Guatemala

I am posting this from Antigua, Guatemala. I am here with 19 UU youth  and 6 adults participating as support team members for Safe Passage. The days have been busy and full. If I could post pictures now I would.
The pictures would included our youth learning how to waltz in preparation for the Quinceneras, then learning a contemporay dance from the 15 -year old girls for whom we are here hosting this celebration.
There would be picture of smiling children hugging our youth who are working with them in English classes, playing games and reading stories. There would be pictures of our youth smiling too, while they taught second graders origami, lanyard making, mask making and beading.
There would be pictures depicting great poverty against a backdrop of beautiful, green mountains. Mayan women walking with great loads on their backs. Women older and stronger then me. Children carried close in colorful cloth slings. Spanish style buildings and squatter communities with homes built of whatever matierial they can gather from the nearby garbage dump.
Our youth have been spectacular here. We are a large group and have worked long and hard to be an intentional community together. We  worship together each night and different groups of youth lead.
As I work and play and learn and get very very tired, I keep hearing the words of an Aboriginal Activist float through my mind, "If you are here to help, you are wasting your time. But if you are here because your libreration is bound up with mine, let us work together." I think that's what we are doing as we see ourselves as global citizens.

General Assembly in North Carolina, next, Phoenix!

Charlotte, NC

"We are not a religious tradition with a creed, but a religious movement that has always wedded social justice work to theology."—James Luther Adams

 

Over 4000 UU's came to GA in North Carolina this past June.  It seemed to me to represent the best of what Unitarian Universalism offers this world: radical self- awareness and questioning, spiritual practice, beloved community, all in the spirit of creating a world with more equity, justice and more joy. The local paper, wrote an interesting piece that made the front page. It was a tremendous experience and I am looking forward to sharing some of what I learned.
Next year, June 20 -24, 2012, GA is in Phoenix, AZ and it's a special "Justice" GA. You''ll hear lots about it in the year to come.