{"id":55987,"date":"2024-06-27T07:22:16","date_gmt":"2024-06-27T12:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/?p=55987"},"modified":"2024-06-27T07:22:18","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T12:22:18","slug":"longing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/longing\/","title":{"rendered":"Longing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Evan Huegel, Mercedes Cadena and Elena Huegel\u00a0<\/a>who serves with the Intercultural Research and Studies Institute (INESIN) in Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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            Last year, the topic of dignity kept coming up as I interviewed the facilitators of the Reto\u00f1os en las ruinas: esperanza en el trauma (Roots in the ruins: hope in trauma) program at the Institute for Intercultural Studies and Research here in Chiapas as well as in other parts of Mexico, Chile, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. Rodrigo, from Chile, suggested that a year-long dignity journal might be helpful as we continue to walk own healing paths as well as in our accompanying of others.  When my nephew, Evan, a recent graduate of a theological program; Mercedes, a teacher and creative learning specialist; Suhey, a Spanish literature student and budding editor (all participants in the Roots in the ruins program); and I began to design an interactive journal with key words as clues to the broader understanding of dignity, unexpected themes from the Hebrew Bible as well and from our personal stories emerged. We recognized that dignity is often nourished and strengthened in the preparation of food and sharing of a meal around the table.  For the past few months, we have been gathering recipes and personal testimonies that highlight the dignity from Reto\u00f1os participants as well as other folks throughout Latin America and other regions of the world.  Reflections from the Hebrew Bible, recipes and testimonies along with art, meditation and integration exercises, invite us into a deeper understanding of dignity.  The editorial team is working hard to have this book ready by the end of the year under the title: El saz\u00f3n de la dignidad, una bit\u00e1cora para alimentar nuestras relaciones durante un a\u00f1o (The Flavor of Dignity: a journal to feed our relationships during the year.)  We look forward to the journal becoming a part of the work the Institute of Intercultural Studies and Research in \u201cIchel ta muk,\u201d the way the Tseltal Mayans express dignity: I see greatness (in me, in you, in all that God has created.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            As a foretaste of this work, I would like to share with you one of the reflections written by Evan with help from Mercedes, both a part of the Reto\u00f1os team.  This entry will be about discovering dignity in the midst of longing and grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key dignity word: <\/strong>Longing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hebrew Bible theme: <\/strong>To cry out (zaw-ak’) \u05d6\u05b8\u05e2\u05b7\u05e7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflection texts:<\/strong> Exodus 2:23-25, Judges 6:1-6, Habakkuk 1:2-4, Psalm 22<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflection from the Hebrew Bible:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have ever read through the Psalms, you may have been struck by how lament is present throughout the texts. In fact, the Old Testament is replete with lament, from the prophets, to Job, to a book called Lamentations in our English\/Spanish bibles. What are we to do with this? These laments somehow become an important message that God wants to share with us. What do these laments have to say to us? Laments are one of the ways in which God\u2019s people are to relate to the divine. By expressing the pain we feel at seeing the injustices, evils, and destruction in the world, we, in a very real way, express the very heart of God. Our hearts break in reflection of God\u2019s broken heart over these devastating situations. As we join in this age-old practice of lament, we are challenged to hope. To lament is to hope. While there are a myriad of words that can be used to describe this kind of lamenting action, one that can be helpful to pay attention to is \u05d6\u05b8\u05e2\u05b7\u05e7 (zaw-ak’), or to \u201cto cry out.\u201d A child will cry when they have a need with the expectation that their caretaker will hear and meet that need. If the child is ignored time and time again, they will cease to cry because there is no hope of having those needs met. One of the most dangerous things that can happen in the face of oppression occurs when the oppressed cease to cry out: the demand for justice, dignity or shalom is silenced by repression or indifference.  We lament, therefore, as a way of hopeful resistance, resisting the evils of injustice and violence caused by others and by ourselves. We express our pain and longing to declare our needs, the needs of others, and the needs of this earth before our Caretaker with the expectation that the Brokenhearted One will bring restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflection through a recipe:<\/strong> Mandarin Orange Bread from Mercedes Cadena<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients:<\/p>\n\n\n\n