Ascension Lutheran Church, Xela, Guatemala

The guesthouse where I planned to live during my stay in Xela was a disappointment. I asked the school to find me a place with a family instead. It was not necessarily a better option, as the home of the family was not much better, but I loved the family, so I stayed. The guesthouse, Casa Concordia, was owned and operated by a Lutheran Church, and the family of Pastor Ignacio Chan Cux lived there. As I was scurrying out the door with my luggage, Pastor Ignacio invited me to come to church the following Sunday morning.

I caught a cab on Sunday, having asked my maestra to call the church to get directions. I gave the address to the taxista, and asked him, "Tu conoces?" (are you familiar with it?) They always answer, "Si." I am not sure whether it's just good business or courtesy, or just a macho thing, but they never tell you they don't have a clue. Rather they drive as far as they have figured out, and then stop a passerby (usually male) and ask for directions. Unfortunately, no one in Guatemala ever admits that they don't know where something is, so the directions he receives may or may not get you where you are going on the first try. That's one of the reasons why it's always a good thing to set the price of the taxi ride before you start. It only took us two stops for directions for the taxista to find Iglesia Asencion, a small parish partially painted yellow, in the same neighborhood as Casa Concordia.

I arrived pretty early, and was greeted by Pastor Ignacio, his wife and each of his little girls with the standard Guatemalan kiss and embrace and "Bienvenidos a la casa de Dios (welcome to God's house)." While I was standing talking to Pastor Ignacio's family, other members arrived and each adult and child also greeted me in the same way. I was so touched. No one in Guatemala had ever before greeted me with the kiss and embrace used for friends. As parishoners continued to arrive, everyone was welcomed with embraces and kisses. My conversation with Pastor Ignacio was difficult as I didn't understand most of his questions, but I had no trouble calling myself a pastora luterana. I was able to explain that I was a recent seminary graduate, and that I was not yet ordained. He asked me to assist with communion, explaining that just saying "cuerpo de Christo (body of Christ)" while I gave out the bread would be sufficient. When church started I was introduced, and my status among them clarified. If any of them ever wondered what the giant gringa was doing in their midst, they never let on. It was wonderful to be part of their worship. The liturgy was easy to follow, and most of the hymns were ones I already knew in English. I did not understand one word of the sermon, although I kept straining to hear something that I recognized. At the end of the service, Pastor Ignacio thanked me during the announcements, and then asked me if I would say a few words. My Spanish was so bad -- I had managed to forget most of what I had learned six months before and was still going through the basics at school. I did stammer out a couple of sentences to say that it was a real pleasure to meet then and worship with them. I can only imagine how horribly grammatically incorrect it might have been, but I have no idea. Everyone smiled and seemed delighted to have me there. As the service finished up, no one left. People began to visit and the children began to play, moving into the front court after awhile. Pastor Igacio asked how long I would be in Xela, and invited me to come back. I was planning to leave the following Saturday for vacation, but promised to return in two weeks when I got back to Xela from the coast. He invited me to preach, but I firmly declined, expressing my certainty that I could not deliver a message in Spanish. He suggested that I would have two weeks to practice, but I knew that even two weeks was not enough. I firmly declined again. NO WAY!

I did come back two weeks later, basking in the warm greetings, and assisting once again at communion. I was able to offer a blessing after I communed Pastor Ignacio - rather than the stunning silence of the previous occasion -- and to really say "the body of Christ, given for you," as I placed the bread in the mouths of the communicants.

My welcome at Ascension Parish was so warm, and their sense of community was so palpable. I have never been in a church like theirs. It will always be a fond memory of my time in Xela. The Lutheran Church in Guatemala is very small, and this church is "independiente," says Pastor Ignacio. As far as I can tell, that means that his parish is no longer associated with the Guatemalan Lutheran Church, associated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I never understood his explanation of his independent status and what his associations actually were. He wanted me to help him connect with the ELCA or with ELCA congregations who would become partners with his parish. I was very clear that I had no authority to offer any help or connection, and was somewhat concerned that I could not even imagine the path to such relationships since his "independent"situation has the possibility of being troublesome. I was scheduled to leave Xela at the end of the week, and at the end of our meeting, Pastor Ignacio offered to pray. He prayed for my vocation, and for a congregation to love me. And then he wished me the peace of the Lord. Y contigo, tambien, Pastor Ignacio, and also with you.

There are pictures of Iglesia Luterana, Parrochia Asencion in my photobucket album:

http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k80/barbarapunch/

There are also pictures of my return from vacation, Xela, and my return to the US in the album Summer 2006