We don't have local TV or cable, depending instead on online articles and news sources to stay informed of the goings on around us. Some times we do better than others at being "plugged in!" I personally had no clue that Chile was once again doing a census until just a few days before a pleasant, college-aged censista named Francisca appeared at our gate. Unlike the previous census in 2017, we were not mandated to stay home until interviewed this time. So I had gone to the grocery store with a visiting friend and Pedro was initially the lucky interviewee. He gladly handed the task over to me, however, as I returned at the moment she was getting to the myriad questions about his spouse and children! This census differed from the previous one in that it took place standing outside our home, and all questions and answers were recorded using the interviewer's cell phone rather than written down with pencil and paper.
As before, we answered questions including our name, age, level of education and the gender with which we "identified." We were asked where we lived at this time in the year 2019, and where we lived at the time of our birth. Did we identify as Afro-Chilean or Black, among a few other qualifiers? Did we consider ourselves ethnically as members of any original people groups in Chile, or speak one of their languages? What was our religion? What was our job? What did we do in our job in the past week? Did our children do any paid work? Any unpaid work? (Here I jokingly said my son had washed the dishes, and did that count?? Francisca the censista smiled and assured me all children should do the same!)
Even after all these years, it never fails to stun me how much personal information we are required to regularly provide in Chile. I was explaining this recently to our visiting friend, how in the States we're taught to keep our Social Security numbers absolutely secret and share them with almost no one. Here, every individual receives a drivers' license-sized personal identification card with our name, birth date, birth place, signature, fingerprint, profession, and personal identification number. We say that personal ID number out loud at every doctor's visit, grocery store purchase, etc. etc. etc. We make photocopies of it for our kids' schools and soccer clubs. When we sign a rent contract or get a document notarized, we provide our thumb print and signature.
And, of course - as the entire purpose of this post proves - we tell our life stories to perfect strangers for census purposes every few years.
Finally, when a census is completed our dwelling is marked with the official sticker to identify us as having completed our civic duty. Additionally, we have avoided any fines for refusing to do so. (Interestingly, these are reported as being between the equivalent of $11 USD and $525 USD, with the latter reserved for those who refuse twice.)
Truthfully, it was not an unpleasant experience and we always feel for these young people who are just doing their jobs and undoubtedly must run into their fair share of grumpy respondents. We try not to be "those people." It's likely our family with its makeup - including four different countries of birth - was one of the more unique visits for Francisca! (She did say she'd interviewed one other set of misioneros but that they were Mormon.)
Going back to the Chilean Census of 2024 ... I can't help but smile at the thought that much like our house is now identified with its completion because of the sticker on our gate, we as born-again believers have a significant seal of MUCH greater importance which is the Holy Spirit living in us and proclaiming to God that we are saved for eternity through the sacrifice of Christ.
The answer to all the questions about our identity and purpose is now Jesus. And that is what we are here in Chile to share. May God help us to be greatly used of Him!
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