Moved with compassion
 |
At one of our recent Bible studies, Luis Eduardo started talking about what he had seen outside of a local hospital. This is where, of course, many families bring thier sick for treatment. The problem is, many of these families are very poor. They come from out of town, and have no family here to stay with. They can’t afford a hotel. So, they sleep outside the hospital on the ground.
Not only can they not afford a place to stay, they can’t afford warm clothes. Luis Eduardo said many of them were in shirt sleeves – men, women and children. With the temperatures getting down below 10C (50F), it’s cold enough to make more of the family sick!
Imagine the trauma of having someone in your family seriously ill – then added to that you have to sleep outside with no shelter, no warm clothes and little food. My friends wanted to do something about it.
You know, organized, planned giving is a great thing. Everyone should think through how they give, and make the most of what they can give. Jesus encouraged planning and counting the cost (Luk 14:25-32). But if we’re going to be like Jesus, we also have to let ourselves be "moved with compassion" (Mat 14:14). That means spontaneous, joyful giving – not relying entirely on calculating logic.
So I get pretty excited when I hear people simply seeing a need and getting excited about helping out!
Please pray for those who are giving up blankets, sweaters, coats and food for these people, and pray for those who have gone and will go again to the hospital to talk to these people and help where they can.
Speaking of spontaneous giving, many have been giving to help those who have been left with nothing after the disaster in the State of Tabasco. Many gave sacrificially right away. It’s now being made an official "project" of CAM International, so Lord willing others will be moved with compassion. Rod Fry just came back from Tabasco – to hear his account and see pictures, see his recent post.
When a blog is quiet
There are many reasons why a blog might be quiet. Maybe there’s not a lot to write about (that’s not the case with us – I have a list of things to write about when I have the time). Maybe the blogger just doesn’t feel like writing. Maybe things are really busy, and there’s just no time. Or maybe things are just downright CRAZY!
Earlier this week I was getting together with my friend Tim. I was a little late – ok, about 45 minutes late. I took a wrong turn. Well, ok, not so much a wrong turn – more like a completely wrong idea.
Anyway, being so late, we didn’t have a lot of time. We decided just to pray, and so he asked if there was anything specific he could pray about for me. I told him that there were so many things it would take too long to explain. When he asked me for just a couple – I said again – it would just take too long to explain.
Really, I wasn’t trying to be evasive. It’s just that, not only are there a LOT of things going on right now, many of them are pretty complex. One thing depends on another, and another can’t really be explained without mentioning this and that and the other thing…
It’s not rare that we get hit all at once with a bunch of little things. But in this case it’s not just little things. It’s not even one big or two big things and several little things. It’s a whole bunch of big things AND little things. There are so many major things on our minds, big things we’re trying to work through – it’s really unbelievable.
So, I’m sorry I don’t have more time to write, or the time (or finger stamina!) to fill you in. We’re still here, and things are going at an unusually crazy pace. We would appreciate your prayers as we work through a number of issues and try to get — a grip! 😉
A Visit with Mrs. G
 |
She sounds like everyone’s favourite grandma. Her voice is warm as she tells stories from the Bible in language that children can understand. Her British accent turns into a dozen different accents from all over the islands as she speaks for one Bible character, and then another. Her name? Mrs. G.
Well, actually Kitty Anna Griffiths. Mrs. G started her ministry in 1973, recording children’s stories and broadcasting them on the radio. Her books, with whimsical illustrations by "Willy", shared the same stories. The ministry, still going strong today, is run out of Toronto, Ontario.
 |
I met her on at least one occasion. Between the English accent and fancy hats she might make you think of the Queen – perhaps Mrs. G is the queen of storytelling. 🙂
You may wonder what’s so interesting about someone telling Bible stories, without a 300 person professional cast and the backing of a major Christian label. But there’s a lot more to Mrs. G than meets the eye.
Not just another story teller, Mrs. G has done her homework. For one thing, she has a doctorate in literature from Biola University. She has also done impressive historical research, and has visited Israel six times (three times as a special guest of the Israeli government!) to learn about the locations where the people lived. She even travelled to Greece and Rome to work on her series on Acts.
This background knowledge shows up in the rich and accurate details in the stories. The stories don’t just hit highlights, either – Mrs. G starts at Adam and Eve and works her way through the Bible, telling both the "nice and nasty" stories in a way that children can relate to (how about a story about the cities of refuge? Or Job (one of my favourites)? Or Jephthath?) . The quality of her stories and biblical insight are enough for adults to enjoy as well!
 |
The stories have gone beyond Bible stories – she tells other stories sharing Bible truths, and of all things she did a series on the Dead Sea Scrolls!
As the years went on, the stories became even better with fuller orchestral music and richer sound effects. The stories on now produced on CD. They have been translated into about 20 languages so far, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Tamil. (Incidentally, the Spanish recordings are no longer available, but there are 4 Spanish books that are in print)
I was curious to hear what was new with the ministry, so this week I called the office. Dr. and Mrs. Griffiths were both working in the office, and I was transferred to her husband. Dr. Gerald Griffiths was a pastor for many years in Toronto.
He told me that they are busier than ever there. They have no way to know how many stations around the world are now broadcasting the radio show, but there are many. When he heard I was calling from Mexico, he graciously offered to send me the 4 Spanish books (which I’m looking forward to reading).
You can catch A Visit with Mrs. G online at various times on Saturdays and Sundays. For the next broadcast time, check out the handy radiotime website.
Better yet, you can order the stories from their office ("the Granary"). I believe they also have a club where you can get a recording each month. They will send you a catalogue if you request one. Hannah and Nathanael have been enjoying listening to Mrs. G lately – maybe your kids will too! Here’s how you can contact them:
P.O. Box 150
Station O
Toronto, ON
M4A2M8
CANADA
(416) 755-5918
Update: www.biblestoriesalive.org
(You can find some of the books used at amazon.com (here’s what’s currently available
), but for the recordings (and most of the books) your best bet is the ministry itself).
You search, they donate
 Providing clean water – one way CAM is serving in Central America |
Here’s something you might not have known. If you search the internet, you can make a donation to support ministry in the Spanish speaking world at the same time – without actually spending any money!
The search engine is called GoodSearch, and it’s powered by the popular Yahoo! search engine. When you go to their main page, you can type in CAM International (you know you want to) as your preferred charity. Then, every time you search they will donate a small amount of money to the organization.
Better yet, you can add a search toolbar to Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. (One note of caution – sometimes your preference can get wiped out – it doesn’t hurt to return to the website once in a while to make sure your charity is still selected)
But there’s more (I just discovered)… you can also donate by shopping at one of the many online merchants that are represented here. Places like eBay, Target, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and 1-800-flowers.com. Oops – sometimes I shop at these places… I wish I’d known this before!
Of course, if you’re buying from amazon.com
With Christmas just around the corner, this is something to keep in mind if you’ll be doing any shopping online.
If you want to get an idea of the kinds of ministries you’ll be helping with your searches, check out CAM’s Christmas catalogue. Spread the word, and get your friends searching too! A lot of people doing a little searching can make a big difference.
Festival of colour, mockery and family
 Photo courtesy of drpoulette |
Do you want to understand Mexico? Then you’ll need to learn about the DÃa de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. That’s why I want to tell you more about it. However, the Day(s) of the Dead is such a complex thing, I find myself at a loss to know what to say.
The holiday itself is an intersection of life, death, mockery, celebration, family, religion and culture.
For us, it was an intersection of so many of the questions and answers of why we are here – seeing and avoiding, exposing and protecting our children, knowing and not knowing when to speak and when to be silent, understanding and yet wanting to understand, wanting to speak but not being able to, fitting in and standing out. If it sounds like I’m speaking in riddles, maybe I am – last week was a riddle, and I don’t know the answer.
The celebration really goes from the 31st of October until the 2nd of November. And if you’re in Canada or the USA and you’re thinking "Hallowe’en", just forget it. I know Christians have had a lot of discussion – valid discussion – about how to be involved in Hallowe’en traditions. Hallowe’en has influenced Mexico, but the Day of the Dead celebration is something much different.
Where Canada’s Hallowe’en is mostly considered secular, the Day of the Dead is deeply religious in meaning (though with secular manifestations). The Day of the Dead is a part of national Mexican identity, so much so that the Mexican government endorses and promotes it. Foreigners are encouraged (even pressured) to be involved, because "if you want to live here you need to embrace the culture".
As far as I can tell, the Roman Catholic Church does not officially sanction Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations (though it has its own celebration – the solemn All Soul’s Day, where the living help the dead shorten their time in purgatory), but many priests do get involved in the celebrations.
This year the Roman Catholic Church here came out strong against the imported Hallowe’en traditions – claiming that "those who celebrate Halloween are worshipping a culture of death that is the product of a mix of pagan customs. The worst thing is that this celebration has been identified with neo-pagans, Satanism and occult worship."
The celebration is different wherever you go. Essentially (and you can read my previous post for a summary), the belief is that this is the time when the dead come back to visit us. Altars to the dead are set up, and offerings are placed for the dead to enjoy (such as their favourite food, alcohol, etc).
Part of an offering at our university.
Notice candy skulls, marigolds, "bread of the dead", food, and burning incense in the centre.
The altars are set up in houses, stores, schools, places of business, churches – wherever. Later, many of the offerings are moved to the cemetery. Picnics and parties take place in the cemetery – family events. These are not somber occasions, but times of colour, flowers, food, joking, candy, art, honour, and togetherness.
Our university was alive with Day of the Dead celebrations. There were altars and offerings all over the place. Students were asked to go to the market to buy offerings for the dead (and if the student declined, they were questioned strongly). At Hannah and Nathanael’s school, students were expected to bring flowers for the alter (orange marigolds). There was a potluck with parents bringing food. There were art projects, and lots of teaching about how "Mexican" it all is.
Incidentally, I won’t write all the details about what we personally decided about how our family would navigate all these traditions. That really would take a lot of writing – but feel free to ask us personally! Suffice to say we had a wild ride trying to know how to follow the Lord, show respect, learn and say what we needed to say.
 Buying flowers and traditional bread for the celebrations |
There is considerable debate about how the celebrations relate to traditional Roman Catholic and traditional indigenous beliefs in Mexico. The Aztecs set aside time to honour the dead and set up offerings for them as well. Not having a concept of Heaven and Hell, the Aztecs believed in a death "cycle", and a world of the dead that was very similar to the world of the living – and that connected with it. Some would be reincarnated, others influenced the world of the living in other ways.
Today, any concept of judgement after death is absent. Good times are remembered, bad times ignored. The world of the dead is much the same as the world of the living, and the dead visit us and interact with us much as they did when they were alive. And our actions can help to bring them "salvation".
Mexicans who feel they must reject these beliefs face dishonour in their families, rejection from their culture, uncertainty about how to honour their dead and interact with the living.
The holiday is quite possibly more important here than Christmas and Easter. Mexican traditions regarding the Day of the Dead have spread around the world. Related beliefs, such as the veneration of "Saint Death" are on the rise.
Confused? If not, you should be. Here are a few more places to look in order to better understand DÃa de los Muertos…
- If you just have time for one thing, view this short video – Día de los Muertos 2007
- BBC feature from 1999 – Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead
- Another news story – Church approval adds life to DÃa de los Muertos
- Mexico’s Catholic church slams Halloween; conservatives call for return to Day of Dead
- My photos and further commentary
- An Irish family’s thoughts on the Day of the Dead in Mexico
- Dennis Poulette reflects on the art of the day (notice the emphasis on Aztec beliefs about the underworld)
- I can really relate to the struggle of our friends in Puebla, and their post Day of The Dead – Round Two (these photos will give you a much better idea what the altars are really like)
- Views of the cemetery from friends in Cuernavaca