The phrase, “listen to the music,” has been in my mind since
training camp. I have always been a fan of music and like to think that given
the time and resources I could learn to play an instrument but this phrase that
kept coming up seemed like an odd fit. Its meaning is still a bit unclear to me
but some encounters I had this last week have encouraged me in my attempt to
find and listen to the music.
My first encounter with a musician occurred in a small
community called Corral de los Indios just outside of San Juan. The city is a
former Indian center of commerce, one of the last to be conquered. We were
going door to door, talking with members of the community and getting a feel
for the overall climate of the town when we stopped at Ismael’s house. Ismael
is 16 and he sings Reggaeton which has latin, hip-hop and reggae influences.
The conversation started out slowly, basic questions followed by basic
responses. I asked if he liked sports and he informed me that he did but that
he really liked to sing. Intrigued I pressed further, what do you sing? With
whom do you sing? Do you have a band? Ismael’s passionate response was
incredible. His face lit up and it became immediately clear we had found what
makes him tick. Questions were being answered before they were asked and
information was being volunteered. He was genuinely passionate about his music
and offered to sing my group a song. We eagerly agreed to listen and were blown
away by the music we heard and were even more surprised to learn that his songs
had Christian lyrics. His music however, wasn’t the most impactful aspect of
this encounter. Ismael’s love for singing, his love for the art, and his
willingness to pursue it here in this community of doubt, discouragement, and
fear was truly inspiring. After he finished singing, we prayed for him and his
friends. I prayed that that they would keep their passion and stay encouraged.
It is easy to believe that given his environment, five years
from now Ismael will have abandoned his passion, exchanged it for the realities
of Dominican adulthood, maybe a child, maybe a job. Or maybe his dream will be
torn from him by a comment of discouragement or a word of jealousy. Given his
environment, these negative assumptions seem logical, but they don’t have to
manifest themselves. Encouragement is an incredibly powerful tool that we often
look for the perfect opportunity to use rather than just give abundantly.
I plan to keep everyone updated in my attempt to, “listen to
the music.” I am eager to see the next way music provides wisdom.
I want to thank everyone for your prayers, Team Kaleo is
definitely feeling them!
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/osu2012/RuralSanJuan?feat=directlink
