One year on.

It´s almost Christmas and coming to the end of the year aways makes you look back and reflect. I´ve been visiting the girls prison for over a year now and a few things lately have made me reflect on how things have changed in that time. The population of the prison has almost doubled since I began visiting, with the effects of the new govenernments 'mano duro' (firm fist) policy- which makes simple gang afiliation a crime. With a new government came a new prison director who is very positive yet firm in her interaction with the girls. New government also meant a new post - Director of Rehabilitation at the national level. And the post holder really believes in an integrated approach to prisoner rehabilitation and reinsertion in society - so there's support for faith based activities as well as vocational and educactional programmes which are being developed. On a personal level, I can see how the girls are much more responsive to my participative approach and enjoy getting involved in games and activities and dramas. The guards seem much more positive too.
We´ve prayed a lot this year - and my prayer has often been that inspite of it being a prison, that the girls would find rest there; that they´d meet with God and begin to rediscover who they are in him. Last week I found out that the building was originally the summer residence of a well-respected former president - and so is protected as a national heritage. The irony is loud and clear. A government marked by it´s 'mano duro' of punishment, but yet sends those in 'conflict with the law' to a place of rest. Of course it´s nothng like a holiday camp now but somehow I think that through it´s original design and purpose, God has got bigger plans for it than what the government thnks. I´m really excited to see what might develop in the future.  

Nicaragua part 2

 Whilst I was in Nicaragua, I stayed for an extra few days - and met up with some Latin Link friends there. We had a great afternoon visiting some local sites -- they know me - so found somewhere to swim! This waterfall was incredibly beautiful.

 As well as a nature reserve with these fantastic views.

Nicaragua Adventures

I´m in Nicaragua, where I have been participating in a TEARFUND workshop about the environment. It´s been great fun, seeing some of the same people as last years conference, and sharing experiences of working with this theme.

We also stayed in an amazing eco-hotel - with this view from the balcony of our room.

 Being with a whole bunch of people from different countries in Central America always reminds me that not everyone is as short as the Guatemalans!

 Jokes with Mike!

In Search of Step Projects

This time of year, I go in search of projects for the step teams who will visit in the following year. I really enjoy meeting churches and organisations who have a vision, and are reaching out to their community, who are working hard - and are keen to partner with others to complete their task. It´s those sort of churches or organisations who really benefit from receiving a Step team - but who are also really instrumental in caring for and discipling the team members that come.

 This time I was visiting a church with a very active after school programme for 250 children, as well as involvement in the local community with sustainable agriculture and reforestation projects. It´s in a village called Buena Vista (= Good view) - and it´s certainly well named!

 It was also a great chance for me to spend a couple of nights in San Pedro La Laguna - maybe my favourite place in Guatemala - and have a couple of swims in the lake.

It always amuses me to travel at this time of year as well. It´s more or less time for the maize to be harvested and from the bus window it often looks to me like there are shiny mirrors floating in a sea of maize -- it´s actually the aluminium roofs of houses which get dwarfed by the maize reaching the roof height.

15th Birthdays

As in most of Latin America, it´s traditional in Guatemala to celebrate your 15th birthday - especially for girls. Well recently I was invited to my friend Abi´s birthday celebration. 

But it´s not really like an equivalent 18th birthday celebration in the UK. Here, the birthday girl gets dressed up  - in a big way. Many of the Quinceñera dresses look more like wedding dresses than anything else - and the comparison with a wedding doesn´t stop there. (For the Chistians at least)  there´s a church service  - complete with a procession of the family (all dressed in matching/ complementary colours) and then the birthday girl. Worship and a sermon are then followed by asking the girl to make certain promises about her adult life. 

(Although talking to a few other people, the promises weren´t the normal part of things - and perhaps had more to do with the fact that Abi´s dad is also the pastor).

 Anyway it was definitely a family event, with each member of the family making a speech and giving a special gift.

On this occasion, it had a slightly 'Wimbledon' feel - as we started off outside in a beautiful garden - but then as the mist drew in, and umbrellas went up as the mist turned into rain, they eventually decided to relocate to the marquee prepared for the reception!

Hit the Ground Kneeling

Another great thing about Core Team meetings, is that Alan, (International Director of Latin Link) always manages to recommends some great books. This time it was Hit the Ground Running; Seeing Leadership differently, by Stephen Cottrell  - which I managed to read during the week that we were meeting together. It´s a great book -- small and easily digestable- making you question all the usual 'wisdom' that gets chucked around these days. He encourages you not to 'hit the ground running'  - but to take time to observe and listen and reflect, to reinvent some wheels, to count your chickens before the hatch  - and definitely not to develop a thick skin.
It was quite refreshing to hear something quite so counter-cultural in our world full of success-driven management speak and self help books.

Core Team in Ecuador

 

I´ve just come back from Ecuador, where I´ve been meeting with the Latin Link Core Team.

There´s been a couple of changes and additions to the Core Team recently so this was the first time the new team met together. It was great to get to know the new members better - and start to work together.

Core Team hard at work  -- or perhaps facebook!

 

 We were also meeting alongside the Latin Link Ecuador team for their annual conference - and celebrated a birthday with them.

 For me personally it was great to be back in the Andes again. I first fell in love with Latin America in La Paz, Bolivia - a city surrounded by mountains - making you feel like you´re not really in the city at all. In Ecuador we were staying in a beautiful Bible Seminary, outside of Quito - with fantastic views of snow -capped Cotopaxi in the distance. It has a really peaceful atmosphere  - in the still mountain air - so it was a great place to meet.