2006.10.16: October 16, 2006: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Religion: Personal Web Page: Peace Corps Volunteer Joshua Reynolds writes: We are the champions
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2006.10.16: October 16, 2006: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Religion: Personal Web Page: Peace Corps Volunteer Joshua Reynolds writes: We are the champions
Peace Corps Volunteer Joshua Reynolds writes: We are the champions
As the song played on, the situation reminded me of a theology class I took in college on the gospel and the kingdom of God. The class focused on the gospel of Mark and we often discussed Jesus´ complete overturning of the social structures and expectations of the day when he described God´s kingdom. As ironic as the situation would seem to our society, Jesus would be completely comfortable assigning the Queen song to the landless poor. I smiled, knowing that in God´s kingdom, the poor who are so often abused and forgotten really are the champions. There´s one more beatitude for Jesus´ famous sermon: "Blessed are the landless poor, for they are the champions of the world."
Peace Corps Volunteer Joshua Reynolds writes: We are the champions
16 octubre 2006
We are the champions
One of the fun things about Honduran radio is the old American songs played in English. Yes, the 80´s are still rocking out in Honduras. There are certain songs almost guaranteed to be heard everyday - Bright Eyes and Hotel California among them.
The other day, I was on what could be considered a less than pleasurable bus ride between Marcala and the village where I live, El Zancudo. That´s two hours packed into an old yellow school bus on one of the worst roads in the country. I was late arriving, so I was stuck standing in the aisle instead of a seat. About half an hour into our ride, the radio starts playing Queen. "We are the champions, my friend..We´ll keep on fighting ´til the end..." This is one of the ironic moments that happen in life. Here "We are the Champions" is the soundtrack to a bus load of landless peasants in tattered clothes, smelly from the sweat of hard labor, bouncing with the ruts in a dirt road going only to poor villages. From their over 50% illiteracy rate to their weak stature and illnesses caused by malnourishment, to the brown toughness of their sun-scorched skin, these people are not what one would think of as champions. It might make a funny music video or at least another random song-scene connection for Becky´s "could be in a movie" list.
As the song played on, the situation reminded me of a theology class I took in college on the gospel and the kingdom of God. The class focused on the gospel of Mark and we often discussed Jesus´ complete overturning of the social structures and expectations of the day when he described God´s kingdom. As ironic as the situation would seem to our society, Jesus would be completely comfortable assigning the Queen song to the landless poor. I smiled, knowing that in God´s kingdom, the poor who are so often abused and forgotten really are the champions. There´s one more beatitude for Jesus´ famous sermon: "Blessed are the landless poor, for they are the champions of the world."
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Headlines: October, 2006; Peace Corps Honduras; Directory of Honduras RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Honduras RPCVs; Blogs - Honduras; Religion
When this story was posted in December 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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