If I haven't shared before, I have a heart for the Hispanic/Latino culture. I have had that heart since high school when I began my language studies. In college, I was able to write papers on migrant workers and thus spend time searching out folks in the fields in South Georgia for my research. On one Sunday, I noticed a bewildered family in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot across from the church I attended with my great aunt Gladys. I decided to approach them to see what they needed. They were looking for an open grocery store. With my broken Spanish, I directed them to one (I hope!).
While in graduate school on Long Island working on my M.A. in Spanish, I volunteered with an organization that helped Hispanic folks there. I helped with translation of brochures and interpretation.
Coming back down south to TN, I would help out with Spanish VBS (Vacation Bible School) in the summer in Dayton, TN, working with Fred Bedford to teach the adult classes in Spanish. I also attended Spanish tent revivals when they came to town and had a Spanish bible study in my home for a while.
When Brad Pritt started Esperanza del Barrio in Chattanooga, I jumped in and helped as I could. But I wasn't able to get down to Chattanooga as much as I would like. Esperanza del Barrio is now La Paz, which is a SUPER organization here in Chattanooga that works with the Hispanic/Latino culture to provide information and resources, as well as with the entire community to bring everyone together. I am finally getting back to being re-integrated on a more consistent basis with La Paz.
When our little one was at Ganns Middle Valley Elementary, I would go and interpret for parents as needed. I met some wonderful families that way. We held a gathering at a local park once for families to get information to them about resources, etc.
When Burks UMC started My Sister's House / La casa de mi hermana at St. Andrews Center, I was able to assist with any folks who spoke Spanish. As intern for them for a class in seminary, that was a super blessing as folks came for business clothes and information as they were looking to integrate back into the working world.
And then there are mission trips to Costa Rica. One cannot forget those. A total of 13 trips to the country, most of them mission trips. I haven't been back since 2012.
Ah, and the 2 year bilingual Academy for Spiritual Formation from 2011-2013. That was a definite marker in my Spanish journey. Having the opportunity to preach in Spanish, to listen to lectures in Spanish, to worship in Spanish, to be in a bilingual covenant group.... all of that encouraged me and helped me recognize that Spanish is part of who I'm created to be in serving and living out my calling.
That's why this past weekend was such a blessing. To be inundated with Spanish-- the language, the worship, the people, the food, etc. It truly filled me to overflowing. I was (and am) blessed from the experience and opportunity.
I heard many new worship songs, but there was one song that played for a few moments the first morning that caught my attention and penetrated my heart, mind, and soul. It was a Marcela Gándara song, «Un viaje largo» that I first came to know from Edgar Ponce, a Pastor from Costa Rica and his wife when they were stateside in 2007. When we went back to see them in 2008, we had prepared some songs to sing for VBS (Vacation Bible School) while there. One was the song «Un viaje largo».
«Un viaje largo»
Ha sido largo el viaje pero al fin llegué.
La luz llegó a mis ojos aunque lo dudé.
Fueron muchos valles de inseguridad los que crucé.
Fueron muchos días de tanto dudar, pero al fin llegué, llegué a entender.
Que para esta hora he llegado
Para este tiempo nací, en sus propósitos eternos yo me vi.
Para esta hora he llegado, aunque
Me ha costado creer, entre sus planes para hoy me encontré.
Y nunca imaginé que dentro de su amor.
Y dentro de sus planes me encontrara yo.
Fueron muchas veces que la timidez, me lo impidió
Fueron muchos días de tanto dudar, pero al fin llegué, y ya te amé
Ha sido largo el viaje pero al fin llegué
Here is the song with English subtitles:
This is a song that resonates deeply within me, every time I hear it. To hear it this past weekend, even briefly, in an atmosphere in which I was surrounded by people of my heart calling, touched me to tears.
I still don't know the 'how', 'when', 'what it is going to look like' in ministry answers. But, as I have learned over the years, the journey is not about the answers. They will come. The journey is about living into the questions. It is about being present in the moment along the way. It is about loving all those whom Creator God brings into our path, sharing with them the light and love that we have received. It is about making our lives available to others, living for the sake of others.
As I reflected this week on the blessings of last weekend, I read this by Henri Nouwen yesterday (April 29) from Bread for the Journey:
"One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human being is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others. We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them."
Writing is invigorating for me. It's one of the spiritual disciplines that breathes life back into me. It's also an offering of myself to the Creator and others.
What about you? What is your unique story, your calling?
As we continue our journey of learning and living, may we share our stories with one another, whether face to face or with words, for this is one way we can encourage one another.
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
P.S. Many thanks to ALL my Spanish teachers throughout my YEARS of study through high school, undergraduate, and graduate school! If it weren't for each of you pouring into my life, I wouldn't have learned the language, gone to Spain to study abroad, pursued my M.A., etc. Mil gracias a todos ustedes. To name them would mean that I would risk leaving someone out, but I will name the one to whom I give credit for the beginning of the journey: Señora Carol Zimbrick from Dalton High School. Gracias.
