Inspired

At times, it remains quite remarkable how we are inspired in various aspects of our lives. For instance, at the same time as planning trips to work (in music and liturgy)with ILEP congregations in Cusco and Huacho, a fellow musician who was here at the end of December was inspired to return to Peru. At the same time as she wrote of feeling inspired to serve here and what were the dates for her vacation in July, I was waiting for confirmation of the dates suggested to local pastors, which were, remarkably, almost identical to the dates she had offered in her email!! Again, quite remarkably, all of this fit together within a few days and she, because of the work of the Holy Spirit's inspiration, will accompany me and two ILEP congregations to teach music.

May was a busy, Spirit-filled month! I finished three months of working with the congregation of Belen, in Breña. I worked with a small women's choir to work on voice production and singing harmony together.




















Pastora Irene (far right) and some of the women at Belen.











Of course, we celebrated "El Día Del Madre" (Mother's Day). At San Juan Camino de Esperanza we had a program for the mothers, following our weekly worship service. This included poetry, dancing, singing and more dancing!





The children dancing a traditional Peruvian dance





On this same Sunday, we were priviledged to welcome Bishops and youth delegates from Lutheran churches from South America, Central America and the Caribbean for the Regional LWF Meeting. On the same Sunday as Mother's Day, San Juan welcomed guests Bishop Victoria Cortez of Nicaragua and Vice-President of the Lutheran World Federation, along with youth delegate Helen Rios, pictured here.


















In the midst of the LWF Regional Meeting, there was an Inter-Religious Prayer Service to which Muslim leaders, Catholic priests, Jewish leaders, and other Protestant Bishops and representatives were present.Many ILEP pastors attended, including Pastora Irene Ponce(left), Pastora Adita Torres(middle), and myself.
























There was a wonderful spirit at the service whose focus was world peace. Among other welcomed guests was Helena Manrique, the new Peruvian Representative for Canadian Lutheran World Relief's new office in Lima.






In addition to Mother's Day celebrations, guests for the LWF Regional Meeting, an informal gathering for missionaries, plans coming together for future visits to congregations in Huacho and Cusco, the month was complete with a week of driving lessons (learned how to drive standard in Lima!!). On the second attempt, I passed my written regulatory exam. Next, I need to pass the practical driving exam, which I will take later this month after some minor surgery and recovery.

I feel inspired by how the Holy Spirit has been working in and through various plans and events to come together in the way they have. As well, it is marvelous to see how the Holy Spirit is at work guiding adn leading ILEP in the midst of its challenges and changes. Clearly the Holy Spirit has been at work in all of us and in all of these things...

Thanks be to God for the wisdom to see, the grace to live, and the inspiration to follow through on our calling to serve with the gifts received from the Holy Spirit!!

With the peace, joy, and love of the Lord,
Pastora Fran.

Something not seen before

Dearest family, friends, and supporters,

My warmest greetings and peace in this joyful Easter season!!

I was astonished a few days ago while opening the curtains in my bedroom, to view flowers that seemed to spontaneously grow overnight. The flowers were red, large, familiar and were growing on one of the tallest plants in my landlady's garden, one floor below mine. Until that day, the plant looked like many other tall and flowerless plants that are typical here. Although I've never been a huge admirer of this plant, a pointsettea, these stand at least twenty feet tall and are a surprising sight...how can one not be amazed at that? To see a plant one has seen for many a Christmas in many a church look this way is nothing short of amazing!





Every day seems to present such a surprising and/or amazing picture. Whether it's the view from my bedroom window or out of the taxi or bus driving around the city, every day seems to be a new adventure, one in which I see something not seen before.



This is our Easter experience, too, as we see something not seen before:

*the ways in which God, through Christ Jesus, continues to resurrect our broken, greedy, corrupted world;

*the ways that God, through Christ, continues to resurrect and transform our communities, our relationships, our church;

*and the ways in which God, through Christ, continues to resurrect our weary, overwhelmed and troubled hearts!




We see something not seen before and indeed, this is the experience in our ministry here as well.


In our work with ILEP, teaching of the small women's choir continues and is in its last month now, we hear something not heard before: the sounds of voices poco a poco (slowly) being transformed. It is an honour to be a witness to the increased self-esteem as voices are raised with greater confidence!







Some choir members from Belen, the congregation in Breña, as we work on voice production and how to read musical notes.









The size of the women's choir varies from 3-8, depending on work and family commitments.










We witness something not seen before as the children at San Juan begin to learn to play the guitar.








Some of the children are pictured here with friend, Fidel, who comes every second week to teach guitar.












We witness something not seen before as the congregation of San Juan Camino de Esperanza prepares for construction of their church building, after years of growing and experiencing what it means to be a church focused on its people not its building. Now is the time, though, to increase the worship space and make a permanent home. Here, the council members are looking over the architect and engineer drawings...












And so it is an honour to be here on behalf of the ELCIC, to bear witness to and to share with you those which are "something not seen before" things. There are the impacts great and small of teaching and learning in a mutual way new musical notation and new ways of singing. There is the mutual interchange of culture and faith, as ILEP receives, once again, a Canadian Lutheran pastoral presence. And also, there is the transformation we experience in the liberating Gospel of Christ, which calls us to love one another with the love Christ has for us. This requires something not seen before! What an awesome and incredible calling this is as we continue to build up the body of Christ in our partnerships and relationships!


With blessing, peace, and joy!

Pastora Fran.