March 17, 2009
Grace and Peace to you from Lima Peru,
Love is in the air here at Cristo Rey Lutheran Church. Tatiana loves
Victor. Abigail loves Angel. Jorge loves Christine. Thomas loves Rosi.
Antuanec loves Cesar. And all of these nice people have decided to get
married in a span of two months. As their pastor I have been busy with
wedding rehearsals, pre-marital counseling, ceremonies, blessings and
parties! It is a sunny and warm summer here in the southern
hemisphere, and a popular time for weddings, baptisms and for extended
families to travel long distances to be together.
Amidst our joy and celebrations there is also sadness and struggle. We
mourn the loss of Candelaria, who died this past month at age 83. Our
congregation is quite small (under 100 people) and so when someone is
gone we all feel it and we miss her. She is in God´s loving care and
we are so grateful for the great gift of eternal life in heaven. I
traveled last week to Chosica (outside of Lima) to visit a member of
our church who has been hospitalized at a mental health facility for
over a month. There are others in our congregation who are going
through very hard times right now because of challenges like
schizophrenia, addiction, and depression, and post traumatic stress
from abuses endured from the years of the Shining Path. These brothers
and sisters in our church teach me about prayer and about trust when I
listen to them speak about how they are coping. They face each new day
with such strength and courage based on faith in their Lord. God is
our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble!
(Psalm 46:1)
One thing that is really great about the Peruvian Lutheran Church is
that it is committed to issues of social justice, the environment,
human rights, gender equality, HIV-AIDS, ending domestic violence,
etcetera!
I am learning that there are many new evangelical churches in Peru that
intentionally don’t get involved in these struggles for justice.
Rather they seek to “remove” themselves from “the world” in order to
be holy, sinless and pure. But the evangelical Lutheran church in Peru
is very different. We are not called to remove ourselves from the
world, but rather to live deeply in the world, in solidarity with the
poor, marginalized and with people who are oppressed. God is deeply
committed to the world and loves the world. God is all about bringing
hope, reconciliation, healing and justice to our broken world. We, the
church, are called to join in this life-giving work of the gospel.
This is what “holy” living is about.
Because of financial hardships in the Peruvian Lutheran Church (ILEP),
the headquarters of ILEP have moved out of their main office on Brazil
Avenue, where rent was too expensive, and into the 3rd floor of our
church building here at Cristo Rey! It is exciting to have them so
close. Our president, Rev. Pedro Bullon, and secretary Deisy have a
way of raising our spirits and keeping our focus on the hope we have
in Christ, reminding us that we are called to be salt and light and in
the world.
Many parts of Lima can feel like a “concrete jungle” all covered in
pavement and with constant noise pollution from traffic and industry.
But we’re happy to report that our little patch of pavement here on Conde
de Nieva Street in Surco has just become a little bit greener. After
months of writing letters to the mayor and municipality of the
district of Surco, we now have two young trees planted in front of our
church. It was quite noisy for a couple of days as some city workers
came and busted up two small patches of concrete on the sidewalk, curb
and street just outside of our front door. The Sunday morning after
the trees were planted we all filed outside after the service for a
tree blessing ceremony. We stood in a circle around our skinny, young
trees and gave thanks to God. I like the verse in Isaiah about the
people going forth in peace, mountains singing for joy and trees
clapping their hands! (Is.55:12)
Speaking of clapping and singing, our Andean folkloric musicians
(Michael and Jhanet and their family) have begun teaching others in
the congregation to play the special Peruvian instruments and sing and
lead us in the folk liturgy. They meet once a week in the Sunday
school classroom for their lessons. (See photo attached.) Anyone who
is interested in welcome! Some of the instruments include the zampoña
(panpipes), the charango (small guitar made from an armadillo shell),
the bombo (big drum) and the quena (rain stick). We have a folkloric
worship service once a month.
God bless you. Thank you for your prayers for our brothers and sisters
of the Peruvian Lutheran Church, and for your prayers for me and my
family. I ask for prayers in particular for our daughter adjusting to
a new school year, and prayers for all of the kids in Peru, especially
those who are poor and can't afford to go to school.
Much love from our whole family, Dana Nelson, Tom Ososki, Tana and
Anthony,
c/o Congregacion Ev. Luterana Cristo Rey, Urb. La Virreyna, Surco,
Lima 33, Peru. Telephone 51-1-278-0169 (church)
email dnelson003@luthersem.edu Website www.ilep.org
Flower Girls
Folkloric music class