they followed the movement of the bread being broken and the juice as it poured into the chalice. One child gently stroked the bottom of a chalice. The children were discovering what it means to be invited to this family table too. 

We don’t need to “totally understand” concepts of grace, sin or salvation to come to the Table. (Who does?) But we are all invited to the Table like any child would be invited. We are invited to come to be fed, to belong and to know we are loved. 

As a prayer, I have included the lyrics of a gospel song.

 “Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up Lord. Come and quench this thirsting of my Soul. Bread of heaven, feed me til I want no more. Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. “ (“Fill My Cup Lord” by Richard Blanchard 1959) 

Submitted by Jackie Kendall-Gebel

 

 

Guatemala 2011: Our first day in Aceituno

Today was our first day in Aceituno.  Here’s the flyer advertising the inauguration of the water system

And here is a video of our adventures today….

First Day in Aceituno

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Evotional – June 12 – They are weak but He is strong…

“They are weak but He is strong…” 

These familiar words from the “Jesus Loves Me” song portrays children as weak. Of course, God is stronger but children also need to believe they can be strong and make a difference.  In The Hymn article “A Cry for Justice in Hymnody” (Vol. 61, Autumn 2010) by Dan Damon he states “The hymnal committee revised the line to read “in His love we shall be strong.”  I believe it is good to teach children that they are strong enough to say “no” and strong enough to tell the painful truth when it needs to be told.”  

For years, I worked with an incest survivors support group. All our participants had been active members of a church throughout their childhood. Many silently clung to their faith as a way to endure.  Many felt that they were eternally stuck “on the cross with Jesus.” All had felt God and the church were not interested in their safety or justice. They felt victimized and helpless with no control over their lives.  Just calling the group “survivors” instead of “victims” was a step in the right direction. How empowering it would feel to sing “in His love we shall be strong.” 

 I hope all those who have experienced this will hear the words of Dan Damon’s wonderful new hymn “Strong, gentle children, God made you beautiful, gave you the wisdom and power you need; speak in the stillness all you are longing for; live out your calling to love and to lead. Strong, hurting children, angry and terrified, open the secrets your life has concealed; though you are wounded, know you are not to blame; cry out your story till truth is revealed. Strong, knowing children, utter your cry aloud, honor the wisdom God gave you at birth; speak to your elders till they hear your voice; sing out your vision of healing on earth.” (Dan Damon, 1991, copyright 1993 Hope Publishing Co). Can you imagine the power of hearing this in worship? 

Lord, we pray for all those who still cling to their faith as a way to endure violence and its’ wreckage, that they also can begin to see you and your church as a path to seek voice, courage, freedom, justice and healing.  Help us to not turn away when suffering appears but to listen and support with a courageous and compassionate heart. “In your love we shall be strong.” Amen.     

Submitted by Jackie Kendall-Gebel

Evotional for week of May 30, 2011

Evotional for week of May 30, 2011 

Read Psalm 23 

My wife, Sara, recently attended the graduation ceremony of her cousin at Wichita State University. As with all graduation ceremonies, there is the seemingly endless list of names that are read as each graduate steps forward to proudly receive his or her degree. It is an important moment for those who have put in long hours of study to earn those degrees.

            As the litany of names continued, Sara noticed an older man a few rows down from her in the large arena. She noticed that he was applauding quite a few of the graduates – surely he wasn’t here to see just one student. Perhaps he was one of the professors at the university – she couldn’t really tell from his clothing. Why so much clapping?

            Then she figured it out…. He was ready to applaud for each student, but he would listen first to see if there was applause for the graduate from the audience. He would only applaud if he heard no sound from the audience. He had made it his job to applaud loudly for those graduates who had no family present. He wanted them to know that someone supported and recognized them for their hard work. What a simple, yet powerful, way to help someone share a special moment.

            I like to think that God puts people like that man in all of our lives, especially during the times when we are feeling most alone. And sometimes, when we least expect it, we become like that man and serve others simply by paying attention to them. We should treasure those times and thank God for noticing. 

Dear God, help us be aware enough to brighten someone’s day when they need it. Help us to be a living example of your presence in the lives of others. Amen.

Evotional – April 18

Evotional – April 18, 2011

Luke 6:37 – Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 

            There is a senior girl at my high school who sits down and chats with me every so often. We talk about various things, some trivial, some quite deep. More than once we have talked about how people judge those that are deemed “different” by the rest of society. In her case, she is judged by her sexual orientation.

            I am always struck by the hurt and anger that comes through her voice as she shares the senseless, and sometimes cruel, things that people say to her. I know she cannot help but feel isolated and lonely – out of the mainstream. I am glad that, as she has matured over the last few years, she has found a certain inner strength that carries her through the difficult interactions with these thoughtless people. But it still isn’t easy for her. Unfair as it is, she has a heavy cross to bear.

            We all have been victims of being judged for something about ourselves; skin color, political leanings, social status, moral issues, religious beliefs, profession. Often these judgments are made before people have even had the chance to meet us and see what we are really all about. I think there is truth in the statement that “we all have our own cross to bear.” And I think we all sometimes feel very much alone as we progress through our lives.

            As we move through Holy Week, I can’t help but think that Jesus experienced all of this to an extreme degree. He was despised and rejected – by people who didn’t even know him. He made the supreme sacrifice – for the very same people that crucified him. What a horribly grim picture this paints.

            My hope comes from the fact that there were people in the crowd that day that did not judge, did not condemn, and who grieved at the treatment of Jesus. It is those kind souls who are the light in our, sometimes, very dark world. It is those folks who, I hope, will find my student and let her know that she is a good person and worthy of love. It is those folks who, I hope, will come into contact with all of us on those days when we feel lonely and isolated and bring us strength. I hope I can become one of those people. 

God, help us to open our hearts, to be receptive and accepting to all who feel alienated, to see the inner beauty that you have given each and every one of us. Help us to bring peace to others. Amen. 

Submitted by Steven Burchard

Evotional – April 10

Dancing before God 

“David and all Israel were dancing before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.”  1 Chronicles 13:8 

As a child, I remember the painful stiffness and aching bones. I wore these long metal braces that screwed into orthopedic shoes so my legs could not bend or turn in. The braces worked and my legs straightened and eventually I did not have to wear the braces but still had to wear orthopedic shoes through the beginning years of elementary school. After the braces and special shoes, my legs only wanted to walk straight forward and I would limp. I had trouble learning to turn or twist.  My movements felt so stiff but I dreamed of moving freely.  

I couldn’t wait until someday I could have “real” shoes. I wanted to go barefoot and climb, jump high and run fast. I wanted to learn to walk like the princesses in the movies and dance. I NEEDED to dance to heal. I needed to dance to feel whole again, to feel normal, to feel at one with my body instead of fighting it. 

Then something wonderful happened. I was on a spirituality retreat when our leader introduced dancing as a spiritual practice.  I learned about the long and rich history of dance in our Bible and our Christian heritage. I learned to move and turn and praise God with all my strength! I haven’t stopped dancing in the 30 years since and I hope to die with my dancing shoes on. It is such a healing celebration of joy and life to me. (Many of you know I can’t stand wearing shoes and I LOVE to dance so now you know!) 

In this moment, I invite you to join me by stretching or tapping your feet or moving your hands or loosening your neck or raising your arms in praising God. Imagine yourself dancing (or just get up and do it!) and praising God with all your might and let the joy overflow! Hear your own internal music of thanks on this day. Amen and Alleluia.  

Submitted by Jackie Kendall-Gebel

Evotional – March 20

Evotional – March 7, 2011

Among her many unusual habits of growing giant goldfish in canning jars, training her terrier to say “I love you” and baking some rather “unusual” cookies, Aunt Flossie counted every stitch she put into every one of the hundreds of quilts she made. Some thought this was a prideful act like she was bragging about the difficulty of her work. I saw it more as her way of marking time. She quilted with such drive and discipline that it drove her out of bed in the morning and kept her working into the night. Sometimes it felt like she barely had time for visitors because she had so much work to do. When she died, I think her house must have been filled to the rafters with “wedding ring” and “uncle Tom’s cabin” and “windmill” quilts. All that nurturing and comfort would be let loose on the world in the form of blankets. Each one had a tiny note pinned to the corner that said when she made it and how many stitches each one required. I often wondered what drove her each and every day. It seemed like it was her mission in life.

I have a fondness for a tiny Biblical tale about another seamstress. Her name was Dorcas (also translated as Tabitha in Aramaic)and she was driven by the need to share her faith by sewing for widows and doing other charitable works in the area of Joppa. She died suddenly and the disciples summoned Peter to come urgently from Lydda. This was about 9 miles away. You can see from the text that Dorcas is quite important to them.  As Peter arrives, the house is full of weeping widows who show him all the clothes Dorcas had sewn for them. Peter kicks them all out of the room so he can pray quietly at Dorcas’s bedside. Then he turns to her and just tells her to “get up”. She opens her eyes and sits up. Peter helps her up and the word spreads quickly throughout the land (from Acts 9:36-42).

Lord,

Help us to find divine purpose in the passions of our lives and to make each stitch count towards your larger good.  Amen.

Submitted by Jackie Kendall-Gebel

Local Mission Trip to Taos, New Mexico

This summer, in addition to the Guatemala mission trip, we will be working with Habitat for Humanity of Taos, New Mexico (www.taoshabitat.org) on an adobe-style home in Questa, New Mexico, approximately five hours from Denver.

The trip is planned for August 8-12.  The work schedule is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We have the opportunity to work Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, or all week with a free day on Wednesday to explore the Taos area. Note: the flexible schedule means that if you can’t commit to a whole week, you can work at the beginning of the week or at the end.

Free lodging is available at a church, which is within walking distance of the work site. The church includes a full kitchen and seven bathrooms, two with showers. As a more comfortable alternative, there are numerous motels in Taos, about 45 minutes from Questa, with room rates between $50 and $70 per night.

The cost of the trip is $150 per person, which supports the mission and the supplies needed to build the home. A deposit of at least 10% needs to be submitted by July 1, and we would appreciate hearing sooner from those who are interested. Those who prefer to arrange their own lodging or meals are responsible for those expenses. 

We invite all members, visitors, and families (everyone must be over 14) to consider joining us. This is a great opportunity for a mission trip within driving distance of Denver. If you have questions and/or are interested in the trip, contact Kari Pathuis at kepathuis@aol.com.

Guatemala Mission Trip Update

Guatemala 2011

For more information or to have your name placed on the informational emails about the upcoming mission to Guatemala, contact Steven Erhart @ stevenerhart@gmail.com.

 Sponsoring Organization:  Healing Waters International

When:  June 25 – July 2, 2011

Where:  Antigua, Guatemala and the nearby community

Who:  Friends, family, and members of Central Presbyterian Church. Families with children are also welcome and encouraged.

Ministries:  Combination of clean water projects, teaching opportunities, and possible building projects as we support a local church and community.

Cost:  $760 plus airfare. You can use airline frequent flyer miles for the flight. It’s difficult to predict, but the airfare cost could be anywhere from $600 – $800, bringing the total cost to around $1,550.00 per person

Payment Options: 

Option 1: two payments – January 15 ($300), and May 15 ($1,100)
Option 2: seven monthly payments of $175, starting as soon as possible (contact Steven for details), with the remaining balance due May 15