Probably My Worst Day of the Sabbatical

They took the wind right out of my sails!!!! At least for the moment. Today, (Friday) just as I was falling in love with this city, it rose up and smacked me in the face. I was robbed! That's right, I became a victim of a distraction scam that resulted in me losing my backpack, my camera (and all its equipment), and the one that hurt the most, both of my journals, in which I have been recording my thoughts and feelings and reflections for the past 3 months. I am fine. I really don't believe I was ever in any real physical danger. I was distracted by several people around me, while I was sitting on a bench in a public park, with other people around in view. It was very well done, and on reflection, I think it was quite elaborate. I quickly, once I realized my backpack was gone, identified that at least 4 people were involved, with three of them distracting me, and I never saw the fourth, but I know the other three did not take my backpack. But on further reflection, I think there was even another person involved in that distraction effort. It was all very subtle. But "strange" things began to take place in my view, which caught my attention, and led me to let down my guard and lose my items. I tried to run them down, but they even sent me in the wrong direction at first.

I spent a very upset next few hours. First, I talked to two security guards at the park, one of whom helped me search for my backpack and the people I had seen (of course to no avail). I then went to the local police office and filed a "denuncia" (denunciation), which is filing a charge. Part of that paperwork is evidently even going to a judge. I am going to another police office tomorrow to look at "mug" shots and see if any faces are familiar. There was a very nice woman at the park who heard me struggling to talk to one of the security guards. She was bilingual and helped me communicate. The police were very solicitous and kind and gentle (though I realize there is really not much they will be able to do). So, even as the city slapped me sharply, at the same time it reached out and picked me up and comforted me.

At least I did not suffer any physical harm. At least I did not have any important papers, documents, credit cards or money in the pack. The camera I can replace (also, at least I have kept up with downloading my pictures to my external hard drive, to my Kodak Gallery Albums, and to CD's, so I did not lose any of what I have already captured.) The backpack I can replace. I will struggle to replace my journals (in fact I really cannot, but I can start a new one and I do have my blog entries).

But I have been violated (as any person who suffers a crime against them has been) and I am angry. As I said at the beginning, these people took the wind right out of my sails. I have been reading a book that a member of my church gave me before I left about Buenos Aires that is subtitled "A cultural and literary companion." It is a marvelous book that tries to understand and characterize this city through its history, and through the words and descriptions of this city that writers, novelists, poets, both indigenous and foreign, have written. It has enriched greatly my understanding and my appreciation for and view of this city. My reading, along with all the good experiences I have been having, have strengthened my comfort level with the city, made it begin to feel like home, and was leading me to fall in love with it. Then this. (Actually, I think all that contributed as well to my guard being lowered so that I became an easy mark.)

One of my colleagues and friends in his blog on spiritual matters reflected on the story in Matthew 14 of Peter bravely stepping out of the boat to "walk on the water" with Jesus. "But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened and he began to sink. He cried out, 'Lord, save me.'" In his reflection he pointed out that even though Peter stepped out in faith, "when he saw trouble brewing, his faith weakened and he began to sink. How often does this happen to us? We start out with bold motives, but when opposition challenges us we falter and fall away. Our faith task is to allow God to surprise us, to become more than we think we are, and this means moving beyond the secure places and daring to stand firm in the midst of the storms of life." I need that surprising word tonight. I need to remember that while this at first felt like a sabbatical-crushing experience that might possibly color my entire experience with negativity and bitterness, it mighty actually turn out to be a sabbatical-strengthening experience. It may actually turn out to be one of those times in life when I become more aware of the presence of God and identify the way in which God is with me, watching over me, and able to help me walk through the storm in amazing ways, even on the surface of the water.

I don't have the reflections yet, but I can sense that I am beginning to move beyond my initial anger, my initial hurt, my initial sense of being a victim. My trip to Tigre, to the delta of the river Paraná, tomorrow is being canceled. I just don't have the energy for that trip. I am going to go to the Police Station and look at faces in pictures. I will have a nice lunch, and then I will hang out in the apartment. I need some down time. I need to reflect on this. I need to begin my new journal. I need to to work on my Spanish even more vigorously, for though it is there, it was not very good in such a stressful situation. But I am okay. I will be okay. And I know there are even more learning's to draw from this experience as part of my sabbatical. Thank you for your prayers. (The pictures above include two from the garden near the spot where this happened and two of a local police station in a different barrio, but put up to honor the assistance they did provide to me.)