Pachacámac – getting hold of the right or the wrong end of the stick

Talking to teenagers of the La Roca School

Pachacámac, which lies roughly 40km south of Lima, has a 2,000 year-long history.  It is here that the inhabitants of this coastal region worshipped the creator god Pachacámac.  Of course the people back then had no idea of science or research, but the fundamental questions of the inhabitants have hardly changed over the last two millennia: does a greater power exist that influences our lives?  Does God give the world in which we live a deeper meaning?

Yesterday I spoke to one hundred high school students of the Colegio La Roca, located a mere 2km from the old temple complexes.  After the usual presentation on the development of Diospi Suyana the teenagers had the opportunity to ask their questions.

It was only a matter of minutes before one pupil’s question addressed the root of the matter: “Has anyone in your family ever lost their faith?”  An interesting question asked by the young Peruvian, since, according to the statistics, 96% of the Peruvian people believe in God’s existence.

I used a story from the Book of all Books as an answer.  Having survived a deep crisis, the Israelites erected a stone monument as a sign of their thankfulness.  The prophet Samuel called it “Eben Ezer”, which means “God has led us up to this point.”

Looking back on our lives our life’s journey is clear and often understandable.  We remember the moments of fear and the times plagued with worries.  But we have come through the dark valleys, because God has led, comforted and protected us.  But what about the future?  It remains hidden and we fearfully ask: “Will God also stand by us and protect us from all sides tomorrow?”

We live in this field of tension between yesterday and tomorrow.  And each day we have to decide whether we really want to trust God 100%. /KDJ

In the school’s auditorium.
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