This week has been filled with many things: learning to make chocolate out of cacao. going to the market and learning to make tomalitos de chipilin with our language school teachers. hiking a volcano. visiting some historical churches. lots of exploring and walking around the city. ziplining. community building and growth in our cohort. yoga. worship in Spanish. conversations with my Guatemalan mom and sister. so many good things.
Making tamalitos
Roasted cocao beans
San Andrés Xejul
1st church in Central America.
The roof that is boat shaped inside the 1st church in Central America.
The volcano!
Hiking Volcán Santiagito!
Inside the 1st church in Central America.`
So much to be thankful for! Many things to process through and wrestle with as well.
Here's a little info about one of the things we did this week:
Visiting the 1st church in Central America
Earlier this week, our group had the opportunity to visit the first church that was built in Central America in 1524 under the instruction of Pedro de Alvarado of Spain. It’s crazy because the Virgin Mary figure that is at the front of the church was brought to Central America by Alvarado when he came from Spain to explore the “new world” in 1523. The church was built by Mayan people who were enslaved. The church was first called “La conquistadora” or “the conquistador.” The name was later changed to “la Concepción” or “the Conception.” On May 12th, 1524 the first mass was held.
What’s interesting is that while the walls are made of stone, the ceiling is made of wood – in the shape of a boat. The ceiling was intended to be a constant reminder of the colonizer’s power in the "new world."
I find myself asking a lot of questions and wrestling with the hard history of the Church. There's so many ways that broken humans abused power in the name of Christianity. It feels strange to enter into a space in which there is both so much beauty and brokenness.
As we walked back outside into the sunlight, directly to my left I saw a basketball court filled with young people talking, laughing, playing basketball and being in relationship. I felt like the Holy Spirit nudged me a reminded me that He is making all things new. He is the one bringing healing and redemption, reconciliation and justice. Watching all of these young people gather and connect was such a pure picture of the Church to me. It's not a building. It's an active, breathing, vibrant community of people. Thankful for a beautiful picture to hold onto in the midst of trying to wrap my head around the brokenness and abuses of power that the Church has instigated or contributed to.
My prayer is that God would help me to understand power, in His eyes. I want to understand more about the power that He has, as well as the way that He desires for us to use our power to empower and care for others.
En la paz de Cristo,
Elena
Elena, I to have grappled with the history of the Church and the abuse that took place in the name of Christianity. I loved that you saw beauty and brokiness in that church. I think that is how I see history also. I believe that God has always had a remnant of people who loved, served and laid their lives down for others. Others just wore the religion like a uniform and continued in sinful, hurtful and abusive ways. The contrast with the young people and the vibrant life in them was helpful and encouraging to me! The church is "an active, breathing, vibrant community of people"!
elena, thank you for sharing the things you are wrestling with. I am challenged as I seek God's picture of reconciliation when I want justice in this world. can't wait to hug you when you get home!!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! Your photos are amazing! Thank you for reminders of His power to heal, restore, redeem and bring justice. I love your heart to care for and empower others. The boat roof reminded me of Jesus miracle to overflow the fishermen’s boat with fish then call them to be Fishers of Men.