Just wash... & be cleansed!

I'm participating in a weekly lectionary reading with Center for Transforming Mission. Today I read from 2 Kings 5:1-14.  I like to journal after reading, to help me process and reflect on the passage. Here are some of my thoughts.  I'll leave the application part up to you :)


Summary of the story  (And my thoughts in italics):
1- Naaman, commander of the army of Aram, is a great warrior. He is respected and powerful. But he has a skin condition. Perhaps he was driven to be successful because of his disease, or perhaps he contracted the disease later in life. Either way, he has a problem he can't fix on his own, it seems there is no hope for a cure.


2- A servant girl from Israel mentions the prophet of Samaria, Elisha. She is confident that he could heal Naaman. In his desperate circumstances, Naaman asks the king to let him go to Israel.  The king sends him to Israel, with chariots and soldiers and lots of riches, to seek out a cure.  The girl could have had mixed motives in telling Naaman about a cure. Perhaps she sought her own freedom, or a way back home in order to escape captivity... Either way, her conviction stood out to Naaman and he pursued the idea. She presented a hope to Naaman.


3- Naaman presents the king of Israel with a letter from the king, stating his expectation that Naaman will be healed. The king of Israel sees no hope in the situation and thinks that Aram is picking a fight. He tears his clothes and mourns the inevitable war and surrender in Israel's future because of his inability to heal Naaman. The king is concerned for the future of his nation. However he does not turn to the Lord, or the Lord's messenger, in order to seek a solution. He immediately responds with despair, instead of seeing hope and having faith in the Lord's plan.


4- Elisha, prophet of Israel, hears of the king's reaction and tells him to send Naaman to Samaria.  Elisha, unlike the king, is optimistic. He knows the Lord's power and does not despair in the face of difficulty. He presents a hope to the king


5- Naaman arrives at Elisha's home with a flourish of soldiers & chariots. A servant comes out to meet him, and gives him a message from Elisha: bathe in the Jordan 7 times, wash & be cleansed. Naaman's elegance is contrasted with Elisha's simplicity. He is not fooled by elegance, and does not go out to meet Naaman face to face. He's not concerned about winning anyone's favor, but with what God has revealed to him: the cure.


6- Naaman is offended, first by the lack of welcome he receives from Elisha, and the lack of complexity of his cure. He would much prefer to bathe in Abana or Pharpar, the rivers of his country, in order to be healed. He leaves in a rage.  Naaman takes a hit here, on his pride. All this work for such a simple cure? No homage paid by the prophet? Does he not fear a great warrior? Can the prophet really presume that the filthy Jordan of his country has healing powers? The rivers of his country are much cleaner. Because of pride, Naaman responds in anger.


7- A servant of Naaman's comments to him: If your cure had been a difficult task, wouldn't you have completed it? Then how come you don't accept an easy cure? Once again, like the servant girl and Elisha, Naaman's servant sees hope in the situation. He points out the logic of obeying the servant's words to 'wash & be cleansed'.  It is interesting that God uses a servant here to guide Naaman to humility and obedience. Just like leprosy, Naaman's pride and renown is a condition he could not cure on his own, but only with the intervention of a humble servant.


8- Naaman goes down to the river and washes 7 times in the Jordan. He comes out looking like a 'young boy', his skin condition healed. Here we see the fulfillment of the hope, Naaman's renewal.  This reminds me of the renewal that we also can experience, if only we see hope, obey, and wash... and we will be cleansed. Only we receive not an outward renewal but an inward transformation into 'young children' - a rebirthing experience.


9- Another interesting detail... Elisha lives in Samaria, and sends Naaman to wash in the water. Jesus, when he visits Samaria, shares with a woman the good news of 'living water' - not bound to the Jordan or any river, for that matter. Yet renewal is still exclusive, only to be found by drinking (or bathing) in the living water that is Jesus Christ.


Well, these are just some thoughts during my devotional time, I wanted to share them and maybe interact a bit regarding this passage. After reading the passage yourself, please comment with your thoughts or insights!

What awaits us in 2012!?!

Well, 2011 has come and gone.  At the beginning of October I am always struck by the months that still remain before the coming of the new year. Yet somehow in January I am always left asking: 'what happened to November and December?'


2011 was a whirlwind of activity for Strategy of Transformation here in Guate - full of opportunities for our team to learn from one another, to accept each other's failures and shortcomings, and to continuously learn and mature as a team. But above all, we have been able to celebrate together when we see Good News in hard places.


I am looking forward to heading to Michigan next week, in order to continue raising support for my work because I am only 70% funded. I will also be accepting donations of sweaters, mittens, coats and boots. Not quite sure I'm ready to return to snowy conditions.... :)  During my 2 week stay, I will be sharing on a few occasions about how we have been seeing and experiencing the Good News of the Gospel here in Guate. I would love to have you attend on one of these occasions - please contact me for more information! 


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While reading through the church's lectionary readings for this week, I was struck by the appropriateness of the reading from the Psalms:
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
72:1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son.
72:2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
72:3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness.
72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
72:5 May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
72:6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.
72:7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
72:10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
72:11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.
72:12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.
72:13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
72:14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.


The manner in which this king rules is beautiful - It's the image of a true king.  He is upright and just, he rules for a long time because of such qualities (v5).  He has a productive and refreshing presence in the world, creating positive growth (v6).  Other nations come to learn from him and honor him (v10).  He acts as a rescuer from oppression and violence for his people, and understands the value of life (v14).


This struck me as appropriate because a new president will begin term here in Guatemala on January 14, 2012.  Otto Perez won during the 2011 elections by a small margin.  It was a relief to many because of the other candidate's lack of experience and the rumors of corruption. As we approach the 14th of January, we are praying strongly for Otto Perez... that he may be a ruler like that described in Psalm 72.  He has been characterized as a hard-handed leader, looking to lock down on crime and violence, and has a military background. 


Yet we can pray that he understands the reality of Guatemala; there are many wounds that Guatemala has let define and rule them.  The division has been blurred between the oppressed and the oppressor. Violence, in many cases, is a reaction to oppression and injustice - a sort of lashing back. Those in need, as a means of survival, have learned to manipulate and have created a dependence on others. There is a great amount of hostility and latent anger. The natural resources of the country are not being used productively or responsibly. The recent urban migration has resulted in overpopulated and underprepared cities. What is more, the majority of Guatemala has decided that the government is the root of the corruption. 


Thus, I pray that Pres. Perez would have the wisdom to know how to respond to the oppression and violence in his country.  I do not know if he is truly a man of God, but that God would give him the discernment necessary to be a ruler like that of Psalm 72. Without God's guidance, he is setting up to fail, as many of the presidents before him.
How incredible would it be to see other nations coming to Guatemala and honoring its leaders for the righteousness, peace and growth seen among its people!?


Kim <><

GuateTrivia Answers for Oct. 2011!!

When does Guatemala celebrate independence day?

A. January 25 B. May 5 C. September 15 D. December 1 ... It is actually a holiday throughout all of Central America! It's also the date written on the white section of the Guate flag!

Which of the following bodies of water does NOT touch Guatemala?

A. Gulf of Mexico B. Lake Izabal C. Caribbean Sea D. Pacific Ocean ... Check the map!

Which of the following describes a ‘pila’?

A. a car battery

B. a cement laundry sink

C. a seed from a coconut tree

D. a sweet drink

... This is where we do our dishes, wash our laundry and pretty much anything else that has to do with water! Some Guatemalans don't even have a sink installed in their house, the 'pila' works for most everything!

What is the national tree in Guatemala?

A. Palm Tree B. Coffee Tree C. Rubber Tree D. Ceiba Tree ...This is the tree from which the Marimba (national instrument!) is made. They are protected and grow to be very large!

How did you do this time?? :)

Kim <><

GuateTrivia Answers for Summer 2011!

What fast-food chain does not exist in Guatemala?
a. IHOP
b. Chick Fillet... can you believe they haven't arrived yet?!?
c. Dominoes
d. Applebees

What is the Guatemalan slang phrase for ‘cool’?
a. “Que padre”
b. “Que chido”
c. “Que chilero”.. this is the most 'Guatemalan of the phrases, though a&b are used in Mexico! Try using one yourself!
d. “Que camila”

What do stop signs say in Guatemala?
a. ALTO.. Not sure why this word was chosen but its the one they use!!
b. PARA
c. STOP
d. ROJO

What is the famous Mayan ruin found in Guatemala?
a. Miraflores
b. Tikal.. Yes! I haven't visited them yet but they are supposedly very intriguing. Anyone up for taking a trip with me? :)
c. Chichen Itza
d. Mercadeus

Crunching doors (and bills)..

There are two experiences that I'd like to share with y'all.

First, that God is a God of purposes! I am sure many of you can relate to a situation in which something bad happened but you could clearly see the hand of God throughout it?

Most recently, that happened this past weekend in the car crash Kevin & I had. I was turning left and a micro-bus (a.k.a. 15 passenger van) was passing in a no-passing zone. I barely had time to react and the van blindsided the driver-side front door:

We were frustrated, and for the first time I experienced how much the police & judicial systems here are controlled by fear and bribery. Death threats and extortion are very unfortunate realities even today, especially in the rural areas like Jutiapa where we were traveling. In the end, the driver, who was a worker (not the owner) of the van, admitted that there was no way he could pay the damages on either much less both vehicles. And since the police were unwilling to assign 'fault' to someone, the van's insurance will have nothing to do with the situation. (Plus we haven't had time to take out the insurance for our car yet, either, we just exchanged for it last week!) So we chose the high road, and will be covering the damages. It was a time when the Lord was clearly leading us to 'show mercy' and not be overly insistence on 'justice'. I came to realize how truly difficult it can be to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6.8) all at the same time! I don't know about you, but I find it much harder to 'love mercy' and 'walk humbly' than the whole justice part.

Since then, we have successfully found all the parts necessary and a mechanic who will be repairing the damages. We have been praying for the driver, as he will still be paying the damages to the van as they were also significant. He was without work and had a false license, so before he starts paying off the van he will probably spend some time in jail.

I share this experience with you because I have learned a lesson in provision. Had we been driving our older car, we would have probably suffered a lot more damage from the crash. Because of the car model, it have a galvanized steel bar inside of the door. Upon impact, the door was crunched in until it hit the steel, which was slightly bent, but nothing further. Luckily (or providentially?!) I only suffered a few scratches. Now, every time I open my (new!) door, I will be reminded of the way God protected and continues to protect me in a country where the levels of crime and violence are rising each month. It's like he's sealed our car with his promise, although the lesson came at a price.

Secondly, I wanted to share about another encounter we had while driving our crunched car back to the capital. We stopped to buy pizza for lunch, and before we had reached the sidewalk outside the parking lot we were greeted by a woman asking for money. I personally try give money only to elderly and handicapped children who are begging on the street, but avoid giving to those that are able-bodied. I would prefer to see them seek out work, even if it starts simple. And this woman seemed to fit into the able-bodied category.

However, this woman was very persistent. We gave some coins to a child that was with her, and he disappeared, while she continued to ask. Apparently the boy wasn't her son. I bought a few slices of pizza, rather annoyed and feeling tricked, and headed back to the car. It wasn't until the following day that Kevin & I returned to discuss the matter. He had a very good point when saying we bought 2 portions of pizza, and weren't even willing to spare her some change... It was at that point that I felt bad. Not so much for the situation, I am sure on the public corner she was located that others were generous to her. However it hit me: how am I doing on the generosity meter?

There is a lesson God has been trying to teach me. It's that which is also illustrated by the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. A little boy offers up his five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus, with this small offering, provides food to 5,000 people, with 12 baskets of leftover bread for the disciples to pick up. Do you think they understood the lesson? With God, little means much. And the abundance begins with offering the 'little' that we have.

Here is the reality. I am coming up short each month ('short' as in less than $500 income per month when I need just over twice that to make ends meet!) I have begun to tighten my belt and look for side sources of income. I started to cut back on my tithes. However, after the incident with the woman at the pizza shop, I was confronted with the reality of Christian giving. It's based in an attitude of the heart, and should not be dependent on what I have. It's based on my trust in God's provision. So despite the extra car expenses and the lower income, I will be giving my tithe in full this month. And when someone on street asks me for some change, I hope to have a much different response. God has proven to me in enough ways that he will take care and provide for me.

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Blessings to each of you!

Kim <><