Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Give us Today our Daily Bread (Day 489)

First thing I want to mention is that the kitten did die.  It managed a week with me.  We buried it at the school.

Second thing I want to mention is that per a suggestion by the headmistress of the school where my mother teaches, I have opened a YouTube account.  Via this link, you should be able to view videos of some of the work I do here.  However, due to the speed of my internet connection, you may wish to wait a couple days for the first video.  (It has been uploading since about 2 pm today.  5 and a half hours later, we're at 75% uploaded.)

Third thing is that I had an opportunity to talk to the woman from whom I buy bread nearly every day.  I had just left the pharmacy which is right next to her house/store after buying some "pomada."  (I was after some cortizone, but this was the best they could offer me.)  I showed her my hand and what I had bought, and she used the expression "primero Dios" which I would mostly call a "catch phrase" around here used by just about everyone.  For the English equivalent (not translation), it would be "God willing."  However, the woman said something that really struck a chord in me.  She said that even though this wasn't what I had been looking for, if I asked God to let this medicine work, He could use it to cure my problem.  (My problem is what we hope is an allergic reaction on my hands, primarily on my left hand but also affects my right hand.)  So, we got to talking about religion.
My bread lady is Catholic, and I identified myself as Christian.  Due to my mixed denominational background, "Christian" is about the only thing I'll call myself these days.  I even explained the mix to her, and she said that her family is the same way.  She wondered if she should be upset that her daughter-in-law goes to her Evangelical church while the bread lady goes to her Catholic Church.  I expressed my opinion that, in the end, it's all about the same, that the denominations are mostly a method of expressing one's faith.  And, for me, the only ones who might have a problem in the end are those who have been nominal Christians/Catholics/etc.  In both the United States and Guatemala, there are lots of people who claim to be Christian (for me, this title encompasses all denominations and will use only it for the rest of this entry), but there are many who don't know the least bit about the religion that they claim to be a part of.  What's the holy book? The Bible.  Who is in it?  Jesus, Mary, Adam, Eve, Peter...maybe some other people.  REALLY?  And I don't mean to rag on the Catholics here or in any country, but the woman who I talked to tonight knew so much more.  She actually READS her Bible, studies it.  Bravo.  And bravo for talking to someone about your faith too. :)

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