Is This Taking Inclusion in the Church to the Extreme?

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, CHILE.

We decide to drive to Toconao which is about 35km south east down the A23. On route, we see guanocos, donkeys and goats. We're not sure which are wild and which are farmed. The sign by the road side as we approach anounces that there 871 inhabitants here. It's a shanty town reminiscent of cowboy films of long ago. However, it has a magnificent bell-tower and church dedicated to St Lucas. There is even a public toilet with an attendant to collect the money. Surely the 871 must have their own facilities so many a tourist must spend a penny here. We walk around the town and call in at the one cafe/restaurant and ask for a coffee with milk. Impossible, they can do a coffee but have no milk, what?

Back in San Pedro, RJ wants to do some souvenir hunting so PG goes looking for mass times. 19:00 every day and an extra one at 12:00 on Sunday. We meet in the square at a cafe offering coffees. The owner is the most miserable man who we encountered in a long time. He chased a couple away who had the temerity to ask for sandwiches at 1pm, he's sold out! Well, make some more! PG asked the waitress for the bathroom, there wasn't one, and he wanted to know what PG was doing. And, finally, after trying to charge us for 3 iced coffees that belonged to another table, he tried to charge for a water that we'd brought ourselves.

Church is an eye-opener. Two baptisms are to take place in the mass. Both children, a boy and a girl, aged about 5 are dressed from head to toe in white. The girl you would expect but the boy is wearing a three piece white suit, white shirt and white shoes. The girl's family react normally to the service and the mass. But the boy's, well....! People come and go, some arriving towards the end of the homily. One woman is sucking a Kojak style lollipop whilst stood next to the altar taking a video of the proceedings. Finally, one of the family picks up a dog that has wandered in and stands it's back legs on the kneeler and the front paws on the pew in front. To all intents and purposes it seems to be following along. Dogs do seem to have the run of the town and, although noisy at times, do appear harmless enough. Later in the service, several dogs wandered in and out of the church.