Strange and stranger

Two notable things happened while on holiday in Armenia last week. One was going paragliding. What was strange was how easy it all was, a short run to start with, a short run at the end, and the rest was just sitting in a seat. The scary bit was riding in the constantly breaking down jeep that took us up to the top of a militarized mountain, and then there was the speedy motor bike journey afterwards to find where Olwen and Matt had landed.

The other thing was Matt losing his wallet on the bus. We had no idea which bus of the many on the road we had been on, nor how to track it down quickly. The amazing thing was that he got it back complete with money and bank cards. This was thanks to a couple of kindly bus drivers slightly rejigging their routes for us.

Of course, if you were the Health & Safety type such a holiday would be a nightmare. But for Latinos that kind of thinking is a bit strange. Either way the divine presence must be a reality.

Aghhhh... the above was written a week ago and just before sending it I had a mild stroke. This meant hospital for four days. Life seems like a Christian version of the Odyssey and I feel like a Ulysses washed out to sea. Thankfully Jesus is stronger and kinder than Neptune, so am home now and perfectly well.

Photo: Setting out at 10,000 ft. - don't look down, don't look down,
don't look down, don't ...

Colombia's earthquake centre

Travel across the Andes is curvy, bumpy and unpredictable, and it took us 7 hours to reach Colombia's most at risk earthquake zone. During the mid-semester break we're staying for a week near the city of Armenia. Almost 10 years ago over a thousand were killed, 200,000 made homeless and the city destroyed. The overlapping geological plates in this area cause significant quakes to occur every 20 years.

But there are other strange statistics. After the last one almost 4000 people disappeared, not dead, but looters carrying off their new TV set or loo. And when international aid arrived there was an immigration into the area from as far away as Bogotá by those seizing the opportunity for a better home paid for by relief agencies. Today the city is full of betting shops and casinos.

Such is the perversity of human nature, so perverse that it murdered the world's saviour. Thankfully there are those telling their fellow Armenians about long-suffering divine goodness.

Photo: Main square, Armenia, last Sunday - International Peace Day.

Glorious food

Last Friday was the Seminary's biggest social event of the year, "Colonies Night". The 7 different regions represented in the Seminary each had a display stand with typical foods from their area and during the evening everyone presented an artistic event. These were dances, dramas, poetry or songs.

For the first time ever there was a Scottish stand, covered in tartan, and heart-attack favouring trifle and buns. We served British tea which in typical Scottish tradition was Té Hindu, and made in Colombia. And if that didn't test cardiovascular systems sufficiently, Fiona taught them Strip the Willow. The trifle and buns won second prize for food.

It was a fun night and probably helps for good relationships amongst the 150 staff and students more than anything else. It's not surprising that much of Jesus' ministry was carried out when eating food.


Photo: Young and old at the Colonies Night

Kicking the ball and others

On Friday there was nearly a fight. And then there was a fight. It was during the Seminary's soccer competition and to do with a girl. Thankfully those who swopped over to boxing/wrestling didn't actually belong to the Seminary.

And the same weekend we were inundated with widows. Sixty of them are coming over the next three weekends for a conference. Most of them are quite young; bereaved because of Colombia's violence.

During the week also a group calling themselves the Charlotte Eagles arrived for a 10 day stay. They're a team of North American pro soccer players. Matt knowlingly tells me that those coming from the USA are rubbish at the game. But more importantly they're Christians and testify to the crowd at half-time.

I dodge in and out of all this excitement quietly, but note the hurried step and worried faces of the Seminary's maintence staff.

Photo: The Eagles opening match: they had trouble getting off the ground but won in the end

All round ministry

On Sunday morning I attended the inauguration of a new church building. In the UK small is beautiful, in South America large is essential. It was a Four Square Gospel church that looks like it sounds: a large warehouse that is open to the street and presents a straightforward gospel message. If you didn't arrive early enough to get one of the 360 seats, then there's standing room on the pavement. And if you didn't fancy coming to church then you can hear it all indoors because of the church's enormous speakers.

The pastor, one of our students, is like his church: Good with people, no fancy theology, and of ample girth. I reckon both pastor and congregation will do well.

On the way home I called in at the Episcopal Church that Matthew was attending. They meet in a beautiful building and repeat the majestic theology of the Nicean Creed, the Confession and Collects. About 20 adults and their children attend, and one suspects the church is heavily subsidised.Establishing sublime theology with popular churches seems an impossible task. But that's, I guess, what I'm trying to do everyday.



Photo: First years give a presentation on New Testament clothing.
Lord, might they have great churches with great theology

4 minute egg

This morning I got my boiled egg just right. It takes exactly 1 minute longer than in Scotland - water boils at a lower temperature when at altitude.

Doing things differently and crossing boundaries isn't easy. Last week's email photo caused the love-of-my-life to tell me clearly that such a picture was completely unacceptable. I apologize to those of you who also felt it went too far. Although, a Colombian colleague emailed me and asked when I took that photo of her.

This week´s picture, taken not far from the Seminary, is typical of the Andes. A cross adorned with ladders, disks and odd parafanalia. Just an inoffensive cultural curiosity? Or is it christianized paganism with roots in the Conquistadors' brutal conversion policy of the indians.

Olwen arrives back on Tuesday, so life will become more balanced and I'll stop experimenting with eggs. But I'll still be wondering what is offensive to the Almighty.

Photo: Offensive or inoffensive to God?