It is November and the words of the Christmas carol “Silent Night” are ringing in my head, especially and emphatically in the part “ALL IS CALM”. The 2009 School year has come to an end at the Christian School in Camiri. The teachers still have to come to do paper work and various administrative tasks. The students have started their vacation, except those who got very low grades and have the chance to do some extra work in the following two weeks to improve their notes.
The classrooms are empty. The shouting, uproar and noises are gone. No more “be quiet, please” or “take your seat”. The “he punched me first” excuse- phrase is a thing of the past.
We colloquially called children “kid” which literally means “a young goat”. Goats are by nature extremely curious, intelligent and easily trained. They simply have to climb, escape from their pens to investigate and are well coordinated to hold their balance in the most precarious places…sounds familiar?
Summer vacation will officially begin in December, but for the moment the pace of school life has considerably slowed down. The school is quiet and peaceful, but it is not meant to be that way and I am already missing those little lovely “young goats” all around.
These past days I was feeling the frustration of infected electronic devices. I was planning on showing you pictures and telling you about my trip to Tarija with the Senior class last weekend, but it seems that my digital camera, USB and school computers are all infested with the so-called electronic viruses. I will have to wait till next week, but my urge to publish a weekly post was stronger. I just want to say that I really admire those genius minds out there that have come with such damaging creation; that I really haven’t lost any data and the files are still there and last, I have many reasons to be thankful and rejoice; a bug in gadgets is not enough to spoil the precious and unique moments of today.
“We should ask 
The water that comes out of the faucet in Bolivia is supposed to be suitable for drinking, but some days in the past it came so murky that gave me the impression I was getting chocolate milk from the tap. During my first years I used to boil it in my biggest pot, but still possible contaminants might had remained. Now I buy 5.5 gallon water bottles (20 l). When I get the visit of my students on a hot day, they can drink water like thirsty camels and all my “reservoir” can be gone in a few minutes! Right there I started thinking in what the Lord said in Matthew 10:42. I had always understood that phrase (cup of cold water) as the least you can offer from the store of what one has; the simplest act of kindness, but is it? When I think of the location where Israel is and its chronic water problems, both natural and man-made: drought, population growth, etc. I wonder how easy was and is to share it?
To be honest, I prefer to give of what I have in abundance, to spare or left over. There are many ways to figuratively and properly apply these words, but I have had the opportunity to experience, probably as in several parts of the world, the giving of a cup of cold water in a literal sense. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it is a small sacrifice. It has a cost. It requires some effort. This brings to mind Amy Carmichael’s words: YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, BUT YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING. Let us love. Let us give. Water is life and we all have some to give and share with those who are thirsty.
Jesus’ rebuke to his disciples was not for lack of faith; they had cried out to him in their hour of despair because they knew He could do something (Matt. 8:25). His reprimand was for having “little faith” and for being fearful. Not too long ago I read the common saying: “Stop telling God how big your storm is and start telling the storm how big your God is”. But I thought “What good would it make to talk to the storm? It would not recognize my voice!” While it is nice to think that the Lord will calm every storm in life; I am learning that maybe the Lord’s purpose is to show me that his presence amidst the storm is enough, sufficient and adequate…all what I need and nothing more.
His presence is what matters.
The vine without fruitage is useless. Its primary function is to bear fruit, all being well, abundant fruit. Pruning is the road to get coveted results, for a healthy and balanced vine and to prevent overcrowding and diseases. The energy will focus in nutrient-supply to the main part producing many large, full clusters of sweet grapes, some of them wine making grapes.
Andres Segovia