At 8am we began our day by sharing breakfast with our host family. This consisted of chicken tamales, sweet bread and orange juice. Sleeping was somewhat challenging because you can clearly hear all of the street noise, if you come here I highly recommend ear plugs! At 9am we drove to Shekinah where we enjoyed their faith gathering. The music was spectacular. I even managed to record one hymn that they had added drums to, and I have to say, they totally breathed new life into what can feel like aging songs. One interesting moment was after announcements where everyone got up and said hi to each other and gave wonderful hugs to all of us! It was so unique to spend the time hugging every single person in the room.
After the gathering our team was invited outside to share in a conversation about the history of their community. It was a fascinating story beginning with a dream. The women of the group all felt that they were equal with women and wanted to belong to a group that agreed. Unfortunately in many Christian circles women are seen as people who should be quiet and allow the men to control things. The women of Shekinah dreamed of a gathering where their voices could be heard and their leadership could be encouraged, they wanted their children to to have more interaction with the adults and they longed for a gathering that wasn’t so structured so that they could allow the Spirit to move and to leave room for their friendships. This led to many discussions at their early community of faith and later led to a painful separation. The women of the group told us that there are no bitter feelings when they see their old friends. They smile and hug one another but share a deep sorrow that they are no longer close like they once were.
During the conversation Ruth, the pastor, and others told stories about how they began in a living room and the children ran all around during their services. This freedom and closeness allowed them to feel like family. Something resonates inside me as I reflect on the letters of the early church and how they were a family who cared for one another.
Today Shekinah is 19 years old and those young children are now in their early 20’s. Something unique about this group of people is their passion for one another and the fact that after all these years they are all still committed to one another. Ron discussed with us about how most teens in America do not attend the original gathering of believers that they attended as children. Now they meet in a beautiful facility that is in process of becoming something like a community center.
Pizza Hut was our destination for lunch! The honest truth is that El Salvador's Pizza Hut shames America's! Their food was infinitely better.
After our conversation we went on a tour of some ruins that are around Santa Ana and then traveled back to Shekinah where we shared a time of reflection. My reflection was about how wonderful it was that a group of people were willing to step into the unknown in order to live out the truth that they had heard God whisper to them. I talked about how excited I was that a group of people heard a truth that very few in America are willing to listen to.
Eli was touched by Yani speaking and almost crying during the conversation with the members of Shekinah. He was loving how the people of different generations were all taking on roles in the community. Eli was also encouraged that as the people of Shekinah lived out their faith, it brought them closer and closer to the poor.
Barrett loved the stories that Ruth pointed out from their life together as Shekinah and was touched by how they told the youth, “This is who we were”. His faith community is made up of people who live on the fringes of society and are transient in his life. Once people get off the streets they tend to stop coming because they don’t want to be reminded of where they were. Barrett was particularly touched that the people speaking had shared a life together of 19 years and even their children were a part of that legacy.
Caroline was moved by how close she felt to the Salvadorans. She has known the children for 10 years which is at least half of most their lives so far! She described how they are able to share in one another’s daily lives by being Facebook friends. Caroline also told a story about a undocumented friend in Philadelphia who is at risk of being deported to El Salvador and Caroline is thankful for the people of Shekinah because she knows there is a community that will lovingly invite this stranger to join their family.
Leslie’s reflection was short as she described how there is something very contagious about the people of Shekinah!
Chava is greatly appreciating not being in the driver’s seat for once and as a introvert is able to just observe and listen to the community. The story of the women standing up for their equality brings tears to her eyes as she shares their pain in her own story as a woman who was ex-communicated for being a priest.
After our reflection we all went to our different homes to eat dinner and get some sleep before tomorrow! I’ll post tomorrow :)
After our conversation we went on a tour of some ruins that are around Santa Ana and then traveled back to Shekinah where we shared a time of reflection. My reflection was about how wonderful it was that a group of people were willing to step into the unknown in order to live out the truth that they had heard God whisper to them. I talked about how excited I was that a group of people heard a truth that very few in America are willing to listen to.
Eli was touched by Yani speaking and almost crying during the conversation with the members of Shekinah. He was loving how the people of different generations were all taking on roles in the community. Eli was also encouraged that as the people of Shekinah lived out their faith, it brought them closer and closer to the poor.
Barrett loved the stories that Ruth pointed out from their life together as Shekinah and was touched by how they told the youth, “This is who we were”. His faith community is made up of people who live on the fringes of society and are transient in his life. Once people get off the streets they tend to stop coming because they don’t want to be reminded of where they were. Barrett was particularly touched that the people speaking had shared a life together of 19 years and even their children were a part of that legacy.
Caroline was moved by how close she felt to the Salvadorans. She has known the children for 10 years which is at least half of most their lives so far! She described how they are able to share in one another’s daily lives by being Facebook friends. Caroline also told a story about a undocumented friend in Philadelphia who is at risk of being deported to El Salvador and Caroline is thankful for the people of Shekinah because she knows there is a community that will lovingly invite this stranger to join their family.
Leslie’s reflection was short as she described how there is something very contagious about the people of Shekinah!
Chava is greatly appreciating not being in the driver’s seat for once and as a introvert is able to just observe and listen to the community. The story of the women standing up for their equality brings tears to her eyes as she shares their pain in her own story as a woman who was ex-communicated for being a priest.
After our reflection we all went to our different homes to eat dinner and get some sleep before tomorrow! I’ll post tomorrow :)
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