“Necesitamos menos ciencia y más Pachamama”

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Annemarie Barrett writes about her relationship with the Earth, its presence in her life, and her ongoing conversion.

When I am in Santa Rosa, time is relative.

We spend less energy worrying about what time it is or when we need to start or finish what we are doing and much more energy being present to one another.

When our team talks about planting or harvesting, we try to move towards the natural wisdom of our boss’ grandfather as he planted according to lunar cycles.

When we go on work trips to surrounding towns outside of the city for workshops or work exchanges with other communities practicing organic farming, we hear over and over that we are called to be in relationship to the Earth, to learn from her, to collaborate with her, to get to know her first and foremost so that our work respects her cycles and her natural gifts.

Sharing daily work with communities rooted in these values is defining my ongoing process of conversion here in Cochabamba. 

I can feel my relationship with our Mother Earth transforming, my eyes opening to her grace and my heart opening to her vulnerability, grateful for this time to know her as I have never know her before.

Annemarie and her colleagues

As I have learned daily here on mission in Cochabamba, Bolivia, my own process of ongoing conversion is deeply affected by my relationships with other people, our Mother Earth and the spirit of God alive in them in the communities where I work and live.