Headline: MURALS OF HOPE
"About 20 young people from all over the world arrived for one month
with Mercy Ships to take on a challenge as novice artists They study to
become Christian Missionaries, they were asking for a suitable project that was
small but beneficial: They decided to paint murals on the walls of the
city."
(start of article)
Everyone that passes through the center of the city of La Union falls to
the temptation to stop and look at the drawings on the walls, "HOW COOL!!"
was the typical phrase that came out of the mouths of the people of La
Union.
February, Mercy Ships came up to Corsain in Cutuco and disembarked a
group of doctors, technicians, and nurses that give their services to
the people of La Union. Little by litte the rumor got around that "the ship" was doing
operations on eyes, legs, arms and giving medical attention in their modern
surgical suites on the ship.
But the ship also brought down some special young people from all over
the world that had a special mission- find a project of social interest
that applied a suitable sacrifice.
Here, Amalie Baker, a 25 yr. old graphic designer from the U.S., the
oldest of the group, had the idea, paint murals in the city and carry
out drama presentaions in the streets of the city. None of them had done
similar work before, but the challenge was worth it.
WITHOUT BEING ARTISTS
The last days of Februaury, about 18 yung people entered the city to
choose their objective wall. they asked permission of the mayor, and he
gave it. With buckets of paint, lights, speakers, and handkerchiefs on their
head, or hats that protected them from the sun. Arriving in jeans and gray
shirts they'd start the workday at 5:30 am. Amalie was in charge of the drawings, the others colored and added life.
After more than 12 hours in the street without large interuption, the
workday ended and they returned to the ship, not only because it was
time to rest, but because they had to take safety measures. The week flew by!
ORIGINAL SCHOOL
The majority of those who arrived with Mercy Ships were young
Christians,
recent highschool graduates from their respective countries, married or
single that decided to join this school of little conventionality (don't
know if that's a word- but the phrase is translated as a little conventional- ?!?!)to train to become missionaries.
For this they solicit financial help from their friends, familymembers and
church to form a sponsorship for the 5 months of school on the ship . In Mercy Ships, no one recieves a penny, but rahter pay a
fee for food, education, and "maintenance". The average that is payed is 300- 500
dollars a month. In spite of the fact that the time of the "school" is only 5 months, the
tasks they are given to carry out in this time aren't so easy.
They are admitted to the ship for 3 months of intensive evangelism
theory, training in puppets, drama, and construction of churches. At the
same time they have other responsibilities, like cleaning tasks in the places they live and work, like their bathrooms, bedrooms, and commons
room. Although the young people come from Switzerland, New
Zealand,Africa, Nicaraguam United States, Canada, and other countries that are totally
different, the religion and english language unites them all. Translators help them to write parts of the Bible and phrases in the
spanish language to accompany the drawings of their murals. In the end the
result is a work (same word as masterpiece) of art. This week the majority of them fley back to their countries of origin to
make the decision to continue in their studies or to continue on with their
mission with Mercy Ships. The Majority told Vertice(name of the section of the paper)that they
wanted to come back, but not just for Mercy Ships, "WE LOVE LA UNION!" |
