(Let�s Sing)
January 2006
Costa Rica
��Cantemos!� Marcos suggested while we waited for the session leader. ��Cantemos!� Ruth shouted when the projector wouldn�t turn on. ��Cantemos!� the group said, laughing, as Guillermo tried to open the correct file.
January is upon us. 2005 is gone and 2006 has arrived. It�s a new year: a time for reflection and evaluation, and a time for plans and new beginnings. And that is exactly what is going on at the ILCO central offices this month. Committee after committee fills the meeting room at the office. We filled the first days looking back upon the past year, hi-lighting our successes and noticing where we have room for improvement. Next we spent time on vision and consideration of the overarching goals, of the church as a whole, as program areas, and as individual communities. Then we took time to break down the overall vision into smaller, concrete pieces. Finally, this week we will be making actual schedules and proposing action plans. It is quite an extensive process!
Despite all of this planning, things are bound to go wrong. Nothing goes as expected and everything changes at the last minute (as I am sure any delegation who has visited the ILCO can attest!). Yet, somehow, that does not worry me.
While we sat in the meeting room, experiencing technical and non-technical difficulty one after another, the spirit of those in the room never diminished. When a problem arose, Marcos picked up his guitar, someone shouted out a hymn number and we joyfully filled the moment in song. Problem still not fixed? Another song! I think some people started hoping something would go wrong, just so that we could have an opportunity to sing another upbeat and lively song!
As we embark on the journey and the adventure that is the year 2006, full of dreams and plans, I have seen that those at the ILCO will go out with a song in their back pocket, just in case. And I think I just might do the same. �Cantemos!