Yesterday my friends and I accidentally joined a protest in the middle of literally jam packed chimaltenango.
Picture this: eight gringas skipping joyfully through the political unrest of a tense protest. Ice cream in hand, pep in our step, and hope in our spirits.
Traffic was stopped to an alarming halt for hours by protestors in the city my friends and I travel to everyday for ministry. We are blessed to partner with a school called Grace where we have made bunk beds, painted murals, taught English to teachers, and helped counsel and corral multitudes of children.
After a morning spent laughing at the comedy of kindergarteners and remembering the simplicity and beauty of childhood innocence, we set off for the second half of our day spent in a village deeper in the mountains of Guatemala.
We had an hour and half to make our trip and planned to have time to spare to eat lunch.
Plenty of time.
Or so we thought.
Surprise: our plan was interrupted.
Spoiler alert: it happens everyday.
Anyways, we went into the streets, faced with a scene that looked like that of any “end of the world” movie. World War Z, zombie apocalypse, you get the picture. Not to worry, I can promise you it was not that dire of an experience. No monsters were on the loose.
The scene held a heavy presence of an eerie contrast to the normalcy of fast paced life in Guatemala. Instead of cars zooming by, honking so often you question whether anyone is doing it for a reason or just out of habit, everything was still.
Our team was faced with some choices. Do we still fight to make it to ministry, overcoming our obstacles and persevering through trials? Or do we throw in the towel, giving into hard situations and choose to go home and get comfortable?
Because we were expected to be somewhere and because we are women of our word, we knew that the only option was to go. Because we desire to do everything with excellence and persevere through hard times, we searched for an option to conquer this situation.
What did we do? Started walking.
Well I should preface. Before we started walking, amidst the decision process and standing beside the protestors and their banners, some of my team members grabbed some ice cream.
With no means of transportation, and now ice cream in hand, we started to walk. Sticking out more than the sorest of thumbs with blonde hair, pale skin, and stains of the world race all over our clothes (considering we’ve worn them for five months now).
I would argue, more than that though, we stuck out because of our attitudes. Because of our spirits. We stuck out because admits the chaos and confusion we had peace.
Talk about contrast.
We stuck out because instead of heaviness, we walked carrying grace with every step. Instead of darkness, we brought light.
We walked. Instead of Little Red Riding Hood’s “over the river and through the woods” we walked over the makeshift barricades of piles of rocks and through the traffic.
We tossed and turned around parked cars and people standing idly packing the streets. At one point, we were fully walking with the protest, behind men on motorcycles and passionate people holding up their signs in declaration. We were marching without knowing.
We walked past friendly looking police men with less friendly looking guns, smiling and waving at them (like the penguins of Madagascar) unmoved by the heaviness of it all.
We walked. We walked in the Spirit, not in the flesh. We walked in hope and joy and not fear. We walked with promise in truth, not insecurity and uncertainty. We walked in belief knowing that our steps carry grace. Carry hope. Carry peace. Carry love.
Amidst danger, broken relationships, hatred, and injustice, we carried love.
We walked all the way from the bus stop we were supposed to get on to the place it would’ve taken us. I’ve never felt so encouraged and hopeful before. My steps never felt so light and at ease. My spirit was encouraged and overflowing.
Recently I was listening to a podcast by a pastor named Kris Vallotton called ‘Learning to Think’. In it he talks about the way that Christ can transform our lives by renewing our minds as scripture says in Romans 12:2.
If you’re unfamiliar with this scripture, it’s explaining that when we know Jesus we have the opportunity to look more like him and less like ourselves. To do that we have to think more like him and less like ourselves.
If you’re wondering why, there are so many reasons. Because Jesus is love, joy, peace. He desires to serve and love others. He is kind and gentle. Generous and patient. Humble and powerful. Confident and thankful.
And without Jesus I am none of those things. Without Jesus I am selfish, I am impatient, I am unkind.
I jump at the chance to be more like him. And to do that, my mind must be renewed to not think in the selfish ways but in the ways Jesus would think.
So, Pastor Chris started listing off ways that you can tell if your mind is renewed. One of them was: “you live in peace, you don’t worry, and your speculations are positive”.
Speculations are “what if’s”.
And when your mind is renewed to be like Jesus, your what if’s are naturally positive.
I share that because in reflecting on my experience in the protest, I learned a lot about having a renewed mind. I learned a lot about being set apart. I learn by witnessing the contrast head on in big ways.
During the protest, I could’ve been consumed with “what if”s. What if this goes wrong. What if it gets violent. What if somebody gets hurt. What if someone sees us with the protestors and gets the wrong idea.
As I list those out now, I genuinely realize that my renewed mind never went there.
A renewed mind thinks: what if Jesus does something big. What if a miracle happens. What if people find joy, hope, and peace. What if they get to learn their purpose and identity. What if someone understands their worth and value. What if this stranger gets to feel seen, known, and loved.
In the midst of a protest a renewed mind thinks in those ways.
And a disclaimer, before you think I am too crazy and irresponsible if you aren’t already, I am not advising unwise decisions and neither is the Lord. Seek wisdom and discernment, and also trust the Lord and walk in his protection.
Wherever Jesus went, and wherever he goes he brings freedom. So we get to walk in wisdom, in discernment, and we can walk in freedom and bring that freedom with us wherever we go.
Walking alongside a protest, my friends and I brought freedom.
I say yes and amen to that. I say a whole lot of thanks to that.
