Pictures posted

Incarnate Word Missionary Orientation in San Antonio: http://picasaweb.google.com/Emma.Buckhout/EmmaIWMOrientation?authkey=Gv1sRgCKfGgZCvqsipqQE#


First few weeks in Mexico: http://picasaweb.google.com/Emma.Buckhout/EmmaMexicoAugSept?authkey=Gv1sRgCPHPurawnoSvvQE#
Includes some pictures of the parish, the Zócalo and downtown all decked out for the upcoming Independence Day, and our trip to Teotihuacan.

"¿Y tú? Por qué viniste a México?"

I wrote this blurb as an intro to the soon-to-be general IWM blog. Since I haven´t written anything in the last few weeks (surprise surprise) I thought I should post it on my own blog as well. Apologies that it lacks detail... I´ll get on that!

 

My friend asked me this question as he dropped me off after a trip to the super market the other day. Several times over the last two and a half weeks, I have looked up at my surroundings as I walked around cars on the street to the parish, or around people and dogs on the crowded sidewalk of Santa Fe, and likewise asked, "How did my life end up here?" I am currently one of two Incarnate Word Missionaries serving in the neighborhood of Santa Fe, Mexico City for two years. 

That question does not exactly have a one-word answer, unless I say God, but as an introduction to the lives and sites of Incarnate Word Missionaries, I thought I would try to flesh it out a little. To answer myself, I usually just shake my head and chuckle While I recognize a series of events and thought processes have led to this place at this time, greater reasons still remain somewhat of a mystery. As I told my friend, "We´ll see." 

After graduating from college, I knew I wanted to do some sort of volunteer experience that would allow me to work with people, learn more about social justice, and learn more about my own future possibilities. Any number of things could fit that description, except I also knew I wanted to incorporate faith and a type of incarnational living based in community. I found IWM in the book Alternatives to the Peace Corps, and the mission statement immediately caught my attention. (Read it if you have not!) Still, the title of "missionary" is a little daunting and does not exactly have a universal definition. The Incarnate Word model is based on  trying to immitate Jesus the human being in all facets of life just by living with people and learning from them. Clearly we fall short of Jesus, but I am convinced there is value in trying. I have realized that being a missionary, even for a short time, is about dedicating yourself to being open to where God will lead you. 

So far for Tara and I, daily life has been about adjustment and figuring out what is normal, from food to language to activities. By our second week in Mexico, Tara and I started working at a guardería, or daycare, for low-income families that was started by an Incarnate Word Sister and a committee of community members. On a typical day we work from about 9am to 2:30, then head home and recover from directing 5 year olds in Spanish for many hours, perhaps catch a zumba class, stop by the parish, have dinner either at the parish or in our community, and then pray together before bed as a staple of our community living. Over time, we both hope to get involved in more community development activities, but for now we have to patiently get to know people and their customs and their needs.

I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that during my time in Santa Fe, while I will hopefully do some good work, I will gain infinitely more than I can give. It is humbling. From little things like being told a word I don´t know, to being handed a endless plates of delicious tacos at the parish, to being driven to and from Teotihuacán, I have already learned that more than anything in these two years, I will receive. But really, all of life is about receiving more that we deserve or can give. The hope is that in return for all the physical, emotional, and spiritual provision I am being given, I will provide a little labor, and some fresh energy and insight. And hopefully that will give me a little more experience to take with me to the next point in life. Why am I here? To try to give a little and learn a lot, about this community, people here, myself, and God. We´ll see.

Intro

Hello everyone!

I hope to use this blog to share my experience as an Incarnate Word Missionary in Santa Fe, Mexico City over the next two years, August 2010 to July 2012.

The other incoming missionaries and I began with a three week orientation in San Antonio, which just concluded with the Commissioning Mass on Friday. After one last weekend in Texas, I will be leaving for Mexico City bright and early Monday morning August 23.

More background information and future news to come!