Listening to reactions

Sexism kills women

What have been the reactions of people here when we speak of the “machismo mata” rallies in Chile? People have expressions of shock when they learn that 38 women have been killed due to sexism this year in Chile, then even more upset when they hear of some of the methods used.

A link: http://www.nuestroblog.net/2007/08/el-machismo-mata.html

What are you finding in your communication circles?

Greetings & Giftings

As Chair of the Global Mission Committee of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, I had several opportunities to extend greetings on behalf of Bishop James Stuck, Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Bill Gafkjen, and all the people of the IK Synod. I also had opportunities to officially present and receive material type gifts at churches, schools, and all of the official visits we made. I thank you and God for those opportunities.


I also want to bring greetings to Bishop Stuck, to Rev. Bill Gafkjen, and to all the people of the Indiana Kentucky Synod from Bishop Pastora Gloria Rojas, the staff of the IELCH office, and the people of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile. We were so warmly received and greeted and those greetings extend to you as well.

The group of travelers had a wonderful time in Chile experiencing new friendships as God filled the space between. We carried several gifts from various congregations including clerical stoles (enough for each of the 10 pastors to receive one), 20 small blankets, and Teddy bears. We also carried a poster signed by people from around the country who attended the National Via de Cristo Secretariat meeting in Indianapolis just before our departure. Ruth Ann Hendrix (far right in the photo) attended this VDC meeting and brought this poster along with the greetings.


We so frequently think of gifting in the material sense. I am reminded however of scripture in Romans 12:4-8 and the use of the many gifts we have been given by God. Though we come from various backgrounds, we shared the gifts of music and dance, friendship, stories, warmth, and hope. Here are just a few pictures of sharing gifts.

We hope to share with the congregations of the IK Synod, through presentations to your congregationa, some of gifts we've received through stories and photos. We also brought back gifts of red clerical stoles for Bishop Stuck and Rev. Bill Gafkjen. The Belén O'Higgins School also sent a cross and a wall hanging with photos of their students.

A few years ago the Women's organization of theIK synod and the Global Mission Committee partnered to raise money for some women's projects in Chile. One of those projects is a sewing group that makes altar paraments. We brought back a 2-piece set that is reversible for the Advent and Christmas seasons. These paraments will be available for display with our presentations.

Five years ago at the Synod Assembly held in Louisville, the decision was made to provide hymnals and Bibles to the Lutheran churches in Chile. I am happy to report that every congregation we visited was using those gifts.

Peace,

Welcome Forward!

Here they are in the Indianapolis airport, having flown through the night from Chile by way of Atlanta. Exhausted, filled with memories, hopeful that they will be able to share the profound ways in which their lives have changed from their sojourn between the mountains and the sea, ambassadors for Christ and the church, both in Chile and the USA.

Thank you, sisters and brother, for serving the church in this way. Thank you for seeking and seeing and sharing God in between with our sisters and brothers in Chile. Thank you for your willingness to seek and see and share God in between with your sisters and brothers here in Indiana and Kentucky and beyond.

And thanks be to God for a safe journey, for the wonder and delight of being a part of the global body of Christ, and for work to do that is inspired, at least in part, by the witness of the people of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile.

We've returned!

We returned to the U.S. today safely. Sunday was a very busy day, returning to the hotel only an hour before we planned to leave for the airport. We actually left the hotel early and made it to the airport shortly after 5:00 pm for an 8:40 flight to Atlanta. Most of us were in the very back of the plane. It was not a completely full flight which allowed us to spread out just a bit. We arrived in Atlanta just after 6 am and it took about 1 1/2 hours to get through immigration and customs and rechecking baggage and security and... and... Unfortunately we were all so tired yet happy to be so close to being home that we forgot Mary would be heading to a different gate. Thus we forgot to say our goodbyes and give lots of hugs. Sorry Mary! That was such a terrible way to say "Thanks" for all your contributions on this trip.

We boarded the flight for the final leg to Indianapolis. The flight was quite routine and arrived on time. We were all happy to see Pastor Gafkjen waiting for us as we came out of the secured area and later to find more family and friends waiting for us in the baggage area. When the baggage turnstiles quit bringing luggage, we found there was one bag that had not yet arrived. I certainly hope that by now it has been found and arrived at its proper home.

Thanks to all for your prayers and posted comments during our journey to Chile. We may be back in the States but the blog continues as we reflect on and process this journey. We have formed some wonderful friendships and look forward to sharing more stories with you. I'll get a picture of our return posted tomorrow. For now, I need some rest.

Blessings and Peace.

Muy frio!

We've heard of the heat wave hitting the states, especially Indiana and Kentucky. Before coming on this journey to Chile, we were told it is a hard winter here. Several of us had looked on the internet and were expecting to have highs in the 50´s and low´s around 30. It has been much colder than we were expecting, even with the warnings that the weather is cold. Today we even had some snow. Some have needed to buy warmer clothes.

It makes me very grateful that we are able to afford warmer clothes and can heat our homes. Many of the people we´ve visited heat their home with just one central wood burning stove, and this at quite an expense. Many people cannot financially afford to have a lot of heat in their homes. When this happens, they just add another couple layers of clothing. I am also thankful that I brought my hiking boots.

The windows in the hotel have normal type curtains but they also have wooded slat type curtains or shutters that we let down at night to help keep out the cold. They also make the room nice and dark for sleeping.

While you are sweltering, think of us in the cold and let God fill the space between.

Villa Grimaldi

Today was a most moving day. Our group visited Villa Grimaldi which was a place of interrogation, torture and death during the Pinochet dictatorship. What once had been a place of incredible horror, is now transforming into a park of healing and peace.

Upon entering the site, prisoners could only see a tiled pathway from beneath their blindfolds. Today that tile has been transformed into a piece of artwork which looks like flames. The flames represent pain and suffering. While the flames were a beginning place of pain they ultimately lead the way to water, life.

Just a couple of days ago in Osorno our group spoke to Yolanda whose son had been taken to Grimaldi and whose body has never been found. Today pray for not only her pain but of the pain of all who were affected by the dictatorship of Chile and the oppressed everywhere.

God´s Peace Be With You

Sunday in Concepcion

Sunday brought a day of worship!

Our group traveled about 2 blocks from our hotel to worship at Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Martin Luther in downtown Conception. We first worshipped with the German congregation. Pastor Eduardo Rojas wore his black cassock and white 'preaching tabs.' The service was entirely in German, which none of us spoke. However, we had no trouble following along and singing with enthusiasm. During the announcements Melissa introduced our delegation in Spanish and I asked her to have Pastor Eduardo translate. Everyone laughed because they all speak Spanish! Melissa told us that the German service helped her to understand what we who speak little or no Spanish are experiencing here.

The second service at the same church was in Spanish, which some of us could understand. My Spanish is getting better, but still very limited. The love of God and His people was very present here as everywhere.

Afterwards we all went to lunch at the German Club with the church council of Martin Luther church. That evening we attended church at Congregation Vida Nueva -- Pastor Oscar's church -- Mary has described that service in her blog.

On the way back to our hotel Jon mentioned that if we were to die, we would surely arrive safely in heaven -- 3 services in ONE DAY! :-)

I met many other church leaders and congregational presidents. In one meeting I was in a room with 5 congregation presidents from churches in Chile and USA. It happened that all 5 of us were single!!! Earlier I had met Alfred and Hector, presidents of their congregations, and their wives. Being single is not a requirement.

This has been an exhausting and exhilarating visit to Chile and our sister churches here.... And it is not over yet!!!!

Worship in Chiguayante

On Sunday night, we went to Iglesia Vida Nueva en Chiguayante. I gasped as our van pulled up and out side of the van I saw Pr. Oscar, his son and Ximena, all of whom I have had the opportunity to get to know on other occassions in the United States and Mexico. What a privilege it was to be able to see them in their own congregation! After a series of warm hugs and greetings, we entered Lucy´s home. Lucy is the president of this congregation and one of its founders 13 years ago. The six of us along with 7 members of the congregation filled the small living room. Over iced coffee and "calsoncitos rotos" a kind of fry-bread, Lucy, Pr. Oscar and other members of the congregation shared the story of how they began worship in this very living room until with an attendance of 40 people, they began to look for a piece of property to build a church and last year, began construction on a church building just down the block. The congregation has sold "calsoncitos rotos" at local fairs and undertaken all kinds of projects in order to raise money for the construction. We worshipped in that very building that evening. Although it has no heat and provisional doors, the warmth of the congregation, the inspired singing of its members including a solo by Lucy herself, a wonderful sermon by Pr. Oscar and the feeling of community that we experienced made me want to come back! I want to see the finished building, but more than that I want to return to worship again with my old friends, Pr. Oscar, Gabriel and Ximena and my new friends, Lucy, Benjamin, Jaime and all the rest.

Mary Campbell

Crisis in the Fishing Industry

On Saturday we visited the fishing village of Coronel near Conception. We experienced first hand some of the major problems that the local people here deal with each and every day. There is major pollution of both air and water.

International companies control the fishing and are not ecologically minded. Local fishermen are restricted to the months of the year in which they can fish and the types of boats that they are allowed to use. The fishermen can fish only 3 months per year and the large companies fish all year long. Since the fish are harvested in such large quantities, there are not enough mature fish left to breed and produce more.

Last year there was an oil spill that damaged the entire peninsula. We were able to see areas of the bay that still had oil floating on the water. A number of sea lions still are covered with oil.

Coronel is a mining and fishing community -- but now the mines have closed and the men cannot fish for most of the year. With the oil spill there are some types of fish that will not be back to "normal" for another 6 years. Many men are out of work.

This picture shows a number of the fishing boats and some of the many petrochemical facilities that surround the bay. The government has fishing laws which are not enforced. The companies find it much cheaper to pay the fines than fix the problems.

Women work in the fish processing factories cleaning fish. The waste is washed back into the ocean. The chemical residue from cleaning the fish is difficult to remove and the women leave work to care for their children with the chemical wastes still on them. Since there is little other work available, they have little choice of employment.

The odor constantly in the air is similar to what I smelled in Newark, NJ 30 years ago. It stinks! There is a high rate of respiratory infection in children, and the health care facilities are full of children with breathing problems. People have a much higher rate of cancers here, as well.

We met with the church council at Iglesia Evangelica Luterana San Pedro in Coronel, most of whom are fishermen or married to fishermen. As we discussed on Saturday night, the Spirit of God breathes in unexpected ways -- and there is hope!

May the hope of the people of San Pedro be with us all! (Posted by Candy -- even if it says by Jon -- I can't find my email password :-| )

Blessed Day in Coronel

About two years ago the women of San Pedro Lutheran Church in Coronel began baking bread (with a beautiful wheat symbol on each loaf) that they would take door to door and would sell the bread to pay the utilities and buy dishes for the church. With funding from Indiana-Kentucky Synod congregations and I-K Synod Women of the ELCA in partnership with the I-K Global Mission Committee, the church was able to buy a used oven and bread roller. The bread is sold twice a week and the day we were there they sold 59 loaves (100 pounds of flour makes 75 loaves). In the evening, as we sat around the table, we enjoyed the bread. In the future they are hoping to raise enough money to purchase a professional bread mixer, which will allow them to expand their operations and continue to improve the lives of the people of the church and the surrounding community.

Sunday in Osorno

Today was a very busy day. Ruth Ann, Jean, Kate, Karen and I went to Pastor Izani´s church for morning worship. We were warmly greeted with a kiss and hug from every member as they entered the church. Finally, the service began. If we had any questions about following the service in Spanish, they were quickly erased. The service was very similar to ours back in the U.S. One of the highlights of the service was when Jean and Kate led everyone in singing ¨Holy, Holy, Holy,¨ first in Spanish, then English, then Batak. The second highlight was when everyone in the congregation walked around kissing each other on the cheek and saying ¨la paz del Señor.¨ The third highlight was when everyone at one time was able to stand in a circle around the altar for communion. Although the congregation is small, our circle ended up being quite big. After the service, everyone went to the fellowship hall where we had coffee and coffee cake.

When we left the church, we went to Deborah and Raul´s where we had lunch with them and their family. The table was filled with wonderful food, and our time was spent laughing and talking and enjoying this opportunity to get to know each other. Afterwards, we went to Patricia and Juan´s for coffee and an afternoon snack. Again it was a time for laughing and talking and getting to know each other.

Finally, the day ended with us attending an older IELCH congregation in Osorno. This church was built around 1863. It was quite large and beautiful, and it was a more traditional congregation. Still Pastor Salgado and the members of his congregation were very warm in welcoming us to their evening service. Overall, this was a very memorable day.

Greetings to the group in Concepcion

Greetings to the group in Concepcion from the group in Osorno. Special greeting to Connie from Deborah. Tonight we gathered at the church for a time of fellowship with sopapillas, other foods, and hot wine. During my greetings from the I-K Synod, I discovered that Deborah is here in Osorno. What fun to give her greetings from you. We danced, took many photos, and had much fun. Tomorrow we will have lunch at her home.

Hope you are all well.

J.E.

Reception at Congregacion La Paz, Osorno

This evening the Osorno group went to a reception given to us by the Osorno Congregacion La Paz. Once again, the people were most gracious. Kate and I are staying with a lovely family, Deborah, y Raul, Christina and y Raul (Jr); while Jean, Ruth Ann & Linda are staying with Pastor Izani, her husband and son.

The church´s common area was packed and there was a wealth of conversation taking place, Spanish, English, a few words of French here and there and possibly some German. The talk was on religion, politics, economics, social problem but most espcially about how we are joined by God and his many blessings. A priest from a local parish joined us as well as some people who support some of the congregations sociatal programs.

We also met the oldest member of the congregation, Yolanda, who was a charter member of the congregation 35 years ago. She has just recently moved to be with her daughter and grandchildren but she traveled over an hour to be with us this evening. Yolanda´s son was killed during the "dictatorship" and talk of the "dictatorship" underlies many aspects of all conversation.

But, all of us who have been cold warmed up and were finally able to shed some of our jackets, vests and scarves when Elvis´song "Blue Suede Shoes" was played. Deborah and I just couldn´t keep our feet still and began to twist & shout and before you knew it all the ladies in the room had joined us. And we were told that Osorno didn´t have a night life:) All you had to do was look in the church.

Connie & Deborah traveled to Brazil a few years ago with a Women´s Delegation and to Connie, Deborah say´s hi!

Femicide

Femicide for us is a term we have learned on this trip. It refers to the murders of women as a result of domestic violence. The killer can be a husband, a sweetheart, a boyfriend, a significant other, or a family member, but is usually a male the woman knows well.

Today we had the opportunity to attend and participate in a rally for women´s rights in Osorno. We were able to see the shoes representing the 38 Chilean women who have been murdered since January of this year. We were able to see the tears and anguish of loved ones and friends of these women. Most of those who participated were women, but there were a few men present who support women´s rights. The most emotional time of the rally was when 38 candles were lit and the names, ages, dates, causes of death, and locations were read by 38 individuals, including some of us. For us, this is accompaniment at its fullest.

Our awareness of the tragedy of domestic abuse has been heightened in the last several days. We realize more fully just how international this problem is. It isn´t just a problem for one person, one town, one country, or one socioeconomic group. Femicide is a term that applies to domestic violence in all countries, including the U.S.

Bus Ride to Osorno

On Friday evening, five of us left Santiago by bus to travel to Osorno. We left Santiago about 10:00 p.m. and travelled for just under 11 hours before reaching Osorno just before 9:00 a.m. The trip wasn´t that bad because we rode on a "cama" with large comfortable seats that reclined to make beds. To make us more comfortable, we were each given a large comfy pillow and a warm blanket. So throughout the night we travelled from the cold weather of Santiago to the very cold and rainy weather of Osorno.

The bus ride felt like a train ride in the States as there were very few stops and the ride was very smooth. The stops were to pay tolls. Because this is a toll road, which is very expensive for the majority of people, the primary traffic was buses and trucks for hauling goods and materials. There were VERY few passenger cars. This a very good bus system which accommodates most individuals needing to travel a distance in this area.

While the weather was cold outside, the inside of our bus was toasty warm. Finally, after a good night´s sleep, we were served a simple breakfast. Finally, we arrived in Osorno, where we were greeted by Pastor Izani and given a ride to her home. After having a larger breakfast at her home and meeting her husband and son, we left to go to a rally for women´s rights.

P.S. The group that is now in Osorno is not able to post photos, but once we return to Santiago we will post photos that we have taken.

Life in Santiago

After our trip to EPES and the women's shelter we had a lot of free time before leaving for Concepcion and Osorno. As can be seen from the picture we were able to experience the rich culture of Santiago as well as wonderful Chilean cuisine.

Trip to EPES

Our trip to EPES was very enlightening. For the last 25 years EPES has been educating the people of Chile about health issues in the country. EPES has been training people to run their own public health projects all over the country. EPES has developed games, videos, and other materials that are being used in over 30 other countries.
When we arrived we were greeted by a wonderful lunch, followed by a video presentation. The video was a 5 minute informational video about EPES. Also, some of the staff members presented all the materials that EPES has produced. They had various pamphlets and other written informational materials, as well as games. The games ranged from sexuality over sixty to HIV/AIDS information.

Day two

Well, this morning after an early breakfast at which most of us ordered traditional dinner plates by accident :), we visited a center for victims of domestic violence. I have to say that I was extremely moved by these women and the work that they do, not only in the therapy, support groups and workshops that are their bread and butter, but also in the public advocacy that they do. They are a daring voice among the silent, those who ignore the issues of violence among women. They have coined a new word--"femicide"--to refer specifically to violent death among women caused by domestic partners and also to women who commit suicide to escape such abusive situations. I was particularly shocked by the inadequacy of existing laws in protecting women and children from domestic abuse--in fact, they told us that there are no laws that protect children, and the laws that protect women are only enforced at the discretion of the police who arrive at the scene. There are also very few shelters and those are only available to women who are in a court process of pressing charges against their abusers, so women who are in immediate danger of their lives in the middle of the night who might have to leave their homes immediately in order to protect themselves would have no place to go. And those shelters that do exist do not provide psychological services, or any services, really. So the work of this center and its women is so needed in this community. It was wonderful to hear about people truly making a difference in their environment and in their government through active participation and advocacy, very inspiring. I hope to be as brave as these women and can be an advocate for the needy in my own country.

Presentation of the financial gift

At the end of the event and the large meal they had in our honor, Jean Eisen and Odette Salman presented Pastora Gloria Rojas with a check for the pre-school on behalf of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod Congregations.

Buen Samaritano

When we arrived at the pre-school we were greeted with a presentation by the intermediate class. Their presentation was touching to all of us becuase of the time and effort they put into it just for us.

Arrival

After our long filght we were met at the airport by Pastora Gloria Rojas and Kate Lawler. We all took a moment and thought of Pastor Bill. Even though he wasn´t there in person we still took a little part of him with us.

P.S. All of our luggage arrived safe and on time. Well kind of safe.

What a night!

After leaving we found ourselves in the massive Atlanta airport. We had a glorious meal of Chinese food and Qudoba´s. Soon after we made our way to our gate to be met with a short one hour delay. While waiting to board our flight we watched the news of the bridge in Minneapolis collapsing. As they called our section for boarding a gate attendant came running from behind us shouting to stop the boarding of the plane. Luckily it was a small gateway malfunction we boarded shortly after. Other than a little turbulance the picture pretty much shows how the flight went.

Ambassadors for Christ

I have just returned from the Indianapolis airport where I had the joy and privilege of reading scripture, praying with and blessing this group of travelers...right there in front of the Delta ticket desk. We read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, which provides a strong reminder that, thanks to the reconciling work of Christ, "we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us." The beauty of this trip is that these ambassadors will be welcomed and hosted by Chilean ambassadors for Christ and then return to Indiana and Kentucky as ambassadors for Christ and for the companionship between the IELCH and the IN-KY Synod among their family, friends, congregations, and all sorts of other folks.

Two symbols of this new ambassadorial creation can be seen in the photo above: a ceramic cross that will be the gift of this group to the leadership of the church in Chile and the book which has given this trip its name, "God In Between." These signs will accompany the travelers and serve as reminders of what this trip is all about.

As Melissa pointed out in her blog posting this morning, their flight leaves about 5:00 p.m. EDT today and they will arrive in Santiago, Chile about 7:00 tomorrow morning. As they travel, we pray:

O God, our beginning and our end, you kept Abraham and Sarah in safety throughout the days of their pilgrimage, you led the children of Israel through the midst of the sea, and by a star you led the magi to the infant Jesus. Protect and guide these ambassadors as they travel. Make their ways safe and their homecomings joyful, and bring them at last to their heavenly home, where you dwell in glory with our Lord Jesus Christ and the life-giving Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen

[adapted from "Responsive Prayer," Evangelical Lutheran Worship]

this is it!!

This is the day we've all been waiting for! I couldn't sleep this morning so I decided to get up and post a quick blog about our plans for today...which you could probably figure out consist mainly of standing and waiting, sitting and waiting, sitting and flying, and maybe (just maybe) a little catnap before we wrrive in Chile tomorrow morning. But just so you know...

We're meeting at the airport in Indianapolis at 2:00 this afternoon and our flight leaves for Atlanta at 5. Thankfully, we have a long layover in Atlanta (I say thankfully, for those of you who have never experienced this piece of airport joy, because sometimes you have to run all over the airport just to miss your connecting flight). We leave for Santiago at 10, and arrive at 7 AM, at which point we will transfer to our hotel, the City Hotel. I posted a link to the hotel website so you can see the pictures of where we'll be staying while in Santiago.

This will be my first trip to the Southern Hemisphere so I'm kind of excited about it being winter there. How cool is that??? Do they make jokes about snow in December like we make them about snow in July? Anyway, the weather forecast said it will be upper 50s to lower 60s for the highs, with the lows around 30. So packing wasn't as much of a challenge as I had thought it would be. Now watch me have brought the worst clothes possible. I'm still trying to find a way to take more stuff out of my suitcase!

Hotel City

Here we go...

This is for sure one of the most exciting things to happen in my life. My name is Odette and I am looking forward to going to Chile. I can't wait to share with the people and of course help them in any way I can. I hope to be able to grow our companionship though this trip. I am praying for God's blessing on our journey.

Let's Roll...

Tomorrow is the day. I woke up this morning and began packing my suitcase. I soon realized that we are going to be traveling to a different hemisphere of the planet and there it is indeed winter, so I began re-packing my suitcase.
After packing my suitcase I thought I would check the flight information just to know what to expect as far as how long the plane ride is going to be. I have to be honest... I wasn't expecting to see that our plane ride is going to be nine and a half hours. Well if we don't know each other yet, we sure will soon.
I have decided that I am going to have a very important job on this trip. I know that we are going on this trip to serve others, but I am making it my personal responsibility to make sure that everyone has a good time. Just because we are going to do service doesn't mean we can't have a good time while doing it.
In conclusion, I imagine that apart from the nine hour plane ride this trip is going to be a very fun and rewarding experience for everyone. For those of you who are reading this and staying at home and not coming with us all I have to say is I'm glad I'm not you. No offense, but you all are going to miss one heck of a good time. For those of you going I would just like to say good luck to us all and may the Force be with us.

-Jon Salman

Good morning - I'm Karen & am ready to go. For those of you who know me you can see I've reverted back to my high school hair cut. To simplify my trip I'm wash & go.

Yesterday I had a send off from my home church, St. Mark's in Evansville, IN. VBS, Avalanch Ranch, just finished & we made wooden cross necklaces. I will be wearing mine on our trip to Chile knowing I am in the prayers of my family & friends.

Thanks to our Music Director, Tom he reminded me that I will be in a new hemisphere and will see stars that I've never seen before. What an awsome thought!

Ready to go

Hi, I'm Linda. Just three days to go and we'll be on our way. It doesn't seem possible that after planning for this trip for the last five months that the moment has come to pack our bags and do those last minutes things that are always waiting to be done.

For me, this is a very exciting time in my life. After having taught ESL to university students from 62 countries, I'm now at a stage in my life where I want to travel and experience God's wonderfully diverse world. In addition, my relationships with my students have led me to see God's presence worldwide in new and different ways, and, therefore, has aided me in my personal spiritual growth. On this trip to Chile, I look forward to seeing what God is doing in Chile and to find ways that we can work together to make God's presence and his love known in the world and our home communities.

P.S. The photo was taken this July at Elefantenhof in Platschow, Germany.

4 Days and Counting

Hi,

I'm Jean Eisen. The trip is now just a few days away and I'm getting VERY excited! As chair of the Indian-Kentucky Synod's Global Mission Committee, I have spent the past several months in planning and preparation. Now the "going" portion of this journey is finally here. Many of us will be "sent" from our home congregations tomorrow, as will I. Some of our group have already been "sent". Having met a few of the people that we will see on this journey, I am excited to see them again and to build on the relationships we've already begun.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the ELCA's Global Mission Event in Columbus, Ohio, where my photo is from. The theme of the GME was "New Heaven and New Earth". I am touched by how this theme fits so well with our theme of "God In Between" as God is present in the creation and continuation of all of our relationships.

Our group not only goes on this journey as several individuals, but we will also represent our congregations, the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the ELCA, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. I have many hopes for this adventure, both personally and for our companion synod relationship. I also hope that as you read about our journey, God will be present for you as well in the space between us.

Blessings,

Jean

Ruth Ann Hendrix

Peace to you now!

A week from now we will be there! A place I have never been with new faces, it will be a joy to experience. I grew up in southern Indiana on a chicken farm. My husband and I have three children: Skye at 21, Elias at 19, and Moriah at 16. Since we no longer drive our children places, my husband and I have time to golf together. We are both still beginning golfers. I am one of those life-long learners with my interest at the intersection of choice, health, and policy.

A perfect moment for me occured this afternoon when Bishop Stuck, of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod and the people gathered in Indianapolis attending the National Lutheran Secretariat blessed us and our journey. Thanks be to God!

My goal is to walk with the people from our synod here with the people in the church in Chile, learning more.

Thus we embark...

Well, we embark in like a week anyway. But it's exciting, isn't it? The promise of a new land, the adventure of setting out to regions unknown, the wonder of meeting new people...a bit dramatic, these feelings, but nonetheless compelling and exciting. And why shouldn't I feel this way? I'm on another exciting personal journey as well--my first child will travel with us in utero, and as I experience firsthand the miracle of life growing inside, I am constantly reminded of the beauty of our theme "God in between."

Where is my son right now? He is at a place that our society has told us is "in between"--not yet alive, but certainly in existence; not yet human, but with tiny hands, feet, a brain, a beating heart. The lawyers argue even as I write this about what this tiny life might be... a person with rights? an animal? a specimen?

Oh, but people, my son is "in between." And it is there, in that place, that I am experiencing the miracle of God's creation at every single moment in the most profound way possible. God was shaping this baby boy, his personality (he even stuck his tongue out and wiggled it at us on our ultrasound), his life, before I even had an inkling that I had been given such a great gift. I am "in between"--waiting and waiting for the moment when I finally get to meet him. And it is here that my faith is increasing moment by moment, as I learn to trust in God to make this miracle happen. God is here with me and Mike, in our in between, creating a connection between my baby and me.

I see this trip through the obsessive eyes of the expectant mother. We are pregnant with expectation and wonder as we take this journey. We will be forging new relationships every day that will grow and shape under God's soft hand. We are following in the footsteps of so many saints before us who have reached out to know new people and new places, and yet it is always the first time for each one of them. And God is in between us, all the time.

Our prayers are with you here at home as we journey forth, that we can, through this blog, help you share in our experiences and join these relationships. May you find blessings wrapped around you every moment.

The adventure begins in a week

I'm Candy from Kentucky. I've been wanting to go on a mission trip to another country since I was 15 years old. As you can see, it has taken quite awhile to happen!

I was waiting for my car to be cleaned at a car wash today and had my map of Chile and my Spanish-English dictionary open when a woman asked if I was going to Chile soon. Her son works for an international company in Santiago. He loves the country and the people. When I told her all the things we were hoped to do and the people we were looking forward to meeting, she wished us a good trip.

Linda and I will be bringing greetings from Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Lexington.

Last month, our Vacation Bible School children made teddy bears for their new friends in Santiago. I'm looking forward to delivering the bears to the children at Buen Samaritano and bringing back pictures to our children so that we all become better acquainted.

In my job, I work with a wonderful group of people who have come to Kentucky from all over the world, so I'm used to hearing many languages and cultures. My work friends are almost as excited about my trip as I am. We're all praying that the trip will be a blessing for me, my fellow travelers, and the new friends that we meet.

Eight Days and Counting!

The travel team has had a couple of orientation meetings, some have been working on their Spanish, still others have finally received their passports and they are set to fly south on August 1st! The itinerary for the journey is emerging and looks something like this:

• Thursday August 2 -- arrive in Santiago in the early morning and before day is done, visit Buen Samaritano Preschool and visit with the women of Buen Samaritano Congregation


• Friday August 3 -- visit a project supporting women who have suffered domestic violence; visit Educacion Popular en Salud (EPES), a community health organization begun through the IELCH


• Saturday August 4 through Monday August 6 -- split up to visit congregations in Osorno and Concepcion


• Tuesday August 7 -- visit El Sembrador Preschool


• Wednesday August 8 -- visit a chocolate candy microbusiness begun with funds from the I-K Synod


• Thursday August 9 -- visit an art fair; begin construction work at Buen Samaritano


• Friday August 10 -- more work at Buen Samaritano


• Saturday August 11 -- visit Chilean vineyards


• Sunday August 12 -- worship at Buen Samaritano Congregation and head for home

Welcome to God In Between!

My name is Bill Gafkjen. I am a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who serves the church these days as Assistant to the Bishop in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod. One of my responsibilities and great joys is to also serve as the synod's Director of Global Mission. It is my pleasure to welcome you to this blog and to invite you to follow along as a bunch of folks from our synod travel to Chile to accompany for a time our sisters and brothers in Christ who live and serve in that fascinating country.

The group leaves Indianapolis on August 1 and will return August 13. During that time they will work alongside members of Buen Samaritano Congregation in Santiago to build a covering over a walkway between the church building and the preschool by the same name that the congregation offers as part of its ministry. The group will also visit other congregations and ministries of the Iglesia Evangelica Luterana en Chile (IELCH), our companion church. Having experienced a similar sojourn with the IELCH myself in 2004 I know that the participants in this trip will experience the amazing presence of God in their midst as they laugh and pray and talk and work and play with the good people of the church there.

This trip is part of our companion relationship with the IELCH. This companionship, appropriately enough, has been established under the "accompaniment model" of global relationships. This model is a departure from what most folks think of as traditional models of global mission -- and it is countercultural as well. Accompaniment is about a mutual relationship between equals who trust each other to be faithful stewards of God's mission in their respective parts of the world. This means that relationship is more important than resources and we steer clear of donor/receiver dynamics in the relationships. We commit to learning from each other and to doing what we can to encourage and support one another's mission and ministry.

This is one of the reasons we have chosen the theme "God In Between" for this trip. This is the title of a delightful book by Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso and beautifully illustrated by Sally Sweetland. In that book a bunch of individuals slogging through life are claimed by new joy and delight in community through the discovery that God is "in between." God is in between us, in the relationships we have with one another. The participants in this trip (US travelers and Chilean hosts alike) will be guided by this expectation, this faith, this promise. Walking side by side with one another they will see God.