Language in Communion

I’ve been gradually developing ways to share language in a communion format. With a few years teaching classroom ESL in the US, experience with language sharing in Ecuador, and pronunciation qualifications, I’m hoping to mature this as a core Gospel-based, inter-cultural activity that values the dignity of each person, culture, and language.

There are opportunities to participate if you are interested:

1. participate and/or assist in a language sharing group: becoming a language learner and sharing one’s own language

2. financially contribute to join with the community effort to come together, and support the members most in need while receiving more

If this interests you:

• Review the Overview in English or Spanish

• Check out an introductory presentation to Language in Communion: Language in Communion Intro.pptx

Feel free to contact me: jerome@barriers2bridges.org

Into the Waters

An International Immersion Visit & Retreat

Come check out the details below. If you are interested in an 9-day, guided visit to Ecuador in a small group of 4 or less, to join with me in dipping into the culture with local people, feel free to contact me: jerome@barriers2bridges.org.

Schedule

• Arrival / Urban life and roots: 3 days in the capital Quito and in Otavalo

○ Up at 9400 feet, we’ll start in the capital Quito and immerse in the urban and national culture, including a visit to the equator and the historical center. Next, we’ll visit Otavalo, a global indigenous center.

• Rural life and roots: 2 days in Chontal, a remote rural village in the medio-Andes.

○ At about 2100 ft, in a subtropical cloud forest climate, we’ll experience the rhythm of a simpler, poor rural life, integrated into the life of the local people, including the agricultural roots of Ecuador.

• Retreat & relaxation: 3 days in Mindo, an ecotourist center for relaxation, retreat, and reflection.

○ A global bird-watching attraction, we’ll relax in lodgings very close to nature. Waterfalls, chocolate-making tours, butterfly farms, artisan shops and a retreat center will provide context for a time of both guided and free reflection and discussion.

• Return: 1 day in Quito to prepare for a return

Condition: stay on the bridge

We will be traveling among the local people, by public transportation and Uber/taxis, along routes that I’ve known for years that are not part of standard tourist paths, and so do not have built-in tourist “guardrails”. For everyone’s well-being and safety, you must make a signed commitment to follow the guidelines I present. Think of it as “staying on the bridge”. We’ll have a period of private time each day for prayer, reflection, or relaxation.

Other notes:

• Travel: There will be some bus travel times from 2 to 6 hours in some cases, where we will see the mountain- and country-sides.

• Safety: We won’t be in the high-risk zones related to narco-trafficking and high crime. Always “stay on the bridge”.

• Health: Certain vaccinations may be suggested. Traveler’s health insurance is at one’s own discretion. Public health clinics and hospitals are free for foreigners, and private hospitals are very inexpensive compared to US costs.

Tree of Life Workshop

These workshops are for both English and Spanish speakers. They focus on life transitions by understanding, sharing and memorializing your unique personal life stories, through a small group encounter with the Christian Paschal mystery of life, death, and resurrection. If you are interested in any of them, please contact me directly: jerome@barriers2bridges.org

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This is a foundational vocation discernment workshop that helps us discover more who we truly are and what we are called to do, from the root of our being. It focuses practically on ministry and/or career discernment, but the experience enters into all of life.

In the beginning creation story of Adam and Eve, the Hebrew people are invited to remember the story of origin that recalls who God made them to truly be, as well as their human weakness that can separate them from following through on this authenticity. The mystery of Christ brings us back into the original garden and gives us access to the Tree of Life. The expression of this mystery in this workshop - through basic applied principles of discernment from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola - allows us to remember our own personal True You stories that make up the core of our own tree of life, as well as those life stories that show us how the protective bark of that tree breaks down.

If you are looking for something to give you a new step in clarity, freedom, energy, and peace - to help you remember again who you really are - this workshop could be for you.

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Re-Birth from Life Transitions Workshop

These workshops are for both English and Spanish speakers. They focus on life transitions by understanding, sharing and memorializing your unique personal life stories, through a small group encounter with the Christian Paschal mystery of life, death, and resurrection. If you are interested in any of them, please contact me directly: jerome@barriers2bridges.org

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Are you experiencing confusion or anxiousness because of a present or past life transition experience? The scripture is full of “40” stories: stories about rebirth. Encountering these stories together with our own can help you get back in touch with your personal journey and see a way ahead with hope.

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Taller Mi Pascua de Inmigración

These workshops are for both English and Spanish speakers. They focus on life transitions by understanding, sharing and memorializing your unique personal life stories, through a small group encounter with the Christian Paschal mystery of life, death, and resurrection. If you are interested in any of them, please contact me directly: jerome@barriers2bridges.org

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This is a foundational workshop retreat for immigrants (now for Spanish-speakers), in which each person has the space to remember, unpack, tell, and honor their story of migration, following the testimony by the People of God of their leaving Egypt and crossing the Red Sea to begin a new stage of life with God. If you know any Spanish-speaking immigrants who you think might be interested, please feel free to send them the information flyer at the More Information button below.

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Video Series: A Spirituality of Equality

These video series are for your prayer and social life, and go further and deeper than the reflections of ALM. You may find them uplifting if you’re wondering how to pray and understand the Scriptures to find something life-changing in them; and if you’re wondering about how to sort through what is often a confusing social landscape.

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In June 2020, during the pandemic quarantine in Chontal, I began to make a video series on location called A Spirituality of Equality. It’s in English, with plans for Spanish subtitles. In part a response to the racial situation that came to a head in the US during the pandemic, and also a long-overdue beginning of gathering social reflections that I’ve had over the years that form some of the basic human dimensions of my spirituality - and a spirituality of being brothers and sisters in God’s family, through the redemptive person of Jesus Christ. This videos series is addressed primarily to people of any or no faith tradition in the US, but also includes references for Christian meditation and reflection.

Accompanying Chontal in the Pandemic

On March 15, the country of Ecuador began to enter into lockdown in response to the novel coronavirus. I stayed for 4 months in a house in the community, living with a family in quarantine, visiting homes, facilitating financial resources for the most in need, and facilitating and preaching at the Sunday Mass in the pueblo.

Pastoral Ministry in Chontal

Coupled with, and as a fruit of, sharing life in Chontal, a variety of pastoral ministries naturally arise as seasons ebb and flow, that are at the core of the mission of turning barriers to bridges as brothers and sisters from the USA to Ecuador. These include:

• Facilitating and preaching Celebrations of the Word

• Spiritual accompaniment, personal and communal.

• Visiting seniors, remote homes, and the poorest.

• Facilitating the development of new groups and local movements, providing initial support and guidance and impulse, empowering sustainable local vision, leadership, community.

• Facilitating new service-oriented projects and bridge-building.

• Teaching and forming others for church ministries, including catechists, lectors, altar servers

• Initiating and facilitating special faith-based celebrations, including Our Lady of Guadalupe, New Year's, local patrons, etc.

• Formation in tools for advancement: language and technology. An emphasis on service to the human person and relationships.

• Sharing of simple written materials, media, that are relevant to the local way of life and particular seasons. These include sharing my own book Luz en las Tinieblas, distributing foundational devotional literature, as well as showing of movies with quality themes.

Pandemic Funding in Chontal

From cash on hand, I was able to split $340 between 8 households most in need, as well as the parish priest, who receives no salary. $160 went to Maria and Jimmi, whose costs for traveling to receive medical care for her serious condition had increased tremendously because of the pandemic. $20 went to each of 7 households, and 1 extra internet router from the church was given to a family needing internet access for their children. (School classes had all been moved online, creating a need for households to order new internet access.) I also spend time supporting the arrangement of internet in some of the homes obtaining for the first time. More description can be found here in God Has a Plan and in Safe Passage.

Video Series: Food in the Desert

These video series are for your prayer and social life, and go further and deeper than the reflections of ALM. You may find them uplifting if you’re wondering how to pray and understand the Scriptures to find something life-changing in them; and if you’re wondering about how to sort through what is often a confusing social landscape.

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In Lent of 2019, I began to share a workshop in Chontal called Food in the Desert, in which participants can learn how to find spiritual food in the Gospels for their life. The lock down due to the coronavirus pandemic stopped the workshop on the day it started! But while in lock down, I continued to create videos that I’ve posted online - on both Spanish and English - that cover the method and then a series of examples for finding food in the Gospels.

Workshop for Young Mothers

A workshop for young women under age 20 who had recently become mothers, where they had the opportunity to recall, share, and memorialize their experiences together of becoming a mother. The story of Mary becoming the mother of Jesus is included in Luke’s Gospel through her remembering, sharing, and memorializing the experience, and this is a stimulus for the faith dimension of the workshop.

Each mother had the opportunity to opens a gift bag stage by stage as they went through the 3-stage process. First, to receive a candle of their own, and have the opportunity to share their own story while everyone listens. They covered from the time of conception through pregnancy to the birth of their child. Each story is different, but you could see all that was in common, too, and how they were glad to share about it all. The next piece of the gift was a piece of jigsaw puzzle, that all put together to form a small poster that accompanies Mary's candle. It includes a Scripture passage which is the guide for the workshop: "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Lk 2:19) The final piece of the gift included a large wooden heart, made by the pueblo carpenter. There were a lot of decorating materials for them to choose from and make a memorial of their own heart, with a spot for their candle.

It was really well liked, and a powerful experience, something very different for them. What made it more interesting was that the mothers all came with their kids for one reason or another! But each finished and decorated their hearts, of course with their child's name and the candle in the center. Afterwards, each got a chance to talk about their design, and share their thoughts on the experience of the day. I took about 2.5 hours total.

I hope to be able to grow this and offer it to more mothers.

Spiritual Reflections

Website/Blog

On the Barriers to Bridges homepage, you can find the latest spiritual reflections that I post to ALM (A Living Monstrance). These reflections come from my spirituality and lifestyle as the source of Barriers to Bridges, and are guideposts along the journey.

Books

I’ve also collected the reflections into a series of books, each one containing 150 reflections, in sequential order. The latest book is up to the year 2017, and others are planned for publication to bring more current.

You can order any of the books by going here to Lulu.

Christmas Gifts for Kids, Seniors, and Most in Need 2019

In 2019, we raised money to provide Christmas gifts for the Christmas programs for children and seniors in both Chontal and Magdalena. I was also able to donate an extra $250 to different families in need, focusing on families with people with disabilities and sickness.

Update 12/31/2019

Since the last update, I was able to disburse the remaining $250 to different families in need, focusing on families with people with disabilities and sickness. Thanks again for the support!  Here are the final financial details.

Additional Fundraiser outlays since the last update:

Total $250:

(see the page here for more details on these donations)

• $100 to the Bosmediano family.

• $30 to Juanito.  I mentioned Juanito above.

• $30 to Segundo Chiluisa.

• $25 to Marta Ayala.

• $25 to Pedro Andrade.

• $20 to Agustin and Lola Reascos Mediavilla.

• $20 to Jimmy and Maria Bastides.

Including the $300 previously donated to the Christmas programs, the total donated from the Fundraiser = $550.

Updated Final Accounting for Fundraiser Receipts:

$454.71 (before fees) Donated to Fundraiser through Campaign [NOTE: $52.07 (before fees) was also donated to the campaign late, in January, and was not used in the fundraiser. That's why the campaign total is $506.78 (before fees)]

+ $103.83 (before fees) Donated to Fundraiser outside of Campaign [NOTE: this is not reflected in the campaign total of $506.78]

= $558.54 (before fees)

= $539.64 Total received after fees

Plus, I added my own $10.36 for a total receipt from the Fundraiser = $550

UPDATE 12/27/2019

I have only a short opportunity with good internet access until early January, so this is the quick update.

We donated $200 to the Christmas program in Chontal and $100 to the Christmas program in Magdelana, the next village over.  All went very well.  Because of some later donations, I still have an extra $250 believe it or not, and so I'm in the process of finding a good use for that money. That may take a little time, as using donated money is a delicate activity that needs careful consideration of the effects on community and relationships, which are the end goal! I'll have more updates later when I start to get ideas.

Because of my internet limits, I can share links to collections of photos and videos. Here are some:

(1) me handing over the money to the queen of Magdalena, Abigail Reascos (who is responsible with the local leaders for organizing the Christmas program).  This went to purchasing about 100 Christmas bags of candies for the kids and seniors. You can see the queen take off on the motorbike afterwards. :) Click here for photos/videos

(2) me handing over the $200 to the queen of Chontal, Kely Bosmediano.  Her mother Ines is one of the church leaders. Click here for photos/videos

(3) the Christmas bags and the toys and prizes that were bought with the money the next day in Quito. Click here for photos/videos

(4) pictures and videos from the Chontal Christmas program.  You might see me in those!  You might also recognize Santa. Click here for photos/videos

Thank you again for sharing in this experience with me.  I hope the photos and videos give you a sense of joining with me and being a part of the celebration and activities. Drop me a note anytime, I'll respond as I can.  Many best Christmas season wishes, and a Happy new Year!

Advent & Christmas Novena in Chontal 2019

I accompanied the people and facilitated the Christmas activities in Chontal in 2019. For all the details, please visit the post Make Room. Enjoy the pictures!

Making the Christmas Manger in the Church

Pueblo Christmas Program for Seniors and Children

NOCHEBUENA AND PASE DEL NIÑo

CHRISTMAS WITH JUANITO

Accompanying Youth Group in East Boston

I’m accompanying the youth group JUAP (jovenes unidos para el amor al prójimo) in Most Holy Redeemer parish in East Boston, enjoying their hospitality and learning from them and sharing some spiritual wisdom along the way! The members are immigrants and youth of immigrants, largely from El Salvador.

Local Presentations About the Mission

I continue to share locally here in Boston about this mission, and am always open to new ideas for others' participation and for bridge-forming between families, groups, communities, and institutions such as parishes, schools, and others (seniors, children, people with disabilities, etc.)

If you're interested in hearing more, I'd love to hear from you - come on over to the contact page.

Advent & Christmas Novena in Chontal 2018

I accompanied the people and facilitated the Christmas activities in Chontal in 2018. For all the details, please visit the post Come and Eat. Enjoy the pictures!

Advent - Church Decorations

Christmas Eve and Novena - Pase del Niño

Christmas Day in the Parish

Christmas Pig for the Parish San José de los Manduriacos

The parish San José de los Manduriacos, in which Chontal is one of 13 communities, was only about 6 years old, and for the first time, it had a communal celebration on Christmas Day. There was a need for support for the celebration, which included a Mass, a program including Christmas performances, and food. Having about $200 extra from the fundraiser “Hit me over the wall!”, I offered to pay for one of the two pigs that were needed for the food. It helped to make the celebration worthwhile, as it freed up families to not have to prepare a meal at home, and so to come.

Pork is a principal food at fiestas, as the primary large animal meat. There wouldn’t be beef, as cattle are not used for beef in this region. (In fact, when cows and bulls are no longer useful, they are sold and packed into trucks to be taken to Quito, where they may be used for beef.)

I never got a picture of the actual “Christmas pig”, but I’m including some pig pictures here for your enjoyment.

Just an example of some pigs - it’s the pigs who pay the price for the fiestas!

Immigration Retreats in Boston Area

In April 2018, I and some friends initiated the first immigration retreat. I had been accompanying the Hispanic community at St. Anthony Shrine for several years until last year, and we had taken steps to organize the retreat before it ran out of support. But friends from the Shrine decided that we would do the retreat together in a small group format, which I think is the best way to do it. Accompaniment and sharing in the community life was the baseline for ministry. It opens the door for extending this retreat experience to other immigrants after an accompaniment period in a type of mission, as a grassroots, bottom-up retreat.

The retreat itself was supported equally financially by the participants, though I did most of the organizing, ideation, and procurement. It is a participatory retreat with a balance of listening, vulnerable sharing, teammwork, and personal arts and crafts.  About 4 to 5 hours, the retreat environment allows Latino immigrants to identify, remember, unpack and recount their migration experience in the intimacy of small community of other immigrants. Afterwards, and each person can memorialize their story in a personal way by decorating a candle-holder/lantern that can be taken home and continually reused as a memorial of their migration experience and God's hand in it.

The retreat is placed in the context of the mystery of God's salvation as experienced by the Israelites' crossing the Red Sea. Retreatants are guided in relating their experience to that of the People of God, and a safe, trusting environment is established with sacred symbols, songs, interactive activities, and media.

Everyone who participated reported having a fantastic experience that had changed them to some degree and had changed our relationships. We all had a desire to continue with more meetings and workshops and activities that fed us spiritually and socially and communally. We have meetings planned to do this.   

English & Technology Education in Chontal

Since 2014, I've been assisting with education in English and Computational Technology for children and youth. These have taken the form of parish English classes, assisting English teachers in school classrooms, private computer lessons, English homework tutoring, and remedial math tutoring. The emphasis is on the human and relationship-building dimension of these in both the way they are taught and the direction toward which they are aimed.