New Pictures!!!!!!

Hey, I finally got up some pics from this first week in Peru. Here are some from our life and some from my psudo-artsy photographer side. Check them out!!!!

I'm here, but that is not todays topic

Hi from Peru

Wow, I have been waiting for oh so long to be able to say that to you all. This is really amazing. When we got on the plane in Atlanta (almost a week ago, wow!!!) I couldn’t help but thinking about how this is really happening.

Before I continue too much into Peru, I do want to say a few things about our orientation in Stony Point, New York (Not NYC). I learned that I am an ISFP according to the Meyers-Briggs test. We had a very good discussion with a woman named Jessica Vasques Torres about race, gender and living a life in the “center” (which we used basically as the American power structure: media or media, money, govn’t). The theory that we based the conversation around was the belief that there is a “center” that has power and controls the power and there is a “borderland” that does not have it. The borderland is connected to the center and relies on it for its existence. In reality, those of us from the States are irrevocably connected to the center. It is important to mention that it is not necessarily a bad thing, but that it just needs to be understood in the way that the borders of our society connects with the center. That led into a discussion about who were living in the borders and the re-commitment to those of whom we will be working with this next year. One point that she made that I thought was interesting was the conclusion that the Center removes the culture of some (i.e. Norwegians or British) and accentuates differences or only a small misrepresented portion that they want to be seen in others (i.e. most African and Latin American cultures). Both of these are dehumanizing because they do not see the whole perspective. I can claim myself to be Norwegian and Finish, but I have never been to either, the only Norwegian I know is how to “sit on my lap and kiss me” (and that may even be wrong), I have never worn any traditional clothes. Other than the heritage that gives me my height (dad’s side) and my brown eyes (mom’s side), what of this culture can I really claim as mine? Is it degrading to Norwegians for me to say that I am one of them when I really am not. Is it also degrading to other people from the States that I am trying to escape that. What does it even mean to be “American?” Is it even possible to answer that question? There are so many different versions of “American.” Which one is the “real America?” I know that Iowa will try to claim that, but in reality what makes it that. I really was happy with Jessica’s point that no matter what we say at this point, it is devaluing who we are and who everyone else is too. If you are interested in this or more about the race stuff that we talked about too (that I in the most un-rascit way possible am choosing not to go into for sake of space), check out a book that she recommended called “White like me.”

We also watched and participated in a skit/lesson by Rick Ufford-Chase about the economics of poverty (specifically in Latin America, but is applicable to share with the rest of the world. The point of the skit was to show how basically all the money that is in the world ends up in the hands of the powerful (basically the “center”). It was interesting to see how “petrodollars,” World Bank/IMF loans, and even many countries internal revenue ends up back in the hands of the powerful. And of course these practices are promoted because they help those that make the decisions on what to do. This was really not new information to me thanks to the great education I received at Whitworth and CASP. But what was really interesting was the bible passage that Rick used to back up his beliefs. He used Matthew 25:14-30 and the parable of the slaves and the talents. So often we read this to say that we all aspire to be the first slave who did what he knew how to do and got the most out of his work and are told not to be the slave that only gave back what he was given. Most of the time, this is taken to say that we need to do what we are good at and focus on that. If you are good at hugs do it to the best you can. We were went out to our small groups (thanks Seseme Street group for helping me to get ready) and I argued the normal interpretation. What Rick later explained to us was that his interpretation of the passage was that because the passage does not start out with “the kingdom of heaven is like” as do most of Jesus’ parables, Jesus was telling about life and how it worked in the period. Rick believes we are to be the “lazy” slave who was trying to subvert the “norms” of the society and instead find a better agenda. I like this because it isn’t easy. Far to often we take the Bible to be a tame book, but it really is and always should be revolutionary (but don’t worry mom, I’m not about to take on the revolutionary mantra of other historic Peruvians). But what do you think. Read the passage. Do you agree with Rick or disagree of have something else to say?

Other than these good lectures, orientation was just an amazing time for us to all be together as YAVs and celebrate the work that God is going to do is us. I really was encouraged by my small group to take this on. I really found God in a worship song. Thanks to everyone who helped me get out of the states. Well, I’ve written quite a bit so far, so I won’t get into actual Peruvian life quite yet. Rest your eyes, but not your heart or mind because this is a good passage to hash out as a community. I love you all.

I'm really off

After a great week of being around amazing people, I'm about to go to sleep for a couple hours before heading off to Peru. Please keep praying and tuning in. Maybe there will be more from YAV ORIENTATION 2009 (yea, it was that awesome).

As always,
YAV site
jtobiason08@gmail.com
google group

Keep in touch

I'm Off

Well, this is real. I am currently sitting on a plane from Spokane to Minneapolis (then on to New York), in the middle seat, listening to “the Moth” podcast, drinking crappy coffee, with a huge bag of film (35mm 400 B/W, so elegant), and a little painting by Erika tucked between the computer and seat in front of me. I have a backpack full of computer and camera stuff at my feet and another backpack with clothes, soccer cleats and a toothbrush somewhere in the hold. So it is really happening. I have been planning on going somewhere this year since CASP (study abroad trip in spring ’08, see previous posts for more info). I have known I was going to Peru since Placement Weekend in April. A little over two weeks ago, I quit my jobs and have been blessed to get to spend lots of time relaxing and just enjoying life with people that really make it enjoyable.

So I guess the obvious question is how do I feel right now? I feel ready, I think. In one sense, I’ve done this my whole life. My first real international experience was at 1 ½ years old to Mexico. I know that I can thrive in a culture that currently I do now know. I also know that I have spent so much of my life on the go and kinda in limbo that I am ready for a life that is kinda unknown. I really do not know what I am doing this year, but that is totally cool. I love the life on the road. Planes feel so comfortable and normal and turbulence is just like a roller coaster. There is no horizontal surface that can’t become a bed. I think I remember how to speak Spanish (though I know I am quit rusty). I can meet people. I get to take pictures. My life is great. I am so blessed to be able to have these experiences. My blessings are so great to allow me not to “take a year off” or to “find myself,” but mostly just to serve.

The biggest comfort for me is that God is in Peru too. I really don’t know what his plan for me is or what is really going to happen, but I know that he is with me. Our relationship is something that is going to be tested and expanded upon. I hope to learn how to let him be my hands and feet. He will make me learn to lean on him for my very existence and to lean on him in Joy.

So I end this first official post with gratitude and a request. I am SOOOOOO thankful for each of you that are in my life (yes, I am tearing up right now). You have all helped so much in instilling this need to serve in me. I thank my family who has been with me forever. You are all the foundation of my life and will be there for my future too. Thank you for everything. I love you all. Thank you to each of you from my life in Gig Harbor. To all the PHS, HRMS, MCES, and EES people that have helped me to be a real person, thank you. To my leaders at CHPC, GH 1st Baptist, and Lakebay Church, thank you for helping my faith to be real, thank you. To my friends from Whitworth, thank you for opening my eyes to a real world and helping me have more fun that I knew was possible, thank you. To all the other Spokanites who I worked with or got to be around, thank you for making a boring city worth it, thank you. And to everyone else who have helped me to life, laugh, and love, thank you (yes, that is the cover all sentence). Thank you all for helping me thrive. As for my request, I ask that you be involved over the next year. I do now just want to write a blog that is just a laundry list of what I have been doing or just mini dissertations about my thoughts, but I want it to be a conversation. If you are reading this, you have somehow acquired connections to my life, but I ask you to be involved. To contact me directly, please email me at jtobiason08@gmail.com, look me up on skype (jtobiason08). The address for the blog is http://www.thecentralamericanblender.blogspot.com, for the facebook group: http://whitworth.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6781363428. , and for the google group: http://groups.google.com/group/Joeinlima. Please find your own way to be involved. Please let me know what you are thinking and not just for my own sake, but I want this network of life to be traversing as many people groups as possible because we are all interconnected in some way and together we can work to improve this world. So, just to see if people are paying attention and to see if you have made it this far, my first (of many) questions for general comments is: If you were able to go golfing with 3 other people (anyone ever), who would it be and why? I would go with Dave Niehaus, Alex Trebeck, and Barak Obama. I know they are all male and I feel kinda sexist by saying that, but Dave is one of the best story tellers ever (especially when the M’s are being destroyed), Alex shares my love of trivia, and Obama is the freaking president and an awesome dude. What do you think?

Ok, so you’re tired of reading so I’m going to wrap it up. I would love prayer that this week of orientation goes well, that relationships are formed and that we all really learn how to live and serve together. I pray that our trips off to sites around the world go safely. But what I am most pre-occupied about right now is that I can find a community where I feel connected and can find people that can really be bound to me and that we can together find God. You are all great community, but I need some local community too. Thank you for being in my life.

trying again

ok, this is being more difficult than I thought. If interested, follow this link and click the "join group" link to the right. If this is hard, let me know. I am trying to make communication work for everyone. Sorry

mass email

In the mass hystaria, I am trying to help people find ease. If you read the blog, just keep on doing that. If you want the same information sent to your inbox, please join my google group and I will send it to you that way. I am trying to have a good mass email, but also don't want to be sending it to people that don't want it. So sign up if you are interested. Thanks.

Some reading

I am going to keep this short, but with my position of working with Red Uniendo Manos, I am going to be working in lots of different places. Today I was forwarded this about another worker in Peru and related New York Times article. It is good and is something that you should all read. Thanks.