james's journal :: service inquiry program

Fri, 27 Jul 2007

Back Home
Well Tuesday I flew home to my house in PA. The flights were fine, but the in-flight entertainment was the same as my trip to San Jose, mostly. I mean, how many heart warming stories about dogs that change a town can there be?

I'll be staying at home while editing the video, which should start early next week. My brother's also getting married, so it should be a fun and busy time!
Posted at 10:37 #

Tue, 17 Jul 2007

Trip to Tegus
Last weekend I got to take a trip with my host brother, Nelson, to Tegucigalpa, the capitol of Honduras. Definitely a fun experience. Left early Saturday morning on a new bus line that cost 50 Lempiras, about a third of the regular price. I'd heard stories about passing on curves and other stupid bus maneuvers, but now I can say I have experienced it myself. We also broke down for about 30 minutes. Tegus is a city of 1.1 million, or so I heard, and like many Latin American cities, growing way too fast. Especially after Hurricane Mitch, it's grown a lot.

I went to a youth retreat of the local Mennonite church, and had a blast. We played some soccer in the rain (and then threw people in the mud afterwards). Roasted marshmallows over a fireplace. Slept (not enough). Sunday we went to the Mennonite church in Tegus. After church, the youth (about 20 of us) went out to eat Papusas (a Salvadoran tortilla stuffed with cheese or fried pork skin). Then we went to Picacho, a park on top of one of the mountains surronding Tegus (although the city now extends all over these steep mountains as well). There's a huge statue of Christ overlooking the city, as well as a United Nations Park, and a replica of a Mayan pyramid.

I definitely had a lot of fun hanging out with a great youth group, and seeing another part of this country. I wish I had gotten there earlier.
Posted at 22:32 #

Mon, 16 Jul 2007

Why church is loud
Church here in Honduras is loud. Well, it depends. There seems to be a continuum between Catholic and Pentecostal. The closer to Catholic, the quieter. The closer to Pentecostal, the louder you need to have that mic.

I was in a service with about 20 people, in a small room, and yet the pastor was yelling into the mic, with the sound system at full blast. At times, the mic cut out, and everyone could hear just fine. I know someone who wears earplugs to services because they are too loud.

But why? Here are some reasons that have crossed my mind:

• A pastor was asked why church was loud. He replied, "It says so in the Bible."
• It's used to alert people around that a church service is going on, who then, theoretically, they will come in.
• It's used to drown out competing churches, or in the case of one retreat I was at, the bachata coming from a nearby bar
• It's used to enhance the emotional experience, or help people feel "the Holy Spirit."

It's probably a combination of them all, plus other reasons. But the idea that it is used to enhance the emotional experience kind of scares me. When does it cross the line into creating a false sacred experience? When does making sure the music is at the right level cross the line into manipulation? Recently a Ugandan pastor was caught with an electric shocker the government claims he was using to convince people he touched that they were having a sacred experience (Link). I'd say that crosses the line. I know I felt manipulated when a pastor put his hand on my forward, with his hand shaking forcefully. I'd say that it is good to create an environment where one can meet God, but it goes too far to create the meeting with God itself.
Posted at 21:46 #

Tue, 10 Jul 2007

Back from San Jose
I just got back from San Jose, where I had a great time at the Mennonite Church USA National Convention. I was there writing for mPress, the daily newspaper of the convention. I also gave two seminars with a mission organization on a video I did last year in South Africa, and also showed Fuerza, a documentary on immigration I edited/produced.

So, needless to say I was rather busy. A bit of what happened:

• About half of the people that others thought would make good pastors at one exhibit were women (very different from several years ago, at least where I was)
• Some speakers actually used inclusive language!
• There was a much better rounded focus for the week than in years past- in other words, social issues were talked about.
• Tired youth are still more attracted to bad theology screamed than good theology explained well
• American food doesn't sit well with my stomach, evidently
• On a story for mPress, I met a guy who honestly believed that there is no racism in America. (Slightly humorous in that he told this to a Latina Sociology Professor)
• I never got to play the Wii at Goshen College's booth.
• I'm not a fan of seven hour layovers

So that's what I've been up to. Now I have another 2 weeks here, to try to finish what I can of this video, and say goodbye to people.
Posted at 22:10 #

Thu, 5 Jul 2007

San Jose
Well I'm out at San Jose, waiting for Goshen College President Jim Brenneman to give the morning youth speech (homily, sermon, I'm not sure what it's called). I've been writing for mPress and not getting enough sleep.

Anyway.. staff meeting. Seeya!
Posted at 11:39 #

Mon, 2 Jul 2007

Mennonite Convention
I'm spending the next week in California, on a short break from my work in Honduras. I'll be at the Mennonite Church USA Convention, doing a couple things.

First, I'll be showing Fuerza. I'll also be presenting two seminar on the film I helped out on, on how churches are acting as agents of change in post-apartheid South Africa.

I'll also be writing daily for mPress, the daily convention newspaper. Check it out occasionally to see what I'm writing about there, and what's going on...

Posted at 10:43 #

Money as a Blessing
"A man got to heaven, and saw the richness of other people there. He asked Jesus, 'Why didn't I recieve these riches?' Jesus replied, 'Because you didn't claim them.' That's why Honduras hasn't recieved the blessing of other countries, like the United States"
                      -Honduran Pastor

Theology like this makes me shiver. First, it's not exactly a biblical view.

Second, it completely ignores the fact that the excess of the rich is not inspite of the lack of the poor; it is because of the lack of the poor. The work of Andre Gunderfrank shows that the rich become rich by taking goods from the poor. So claiming that God gives excess to those who ask necessarily means that he will be impoverishing those who don't ask.

Third, it also reveals a tendency of evangelical mission churches in third world countries to suppress social activity. By telling people that God will provide, it turns other methods - such as looking into the systems of empoverishment - into a lack of faith.

Posted at 10:40 #