It has been somewhat of a quiet summer - not just with regards to updates on my blogsite, but in general it has been, without doubt, a summer like no other. With that said, though, it has not been without its advantages. About a week ago I got back home to San Carlos after spending an extended time in Canada over the summer "inspired" by changes (for obvious reasons) resulting in no immediate need to be back here in Mexico. Many of our regularly scheduled activities were placed on hold and in their place I was able to take advantage of an extended stay in Manitoba, reconnecting on a deeper level with family, friends, and my church family - something that I had not been able to do to this extent in the thirteen years I've been down here. I appreciated very much being able to meet with people, become a "regular church member" again for a while at my home church, while also having a time to rest, read, reflect, and (p)repare (I couldn't think of another r-word...!) for what comes next.
Speaking of what is coming next, (the question that many of us have quit even trying to ask...) we are excited with the prospect of continuing with CEC's course at the end of January. Lord willing (not something that we say lightly anymore!) the conditions here in Mexico are such that will allow for, with some modifications, the next session of CEC to go forward in the New Year. Of all the years, this one just happens to be one where we have had more interest than ever this "early" in the recruitment season. We have officially received two applications but have been in contact with a number of others who are looking forward to coming. Our teachers as well are mostly lined up with a few still to confirm. Since I've been back here, though, it has been exciting to gear up for whatever is around the corner. Of course none of us know, but then we didn't really know anyways - we just thought we knew! So, Lord willing, we press onward!
Please pray for students! Pray also for us as staff as well as we make the necessary adjustments to ensure, as best we can, the success of the coming school year. Pray for a clear sense of direction and unity as well for us. It is an understatement to say that we live in challenging times, but with these challenges are also opportunities to reconsider our "status quo" and perhaps allow us to hone in on what is truly important. There is lots to do in the coming weeks - preparation for the course in general, recruitment, preparation for classes, some course homework I still have to do, and the other responsibilities, but I am glad to be back here, and also glad that people like you (not only read these updates! ;) but are also praying for me and for the work down here. God bless each one of you! ¡Dios les bendiga!
Day 13 of isolation has kind of blended into the 12 days that have preceded it. What day is it? I have to routinely check my phone to see. I'm sure most of you can identify with this feeling at some point in a state of self-quarantine. Day 13 is special, though, because it means that only 24 hours remain to freedom. (I honestly can't imagine a prison sentence...though this is probably in no ways a fair comparison.) I have enjoyed many "privileges" such as daily walks on the two-acre property where I am staying or access through internet (and limited phone signal) to people "on the outside." Apart from that, I have enjoyed lots of time to work on some homework assignments still due and read. C. S. Lewis, Bonhoeffer, J. I. Packer, and E. M. Bounds have kept me company, not to mention time spent in the Bible; it has made for a physically and spiritually relaxing time. Now all that remains is to find social refreshment!
On July 8th I crossed over into Canada; tomorrow, July 22nd marks the end of mandatory 14-day quarantine where I look forward to getting out and seeing many of you. (I'll be joining my family for several days of camping!) I'm planning on being in the area (Manitoba) for the next month or so. Plans, of course are hard to make these days. Beyond that month, we will see. A number of our regular activies that would take place over summer and fall are proving to be difficult, if no impossible to carry out. Visiting students, making connections with churches across Mexico, a regular missions module, a conference, and also being part of the missions training program Consiervos are all either cancelled, postponed, or under very tentative plans. We are moving forward as well with connecting with students for the coming winter's CEC class of 2021 - Lord willing, all will be back to some sense of "normal" to be able to move forwar. The time that we have now gives us pause to reflect and evaluate what we are doing, how we are accomplishing it, and what we can do better.
In a recent class that I took online, Teaching and Learning we took a look at how Jesus taught and what it might have been like to be one of His disciples. One question among many that rises up is, How does this translate into the Church today? What does it mean to be a disciple today? One of the overwhelming things that jumped out was how discipleship did not only have to do with how one follows Jesus, it was also something that took place within community. I have often thought about the personal aspect of being a disciple, my relationship with God, and what that looks like. But the fact that the disciples were not isolated, neither from Jesus nor from each other, and how they continued beyond His departure to function in community. What did that discipleship community look like? What does community look like today? What should it or could it look like today? This is of course a loaded question, especially when the possibility of "community" in the large-gathering sense, has been significantly limited. What does community look like mid-covid? But I also wonder, What should a community of disciples look like even when we can get back together as we always did? I'm not advertising for CEC here when I say that I (and we as a staff) have seen the power of community when we come together centred around one goal, or maybe better said, centred around one Person, seeking to grow together and learn from each other. There is encouragement and support that one does not find alone. I'm pretty sure God has designed us this way.
For our students, it always is somewhat of a shock to leave the tight-knit community that is formed during the 14 weeks together - this year that was especially the case when things came to a sudden stop and everyone had to go their own way. In talking with some of them, one could see the difficult transition it was for many. For some it took several weeks to find their rhythm again. In a way, this is to be expected. Perhaps CEC is somewhat of a "high" and it takes time and effort to take away from what one has experienced and figure out how to work it into daily life. But this is part of the learning curve as well. One of our students who lives in the middle of Mexico surprisingly just dropped by my house one day for a visit shortly before I left for Canada. He was one of those who really struggled leaving CEC, not being sure what was next for him. Things weren't much clearer as far as future plans go - he was still trying to figure out what the future might look like for him. But there was a renewed sense of peace in his life, a confidence in God, a reminder of what he had found during his time during CEC.
Perhaps the hardest part is trying to figure out what all of this should look like practically, in our lives. There surely is a time to get away and spend time with God alone. There is immense value in that. But there is also a time to do this with others as well. I can attest to that personally after 13 days of quarantine! I look forward to connecting with many of you. Please continue to pray for our students as they serve wherever they are at. Please also pray for us as we make plans as best we can for the future. Thank you as always for your faithful prayers! ¡Dios les bendiga!
I don't have to explain too much what I mean by "uncertainty;" I'm pretty sure we all have a long list of (common) things that come to mind in these days that are no longer as certain as they once were! It is hard to make plans, to think about the future, etc. during these days, but we do the best we can in the midst of it.
Normally we would have already been doing a fair bit of connection and promo work for the coming school season; we probably would have been on the road as I write, travelling to different parts of Mexico connecting with past students and making new connections in different churches for potential students. That was all brought to a halt for this summer and the efforts have taken a new direction (as many things have!) at a safe distance. With that we've launched an online campaign for the coming school season with some videos that talk about what CEC is all about. I made an "English" version with subtitles so that you too can enjoy them as well. For those who haven't seen the videos posted on Facebook, you can view them below. There will be more videos coming in the coming weeks highlighting different aspects of the program.
Being the Church - Two Intertwining Threads
Several things have transpired over the past couple of months that, personally, have really reinforced the vision of CEC and what it is that we desire to see happen in the lives of the students during the 4 months we have together with them. One of those things was the online course that I was able to take in through Briercrest on the topic of Teaching and Learning where we looked at what Christian Education is all about. (I think I mentioned this briefly in a previous post.) What impacted me most about this class was how Jesus' example of teaching (discipleship), though it did include some "classroom" type settings, was more about a journey together with His disciples, in community. This is probably the thing that stood out more than anything else - I have often considered discipleship as my personal walk with Jesus, but the fact is that discipleship for the disciples was also a function of community. Teaching opportunities arose as they walked together, lived together and ministered together. I just submitted a paper called My Personal Philosophy of Christian Education, and though the title does not sound exciting, it really captures what CEC is all about - this communal walk of discipleship. If you would at all be interested in reading it, you can do so here.
The other thing that coincides with this are the questions that arise over our current experiences, specifically as the Church, over the past number of weeks. In Mexico, we are still not allowed to have public services and so continue to transmit Sunday morning worship services online. Our experience of "church" has been greatly hindered, in a sense, but it has brought about many questions about what church should "look like" during a time like this. We miss meeting together, not having seen many people in person for a long time. But what does it truly mean to be the Church? That is a question we directly and indirectly ask ourselves with the students. How do we do church? The question should probably be though, not how to do church but rather how to be the Church - but what does that even mean?
Our inability to meet together at church - what a second... What did I just say? "Our inability to meet together at church..." There's actually two things wrong with this statement. 1) In the New Testament, the word "church" comes from the word ekklesia which means "an assembly." Church always referred to the people and never a building - there actually were no places built specifically for the Church to meet together for several centuries and so they met in people's homes. There was no "going to church," there simply was the Church, the people. 2) "Inability to meet?" Who says we can't meet together? Yes, there are restrictions in meeting publicly, a maximum number of people, etc. but with those we can meet together with, we can encourage each other as The Church. I think that's exactly what Hebrews 10:25 is talking - not "going to Church" but always finding ways to encourage each other as the Church, whether we have a building to do it in or not.
"Do not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
It really is one of the goals of CEC - to live together as the Church, growing together and challenging each other in our walk. It's the journey we as Christians are all a part of and invited to walk together, wherever we are, under whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Maybe this raises more questions then answers, but it keeps me asking myself, What does it mean for me as a member of the Church? What does it mean to be the Church?
The Summer
Though things have looked different this year to this point, we are still looking forward to another season of students at CEC. We actually already have a few people who are interested in coming next January! I am making plans to head up to Manitoba early July (and factoring in obligations for quarantining on arrival) to be able to connect with family, friends, and my church family there over July and August. Lord willing, I look forward to connecting with many of you in the coming weeks.
In the certainty of uncertainty, all we can do is do the best we can with what we have at hand, knowing that God is and will remain the ultimate Certainty, the One who has everything together in His hands, and is working everything out for His glory and our good. Thanks for your continued prayers for the ministry here in Mexico! ¡Dios les bendiga!
