For me, scripture is simply coming to life.
It was striking. On our commute to Pamplona from The Good Shepherd retreat center; the Saturday traffic and other worldly driving, was like a ride at a fair. The many jolts and bumps were accompanied by shrill horn blast from drivers swerving around one another other, but there were know actual collisons, only a multitude of potholes.
By mid-morning we arrived to a rocky dessert landscape littered with unfinished buildings and scattered sheets of corrogated aluminum. The haze covered the high peaks surrounding Lima and the “radiation”, as they say, was already aggressive. As our bus filled with laborers heading to the vineyard careened through the bustling streets; it became clear that the morning group challenge to “notice what you are noticing” was clearly divine.
What did we notice? It was different for each one to be sure, but I think it would be safe to say that The Living Scriptures played out before each of us as we gazed out the windows of that bus. It was like a time machine in a way; taking us back as we passed a man laying on his towel along the road; sick, poor, with no one to carry him to the healing waters (John 5:7). Later on the mountain side at the work site, the call was still active, the scriptures were coming to life as we were surrounded by beautiful, happy, children. Almost as if the child Jesus himself called for our attention as we intermixed work and time to play. Jesus’ call beat strongly in our hearts “Be Childlike” (Matt 18:3).
Finally; at the end of a long and hard day, there were dozens of worn, dirty sneakers resting outside the doorway of Good Shepherd. Missionaries remove them before trudging their way to a much needed shower so as to keep our host home clean. For me, it was a moving visual of all of these disciples who had been covered in the dust of their Rabbi during the days work. All of the many feet that carried laughing missionaries. Missionaries who played with giggling and smiling children, but also carried many loads of heavy rocks or shoveled bucket after bucket of concrete, these were all represented by a vast sea of dusty shoes outside of the retreat center. I wish I had taken a picture, but this is a moment that will live on etched in my heart if not on film.
Our vineyard, so to speak, was full on our first day, and we were blessed that the laborers were many (Matthew 9:37). I believe that many people have been asking that the Lord of the harvest would send out his laborers. On our first day We were accompanied on the desert mountain of Pamplona by three groups from colleges as far away as Kansas and Texas. These groups have been serving for an entire week before we got here, but they go home tomorrow. The prayers from their parish family thousands of miles away and in another hemisphere sustained them. I am also confident that the prayers from OUR parish family thousands of miles away and in another hemisphere are sustaining us!
We have very generous hosts taking good care of us and the kind smiles and expressions of gratitude from our Peruvian brothers and sisters overflow our hearts with joy. The Joy, and peace of Holy Spirit that surpasses all understanding is here in abundance in this rocky, dusty, impoverished mountainside in Peru. What’s The one thing that I noticed? The Father is at work here (John 5:19). He has been working here all along and I am so blessed to join him as his Son.
Que Viva Cristo Rey!
-James Derzypolski
St Dominic Peru Mission 