The Talent Show

Many of you know that I love to dance.  So, when I learned that there was going to be a YAV talent show at orientation, I immediately wanted to perform a dance.  A few friends and I bonded together to create a casual dance with some African and contortionist moves.  

If you want to laugh a little, watch our dance here.

I’d like to tell you about the three men I worked with, as each one of them made me feel loved and taught me something new this week.

Vinnie, a tall lanky man with long dreadlocks and a bushy beard, stole the show.  Raised by a Pentecostal pastor and naturally outgoing, he has no qualms about expressing himself.  Although he is over six feet tall he can easily wrap both of his legs around this head, twisting into a tightly woven pretzel.  Vinnie is not only a contortionist, but is also a farmer, a traveller, and peacemaker.  Passionate about growing local food, he will be serving in New Orleans managing a community garden in an underserved neighborhood.  I pray for his safety.

Martin was raised in Cameroon and moved to the United States eight years ago as a refuge fleeing political and religious violence.  He has lived in Maryland, near DC, for the last few years.  While rehearsing, he showed us some Cameroonian dance moves, which he executed beautifully. 

Presbyterian churches look different all over the world.  As a general statement, church services in African are much more lively.  Martin said that offering is one of the best parts of a service, as people get up and dance their way up the aisle, showing offer their best moves to honor God and give thanks for the talents God has given them.  People dance, clap, drum, and yell out during service.  In contrast, offering at my church is a quiet introspective time when people pass around baskets for donations, while they sit and listen to music.

For several years now I have been yearning for a worship service that combines an intellectually challenging, progressive, figurative interpretation of theology and also encourages people to express themselves in a charismatic way.  Sometimes it seems like American Presbyterians are trying to forget they have bodies.  We tend to intellectualize and analyze our theology so much that we feel scared or ashamed to express our faith in any non-cerebral way. 

You have a body.  God made it.  Use it.  Shake it.

Martin will be working with refuges in Denver.  I wish him the best and know that his calm, compassionate nature will be much appreciated at his site.

Kyle.  If Jesus were a ginger, he’d look like Kyle.  His long, curly, red hair glides along his mid-back, covering his scruffy, torn-up blue poncho.  Kyle, who played percussion for our dance, is a quiet thinker.  When he speaks, he speaks with conviction, often igniting philosophical debates or spreading compassion.  His gently, unassuming presence was a comfort for me this week.  Thank you.

Kyle will be serving in Peru and will not be returning to the United States for a year.

These posts are a reflection of Grace Dover’s current thoughts on simple living, spirituality, and service.  They do not represent the Presbyterian Church (USA), Young Adult Volunteers, BorderLinks, or any other organization or individual other than Grace Dover.

YAV Orientation

When I first arrived at Young Adult Volunteer orientation, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into.  Surrounded by “cradle Presbyterians” (Presbyterians since birth) who all seemed to have gone to Montreat conference center every year, wear Chacos (outdoorsy sandals), and be comfortable speaking openly about their faith, I felt out of place. 

I have always been private about my Christian faith, as I do not want to alienate others who may be of others faiths, not follow any religious traditions, or have negative impressions of Christianity.  Personally, I have avoided fully committing myself to a religious community because of the connotations and shameful history of ethnocentrism, prejudice, and violence.  Still, I have consistently come back to the church, asked questions about the Divine, and been surprised by my welcoming church community.  This summer, my beloved grandmother passed away.  As I sat by her side during her last days, the only things that woke her up from her pain and drug induced delirium were words of faith.  Although she was too dehydrated to speak, her eyes would enlarge when I read her favorite Bible verses out loud.  During her final months battling cancer, I believe she was not afraid because of her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

Although, my grandmother and I differ on many theological interpretations, I deeply admire her commitment to a spiritual practice, loving others, and doing good works.  Her faith inspired me to develop my personal connection with the Divine.

Sometimes when I admit to people, especially in San Francisco, that I am Christian or that I go to church or that I’ve chosen to work for a Christian organization for a year, I clench my teeth and think, “Please don’t hate me.  Please don’t judge me.  I don’t hate you. I don’t judge you.  It’s not think what you think it is.”  Maybe I am too sensitive to other people’s opinions.  Maybe I am imagining more judgment than is actually present. 

Even so, I was overjoyed when I actually got to know the other Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs).  Although we come from all over the country and world, we seem to share a desire to create change, advocate for the voiceless, and partner with marginalized communities.  YAVs come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences.  Some have just graduated college, like me.  Some have just graduated high school and some are working on their masters.  This makes for a beautiful collage of perspectives.

The tenants that bring us together are a desire to:

    1.  Be keenly aware of our privilege, power, and backgrounds so that we may be more self-aware, respectful, and responsible at our work sites.

          2. Work with the people we meet, acknowledging that the locals are experts on what needs to be done in their community, whether or not they have had any formal education or are perceived to have societal status.

          3. Live simply and in solidarity with the individuals we serve.

          4.  Explore the live Jesus has called us to live, especially pertaining to social justice issues.

We had our orientation at Stony Point, a Presbyterian conference center which is also home to an interfaith community.

My favorite sunflowers!

View from one of Stony Point's gardens

Evening candlelit worship

These posts are a reflection of Grace Dover’s current thoughts on simple living, spirituality, and service.  They do not represent the Presbyterian Church (USA), Young Adult Volunteers, BorderLinks, or any other organization or individual other than Grace Dover.