Giants of the Faith

I was working on a post about my experiences at the beach this weekend, but life has changed the direction of my thoughts, and so my post will have to change as well. However, I will say that the beach was amazing and that I had a really great time. I was able to swim and body surf and generally enjoy the sun. It was amazing, with the exception of three minor incidents:

1. Friday night I flooded the engine of my friend´s van while trying to ford a river that had emerged on 38th Avenue. If you are reading this Beth, know that the absence of gutters or storm drains in this city has cemented my love for civil engineers. In addition to making me rather upset the lack of the van was especially problematic as I was supposed to drive that van to the beach and it was the only car we had.

2. Instead I ended up taking a 7 hour ride to the beach on the floor of a bus. If you are inclined for some reason to recreate this experience I reccomend finding one of those giant tool boxes that go in the back of a truck, placing yourself inside, and getting someone to roll you down a hill. Repeatedly.

3. On Saturday I found myself, quite unknowingly I assure you, on a date with a lovely young Mexican woman named Danielle. Emphasis on young. Like, 17 young. Not my fault, I promise, although it has been interesting to explain to people why I was creeped out and don´t ever want to repeat that experience.

Now onto the business at hand.

What I really wanted to write about here are the incredible people that that God has called to this seemingly insignificant town in the middle of the high desert. This morning we had staff prayer at the community center in Agua Prieta. Seated in the room were-

Mark, an ordained Presbyterian minister, co-coordiator of Frontera De Cristo, father of two, and good ol´Southern boy.

Tommy, former factory manager, coordinator of the Just Trade Center, motorcycle enthusiast, and a rather free-spirited Catholic.

Bob Carney, retired Catholic Priest, activist, and sage advisor.

Megan, my fellow intern, brilliant artist, and recent Harvard graduate.

Liz, Frontera De Cristo´s secretary, focused taskmaster, and caretaker of the rest of us.

Rick Ufford Chase, outgoing moderator of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (yeah, he´s kind of a big deal), father, and current coordinator of the Presbyterian Peace Initiative.

Sitting in that room, singing, studying scripture, praying for one another and for a broken and beautiful world, I was struck by these people, these giants of the faith, who have heard a voice in the wilderness and responded with their lives.

I know many people I would call prophets, saints, angels, teachers, on and on. It´s a blessing of God in my life to be a part of this place with these people, and to carry with me all that I have received from those giants of the faith I have met along the way.