Dear friends,
The teacher was explaining to her kindergarten Sunday school class that the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and she became pregnant with Jesus. Luisito raised his hand and asked in a very serious voice, “Do you mean that the Holy Spirit raped her?” The teacher, outraged, marched Luisito out of the room directly to his parents and told them that their son was never to return to her class.
What is your shock quotient? When a child—or adult—asks unconventional questions, is your first reaction to listen or to condemn? To explain or to punish?
I just returned from Guatemala, where I taught a class for the professors and staff at CEDEPCA, an affiliated organization of the Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana (UBL). This story was told by one of the participants, giving us an opportunity to talk about how we respond to students’ questions. We agreed that the only stupid question is the one that is not asked, and that if we want our students to learn, we must be “shock-proof” to questions that challenge our teaching or seem disrespectful, because only as people are allowed to explore new ideas can they develop clarity in their thinking and beliefs.
The group was a fascinating mix of all the diverse ministries of CEDEPCA (Centro de Estudios Pastorales Centroamericanos) (Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America): university professors, facilitators in the women’s pastoral program, administrative staff, coordinators of US study groups, and crisis intervention (natural disasters) ministers. They were full of passion and creativity. (Re-energized by tamales for the coffee break.)
They work in one of the most difficult countries of Latin America. Guatemala has the largest number of murders a day of any country in the world not at war. The gap between rich and poor is the highest in Latin America. Illiteracy is common, racism is rampant, violence is all pervasive. One of the women who came to the workshop had been kidnapped two days before with her daughter in broad daylight. The thieves stole the car but thoughtfully left them taxi money to get home!
As in my last visit, I was delighted by how friendly and courteous everyone is, even strangers on the street, waiters in restaurants, store clerks. Only as you get to hear their stories do you see the toll that years of civil war, corruption, and violence has taken on them. But the people at CEDEPCA are filled with hope for a different future and are investing all their energies in making that happen. It was a privilege to work with them.
Together with you in ministry,
Ruth Mooney
International Ministries of the American Baptist
Churches
Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana
San José, Costa Rica