Chile 4: images

10/29

La Plaza Italia

Looking back over the last several days, these images come to mind...

Thursday

The counterintuitive activity of a city trying to get back to normal and sustaining massive protests simultaneously.

Walking past La Plaza Italia and seeing the sky filled with dancing kites, a sign of  the buoyancy that could be felt in the streets that morning.

In contrast, walking down Merced and seeing banks and retail shops covering over all windows with boards.

Seeing my first bandaged protesters. Word is response is much rougher in the barrios populares. When I asked one of the hostal workers what happens if you're   caught out after curfew she said, " Here they arrest you. In the poor neighborhoods, they shoot..."

When the 10 PM curfew defiance begins, seeing hostal workers head outside to join the cacerolazas, pot banging.

Friday

An interfaith prayer service held in the mission garden of the historic Iglesia de San Francisco. cacerolazo) and a young rabbi. The rabbi chose as his text the Genesis story of Cain and Abel. We must be our brother's keeper. Then echoing the indigenous representative who had sung the 23rd psalm in Mapuche, he sang the same Psalm in Hebrew. Then we went to the streets for the benediction.

Interfaith service

On a bright sunny day, an oasis of beauty and peace. A fully interfaith service with Franciscans, a Lutheran Bishop, Methodist, Buddhist, Ba'Hai, indigenous Mapuche ( the bells accompanying her prayer strangely reminsicent of cacerolazo),  and a young rabbi. The rabbi chose as his text the Genesis story of Cain and AbelWe must be our brother's keeper. .Then echoing the indigenous representative who had sung the 23rd psalm in Mapuche, he sang the same Psalm in Hebrew. Then we went to the streets for the benediction.

Benediction

Mapuche faith leader

We are at music, not at war

A social  media call went out and drew four full choirs and others to the lawn  in front of La Casa de Previsio de la Defensa Nacional. After a run through, the singers moved into the street. El Derecho a Vivir en Paz, the last notes ringing....

street concert

As close as they could get to the barricaded La Moneda (Presidential Palace) blocks away. The giant Chilean flag waving. For the next hour, in deep and rich four part harmony, the songs of Victor Jara filled the street, ending with

...es el canto universal, cadena que hara triunfar, el derecho de vivir en paz....

A video circulates of a curfew courtyard...silence...then a solo woman's voice singing Te Recuerdo Amanda....silence... then applause ringing from the  surrounding buildings...

And Friday night at least 1.2 million came to the Plaza.
And Friday night at least 1.2 million came to the Plaza.

Saturday

The Communidad Teologica Evangelista de Chile celebrates its 55th anniversary. The guest preacher is former professor Hans de Wit. In clear and precise words, he reminds us that calls for theological education to be a pedagogy of resistance and for the church to make an option, not just for the poor, but for all vulnerables. And reminds us that Jesus was a refugee....

Professor Omar Mendoza,

Rector Danie Gody of CTE

who served as a translator for the pastoral ministry and migration program, speaks of having been overwhelmed last night. He had fought against Pinochet. "It brought tears to me, " he said, "Over a million people...I never thought I'd see that again. There is hope..."

At the celebration on the rooftop following the service, people gather round an elder from Vallenar and his guitar. Soon Violeta Parra's "Gracias a la Vida" flows over the wall, to the streets.

Gracias a la vida

La lucha sigue...