Being Radical

Violence.  Killing.  Hatred.  Anger. Disillusionment.

This week seems to be filled with emotions following the killing of a soldier in Montreal, the killing of another soldier in Ottawa, the shootings in the Parliament building in Ottawa, the ax wielding man in New York, the killing of students in Marysville, and the killing of two policemen in California.

Some of these young men were attracted to radical Islam.  Radical beliefs expounded by a small group are not accepted by moderates but appear fascinating to alienated young people around the world.

Who are these young people and what is the attraction?  David From, in an article in Macleans (retrieved from http://www.macleans.ca/politics/washington/david-frum-on-the-allure-of-radical-islam-in-canada/), entitled The Allure of Radical Islam in Canada writes

Couture-Rouleau
photo: CBC website

“If you are alienated, angry, and attracted to violence, radical Islam provides a powerful ideology of justification. If you are lonely and purposeless, it offers redemptive self-sacrifice.

Yet the hunger for meaning is always a part of the human spirit. In a different time, Couture-Rouleau might have vanished into a monastery. In the 21st century, he found a different and deadlier path. The alleged would-be British Columbian bombers might likewise have gravitated to Maoism in the 1960s or Nazism in the 1930s. But those ideologies too have lost their hold on the modern mind, leaving radical Islam as the strongest competitor for the credence of those who seek self-fulfillment through mass destruction.”

The theological language is striking – justification, redemptive, sacrifice, hunger for meaning.  It makes me wonder where the churches and communities are when these young people are searching for something to fill the ache in their souls. 

Does the Christian community provide ‘the camaraderie and sense of purpose’ (Murtaza Hussain, CBC the Fifth Estate, retrieved from https://ca.news.yahoo.com/another-canadian-jihadi-slips-cracks-205929948.html)for which these people are searching? Hussain goes onto say 

"It's something you may get from a gang, but supercharged by the fact that your existential needs are met, too. It offers you a chance to be part of something greater than yourself and a way to expiate your past sins and be part of something that in your own mind seems to be righteous….It's a bit of a do-it-yourself kind of identity that occurs in these people. They learn the religion quickly — in an extremely superficial way.”

A number of years ago I listened to a conversation between a young man and a young lady about the appeal of bars.  The lady asked why the man felt so comfortable going into a bar where he knew no one whereas he had great difficulty going to church.  His comment was enlightening. “In the bar there is no judgement.  Everyone is accepted.  It is not that way in church.” 

Does your church ‘accept everybody’?  Are the churches and communities there for those who are left behind, not only the families of those killed but more so for those of these young people who have so senselessly killed? 

 Let it not be us who are posting negative and insulting messaged on Facebook.  Let our hearts, and our church doors, be radically open to those who suffer, to those who are searching for meaning, to the lonely, purposeless, alienated, and angry.  May the Holy Spirit help us to reflect just a bit of Jesus in our lives so that these people may see radical Christianity as an alternative to radical Islam.

Was does that mean?

Oh, so you are in Nicaragua to help the poor. 

So, what do you do to get these people out of poverty? 

And are these subsistence farmers getting anywhere? 

Are they actually producing crops?

What is it like to work with the poor?

When living in North America I had a conversation with a good friend who grew up ‘poor’.  “We had an addition just made of wood slabs cut from the bush and the walls were covered with newspaper.  We didn’t know we were poor.  That was just the way it was.  And we were OK.”  I often think of that conversation when groups come to visit the communities in which we live.  What does it mean to be poor?  Are we poor because someone tells us we are poor?  Is poverty or being poor a comparative measure?

Although the people with whom we work do not have much, they have a lot.  They have what they need for their basic needs, to share with their neighbours. Santa Gertrudis has been suffering from drought.  No one harvested a first crop of corn, except one lady who followed the conservation agriculture guidelines.  When I asked her if she had enough to last for her family until the next harvest she looked at me with a huge smile on her face. “Oh no, I gave it (literal translation would be gifted it) to my family and neighbours.  I have a little left and we are making tortillas today.  Do you want to see them?’ She proudly showed me the tortillas they were making for the family and the half a bag of corn that she kept for herself and her children.  I could not help but think that Jesus was smiling.  Sobelva produced enough to ‘get ahead’ and yet, in contrast to the economic system dominant in the world, she chooses to share her abundance.  I cannot call her poor.

We hear comments such as “I don’t believe it.  They are so poor and yet they are so happy”, insinuating that in order to be happy one must have material wealth.  There is also the implication that if one is poor one is not successful, that they have not reached an unspecified goal that would magically make them ‘not poor’.  When I share a cup of tea in Melva’s house she explains, “My house, it is humble.  But it is mine.  It is my home.  I have what I need. We have this piece of land for crops because there is water. Our other piece of land is for animals because there is only grass.”  I cannot call her poor but I would call her content and full of hope.

These two friends are subsistence farmers. These ladies, and others in their community, don’t have a lot of money and but have just enough food from the land to feed their families.  They live from crop to crop with the faith the God will provide.  They always have a cup of coffee and a rosquilla to share.  They remind me of my Auntie Tena, a wonderful faith-filled lady who lived with little by walked so close to God.

After being in North America this summer and attending Justicecamp I wondered who are rich and who are poor: my friends in North America or my friends in Nicaragua.  Many in North America live pay cheque to pay cheque; those in Nicaragua live crop to crop.  Many Canadians are mired down with personal debt.  Our Nicaraguan friends are unable to get a loan but also do not live under the fear of losing their homes or their land.  Many North Americans live lonely lives far from family; our Nica communities are full of relatives who rely on each other.  North Americans are reluctant to talk about their faith and their reliance on God in their daily lives; Nicas love to tell you about the blessings they have received from God.

So, who is poor?  What does it mean to be poor?  And would my Nica friends comment when visiting North America. “And I don’t understand it.  They are so rich and they are so unhappy?’ as they watch us rush through life.

Recently I read an article in the digital copy of the Converge magazine, a magazine for which I am always thankful.  Daniel White writes in his article ‘Making a Career of Humanity’

“This is something that one of our team members said to me when we were facing setback after setback in the tea kitchen. I asked him if he was feeling discouraged or disappointed, and that was his response. But he also said, “We have not yet achieved our goals. But this does not mean we are not happy. We Kenyans are happy, and we will work hard to achieve our goals.” I explained to him that in North America, people are often unhappy because they are not where they wish to be in life. “Oh,” he said, shaking his head. “That is very sad.”  http://convergemagazine.com/social-enterprise-justea-14582/

Those we meet on our Journey

Walking with the Rich…….

We live in a very comfortable house in a safe gated community. I questioned why we would immediately find a house that met all our needs in this type of neighbourhood.  Wasn’t there something in a less affluent area?  The answer keeps on coming back – No, this is where you should be.  So instead of fighting I have learned to eat my words.  (A word of caution – May all the words you speak be sweet – you may have to eat them!)

After two years I still struggle with the opulence but I have learned that I still have to walk – with the rich.  For reasons unknown to us, God has given us this opportunity, this challenge, this blessing. 

After the revolution Nicaraguans moved north to United States and Canada, worked there for many years, and have now retired in their homeland.  Most are well educated, well read, politically astute and aware of what is happening in the world.  Because my Spanish is not the best, I am hesitant to talk with them but they are patient.  When I walk at night I often stop to talk to these neighbours about the weather or  about what is happening.  We are developing community.

I am privileged to attend the Bible study in the neighbourhood.  Both Evangelicals and Catholics join together to discuss the Bible, to learn what it says, and to delve into its application.  Their openness, their faith, and their vulnerability are humbling.  Some are willing to say that they don’t know the Bible and are eager to learn.  Others are very knowledgeable and are able to quote any Bible text.  Together we journey.

We also rub shoulders with other ‘rich’ – fellow missionaries and others who live in this beautiful country.  They are our support group and we are theirs.  We share worship services with them each Sunday and I attend Bible Study with a wonderful group of women. We have become the grandparent figures to some children. We have a place.

But that is not our whole life since we also walk with

Those with Less………

Many of our friends and acquaintances would never be classified as rich if one is talking about personal belongings.  They live in smaller, often multi-generational, homes.  Their children may or may not attend a private Christian school, depending on financial and/or geographical situations.

One of the leaders from Nehemiah Center related a bit of their life to some students when comparing their life here with the life of one of their family members living in USA.  The family in USA have a large, fancy house with a half million dollars mortgage, a car with a car loan, and credit cards. Their family in Nicaragua has a small house – but it is theirs; they have a car—and it is paid for.  They do not have credit cards.  The word that comes to mind is contentment.

Our friends do not have all the material things, but they are content.  I am sure that they would like different or better things  but they do not appear to ‘strive’ after them.  They are more willing to wait, whether it means waiting until the can afford a wedding or whether they can afford a new stove. 

They welcome you into their homes –‘Me casa es tu casa.’  They love to share their lives with others, whether family or friends.  They love to have fun.  They love parties.  They love loud music.  They love food.  There is always a time to celebrate, to share, to talk.

And those with still less

We have not been given the opportunity to work with those who have nothing but we know that they exist.  We see the old women walking down the middle of the highway with her belongings on her back.  We see the old man gathering up the bottles and plastic for recycling.  Will these people someday become part of our lives?

We know that each day God brings people into our lives.  Sometimes they are meant to be a blessing to us, other times we are a blessing to them, but most of the time we are mutually blessed.  Living in a transient culture brings so many people across our paths but we know that they will not stay forever.  Rather than building a wall around myself and protecting myself from the sadness of losing friends over and over, I have decided to embrace them, to become vulnerable, to open my life to them, to live life fully.  It has made my life so much richer.  So each day I will continue to live with the rich, those with less, and those with still less.  But that also means that I live with those who have some, those who have more and those who have still more.   And that is so true – especially when it comes to faith and reliance on God. Thank you, Lord, for all the people with whom I share this journey.

A Place of Transformation

A community

A place of transformation

A vision

A place of collaboration

Training trainers
An idea
A team
Servant leadership
An office building complex
A training center
A guest house for teams
Multicultural organization
A charitable organization
A network of Christians working together

Just what is the Nehemiah Center?  In some aspect or another, it is all of the above except one.  It is not a charitable organization.

 I love the introduction of its history, taken from its website.

When the walls in Jerusalem had been broken down, God called Nehemiah to rebuild them. Like Jerusalem’s walls, many of Nicaragua’s physical, social, and spiritual structures have been broken down by natural disasters, civil wars, and government corruption.

The Nehemiah Center’s purpose is to rebuild Nicaragua by equipping its present and potential leaders with a biblical worldview—a crucial foundation for the growth of this country and its people.

To equip them, the Nehemiah Center’s Ezra national training staff, a group of committed Nicaraguan Christian leaders, facilitates training and consultation throughout western and central Nicaragua. The Ezra strategy is to develop agents of transformation in family, church, education, business, government, youth, and the arts and media.

When I first visited the Nehemiah Center I was a bit disappointed.  I imagined a much larger facility with lots of activity.  Maybe I was imagining a school, a college, or a training center.  Instead I saw a number of very humble offices surrounding an open courtyard.  Some people were busy working on their computers while others were carrying on conversations in either English or Spanish or a combination of both.  Where were all the wonderful projects that I had heard and read about?  As we talked to some of the representatives of the member organizations my brain started to focus and to realize that the work is not done at the Nehemiah Center; it is done where it should be – in the communities.  The people at the Nehemiah Center facilitate the transformation but everything happens outside of its walls.

Within the Nehemiah Center there is a group of international organizations that share the same Biblical worldview of bringing God’s grace into all aspects of life..  They provide training, personnel and finances but the national organizations and the national leaders do the hands-on training within the communities, adapting to each one.  The goal is always clear – transformation. Every activity is centered in the vision of enabling Nicaraguans to become citizens of not only Nicaragua but also the Kingdom of God in all its fullness.  Therefore, the focus is always on long term development.  Aid money may be given when disasters occur but the primary focus does not change.

The Nehemiah Center was born in a unique time in the history of Nicaragua, a time of distrust after a season of disasters, both natural and man-made.  People with a strong vision of bringing the power of God to all areas of life work united segments of society that were distant in ideology and practice. Through training based in the Word of God -- servant leadership, Biblical worldview, vision, kingdom work, Lord of all areas of life, collaboration, transformation, long term commitment  -- a new society is forming.
Collaboration is integral to the Nehemiah Center.  You do not hear people talk about ‘my project’; rather it is ‘our project’.  Partners share the planning, the organization, the expenses, the work and the benefits.  International partners always work with national partners.  One of the land banks near Matagalpa is a good example.  The money was initially provided through Partners Worldwide; World Renew coordinates the project; Christian Medical Action provides the coordination within the community.  But recently EduDeo helped to build the school and ACECEN provides teacher training for the teacher and the government provides the teacher’s salary.  Personnel from Christian Medical Action have received training at the Nehemiah Center through the programs operated by the Ezra team – family, church, marriage.  Who ‘owns’ the program?  All of them do!  And most importantly, the people who benefit feel strongly that it is theirs.

Words cannot describe what happens at the Nehemiah Center; they can only express a small part the essence of the Nehemiah Center. 

For more information check out the website at http://www.nehemiahcenter.net.

If you think Education is expensive, try the alternative.  Anonymous

Students at an ACECEN affiliate school

The new school year is starting in Nicaragua. The students will be lining up in their crisp new uniforms, eager to learn.  But will they?  The statistics I read in the Nicaragua Dispatch last week indicated “ 94% of recent Nicaraguan high school graduates failed the basic entrance exam for the National University of Engineering (UNI)…. Two students among the herd scored perfect 100s, but most of the others who passed squeaked by with minimal scores close to 60, according to El Nuevo Diario.  On the part of the UNI’s test measuring aptitude for studies in architecture, 29% received passing grades, the university reports.”

Most parents want their children to receive a high quality education since this is seen as a means to end the cycle of poverty. Although public education is free, parents prefer to send their children to private schools so that they receive better education but private education costs money .Parents are willing to sacrifice; often nutrition suffers since a large portion of the family’s earnings will be spent on education.

Christian schools are part of the growing private school movement and there are different levels of education within the Christian schools.  Unlike North America, the quality of education and teachers varies.  Some schools offer high quality education; others offer the best education they can with limited funds. 

Lennin from EduDeo meeting with teachers

ACECEN is an association of Christian schools in Nicaragua.  There are 100 member schools; not all of the Christian schools belong.  The emphasis of ACECEN is to train teachers in a biblical worldview and to assist in pedagogy and classroom instruction.  The belief is that teacher training is basic to good education.  A group of 11 facilitators meet each month to be trained and then go out to the schools in their areas and train the teachers in the schools.

Many of the schools that belong to ACECEN are located in poor and outlying communities.  The parents are those that have very little resources for living, much less for education.  Tuition is non-existent or very low.  Teacher’s wages are the same.  Many teachers hold down two jobs since the Christian schools cannot pay a living wage. 

ACECEN is supported by EduDeo, a Canadian organization that assists Christian schools through teach education and through building or repairing school facilities.  They accept donations for their member schools and a portion of their donations is allocated to ACECEN for teacher training. Check out their website at https://edudeo.com/get-inspired/partners/acecen/.

***************************************************************************

Nicaragua Christian Academy offers an international education in English that is accredited both in Nicaragua and in United States.  However, in recent years NCA has opened schools for the middle class Nicaraguans who wish to have a solid education with an emphasis in English.  All the subjects are taught in Spanish but each class receives English classes each day.  There are two Spanish schools under the NCA umbrella, one in Nejapa (Managua) and one in Matagalpa.

Paying for school expenses is a strain on the finances of many families.  To enrol the student, a $200 matriculation fee is required.  This pays for insurance and consumables in the classroom.  Then there is a monthly fee of $77 to $82 per month tuition fee, depending on the grade level of the child.  Add on a $5 monthly technology fee and a monthly transportation fee of $50 (if needed).  Then add on graduation fees for kindergarten ($7/month), 6^th grade ($7/month, and 11^th grade ($20.00/month).  A family could conceivably pay a monthly fee $132 to $157 per student for education.  Then add on the price of school uniforms, PE uniforms, shoes, books, etc.  The cost keeps getting higher.

The average wage of someone who would send their child to Nejapa or Matagalpa would be between $300 and $400 a month. Some families with two incomes can afford it without too much sacrifice but those that have only once income suffer.  I cannot calculate all the options but having one child in school would take from 33% to 52% of a salary. Add the second student and the family can barely afford rice and beans.

NCA has a sponsorship program to assist with the tuition of the students that need help.  Needs assessments, grades, and deportment are factors that contribute to being accepted into the Sponsorship Program.  These are children that truly need financial help. Check them out at http://www.nca.edu.ni/page.php?campus=sponsorship&child=How-to-Sponsor-a-Child. 

For you who know me, this appeal must be a big surprise.  I am a strong supporter of independence, of self-sustainability, of being aware of the difference between relief and development.  I believe that this is development – an investment in the future of Nicaragua.

Exploring what to do

When we decided that we would move to Nicaragua we were not sure what type, if any, work we would do.  We were going as ‘professional volunteers’ which meant that we would not start any projects of our own but that we would help anyone with anything that was within our capabilities and interests.  We had no desire to be in charge, only to assist.  That meant that we would need to be open to sitting around for awhile.

After our Bolivian experience we craved community.  Finding people that looked at the world the way we did, that looked at missions the way did, that understood what we were trying to say without saying it, finding a supportive community – that is what we needed. 

During the previous trips we had established some contacts with some of the staff of World Renew and Christian Reformed World Missions who worked at the Nehemiah Center. We had no idea if there would any opportunities to work with them. 

Marg serving cake at the Nehemiah Center Christmas Party

Marg had read that there was a need for someone to work in communications, especially someone to update the website.  All that was needed was someone to write.  No knowledge of web design was necessary.  It seemed that it was something that she could do.  That project is completed.  Check it out at http://www/nehemiahcenter.net. She assisted in writing some handbooks and teaches conversational English to a number of the Nehemiah Center national staff.  Life is never boring; something new every day. The biggest problem is that most of her time is spent with English speakers so she is not getting a chance to use her Spanish.



Jake and Gilberto at the Manantial Land Bank Project

 

Jake has been able to find work in the agriculture area.  The challenge will be finding projects that fit his skill set and provide enough challenge and involvement.  There have been a variety of projects that he can become involved in but he has worked most often with the land bank that is located west of Jinotepe.  It is a project of Fundación San Lucas Nicaragua in collaboration with World Renew and Food Resource Bank.  The relationship started when the irrigation pump would not work and Jake was called to pick up a part in Managua.  Rather than just pick up the part, we went to check out what was needed and Jake showed them not only what was needed, but how it worked.  Since that time he has helped put in some irrigation lines and, through working alongside the people, gained their trust. Jake also is becoming acquainted with the land banks in Matagalpa and Boaco.

We are very content with what we are doing.  We are busy enough and still have time to relax, to garden, to play in the ocean, and to enjoy God’s creation and people.  We are thankful for everything!

As time goes on I would like to highlight some of the programs with which we work.  Keep watching!

The land of lakes and volcanoes. An area where are spring like temperatures all year around. A place where you can be at the beach in less than an hour. A place where there are tons of garden centers only half an hour away. A place where you can buy everything you need and tons you don’t need. A place where we have cable TV (although few programs that we would actually watch), cellular reception, and fast internet. A place where there are people who share our values, our dreams, our mission. A place called Nicaragua.

In the end of September we left our kids and grandkids in Alberta and boarded the plane for a new adventure in a new land. Unlike our last move to Bolivia, we had no great plans, no great expectations. We wanted to take our time to find a place to live and then to find something to do. Little did we know that the most important thing we needed was a time to heal. 

We did not realize how we had been so impacted by the last months in Bolivia. We felt betrayed. We felt a lack of support. We felt alone. Although we knew that we had left some very good friends behind, we seemed to remember those that did not stand beside us. Although we had all the legal documents in place for selling the land, the community continued, and continues, to stall. We ultimately need their approval to complete the land sale. Jake said that never felt as much evil as he did at the last community meeting, an evil that was directed at him not because he was a bad person, but rather as a result of not getting what they wanted – our land. At that point, he left the community and the country. It was hard to leave on that note. We hoped and prayed for a softening of their hearts but that was not to be. We still pray for the community and for Dionicio and we know that God will work it all out for his glory, but we have no idea how. Thankfully we are able to communicate through internet with those that we love, those who stood beside us – Dionicio and Viviana, Claudia and Carlos, Alberto and Cinthia, Rose and Juan.
***************************************************************************************

Within a week of arriving in Nicaragua Jake found a fully furnished house in Diriamba. We saw it on the internet but did not quite believe the photos. It looked too “American” – and it is. My biggest challenge is to be thankful for what we have been given, to accept it, and to enjoy it. I have also had to change my concept of where I should live. Whenever we discussed living in Nicaragua we ran into the snag of security, something we did not dwell on in Bolivia. In the months leading up to our move, we heard about numerous incidences of robberies and it was clear that we could not live without full time security. That meant that we would live either with personal guards at the gate or live in a gated community. I did not like either idea! I also did not like the idea of living in a ‘gringo’ community. But here we are! Sometimes one has to eat their words. Not only do we live in a gated community, but the guards are right outside the window. We have a beautiful house and also have access to the vacant lot next door in which Jake can plant to his hearts delight.

Diriamba is a small town located about 35 minutes south of Managua. Because it is higher in altitude, it does not have the high temperatures and high humidity of cities such as Managua, Granada, or León. The ocean and its beaches are located half an hour to the west of us and run along the coast to the Costa Rican border. To the west is Lake Nicaragua and Crater Lake (Laguna de Apoyo). Also to the west is the scenic town of Catarina which is full of outdoor garden centers, and the touristy town of San Juan del Oriente, the pottery center of the region. Masatepe, where they make furniture and the famous Nica rocking chairs, is on the way to Catarina. Diriamba does not have a lot of shopping but we purchase our fruits and vegetables at the outdoor markets there or a little farther south in Jinotepe. When we need something more ‘American’ we can go to Managua to PriceSmart, La Colonia or La Union (owned by Walmart.) Just down the road there is a fantastic bakery and San Marcos, Diriamba and Jinotepe all have good ice cream shops. Restaurants, both Nica and 'American', abound. We are not lacking for food!

We were able, with the help of our friend Lesther, to purchase two vehicles – a Toyota Corolla for the city driving and a ForeRunner for the most rugged trips. Within a couple of weeks we had our own internet and phones. We were ready to get to work!