Not who we want to be; who we are

Not who we want to be; who we are

The Otomíes of the state of Querétaro are one of the original peoples of México.  The state of Querétaro borders the state of San Luis Potosí.  This doll is crafted by the Otomíes and exemplifies the diversity of women or of humanity.  Each doll is handmade, and even though the dolls look alike, each one is also different and unique.

Just like us.

Doña Severa, an over-90- year-old artisan from the municipality of Amealco, Queretaro, stated in an interview during the Fourth Festival of the Indigenous Doll (2016):

"Our people know that these dolls are not like the plastic ones massively produced in series by machines.  Our dolls are produced with our hands.  This is not who we want to be; it is who we are."

God made you and me with God's hands, and this is not who we want to be; it is who we are: sons and daughters of God by pure grace.

This doll's name is Joy which in Otomí means: Earth.

Written by Nohemí Nidia Bravo P., from the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.  Translation by Elena Huegel

Haiku

Bike path 

Zipping past

frowns and glares

cheered on by flags of green and gold.

Autumn 

Wind fights with leaves,  

which fall into carpets

of failed resistance.  

Bird Calls

Morning bird chirp 

afternoon song.

At moonlight, owl screech.

How could anyone

How Could Anyone Ever Tell You
by Libby Roderick

How could anyone ever tell you

You were anything less than beautiful

How could anyone ever tell you

You were less than whole

How could any one fail to notice

that your loving is a miracle

How deeply you’re connected to my soul

Blessing by Dag Hammerskold

May God give you a pure heart to see Him, a humble heart to hear Him, a loving heart to serve Him, a faithful heart that He might abide in you.  And may our Gracious God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you and fill your souls, now and always. Amen

The rose that grew from a crack in the concrete

Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared. 

Tupac Shakur

I seek you soul

In the midst of the storm

I seek you soul.

Life's companion

hidden in the heartbeat

of daily doings.

I seek you soul

in my roots

past experiences

history, culture, art, faith

inheritance firmly planted

where not even the fiercest storm

can unearth me.

I seek you soul

flying with wings

feathered dreams

reach clarity

in thin air

and twirl among the colors

breath of invention and imagination

Creating life before the hurricane

that cannot defeat me..

29 August 2011

Elena Huegel

Good Ripples

Good Ripples

I don´t watch much television, but when a friend lent me the DVD episodes of "Joan of Arcadia" a few years ago,  I found myself exploring the various philosophical and religious themes of the show with my teenage nephew who was at my house for a visit. One of my favorite lines is an exclamation of joy from Joan in "Jump," a thought-provoking episode about suicide:  "The ripples were good!"  I often think about how my actions, even the ones that seem unimportant in relation to the need which are so great, can ripple on to touch people and change faraway situations with results that I may never know about.

This week, the ripples came back to me in the form of photographs.  In September, Mexico suffered two devastating earthquakes.  In October, I facilitated a Roots in the Ruins: Hope in Trauma course with seven church leaders from Juchitán, Oaxaca, an area severely affected by the earthquakes.  In November, those leaders helped teach the "Doors of Hope" training workshop for Sunday school teachers.  And this week, the first group of Sunday School teachers sent me photos of their emotional first aid, trauma awareness, dignity and resilience building classes with the children, youth and adults of the Emanuel Church of the Nazarene in Juchitán, Oaxaca.  The ripples have been good!

Elena Huegel

Dec. 2017