Wouldn't it be loverly?

I took part in Mayan wedding. This is what I was told I had to "look forward to in marriage." It was a fun experience wearing the clothes that I saw all the indigenous women wearing everyday for 6 weeks.

As we traveled home, I couldn?t help but feel in our conversations and debriefing, that we made 1,001 assumptions. I don?t blame us. This is what we do, how humans process experiences, through analysis, we make sense of what is around us; this is how we create our reality (aka our worldview).

Yet I still felt that perhaps we are quick to think we understand part of Guatemalan culture. This I think is a dangerous place to be. We have moved quickly past thinking our culture is superior, and are in the honeymoon phase. We see the beautiful aspects of Guatemalan culture and instantly assume that?s the way it is. But we are able to judge and critique our own culture because we have lived 20+ years there. It is our own and we truly know it. Guatemalan culture, though, is a new experience for us, and we all, especially myself (because I have a tendency towards prejudice) need a lot of time to observe. Even Les has only been part of Guatemalan culture for 5 years and he is careful to judge certain aspects.

We have got to step off of the judgment wagon and talk a slow walk down observation lane.

One day, only 24 hours, or was it an eternity? One day, this one day, has been an explosion in my mind. What I know, what I think and hold as reality has all been turned around.

The things Les, our ministry leader, confronted us with represent complete shift in thinking, not even from the Western perspective, but from what we view Central America as. He caused us to realize our Western worldview was superimposed even on the Latin American culture we thought we were observing! Our solutions of Fair trade laws against child labor are not universal ideas, but our answers to what we see as a real need! We failed to see the ?perceived? needs of the Guatemalan people. This is what our text, Make Haste Slowly warned against: we must focus on perceived needs or else the solutions we offer will not benefit the people, and in essence, will not be effective in their purpose.

It is interesting though, that through all of the mind-transforming issues Les addressed today, the thing that sticks out is holding the hand of 9-year-old Maria, as we hiked the infamous hill that everyone complained about. Funny thing though, I was so focused on talking to her that I didn?t notice the hill half as much. When she placed the flower in my hand and gently set her hand in mine, I was transformed. I experienced the Guatemalan worldview; I embodied it. At that point, time became relative; nothing mattered but this single relationship between Maria and I.

Maybe for a brief second, on flash in my existence, I did step out of my Western worldview and took one shy, half step into the Guatemalan world. It may have been only this one-second, but I know it will have an eternal affect upon me.

I've been reluctant for a little while (alright so 3 months) about blogging. This is because I have been thinking about what I really want to say, the energy I want to put into it, and if I even like blogging.

I go back and forth between wanting to just post pictures and tell fun stories, to writing about more serious things, to quoting beautiful writings and scripture that i have been reading. So finally, I've just decided i'm going to do it all. This is going to start with thoughts from my most recent adventure in Guatemala. For one of my classes, i was required to keep a daily journal of reflections of stuff we'd seen, problems we'd had, and the observations we made of such a different culture. This process was everywhere from intriguing and interesting, to downright aggrivating...but the result was much more than I had expected. I'll give you one every day (perhaps every other day) just to keep your appetite wet ;).

Much love from the top,
Jennyfer

I have been longed delayed in needing to tell this story. So Valentine's day...

Bjorn had told me to leave an hour free in the afternoon. I didn't really think we were going to do anything that big, which was fine. I didn't mind either way. Well, was I ever wrong!!

The night before Bjorn told me we were going flying. I couldn't quite comprehend this at first, and then when I did, i went so crazy that I made Bjorn carry me around the living room with my arms in spread-arm, "airplane position" to prepare for the next day. It was a beautiful day, perfect conditions minus a bit of wind.

We were stoked, well Bjorn was a bit nervous getting into the plane (it was cute). Caleb, who had just a year ago gotten his pilot's license, was a professional. Once we were in the air, and Bjorn and I had our first "ooos,aaahs" and "wows", Caleb looked back and said, "Welcome to my world."

I replied, "Caleb i love your world." We really got the best of everything: the day was perfectly clear, air traffic was free so we got to fly over downtown Vancouver, and then out to Horseshoe Bay, and of course over our houses and TWU. (I waved to everybody there and was quite upset that none of my friends bothered to wave back! ;)) It was fields, mountains and skyscrapers--honestly, what more could a girl ask for?!

The whole ride there were a couple of bumps and hops due to the wind...not a big deal I thought, until the ride back. Caleb whipped out a bit of a fancy turnaround (gave the sensation of a roller coaster), and that's when the feeling began. It was a slowly growing stomach sickness.

The rest of the trip back was spent with me silently watching the beauty and trying to hold on. It didn't too bad in the plane, but by the time we were back on ground...i knew i wasn't doing well. Luckily there was no vommitting, I just couldn't drive and had to sleep off the feeling for an hour and a half. A minor event in the mix of an incredible adventure.

I've haven't spent anytime bragging in peoples' face about my boyfriend, but after this, I think it goes without saying: Bjorn proved himself again to be one freaking cool guy.