Did I have an interesting day.

Boatswain’s Log October 7th.

Well, I went to bed really early last night and thus got about 10 hours of sleep. No idea why I was so very tired. In any case that sleep did me good. Glad I had it.

I ate breakfast and did homework until about 10:30 when I headed over to LASP.

Side note. Do you ever have dreams about people and then wake up and realize they’re not actually there? That happened to me last night. It got to me all day. It’s really hard as well when it’s a girl in the dream and you feel really really happy and then wake up and realize she is at least about 3000 miles away and dating some other guy. Or at least I imagine it would be difficult if that were to happen…

When I stepped through the door at LASP I noticed oodles of students diligently typing away whilst working on their papers. Silly procrastinators. I went up and talked to Javier about where I am going to be in my concentration. I think I mentioned it before, but now I know for sure. I am going to be in La Virgen de Sarapiqui. This is a place in the middle of the mountains with lots of ecological tourism that surrounds it (i.e. canopy tours, river rafting, and jungle in general. In your face Robb Watson.). I get to live with a family that has a dairy farm and a butcher shop. In other words I get to milk cows live cows, and cut up dead ones. Not a terrible situation as I hope it means large quantities of milk and meat. The only thing that I am somewhat frustrated about is that I would really like to get some practice on medical vocabulary in for my oral medical interpreter test when I get home. I guess I will have to ask my future host families for help.

After talking with Javi (as we call him. He’s a really cool guy) I went with Andrew Ryan to his host family’s house and ate lunch there as my host mom didn’t pack me one. His host mom is really great and easy to talk to. Mine is as well, but again, lately she has been very pushy and not quite so fun. While I was there I asked Andrew questions about his thoughts on war and I think I asked some good questions. It was an exercise for me in not being a jackass while helping someone think more. I think it was successful. We also talked about him and his girlfriend, they seem very happy and cute in their photos and in general. That Julie Ide has herself a quality human being.

Then we returned to LASP to hear one of the coolest people I have ever met talk. His name is John Stam. He is a theologian who taught in university, helped Nicaraguan refugees (even the ones who came from the revolutionary army he did bible studies for them), and in general has had an amazing life. He got invited once to a conference of protestant church leaders in Cuba and met with Fidel Castro. He described Fidel as really smart and Fidel asked questions about Revelations which John answered as the resident expert. So he taught Fidel about Revelations. He also was one of the only people I have heard be positive about Cuba in general and about Hugo Chavez. For some of you that might make him crazy or something, but he had good points. He said that the Cuban government tolerates a whole of Christian activities, even to the point of helping people have revivals in a more efficient manner. He also told us that no one in Cuba is dying of hunger. He said that when Jimmy Carter came to Cuba and asked the protestant ministers there what their problems were they had only one complaint, “Our problem is the problem of the poor. We want to help them, so do what you can to get that embargo lifted.”

When he mentioned Chavez he described him as a good man with a big mouth. He said that in Caracas, Venezuela the city is surrounded by slums and these are the people that keep Chavez in office because his policies are directed at helping them.

He described God’s plan as being on for equality and mentioned the fact that any system that favors inequality is not God’s will. He also gave us several points to think about as we tried to understand the world. His main point was 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test everything; hold fast to what is good.”

1) Be sure you have accurate information. There is lots of propaganda. You cannot believe everything you hear/read he said, especially with regards to war.

2) Vary your sources of information. John reads the NY Times and says that it is reliable about 70% of the time, but their Latin American correspondent is either saying inaccurate or false statements. He says to be suspicious.

3)Get adequate information. Information with context. He said that a linguistic expert said once that we should quote people by saying: “according to so and so in____context at____date” and John added “and put ‘and maybe not’” at the end.

4) Seek in depth information. Study history of problems. Analyze your own presuppositions and viewpoints and focus.

5) Ask God what I ought to do with what I have understood. The end of understanding is action.

He then told us a lot about Nicaragua that made me excited to go. The people sound lovely. Their country sounds gorgeous. Their situation sounds challenging. Good enough for me.

After he left our group talked about Nicaragua and had our orientation on the journey. Bulleted review:

1) 11 hour bus ride from San Jose to Managua. That will hurt.

2) Bring every medicine you can think of and not too many clothes. Shampoo+bodywash in one.

3) Bring a gift.

4) I will be incommunicado for 2 weeks as of Monday. There is no way to use internet and whatnot whilst I am there. I won’t die, but pray that I don’t get any mosquito borne illness that could suck. I won’t get malaria thanks to my cholorquin, but I have the possibility of dengue…which would be bad. Anyhow, prayer would be good.