5/18/20
I, like most of you, the readers of this Federation blogosphere have been bound by restrictions that are unheralded in our lifetime and yet we, individually and collectively yearn to reach out into the forbidden realm that is now considered the norm… a time of unknown and uncertainty has replaced something that was once considered common. That life… which seemed normal a few months ago… now only seems long passed… at least for a foreseeable time. Therefore, I, Marco Francisco Valle Valle with the assistance of my trusty sidekick B-Rad the former Blog Master have taken the task upon ourselves to blog our team events, both in a virtual and contextual sense as I have self-proclaimed myself as the blog master of record and will record those events in a virtual realm of the Federation Portal.
Having concurred that during this time of self-isolation, I should commit myself over the next few days and weeks… I can and should write a virtual blog based upon the memories and events that would have taken place in Honduras in 2020. It is thru those thoughts, incidents, riots, and memories that have inspired me to reveal a different side to my existence… all of this along with the ever-present gringo counterparts of the Carolina del Norte clan that draw forth a sarcastic side of me that must be kept intact on this side of the boarder.
Over the years, Blog Master B-Rad and I have tried to put together an electronic footprint within the Federation Blogosphere scratching deeper that Sasquatch’s footprint on the backside of the poor soul that stole his Slim-Jim… These virtual blogs are in honor of my brothers and sisters who have served in missions from Carolina del Norte and abroad, while considering all of the servants of Christ, together we collectively and willing to put our lives on hold… even at risk of personal safety sometimes… if only for a couple of weeks a year. Viva Honduras! We are ready! We are willing! Together we able to help our brothers and sisters of Honduras!
Three things have affected me since our last gathering in May of 2019. First I lost my true musical and literary inspiration in January of this year, Neal Peart. It was by his melody, beat and word that inspired me to reach beyond my perceived and expressive limits. My thoughts and rhythms… as mystical as they are… dedicated to his memory. Through His works of literature and music over the past few decades, He has been a tremendous breakthrough for an introverted and self-conscience hermit such as me. Often time I have quoted his lyrics and used the music of those to inspire me for blogging in the Federation Blogosphere while serving as a foundation to my experiences in Honduras.
My second inspiration was found in a couple of books that I have wanted to read… and now have time to read during this time of mandated quarantine and government shutdown. It has inspired me to write a “Virtual Blog” of our canceled/postponed spring mission trip to the beautiful county of Honduras and the adventures that always consume us for two weeks. One being a classic among the anarchist culture to rebel against the perceived norm of society and be yourself and the other is a journey of pain that a man endured while grieving with tremendous loss and how he found recovery in travel and writing on what he described as the ‘Healing Road’… coincidence? I think not.
Thirdly, I recently binge watched the Matrix trilogy (again) during a self-imposed quarantine period. I was remined of a scene, when Cypher, one of the crew members of the Nebuchadnezzar, who has now turned into a Judas… he has given up the location of Zion so that he may ‘Plug In’ the Matrix once again… He is sitting at a table eating a juicy T-Bone steak and explaining to Agent Smith why He wants to ‘Plug back in’, saying, “It looks like steak… it taste like steak, but when you are unplugged from the Matrix you suddenly realize it is just a bowl of protein slop. I want to plug back into the Matrix and taste this goodness and feel like it is real.” The Matrix as described in the move is a virtual reality for those who flow through life like sheep heading to the slaughter… nothing is real only virtual in a sense. I feel as though I am stuck in the Matrix of the Corona Virus and in need of some serious unplugging from the madness around me, maybe one of the purposes for writing a blog post this evening.
Together, B-Rad and I had concluded that this year’s trip was special as we would celebrate a decade of presence and decadence in the Central American region of Honduras. Alas not currently and unfortunately, but there is a hope for a reunion this fall…
“We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships”
Permanent Waves, 1980, Peart
Yes, when the world rights itself… the world of journalism sinks its teeth into a juicier and more mystical ‘World Issue’ to distract us on a different plane… the stars and planets align in perfect union with each other… restrictions that bind us now will be lifted and our orbits will cross paths once again at a very unsocial distance… aka a Honduran van ride. Stay tuned for the next episode of the Virtual Blog from the Federation Portal blogosphere.
Marco Francisco Valle Valle
Honduras Agape 