They set out two by two

Imagining the lives of the early Christians while walking with faith filled communities in the mountains of Ecuador

By Micheline Karvonen
October 2004

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"Jesus called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two…He ordered them, 'Don't take anything with you on your journey except a stick; no bread, no beggar's bag, no money in your pocket.'" (Mark 6:7-8).

With these words, Jesus calls all Christians to mission, some at home, some in a foreign country. This summer I took part in a unique mission experience very similar to the one described in the Gospel of Mark.

Each August in the diocese of Riobamba, missioners set out in teams of two for a month-long visit to indigenous communities in the region. Due to the mountainous terrain and the scarcity of priests, many parishes in the diocese have one central church serving as many as 30 remote and sparsely populated communities. The people have a strong faith and, deprived of religious services, look forward to this annual visit of missioners. For them, it is an opportunity to get together. For us, it is an experience of meeting other missioners and of being evangelized by the poor as we share life and faith with them.

Our group of 35 (priests, religious and lay) was made up of Basques, Canadians, Swedes and Ecuadorians. For the first three days of the mission program, we gathered in the city of Riobamba to learn about issues affecting the lives of the people and to plan activities around various themes.

We then set out by bus, in twos, supported by a yanapac, someone experienced with the mission program.

At the end of each week we met with the parish priest, community leaders, catechists and other missioners to report on our activities. This was an opportunity to receive feedback, make any adjustments, and switch teammates before setting out for another community. At the end of the month, we gathered again for a final report and reflection.

The dynamics were always interesting. In La Esperanza, my first community, my teammate and yanapac were both Basques. In the community of Gatazo Chico the assemblies were held in the Quechua language. Our indigenous yanapac translated the proceedings into Spanish, which I then translated into English for my Swedish teammate.

Our accommodations varied from community to community: an abandoned house in La Esperanza; a well-appointed hacienda in Quillan la Escuela. In Gatazo Chico, an indigenous family invited us to share their humble dwelling, which had cement floors and no running water. It was situated on a hill at the end of a narrow path.

As Jesus directed, wherever the people welcomed us, we stayed. We were invited to a different home for every meal. All the people expressed their honour, not to share a meal with us, but to serve us, as it is not the custom in the Ecuadorian highlands to eat with foreign guests.

Soups and rice were the mainstays, served along with pork, chicken, or cuy (the Andean guinea pig), and home-grown vegetables. Yearning for coffee to start the day, I was dismayed to discover that el cafecito did not mean coffee, but rather breakfast or a snack. Coffee is a delicacy, as it doesn't grow here.

One objective of our visits was to coordinate the work of the priest, the community and its leaders, to help strengthen their union. We met with each community to learn of their reality, their needs, dreams and goals. We planned activities for the children and teenagers, and visits with families, the aged and the sick.

To illustrate the theme of solidarity, we integrated ourselves into the life of the community, helping out in projects such as shovelling away large amounts of rocks in preparation for road work.

The most important activities were the nightly assemblies in the chapel or community centre. The people reflected on such themes as forgiveness, unity, respect and the Sacraments, accompanied by music and liturgy. We ended the week with a potluck meal laid out on a plastic tablecloth on the floor and eaten by hand. These evenings were a celebration of life and faith, an experience of community that brought to mind the gatherings of the early Christians.

One night, after a long walk by flashlight, we arrived at an isolated, small meeting place with dirt floors. There we read Acts 2:43-47 about the early Christian community who shared everything they had with one another. Just as we started our reflection, the lights went out. While hastily found candles dispelled the night, I shared the strong connection I felt between us and the early Christians in the Gospel reading.

Witnessing the Earth-centred culture of the indigenous, a life revolving around the rhythm of the seasons, was the richest experience for me. My eyes were opened to the hardships they face, taking their cattle to pasture up the mountain at four in the morning, while at the same time extending their hospitality to visitors. Taking part in this mission activity was a great privilege and helped in my work as a lay missioner in Ecuador.

On my return to Toronto, I was pleased to meet young Ecuadorian seminarians living at Scarboro's central house while studying English. By sheer coincidence, one of them, Ivan, hailed from the tiny community of Quillan where I had eaten delicious fresh trout that I caught in his father's trout pool and cooked at his father's restaurant. Before going overseas as a Scarboro lay missioner, I would have seen our lives and circumstances as world's apart. However, because of my cross-cultural experience, we are now able to meet each other here in friendship.

Micheline Karvonen has returned to Canada after serving as a Scarboro lay missioner in Ecuador. She will soon participate in a re-entry program, which helps overseas missioners readjust to life in Canada.

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