El fin y el comienzo

“I hope the exit is joyful and I hope never to return”.— the last words of Frida Kahlo’s diary

Ok, so my farewell blog for this portion of Mexico is not as dramatic as Frida’s. But I have to  be honest in saying that I am very excited about the group from Duke arriving tomorrow. Today is my last official day at the church and I would be lying if I didn’t say I was looking forward to traveling with the comforts of a hotel and Duke Endowment budget as well as being comfortable in one’s native language and culture. This morning I managed to complete one of my goals which was running 10 miles. It was difficult but as I ended my last quarter mile I started sprinting and the sun was shining. I thought about all the things I had gotten thru here and all the things I have done that I thought I would never do (like running 10 miles). The song “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine was playing and I realized that the dog days are over. Not necessarily in the literal sense (it’s actually fairly chilly here as compared to the heat wave that I hear about in the US) but in the larger sense. I made this slideshow to the song as a sort of farewell to our time here in Mexico City. Lindsay & I have had quite a few adventures together and I have greatly enjoyed the fellowship with her congregation and my own (and Lindsay herself, por supuesto). From annual conference to museums to weddings/baptisms to tacos stands– It’s been real D.F. (I know there’s been a lot of videos on the blog lately. This one is for everyone who hasn’t seen all my Facebook pictures):

I hope to eventually blog about how I have grown and changed but I think that doing that now would be premature. I could speculate, but I won’t know the fruits of my labor here until I look back on this experience. I came here hoping for discernment and I can’t say I have found a lot within myself despite any spiritual disciplines I have tried but I do hope to find guidance from someone wiser than me when I return (probably my mentor). I have heard preaching I disagree with, I have seen some of the difficulties of the Methodist church and I have seen injustices in which I wished I could do something as a Christian and part of humanity but was unable to help. I have also realized that I really like preaching and writing sermons and, for all of its faults, I still believe in the reconciling and restorative power of the church universal. Hopefully some career discernment will follow whatever spiritual and personal growth I experience when I get back.

I also want to give an introduction to Encuentro because I have mentioned it several times without an explanation. Encuentro is seperate from the Field Education Office and is actually a joint program with the Hispanic House of Studies and Thriving Rural Communities Initiative. Encuentro means “I find” or “encounter” and this is a 10-day trip to Mexico in order to encounter Christ in Mexico. This is done by visiting a variety of towns (from the sprawling metropolis of the DF to an indigenous village in the mountains of Guerrero). We focus on both culture, history, and worship in that we do such “toursit” visits as the pyramids of Teotihuacan and the Museo de Antropologia as well as worshipping at churches, visiting the seminary and even visiting the Basilica of the Virgen Guadalupe. I should also mention that its not just students but also local pastors, professors and lay persons. Here is a slideshow from the Encuentro trip two years ago.

I am very excited for the trip not only to see familiar faces and speak English again (several of the people on the trip are part of the rural church program at Duke and don’t speak Spanish or haven’t been outside of the country), but also to continue the process of learning about Mexico. Just beacuse I have been here for 10 weeks doesn’t mean that I am an expert. While I think Lindsay and I have both improved our language skills and are fairly culturally knowledgeable, there is still much about the history that I am unfamiliar with. Likewise, I hope to gain a stronger conception of the church as an international part of the body of Christ as well as be challenged to reflect more deeply with my colleagues about issues such as violence and immigration. Here’s a brief intinerary. I am not sure how often I will have internet so I might not blog until I arrive home.

Aug 4-8: Duke group arrives to Mexico City! We visit the pyramids, museums, Basilica, Zocalo and Templo Mayor. We also worship at Gante as well as my church on Sunday (my last time there) and visit the seminary and Episcopal offices.

Aug 9-11: We travel to the rural village of Huitzapula through the mountains of Morelos. Huitzpula is in Guerrero which is controlled by narcos and I am a bit wary of going there. I know we will be safe as a group but the violence has been escalating there so please keep us in your prayers.

Aug 12-13: Going to do some retreating to the beach. Yes, Acapulco amigos. I might actually not come back pale after these 10 weeks of rain everyday!

Then it’s back to Durham. I have about 2 weeks before classes start and I am pretty excited to get back! I am sure I will write on all the things I have missed and am looking forward to (ie Britney Spears concert) later. But this is not adios, just hasta luego. There are still all of the adventures of Encuentro to come (although I am not sure when I will blog about them).