Happy Valentines

"You´re not going to change the world!" The familiar voice of one of my biggest fans and greatest critics has stayed in my thoughts and the pages of this journal since the beginning of this trip. Although it has never been my intention to prove them wrong or to even formulate an answer for such a dead statement it has provoked thought, a lot of thought.

(an embarrassing hereditary dysfunction). TodayYet despite persecution and negativity this passion for change and vision for justice continues to grow. Unfortunately for me (and poor Lorna who is so apologetic to everyone for the hyperactivity of her fellow Soul Toucher) my excitement for this mission demonstrates itself in squeals (I know that everyone who has heard the dolphin like noise I make when hearing good news, meeting a good friend or even eating ice cream is remembering that squeal and thanking God I´m at the other side of the world right now!). So Anyway I scream and I squeeze my face is an exciting day although emotional: we are leaving our family and dear friends, Jimmy and Gladys; leaving New Zealand in pursuit of Argentina. So given the events one could anticipate a lot of squealing and face squeezing. However, quietly and discreetly (honest) tears drowned my excitement and with my head buried in my book I read an answer to the statement that has plagued me for so long: "You are not going to change the world”.

The book is called Red Moon Rising. In it Pete Grieg and Dave Roberts transcribe the tapestry of events that has changed their lives in the past decade; theirs and all those involved in the 24/7 prayer movement. In short they recognise the importance of prayer and consequently it's power. Boldly they set up a prayer room in the city of Chichester, England. It is somewhere people can go to pray 24/7. Now using means available to almost everyone in the world today, the worldwide web, they have orchestrated prayer rooms across the globe supporting one another and ministering to each other. Meaning that around the world as I write this and you read it people are praying. (Now I´d seriously encourage you to read the book because I do it little justice but just so as you know I´m not talking monastries or even churches I´m talking about rooms in the centre of cities, under pubs and clubs, between shops and schools, full of people like you and I - normal if you can call us that! - Men and women, young and old making time in their day to spend time with God. This book stresses the importance for us to make time. (Read Philippians 4:6 and Luke 18:7 Nehemiah 1:6)
Skipping back
Recently I replied to Stephen, one of my best friends. Some of you know him as Stephen James Bogle aka rock star from Erngath Road who doesn’t like onions. Although I didn't really want to discuss any of his questions in the public domain I figure some of you may have the same questions as he did, he just knows me well enough (and he’s brave enough) to ask them! He really asked about knowing your calling from God. This is something I struggled with for a long time…unnecessarily.

For years I was complacent; I knew enough of God or so I thought. Then increasingly my complacency became frustration. I was frustrated at what I saw. I was so tired of seeing all these people having bloomin breakthroughs and hearing from God that I started thinking that a lightening moment was what I needed. I would look at them and think, “well that’s great you were a nightmare and now God has saved you and you’re a different person. But what about the rest of us. What about those of us plodding on, trying to know God everyday! Trying to be better." As soon as I gave up trying to tag onto their journey I really started travelling on my own. Looking back I realise that what I was seeking an experience, not a relationship! An experience requires one moment and relationship require effort, perseverance and communication! Thankfully I know this now: “Come near to God and he will come near to you,” James 4:8. I mentioned that recently I read Red Moon Rising. It is in reading this book that I have become more confident (although trust me I have moments of extreme nervousness too) in the army that God is raising up. An army that, as Pete Grieg illustrates, is marching in its knees. I left Scotland thinking I was in the minority, that very few people my age craved God the way I do. Travelling the world I have seen that we are not. The world, because of media, Internet and prayer is getting smaller and the church is getting bigger.

Back in the airport
Excitedly I race from page to page. Reading testimonies of prayer rooms in Germany, Canada, China and the lives of clubbers being changed in Ibiza. I cry and cry, squeal and squeeze my face. Although apparently invisible my behaviour is being monitored by the gentleman manning the Cellar (a liqueur store in the airport) across from which the Soul Touchers have perched themselves, equipped with books, bibles and ice-coffees, everything we need to survive the four hour delay on our flight. If David (I´ve subsequently learned the name of the man from the Cellar) was to enquire about our choice of reading material he may think it coincidental (yes and slightly weird) that Lorna is engrossed in a book entitled Rebuilding the walls (by Stuart Bell about Ezra and Nehemiah) while I frantically highlight, underline and on occasion read aloud the events of 24/7. I however see it as a consequence of being in this generation. Pete Grieg writes: “Around the world tens of thousands of people are praying for the nations” RMR And therein lies what I´m getting to hett up about!

For months Lorna and I have envisaged a movement, a faceless army going out to serve these nations. Our trip started as a call, a kinda accident and so when I read that the international prayer movement known as 24/7 was started by all accounts in the same way: “with no plan, no budget and no expert (Albert does that sound familiar to the proposal we put to you?) it restored my faith. As did the reassurance that the workers really are being prepared. And so you are right. I am not going to change the world. I am just one face in a faceless army of people who are tired of the perpetual struggle to know their calling. It is clear: "To take the good news of Jesus to every culture, ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven." This is not an artificial call that you have to go away and struggle with. Yes there will be practicalities to consider: how exactly you can contribute. However the answers will remain a mystery until you make time for a serious relationship not just an experience.

Everyday is Carnival
14th Feb 08 Yes, again.
Today is groundhog day for us; because of the time difference all of the things we didn't do in New Zealand on the 14th we're getting a chance to do now here in Argentina. Primarily write to you!

Sitting beneath a large fan in our dear friends Tim and Carmen's apartment we enjoy flicking through photographs and filling them in on our trip since we left them in Mozambique. We're now staying with them (on the top floor) at the heart of Buenos Aires! Lorna and I both concentrating on the Spanish TV channel put on as background noise in an attempt to get us accustomed to the "Language of Love" having just flown to our final continent, South America!

Although still a long way from Bonny Bo´ness and Dunfy we never feel that far and especially now having met up with the Tollemaches (Tim and Carmen were our translators in Moz). Portuguese speaking, living in Argentina (a Spanish speaking country) Tim and Carmen have no problems now chatting to us in English. Within twenty minutes of arriving we have had our first candidate for English class - Renata Correria, one of Tim’s colleagues from work. Although initially blushing at the prospect of speaking to two “native English speakers” and insisting that her English was poor Renata soon relaxes, intuitively picking up on the Scottish accent.

Our mission was never to introduce South America to Bo'nessian English but we figured that it could catch on having been invited out with Renata and her friends later this week. Although starting slowly, stuttering our way through questions of family and where we are from we soon found ourselves engrossed in stories of voluntary work here in Argentina, Brazil and of course where we have been around the world. Talking to Renata we quickly discovered we had a lot more in common than age, we discovered a passion for serving. A Brazilian Chemical Engineer, also living here in Argentina, Renata tells us of her involvement in voluntary projects and how her company encourage her to serve by giving her paid leave, a strategy that enables employees to partake in social care in their own communities.

As she conversed in perfect English - muttering Portuguese occasionally towards Carmen who reassuringly corrected her - she confirmed what had been in my head the moment I cried in the airport - the world is getting smaller and the church is getting bigger. People now more than ever are willing and wanting to serve!

Lorna and I met in Peru so we both have experienced Latin culture before but as Carmen lead us through the crowded streets of Buenes Aires we soaked up a totally new atmosphere: Latin music blasting from store fronts was accompanied by young dancers entertaining the passer's by with traditional tango moves. Street artists composing stunning portraits and landscapes of Coredillera De Los Andes (Mountain Range) and Perito Moreno (Glacier) out of spray paint and an array of rusty instruments: knives, nail and scraps of cardboard. The shops a sea of red (not hopeless romantics it's just valentines day) there is music, beautiful people and Dulce de leche (ice cream) everywhere!

15/2/08: A walk (RUN!!) in the park.
One of the officers lay sleeping in the passenger seat his perfectly polished boots resting on the dash board, face buried beneath his helmet shading his eyes from the afternoon sun. Meanwhile his colleagues are sprawled along the roadside, some setting out barriers and others huddled together commenting on passers by, including the two in hot pink who had just come onto the scene - Soul Touch with their loyal companions (chaperone’s) Tim and Carmen. Ahead of us lies an ornate building “El Palacio Presidencial” (The White House of Argentina - except its pink).

So we took it all in, the new buildings, new faces and the redundant police. The only people more subdued than the sleeping officer were the protesters. Sitting peacefully under tarpaulin they created more posters to add to the array already displayed along the entrance gate to the government building.

Strangely I didn't notice any of this at first glance. She had shiny black pigtails held in place by pink feather pom pom bobbles matched by pink checked shorts, even more captivating than her bright outfit was her giggle - caused by her father placing pieces of bread around the youngsters toes, encouraging hundreds of pigeons to surround them.

As my camera zoomed in on the pair (oblivious to the world, the police and the political propaganda surrounding them) a scruffy figure appeared in the frame; then another; then another. Tracing the tiny figures with my lens I moved towards them, almost stumbling into the fountain where they were paddling.

"Can I take your picture?" I asked the first child and he smiled, bearing rows of tiny yellow teeth. The boy quickly gathered his brothers for a photo; then another; then another, striking poses then giggling hysterically at themselves on the shiny screen. It is a familiar scene for me. Children dressed in rags, bare torsos and outstretched hands, begging. Luckily Carmen was at hand and she bought all three ice-creams reminding me of a sermon I heard recently by Tony Compolo (Preacher). Compolo talked about how he felt sickened by girls as young as twelve selling themselves on the streets of Thailand (correct me if that was not the country please). The girls offered to spend the evening with him and so he agreed. He then proceeded to order every kind of ice-cream Sundae he could and bought a host of Disney movies for the girls to watch. It was not the evening the girls were expecting but he himself said that if he could do nothing more at least he could allow the children to be children for just one night. (Compolo has a huge ministry that actively works to break chains of injustice, providing homes for the homeless and care for the needy. However on this occasion he was simply entering the hotel when the girls approached him). Handing out the ice-cream I prayed to God that the children would one day receive all the goodness in their lives that God has intended for them.

Later that same evening Tim (he is a professional Marathon runner!!!!) and Carmen took us to the park where Tim and I would run while Lorna and Carmen walked (Lorna is still recovering from the blisters she got from a glacier trek in NZ- causing her to walk down a mountain in her stocking souls!). Within minutes Tim was way ahead and I proceeded to run at snails pace around the 1-mile track, over and over again. It really is a beautiful park, filled with families picnicking until late in the evening. People hire Rollerblades and bicycles; I could have spent the entire evening watching people bouncing off knee pads and each other.

On my final trip round the park, before I became completely exhausted, I decided to stop at a water fountain. Stumbling over to it I greeted a small family next to it, smiling at the smallest child trying to climb up to the water. Instinctively I picked the child up allowing him to get water to drink. As I held the child a severe stench clung to my dehydrated mouth. It was only when his mother and father started to laugh that I realised the child was not getting a drink. He was washing his hair in the fountain. Apologetically I sipped some water and continued running, thanking the family for allowing me to use the fountain. I turned back to see them washing their clothes and laughing, undisturbed by the ignorant runner.

These encounters remind me of the reality here, there and everywhere. They do not detract from the beauty of this place infact it was in these moments that the real beauty of life came through. In the moment of compassion when Carmen bought the children an ice-cream and when I lifted the child helping his mother wash his hair. They are small differences. Tiny infact but never insignificant! Small contributions towards are larger goal are what makes it complete!
Today we´re going to meet with the minister (Gerardo Muniello) from St Andrew´s church, the church we are visiting here. We pray we make a contribution to their ministry and that no matter how small or how big that it will be one of significance!

Love you all Erica xx