culture, violence, creativity

This past week, I have said goodbye to a friend, translated a personal hygiene/gynecology workshop, eaten in a classy German-Bolivian home, worshiped at a wonderful church, visited an art exhibit, done some homework at my favorite coffee shop, and (of course) gone on many photo walks. There is a rhythm to things, but there is also constant change--new people, new circumstances, new expectations.

out on a photo walk [early July]

 





 

I've caught myself feeling pressure from who-knows-where quite frequently over the past few weeks. In part I think it is because of my large and looming independent study project (ISP) which, while I am very excited about it, seems a little daunting at this point. I'm doing an ethnographic study of the intersection of culture, violence, and creativity, which will involve teaching and talking to the girls at Albergue about their art, going to art exhibits/arts-related events, and interviewing artists, cultural directors, and art teachers. I am slowly figuring out how to break into the "art world" and am beginning to process how it is that my students perceive beauty and exercise creative agency, but I am still left a little overwhelmed and confused about the whole thing right now.

At the same time, as I put all this pressure on myself I am reminded that I by no means am doing this by my own power. Walking with God means acknowledging His power that works through me. It means allowing His peace to be bigger than my problems. It means I am dependent. Yet again, I am re-learning this very simple yet so very challenging lesson.

The covenant that the other interns and I wrote reminds me of this beautiful dependency each day:

Lord, like Peter, we are a people who,

Seeing You before us, step out into the waves.

Acknowledging our fearfulness, we trust that You meet us.

With Your strong and steady hand,

You hold us in the storm.

And when we sink from the weight of fear and doubt

We reach for You, knowing that You save us.

Upheld by your strength, we commit to

Listen to the unheard voices and know them by name,

Love our neighbor out of the love that You have shown us,

Anchor ourselves in hope in the midst of injustice,

Pray for the people with whom we walk,

And give thanks in all circumstances.

Lord, weave us into your story.

Help us;

hold us.

La Marcha

Last Friday, Mosoj Yan participated in "La Marcha contra El Abuso Sexual" (March against Sexual Abuse), along with dozens of other organizations in Cochabamba. It was such a gift to see all these organizations coming together to raise awareness, and to march alongside the girls in their protest.

persistencia

Coroico with Dr. Folch

Last week was both a highlight and in some ways a turning point of my time here in Bolivia, thanks to a visit from one of my favorite Wheaton profs. It was a refreshing, conversation- and adventure-filled time, and has given me a new outlook on many things. In particular in our conversations, I was able to re-think my photography project, what works, what doesn't, and what can be improved--I was finding that classroom lecture/discussion wasn't working, but that "photo walks" were. Almost every day, I go out walking with 2 or 3 of the girls at Albergue to let them take photos of whatever they like, and each walk is filled with moments of pride and excitement as the girls take photos of dogs, flowers, graffiti, trash, etc. and then get to show them off. I hadn't really thought much of these walks because they weren't fitting into the structure of my class curriculum, but now I am seeing more how I can use these walks as my main teaching tool--and how they have already been doing so much good.

For one thing, these walks mean I am not forcing creativity in the classroom, and for another, it means I can teach good composition experientially through the photos that they themselves are taking. After each walk, I sit down with the girls and go through their photos with them on my laptop, and we discuss which photos they like or find interesting or strange, and then I pick out my favorites as well and say what I like about them. I've already sensed a lot more learning going on in the past week than in the whole first month. Praise the Lord for answered prayers! Also, considering that one of my learning objectives at the start was for them to be empowered through this project, I would say the freedom that they have in these photo walks, which they don't have much of anywhere else, is indeed a significant thing. I am so grateful that I am now seeing this more for what it is.

Some other things that have been on my mind lately:

This quote

“Those who love their dream of Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their personal intentions may be ever so honest, earnest, and sacrificial.”

-Bonheoffer, Life Together

This painting (Persistencia, Fernando Montes)

This hymn

“O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
...
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.”

-George Matheson