Since last week we have carried on with the different work projects here.
Last Saturday we went out to another colony again, firstly hanging out by football grounds again before joining up with a group from Pastor Armando’s church. We headed into a local neighbourhood and started setting up in the small football court at one end of the area – speakers, sound system, gazebo in case of rain, etc. – and then split into groups of racers accompanied by some of the church members. We proceeded to head around the locality inviting people to our presentation that afternoon and having covered everywhere in our different groups we headed back.
The afternoon was opened by a rapper from the church who ‘warmed up’ the crowd, I guess, and we were invited to follow that with a couple of songs – cue our best known two Spanish songs, which Marian and I inter-worked the English to as well. After that we performed a drama – a different one to the Lifehouse one this time – in which people representing different things come to the front and ‘mould’ Jesus from his shape on to the cross into what they want. So this included shoppers putting their bags on him, partiers giving him a bottle and a cigarette, a ‘nerd’ giving him glasses and a book to read and sportos posing him with a football. My role was as part of a couple who have an argument, which asides being a horrible thing was fun to play – Marian and I walk on ‘shouting’ at each other before it descends into her pushing me, me pushing back, her trying to slap me and me deflecting it and throwing her to the ground. As we storm off in separate directions we have aggressively thrown at Jesus posture. After each person has ‘left their mark’ on Jesus he would put things down and return to his cross position before the next came out. The last person comes out reading the bible and recognises who Jesus really is and what he represents, subsequently coming and showing the rest of us who then come and bow in front of Jesus. It’s another powerful skit which we were able to set to the Spanish version of ‘Lead me to the Cross’.
After that two of our group gave testimonies and then the church group performed a drama – which happened to be the Lifehouse drama, so it was a good job we didn’t do that one this time! – and the Pastor gave a gospel message before praying. The resident Christian rapper closed out the day and we were done.
Since our day off on Sunday we have had our team specific work – this week my team and Ignition spent the mornings Monday to Wednesday in a school teaching English (I’ve been able to have some full conversations with kids in Spanish and even led some of the activities without the need for a translator which has been encouraging) and then the afternoon was out helping with the grounds (mostly shifting dirt and digging rocks, but also organising the storage room which was a mess).
Yesterday was IHNFA again as a whole squad, this time we managed to learn two new songs in Spanish ready for it – Mi Dios Puede Salvar (Mighty to Save) and El Nos Ama (How He Loves). Then today has been street ministry again, which brings us up to now.
NB. The previous few blogs have now been updated with photos – go and see how this month looks 🙂
