St. Mark's Shalom Article (Luke)

This is my most recent reflection sent to my home congregation in Tucson, AZ and published in "Shalom," St. Mark's Presbyterian Church's monthly newsletter. I hope you are all well and enjoying some time to relax this summer.
~Luke

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Reflections from Mexico…by Luke Roske-Metcalfe

Saludos a Mexico, brothers and sisters in Christ! I hope this finds you well and enjoying the beginning of summer. Here in Cuernavaca, the summer season has not officially begun, yet the temperatures say otherwise. People here and throughout the country wonder how the summer tourist season will play out, given the recent headlines from Mexico.

Many people have asked me, “Luke, what do you do in Mexico?” I hope I can answer this question in the next few short paragraphs. I have been thinking about this question since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu because, just like travelers to Mexico for vacation have cancelled their plans, we have seen delegations cancel their plans to join us in Mexico on immersion programs. Either way, the result is the same: millions of dollars lost in tourism.

While I have been thinking about how to answer the question about what I do here in Mexico, I’ve also been thinking about what the difference between what I do here and what tour guides do. On an economic spreadsheet, there is probably not much difference between my work and that of a tour guide. But ask anyone that has vacationed in Mexico and then participated in an immersion program, and they will tell you there is a marked difference. So, what is it?

The ELCA Immersion Program in Mexico seeks to create an environment of education, change, and community in which the Spirit moves. Education falls largely under the umbrella of Mexico’s history, economics, politics, religious traditions, immigration/emigration, food sovereignty, environmental concerns, and relationship with the U.S.A. Change is encouraged and nurtured on an individual and congregational level. A sense of community is created between participants, staff, and the communities visited in Mexico.

Each immersion program that I have worked with since arriving in Mexico has taken on a different Spirit, depending on the participants and their educational interests. While each group has a unique personality, there are consistent pieces. Each trip includes an orientation to the program and our physical surroundings, biblical study throughout the time, space for reflection and discussion, and a closing worship celebration. The pieces that fill in the majority of the trip vary depending on interest and availability, as we do work in cooperation with individuals and communities that have their own responsibilities. As mentioned above, we study a variety of topics (history, economics, immigration, etc.) as well as visit local communities to understand first hand some of the realities in which people live.

Throughout the week, participants are encouraged to do personal reflection on their own lives, while at the same time considering the global community living in God’s good creation.

The decision to meet Mexico through an immersion program is, on some basic level, a choice to take an alternative vacation. The difference between a regular vacation and the immersion program is this: the immersion program is a potentially life-changing experience. I am confident in making this claim, because I have witnessed God’s movement in people’s lives. As you, the people of St. Mark’s, plan your future vacations, I hope you’ll consider the potential that exists in programs like this one.