Life Together, world united

The community

"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"  Ps. 133:1

One of our lasting and cherished memories of serving in Santiago Zamora was meeting a family named Zamora.

Señora Zamora was one of several women who daily sustained us, with simple but out-of-this-world, home-cooked noon meals.  She also made and sold beautiful Guatemalan finery.  Señor Zamora, a farmer, helped at our clinic, making sure everything ran smoothly.  We thought we were good at transferring patients from the waiting area to the medical stations, but he first observed and then raised the standard of transfer, in Spanish!  One of their grandsons is a fireman and paramedic; another grandchild attends the school where we served.  We met them all.

During two clinic breaks, the elder Zamoras invited us to their home and their fields on the nearby mountainside.  First, we were impressed by how quickly and how steadily they could walk up the steep slopes--ones that left even the youngest of us puffing.  Second, we saw and heard joy and thanksgiving expressed for the modest things in their life.

Entrance to the Zamora home

As we toured their home constructed of corn stalks (that were more solid in structure and taller than our corn stalks, sort of like bamboo) tied together under galvanized roofs, Señora Zamore gave thanks for having basic water and electricity on the property.

electrical hookup

The Zamoras, their house, and our interpreter

Señor Zamora proudly showed us his peanut and sweet potato crop, digging up three sweet potatoes by hand--no small chore, as they were deeply buried.  He had another field he wanted to show us on the other side of the mountain--a 20 minute walk for him--likely a 40 minute walk for us.  We had to decline, because of time, not for lack of interest.  The mountain views were gorgeous! (see below)

Time with the Zamoras was special.  We could feel it in the moment.  We could see it in their dedicated service--taking time away from their work to help us do ours.  Now, it is clear that we could not have served at all were it not for their care and service to us.  Sacrificially, the local men and women who served us, gave so much more.

It cemented several truths concerning life together:

"It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians.  The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer."

"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ.  No Christian community is more or less than this.  We belong to one another, only through and in Jesus Christ.  What does this mean?  It means, first that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ.  It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ.  It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united forever."

"And that also clarifies the goal of all Christian community:  they meet one another as bringers of the message of salvation.  As such, God permits them to meet together and gives them community."*

Meeting the Zamoras, and all the people of Our Redeemer of the World church and school, was a treasure, a source of incomparable joy and strength.

Those who served us at the church and school

Life Together, united with Christ, in Christian community:  Joy to the World!

Blessings from your 2015 Guatemala mission team.

*Life Together,  The Classic Exploration of Christian Community, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thumbs up, indeed!