josueguerrero-blog2

[josueguerrero-blog2]

This week was full of laughs, cries, farewells and love. I have never felt so blessed! ❤️ No words can really describe it... I won’t say goodbye, I’ll say, “Hasta la vista, Baby!” (at Hands of Hope Nong Khai) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo3TY8Rl8OsJqsHjH1LVH0IfxDwWWN9t0tmq4Q0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5gqcmxyqzejz

[josueguerrero-blog2]

Como cuando la vida te regala la mejor despedida de tu pueblecito en Thailand. ❤️ #latinosalpoder #hermanasenviaje #mekongriver #chuecoperofeliz #losamo #nuncasoñegozartanto (at Nong Khai, Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo3RclsFZfIoqOVcMdMdCJtyGIJEq1Vh93e8tg0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sbj1r6gcdld5

[josueguerrero-blog2]

TakaTaka PR & DR invasion!!! #tuktuk #cuantogozar #etochinosmurieron #latinosenthailandia https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo3QxO9l--ywxnfOPwBBOnpfNqWIiSUL2GEPBs0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wypokfh8ed2f

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Le Sponsorship. ❤️👍🏻 (at Nong Khai, Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoekCWol51ar2o-Q92IrKHK9XGsOtgP3WCj7ag0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=46wgsbsifnhp

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Surnise with the #monkeywhisperer #muychulotodoperoya #todobienmanito #monolandia #nomemuerdan https://www.instagram.com/p/BoKzFV8lE5bSwZHcahEFC_0DZFayGNw4oDcJOE0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ujd5gqdu6063

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Peace before the storm. ❤️🐒💥 (at Phi Phi Islands) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoGD03sFUa3B3qXvOj2LpGdyqsFUVTHnAJMnfY0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1x25pp8tusq1k

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Templos, tuks, lluvia y sonrie. ❤️ #loschinosnopitan #lacia #ni24horas #tanbonitoqueera https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn_bKn6FEle8QUlpJvw2JOgRrJI3CiAiiEYqGA0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xsjbartgammv

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Wasana. Killing me softly. #thaimassage #bestmassageofmylife #melallevo #SAL #vai https://www.instagram.com/p/BnswIx1Flkez2Em8ChuISIZ0ifToMBCrq198wM0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=emmnecef6gpl

[josueguerrero-blog2]

Outreach. Bringing milk and HIV information to rural communities in the north! https://www.instagram.com/p/BnfkFbAn4em13dBQMT8o7TAD7C0ernLPYac0IM0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xjk1e16sm9hv

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The view!!! ❤️🤭 (at Wat Pha Tak Suea) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnfjpivhDa7Jo2BVacbTm9wUiSs3hjm27khEpU0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=webhqh6e69l3

[josueguerrero-blog2]

🏍+🚛 =👸🏼🧚🏼‍♀️👱🏻‍♀️ https://www.instagram.com/p/BnL98pKnamwsYFkpu5ou3uYdsy-D12SrbdQ8zo0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wa88kttj1ife

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Sala Kaeo Ku Part 2 https://www.instagram.com/p/BnL5ysennKeeR1XKxSG6eWCsNvisb8P-DdPSm00/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qxjw8c9bv5u2

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Love at first sight!!! ❤️🤷🏻‍♂️ https://www.instagram.com/p/BnGQcKynprrHypfN0Y0kF1HNZHv3rS3yG_g7Jw0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lwyuy2gh828s

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Temples here. Temples there. Temples everywhere!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm6AqP4Hqtd/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5i853nz1s5ga

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Nagas here. Nagas there. Nagas everywhere!!! (at Amphoe Muang Nong Khai, Nong Khai, Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm5_ptCnuT9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ldh5zgdtbzb

[josueguerrero-blog2]

The Final Countdown!!

Wait a minute. WHAT?! A whole year has passed! It feels like it was just yesterday that I arrived, yet, it also feels like I’ve lived here an entire lifetime. We just purchased my return flight, and it was the mark I was waiting for, as to say, the beginning of the end of my service year. I still have two more months in Thailand, but only one month left in the program. I’ll be traveling starting mid-September, and staying at Andres’ for his wedding in October. 

I’m having a real tough time putting into words everything that I’m feeling and everything that I’ve been processing, but I’ll do my best to not get all melodramatic on you. :P

Silent Retreat

The silent retreat came as an important tool for this transitioning time. If I could go back, I would probably do it by the end of my service year. But like my grandmother says, “Para adivino Dios”. Even so, I think it helped me get into my departing groove. Before the retreat, they ask you to think about a topic you would like to work on during your time there. I went with two topics:

One: Direction. To get guidance and peace of heart with this following stage and

two: Faith.

Let me expand a little, starting with the later:

As you all may know, I was raised in a Christian household, but in a very social-justice-oriented type of Christianity (the rare kind). And though my parents are not fanatical in any way, I was taught to see God in everything and to have faith in a higher power. 

However, in my adult life I found that the core of this religion didn’t match with who I was and my experiences and relationship with this ‘God’. There has never been doubt in me that there is a higher power, like an ocean to a wave, that is everywhere and in us. And I’ve never had any doubts that Jesus was the full expression of this ocean. Yet, most of the teachings in Christianity that I saw in church and in Christians don’t relate AT ALL to the Christ I read and to the God I know, so I decided to give that religion a break and expand my spiritual knowledge in God. That’s when, through meditation and Yoga, I learned about Buddhism. This expression of God, of loving-kindness, awareness, connecting to the inner Buddha (or the Holy Spirit as Christians calls it), leaving all attachments and ego (sin), you become Enlightened (new born in God). 

It wasn’t at all hard to reconcile these two religions and I found out that there are millions of people who have gone through the same journey as I have. I found countless books and readings, and my relationship with this higher power got stronger, if not more real.

This was also one of the reasons why I chose Thailand. Coming here with a Catholic program, yet to a Buddhist country, was one thing I wanted to experience. To my surprise, from all the staff and patients, all the people the sisters have been in contact with, you can count with one hand and still have fingers left to how many Thai Catholics there are. The sisters are not here to evangelize or to change them. There’s a mutual respect in such a way I have never seen or experience before. The producers bow to the statue of Virgin Mary, and the sisters attend to the temples and do their prayers. It’s tolerance ‘level God’. 

Here I’ve been given the opportunity to dig deeper in my beliefs and faith. After a year I realized that I was missing something in Buddhism, just as I was missing something in Christianity. 

Buddhism has opened my eyes as to what I need to work in my life, and how to express God to others and become a more whole person, without going through all that strong language from the Bible. But it was missing the no. 1 thing that mattered; a way to relate to the Higher Being I knew existed. Maybe not in the way Christianity portrays this divine personality, but real nonetheless. And there was Jesus, this person who I consider to be the full expression of God on earth…

In the retreat I came across a little booklet that talked about Buddhism in Thailand. I can’t even recall the author’s name and the little book was called ‘The Universe according to Karma’ (or something like that). It empathized how Buddhism was not a religion, since it didn’t believe in a higher being, but a PRACTICE. 

This was my missing link! I fully believe in Christ, but in practice I don’t consider myself a Christian because I don’t follow the set of beliefs and practices Christians do. I practice Metta (loving-kindness to myself and others) and detachment. I practice surrendering my ego for love. I practice meditation and awareness, and I believe Buddha connected to this higher being, or state, as no other human has. But Jesus was the direct thing himself. I felt I needed to read Jesus’ story again, with a new set of eyes and I have found exactly what I was looking for! 

And you may say, “That’s GREAT Josh, but what do you say about…” 

and my response would be: “Buy a bottle of wine, some Cubanos, and let’s have hours of conversation. At the end we might not change our views, but I will love you more for it.” 

** 

Regarding the second goal of my retreat, direction, this is the first time in my life that I don’t have a plan for “next”. I’ve always known what I’m going to do after a specific stage of my journey. This is the first time that I literally have no clue. I know I’m landing in NY and that I’m spending the holidays in the Dominican, but after that “Mai Lu” as the Thais say. As much as I tried to keep my anxiety levels down, and be thankful and aware of my day to day, the feeling of panic was creeping in. I brought this to my retreat, and the story that kept coming to mind was Abraham’s; being called to the Promised Land, but not to know where it is or how or when I’ll get there. My spiritual counselor suggested I read the passage of Abraham’s calling, and this hit the mark.

Genesis 12:

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,

   and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

   and you will be a blessing.[a]

3 I will bless those who bless you,

   and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

   will be blessed through you.”

The Divine Teaching is plain and simple. God wasn’t going to tell me what I wanted to know, but He did promise that He will be with me all the way. He was going to bless my life, and bless those who bless me. I need not to know what is going to happen next, all I know is that the Creator of the Universe is on my side. 

There’s a labyrinth in the retreat with a giant Rock in the middle that represents God. You have a clear view of the rock in any point of the path. It’s a guided labyrinth, so you're always walking forward, but you never really know where it might make a turn. Sometimes you get really close to the rock, then at times you are far away. You are free to use this place as you please, but you are encouraged to do a specific prayer as you go through the labyrinth. You pray for others as you go in, rest at the rock, and then pray for yourself on your way out. 

I did it twice. The first time was really liberating. The second time I went through my life’s journey as I went in, all the way from my childhood, my friends, life events that I’ve lived and experienced. On the rock I prayed directly to God, just thanking The Universe for the great experiences I’ve had and the amazing people I’ve met up to this point. Then, as I walked out I prayed for guidance, strength, and faith. I can’t tell you how symbolic and meaningful that was. If you ever find yourself in a Jesuit retreat house that has one, I strongly suggest you to do it! It’s like your brain subconsciously syncs with the labyrinth and you end up turning as you end praying for someone, or about something. And all the turns lead to the rock.  Pretty cool!

Back to Reality

Coming back took some adjustment. I’ve been very emotional because my time here is almost up, and the producers and people here are very aware of it too. I can see in their eyes the sadness but joy for me. They are used to saying goodbye to long term volunteers, but it’s still very hard for them. And I’m not even going to go into how I’m feeling about leaving! This has become my second home, and I know that in years to come I’ll be coming to Thailand with frequency and I plan to keep helping the project as much as I can. This project has become the rock in the labyrinth of my journey, and I know that going forward I’ll always take a look at this community and know that God is good, that we must fight for justice and defend the weak, but we must do it with love. First to ourselves, then to others. 

Work

THE NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITE IS DONE!

http://handsofhopewholesale.com

If you have any Christmas cards you would like to purchase, now is the time to get good deals on shipping! We have the most beautiful cards and gifts. This new website will make your shopping experience smooth and hassle free!

In my remaining time at work I’ll be updating all their logos with the new codes, training and setting frameworks for future clients. No matter how much I plan, I’m always late! I guess it’s the Dominican blood running through me… But we’ll come through! ;)

[josueguerrero-blog2]

Dinner with Royalty ❤️😎 https://www.instagram.com/p/BmyS3ZIHW4r/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gj83r0e6av9x