The alternative sucks.

I'd agree with anyone that wants to say that the Church is messed up. In fact, I've could even be quoted as saying that "the Church is the most messed up institution that ever changed the world." We have issues, and like any family, issues like these are deep.

This really doesn't surprise me (although I think it really is a turn off for many). It makes sense why. I mean, I consider myself part of the Church, and I'm messed up (probably an understatement, but we'll leave it at that). So if we bring together a bunch of people with my same tendencies, we're bound to have something that at the very best smells... stinks actually.

And yet Jesus loves His Church. He serves her and sacrifices for her. There's nothing... not one thing... He hasn't done for her, and although she can be compared to a prostitute when considering her faithfulness, His faithfulness is solid.

I like how Derek Webb sings it as though Jesus were saying it: "You cannot care for me, with no regards for her. If you love Me, you will love the church."

And so I'm learning to love the Church. I read "Jack's Life" last week, which is a biography of C.S. Lewis. For 30 years Lewis had this group of friends that called themselves the Inklings. They gathered to share their writings and receive feedback (which wasn't always the positive kind). One comment the book made was that there was a security within the relationships in the Inklings so that although two members might not agree with each other... or possibly disagree quite strongly... the friendship was never at stake. I like that concept, and I'm trying to implement it within the Church. There are several people and denominations I simply don't agree with. But that should not prevent me from caring for them and loving them.

It's hard. Sometimes very hard and borders on impossible. But that's the goal.

OK, now I've arrived at the real point of tonight's blog: the alternative to the Church. I just need to say that life outside the Church sucks. Throughout my life I find that I will, even without thinking about it, naturally surround myself with the Church. I do it because it is better for me. Even with all its scars and issues, the Church is different. It is moving toward something great, and although it has not arrived, this movement gives it a sweet taste.

When I force myself (and that is what I have to do... I never go there naturally) to go places where the Church (which are people) does not exist, it wears me out. I get beat up. Sometimes, because I've been graced with Church my whole life, I don't understand the driving impulses for the world's decision making. My own priorities get all shuffled, as the rhetoric of the world poorly persuades me. I feel abused and beaten, and it quickly and often arrives at the point where I would much rather just retreat back to the Church. And I often do. I'd probably die if I didn't.

I had an idea tonight while I was pondering all this in the midst of a situation that I do not understand because it is based on worldly logic. But I imagined a military first-aid tent. I can see the cots and stretchers, boxes with large red crosses on them, and IV stands and the staff on standby, ready to treat the wounded. That's what the Church should look like. In fact, I think it would be a great way to decorate a church building, just to remind the Church of one of its main roles as support system for those (which should be everyone) who are out getting beat up throughout the week. A refuge to get out of the way of the shelling, but with the intention of returning to the battle.

Because the world is beating people to death.

My cat is not ugly

It is difficult to pinpoint the reason why, but it has been confirmed by many a gringo (including me) that Ramiro is the funniest Bolivian we've ever met. He has American style humor... something that is hard to come by. Everything I do with Ramiro is automatically more fun, just because he is there.

He's learning English. I appreciate the hard work he puts into learning to pronounce sayings like, "In your dreams," or "I am handsome, you are ugly," or "Papa Smurf," or "Stinky fart, " or "Girls are dangerous." I really can't do justice writing about how funny Ramiro is, you just have to trust me or experience it for yourself. The only thing I really don't like about Ramiro is that he thinks my cat is ugly. This of course is not true. My cat is strange, but not ugly.



Ramiro also likes music. Actually, most Bolivians are musical. Ross burned Ramiro a David Crowder CD and printed up some lyrics for him. So now, when we shine together, we sing praise songs. And good ones too. It is some of my favorite memories thus far here in Bolivia... shining and singing.

I have a new vision for the shoe shiners. The Bible studies are going well. We have great community on the streets, at my house, on the basketball court or over lunch. We are becoming Church, but one thing we lack is community worship. I want to start a shoe shiner worship band with all the traditional instruments: classical guitars, drum, sampollos and churangos. I would love to have them create music to give glory to God. And then to lead their peers and others. This is my latest dream.

I want Ismael to be my neighbor

Remember middle school and high school fights? In college we used to joke about staging such a fight. Can you imagine leaving a Physics II lecture when some yells out "Fight... FIGHT!!!" and a crowd quickly assembles? The short guys in the back of the crowd are jumping to try to see, but as everyone knows, there is really nothing more than a lot of staring and some goofy trash talk between the two so-called "fighters". Then either someone makes one attack and its over, or the fight gets broken up by Mr. Porter. I don't know why it didn't seem so ridiculous in high school, but if that were to happen in George R. Brown Hall at the Colorado School of Mines... wow.

If you are reading this and you are in college, I think you ought to stage a fight. If you are in grad school, that would be even better. In fact, that could be one of the only regrets I have from my college years... that I didn't fake or at least organize a fake hallway fight in college.

It's different here in Bolivia.

Today I found out the best shoe shiner in La Paz had been beaten this weekend. Apparently a group of guys wanted Dario's backpack, so they hit him in the legs with a club which knocked him to the ground. They then proceeded to beat and kick him in the head. He didn't loose consciousness, nor his backpack, but when I saw him today, 3 days after the attack, his face was still swollen, his wounds infected and he was difficult to recognize.

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

It gets better than this. Hope. The idea that even though we can't see it, we know that heaven is a good place... better than our wildest dreams, or maybe the best way for us to imagine it is to think of the opposite of our most dreadful nightmares. A place where rob, lie, wound and take are not even words. You see, with Jesus, I believe it gets better. That's the treasure hidden in the field. The pearl that's worth selling everything to buy. Maybe that's why He can say that blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted. He's come from the place we can only dream about. He knows what it will be like.

Maybe that's a good starting point when talking with Dario. "Wouldn't it be nice to know that there's something better out there than people that want to beat and rob you?" Or maybe I should ask if he'd like to heap burning coals on their heads. Well, we'll see. I'll be shining with Dario tomorrow and taking him to get his wounds cleaned at the hospital for the next week.

My hero of the story is Ismael. He is a good friend. Even to the point that I think about having him as a roommate-- or maybe just moving in with him. It has a lot to do with him teaching me how to shine shoes, reading Narnia together (and laughing together at Lewis' humorous sidenotes), his saying, "Si no duele, no sirve" on our backpacking trips, and the care with which he built from scratch my shoe shining box. But today, experiencing first hand the genuine compassion Ismael had for his friend Dario was like a real life parable. "Who's my neighbor?" I might have asked Jesus. I think he could have answered by saying, "Watch Ismael. See what he does. See who he thinks about. Now you tell me, who was a neighbor to Dario?"

I wear a beenie to bed

I had a mullet for about 24 hours. I can't say that it was something I was particularly fond of, but I am glad I did it. I especially appreciated the cultural moments that it provided... explaining how that particular style of hair is business in the front and a fiesta in the back. I'm not too sure what the Bolivians think of me.

Now I'm back to the hairstyle I had the first 26 years of my life (minus the flattop stage I went through in middle school). It is nice, I guess. I miss shaking my head and getting everyone wet after a shower, and I'll probably end up at some concert here in the next couple weeks where I'd really have appreciated the longer hair.

But the big surprise for me has been how cold my head gets! I had no idea what a great insulator hair is (or maybe I should say was). My head is always cold... even to the point that I sleep with my Denver Bronco's/Denver Mattress beenie.

Sorry I have no pictures. Hope your head stays warm tonight!

Introducing some of the gang.

I want you to meet the guys I shine with. Today's blog is taken from an email I just sent my 3 interns who are back in the states now (I miss them something terrible). Here goes:

You guys sure have left a mark on this city. I went shining today (made 50 centavos!). The guys really miss you all, and all want to know when you'll come back or if more volunteers are coming. I shined first at Bisa... Charly is a totally different guy when I put on a mask. He was helping me all morning long, and we finally got two interested parties together. He shined his in like half the time it took me, and the guy I was shining ended up giving me a good lecture... something about how my bigger hands ought to move faster. I appreciated having the mask on, although I was tempted to "accidentally" get a little cream on his socks. The point being, I think I related much better with Charly. We are going to go to lunch next Wed.

I also stopped by and saw Dario. He is so good. When I got to the Post Office (which by the way is in its second day of a sit down strike... Pedro says there's more strikes coming for this county... oh joy!) Dario was shining this little boys shoes. I sat down while he finished, and then I noticed the boy wasn't paying and wasn't with a parent (he must have been 3-years-old tops). Dario gave him a great shine and then tapped him on the head and sent him on his way... I felt like Dario could have been the boys dad. I found out that the boy's mom works around the area and the kid comes through and Dario... or should I say Batman... looks out for him.

So after talking with Dario he said that he'd like a bracelet. Missy's team brought down a bunch of those rubbery red bracelets from Compassion International that say "Live 4 Him" on them. They were really popular and Dario had 2, but he gave them both away. We are out. Is there any way we could get some sent down here? Dario said he'd trade Ali for a Tigres bracelet. Hopefully the post office won't continue striking. Actually, with that in mind, maybe it would be best to give the bracelets to Jon when he's in town.

Pedro found me at the post office and we went up to the Perez together. William Shakespeare with his Joe Cool shades, Alexandro and Gonzalo with his lenseless shades all send their greetings. From there I went to see Ismael, Ramiro, Ariel, Flaco, Juan Carlos, and Willy. We sat and practiced pronouncing the lyrics to David Crowder Band songs. Ramiros wants to get together and sing and play some night. Praise songs. Good praise songs.

You are more... beautiful... than anyone... ever...

and

Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him! He is holy...

Not only is one of the shoe shiners a gringo, but now we read Narnia and sing English praise songs! Quite the shining experience, wouldn't you say!

Tonight's Bible study is on prayer. We will be sure to pray for Ali's physical health (I hope you are feeling better), Ross' mental health (crazy scientist) and David's mullet (any updates?). Pray for us, that we would know Jesus, His kingdom and His Father.