Christmas is in just three days and I cannot help but feel homesick. My whole life Christmas for me was the unity of my family.....a holiday of being together. Yes, presents were clearly a huge part of the day...physically...but it was and is the time spent together that was truly the highlight. I recently wrote a letter to my family, and I talked about the idea of accompaniment. This idea of accompanying others. When I thikn about the story of Christmas, this word and idea also comes to mind. Joseph accompanying Mary....people coming from all over to see this new baby and accompany these people...and then of course Jesus...he spent his life accompanying others and walking with others....especially the poor. I think this experience here in Ecuador has brought me to a realization that I do believe and truly am living out my faith...through accompaniment. My family and friends are living this out through accompanying me. Its this comfort in knowing that you are walking with others...and others are walking with you. We are truly never alone.
Reflection on accompaniment
Daniella--12 years old--28 de Agosto
About 5 days ag, I sat outside of Jessica, Raul and Danielles house as Daniella handwashed her families clohes. I didn´t actually do antying--I sat on a dirt mound and talked. We also didn´t talk about anything all that serious either. She told me about her best friends...about her lder sisters in whom I knew othing about...but all of this ¨nothingness¨ drew us closer together. The time passed quickly and I could tell she appreciated y company the same way that I appreciated hers. This tgetherness is the spirit of Christas that I feel with my own family....which is a gentle reinder that even in their absence, I am okay. I am loving others and being loved by my faily here. It is such a beautiful thing.
Aside from all that, just watching and being with Daniella brought us closer. I learned so much from her in this small moment. When I was 12, my mom did my laundry for me...nevermind handwashing my own clothes...or the clthes of my brothers! It was anther glimpse int the realities and responsibilities of the kids here...and it made me grateful for the life I was given and the things that my parents did for me so that I could have more time to spend being a kid...but it also gave me a lot more respect for the kids whom i love unconditionally here. If only they knew hw much they are teaching me as we accompany one another. I am forever thankful to Danielle for these small learning moments.
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