One Long Road: Reflections on Colombia

Come on over!

2010-09-11T14:28:00.003-05:00

It's been a long time! For anyone who's still following this blog, I'd like to point you to my new one: Andean Journey. I'm just getting started there, to go with the new position I've just started as regional liaison for the Andean region with Presbyterian World Mission. Please come take a look! I've also imported all of these blogger posts to that blog, so it will all be in one place.

Joy and peace,

Sarah

Second Thursday Prayer

2009-09-10T20:08:00.001-05:00

SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH

Let us pray:

That the victims (of forced disappearance, assassinations, massacres, forced displacement, “false positives”, those deprived of liberty, and those who face discrimination because of their ethnicity, sexuality, or other social factors...) whose right to truth, justice, and reparations has been recognized, might become participants, alongside the various sectors of society, in a negotiated end to the armed conflict between the FARC and ELN guerrillas and the Colombian State.

Biblical illumination: Psalm 62: 2-7

“God alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a person,

will you batter a victim, all of you,

as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.

They take pleasure in falsehood;

they bless with their mouths,

but inwardly they curse.

For God alone my soul waits in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Thursdays of Prayer

2009-08-20T19:10:00.003-05:00

The following prayer comes from Colombia's ecumenical community. Please join in praying for peace in Colombia.

THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH

Let us pray:

· That citizens of Colombia and of the world, women and men of faith (Christians of all traditions and religious people of different faiths) might express our solidarity with all the victims and commit ourselves to a diplomatic end to the armed conflict in Colombia between the FARC and ELN guerrillas and the Colombian State.

Biblical illumination: Ezekiel 37: 11-14

"Then the Lord said to me, `Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely." Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.'"

Love and foundations

2009-05-18T23:24:00.003-05:00

"En el amor no hay posturas ridículas ni cursis ni obscenas.

En el no amor todo es ridículo y cursi y obsceno."

(In love no position is ridiculous or tacky or obscene.

In un-love everything is ridiculous and tacky and obscene.)

-Mario Benedetti (1920-2009)

Uruguay has been strongly present in my mind today, since I heard about the death of poet-novelist-social commentator Mario Benedetti. To the extent that his work reflects (and in turn has shaped) Uruguayan sentiment (which was such an important introduction for me into the life of Latin America), and with his poetry and honesty, Benedetti has made a mark on life. I am grateful for his contributions to a world where art and freedom and community might all be valued in daily living.

Prayerful Protest

2009-05-16T22:33:00.002-05:00

An unexpected blessing awaited us yesterday evening when we decided to cross the street to see the artisan fair in the Plaza de la Paz.

A youth network from the southern part of town had organized a theatrical protest. When we arrived, the majority of them were standing as a backdrop in silent rows, wearing white t-shirts that read "Nunca más (Never again)" and "Que ser falso no sea positivo (May being false never be positive)." In the foreground were several youth, some in civilian dress who were enacting their deaths and others in black representing the armed soldiers who had murdered them. Loved ones emerged, carrying flowers and weeping over the motionless bodies. They drew chalk outlines around the dead, and there was a heavy silence as we all kept watch. Finally a shout of horror broke the silence, and the rows of young people cried out with emotional voices: "NUNCA MAS!"

They were crying out against the newest outrage here in Colombia: "false positives," or murdered civilians passed off as eliminated guerrilla targets. Incentives offered to soldiers for killing guerrillas have evidently stimulated this appalling practice. Public outrage is not limited to the human rights community, but also evident in the main news outlets, and was made quite palpable by these committed youth in the Peace Plaza last night.

Their flier announced that they were acting in support of life, that most precious right, creating a "monument for dignity and memory" as a symbolic action to say "Never again!" to assassinations, disappearances, and impunity.

At the end of this "ephemeral theatre" they set out white cinderblock tombstones, with pens available to write the names of people who had been unjustly killed in this way. They lay down flowers and lit candles, and embraced one another and the supporters who had gathered. It was a rich blessing to find ourselves there at precisely the moment to share in this profoundly prayerful act of protest. May God guide us in seeking justice, give us courage along the way to face our fears with love, and help us always to see others as precious beings.

Passion for Justice

2009-05-13T22:42:00.003-05:00

This morning we met with a young lawyer who volunteers a significant amount of his time to provide legal advice and services to the displaced. He understands his profession in terms of helping the most vulnerable of society, and does important work to protect the rights of the displaced and other victims of the violence here. I was touched by his testimony and dedication, especially the following quiet affirmation:

"Many of the displaced leaders I first worked with are no longer here--some because they were forced out by threats, others because they were assassinated in their homes. This has awakened in me a strong passion to work for justice, not a feeling of rancor."

I think I find those words so moving because they remind me that the way to avoid futile anger is to focus on the vision of how things ought to be and finding a way to contribute in some meaningful way toward that vision. Paulo Freire described this basic idea as "the utopia that moves me." Without vision, the people perish. Saying no is important, but we must also have things in our lives to which we can offer an enthusiastic yes! if we are to thrive as the loving, creative beings-in-community God created us to be.

Giving Our Hands

2009-05-08T23:15:00.000-05:00

At church on Sunday, we sang one of my favorite songs (which seems to also be a favorite at many of these churches, since it is sung frequently and with gusto!). It's called "Fe y Esperanza Viva" and it affirms Christ's call to a life of celebration, service, and prophetic struggle.

Tonight as I've reflected again on the words, I was caught up in this phrase from the second verse: A aquel que nos necesita vamos a darle la mano (To the one who needs us we shall give a hand).

These words stand out to me tonight in their relationship to the task of accompaniment, which is fundamentally about relationship and our interconnectedness as children of God. I think the song intends the figurative expression of lending a hand, i.e. helping someone out. At least that's how I've always understood it. But tonight I'm thinking about what it means to literally reach out and offer someone our hand, to make physical contact, whether for the purpose of helping or just for the sake of connection. It seems to me that there's something powerful here to reflect upon.

Fe y Esperanza Viva
Y andaremos por el mundo con fe y esperanza viva,
Celebrando, cantando, sonriendo, luchando por la vida.

1. Y vamos a celebrar a nuestro Dios de la vida.
La mesa de la unidad para todos está servida.

2. Y vamos a sonreir junto al niño y al hermano.
A aquel que nos necesita vamos a darle la mano.

3. Ahora vamos a cantar con toda nuestra garganta
Porque le estamos cantando al Dios de la alabanza.

4. Nos vamos a organizar con fuerza y sabiduría
y seguiremos cantando y luchando por la vida.

Faith and Living Hope
We will walk through the world with faith and living hope,
Celebrating, singing, smiling, struggling for life.

1. And we are going to celebrate our God of life.
The table of unity is served for all.

2. And we are going to smile with the child and our brother.
We’ll give our hand to whoever needs it.

3. Now we’re going to sing with all we’ve got
Because we are singing to the God of praise.

4. We’re going to organize with strength and wisdom
and we will continue singing and struggling for life.

Water

2009-05-02T17:11:00.004-05:00

It's raining now, for the first time since I've been here--and for the first time this year, they tell me.

I pay so much more attention to water here, in this place where I know farmers whose livelihood depends on the rain coming in good measure at the right time... In a city without storm drains where the lower streets become gushing rivers in the heavy rain, capable of carrying away and cars, buses, and any people caught in the destructive current... Where many of the displaced and impoverished live in makeshift communities without running water, paying dearly for a few gallons of less-than-pure water each day...

Affordable access to clean drinking water is a basic right and necessity, and yet here in Colombia as in so many other places, this essential service has been partially privatized. A popular movement has built here, where two million people signed on in support of the "Water Referendum," a document affirming water as a basic human right and a resource of the common good. So far the referendum has not faired well with the government, since a congressional committee approved a highly altered version of the text which subverts the primary goals and intentions of the 2 million citizens who had signed. The movement continues, insisting that the government respect the original document. You can follow their progress on their (Spanish language) website: ecofondo.org.

Seeking Satisfaction

2009-04-25T17:03:00.002-05:00

In conversation this week, our coordinator pointed to a key concept for wellbeing: satisfaction. This is a crucial yet somewhat elusive element, because what brings satisfaction for one will not necessarily bring satisfaction for another. The basic elements are simple, but satisfaction can be hard to find when there are obstacles in our path, as there certainly are for the people in displaced communities. To seek justice and healing from wrongs suffered, and to endeavor to build a new life in a strange environment—these are major challenges for the displaced, who are thrust onto a path with an unknown destination. In moments like these, they rely on the inner strength that comes from God to follow the path and trust that new community will emerge to help them overcome their obstacles. Joining together is key to finding satisfaction and fulfillment along the road. Here are a few observations from our encounters with the displaced this past week:

For the woman whose family left a good life, with abundant physical comforts and ample food, where is satisfaction? She says that she is glad to be here, even without some of the basic comforts of home, because here she is not afraid. Home was comfortable but insecure after first one and then another armed group had come through and taken over the town. Here she has been part of building a new community and finding opportunities to work together. For her, there is the satisfaction of renewed peace of mind.

This is not the case for the couple with two small children. They live in a community whose population is a combination of the traditional poor and the displaced, a community which has been newly threatened by a neo-paramilitary group. Just a week ago they received a letter identifying a dozen young men from the community who have been targeted for “cleansing.” This same letter imposed a curfew on the community, and parents were warned with a sinister rhyme: Si su hijo es sano, acuéstelo temprano, si es ladrón, cómprele el cajón (If your son is healthy, put him to bed early, if he’s a thief, buy him a coffin). For this couple, active in community initiatives for peaceful development, continued fear and insecurity are an obstacle to a sense of wellbeing and satisfaction.

What about the group of displaced farmers who have been working for the past year on a farm near Piojó? They have made great progress with the land, but the weather has made it difficult to grow a substantial crop. Last year, huge downpours of rain swept away much of their seed and left little growing. This year they are still waiting for rain, and food is scarce. They live a painful uncertainty of not having enough food to eat and not having official title to their land, and yet find satisfaction in being situated where they are, able to make an attempt at growing their own food and sustaining their families.

As we reflect on the diverse experiences of these people, it is clear that satisfaction is not out of reach for the displaced. The basic elements of life are part of God’s plan for us, and everyone has a right to them. “It is God’s good gift that all should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil” (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Satisfaction is the fruit of constructive work and creativity, but it cannot thrive for most people in the face of fear and intimidation.

Every day we encounter people with obstacles in their way, and we have the opportunity to face them together. By helping with their obstacles we are also clearing the path for ourselves and for others who are traveling behind us. Sometimes we can provide material assistance, sometimes we can lend our voices to the clamor for justice, and other times we can simply offer the listening ears and supportive presence of a community of care. May God give us ears to hear and eyes to see the ways we can be community to one another in the search for abundant life with satisfaction for all.

written with Tomás Sandoval

Working Toward Forgiveness

2009-04-21T22:50:00.002-05:00

At a meeting this morning I heard a moving conversation about forgiveness. The Red Ecuménica de Colombia (Ecumenical Network) has been working toward forgiveness as a way to strengthen the fabric of society, and this morning they recounted a story that a Catholic priest shared during Holy Week.

While at the cemetery, the priest had seen a woman arrive with her young daughter, who was holding two bouquets of flowers. They went to one of the graves and wept and prayed and left one bunch of flowers there. Then they went to another grave and did the same. As they were leaving, the priest asked the woman whose graves they had visited. She told him that the first was the grave of her husband who had been massacred. The second belonged to his killer. The priest was amazed and asked the woman why she would do this, and she replied, “I want the chains of vengeance and hatred to break. I want my daughter to know how to forgive.”

This example was hard to swallow for some of those gathered. Forgiveness isn’t easy, and it must not be forced, leaving hurt and bitterness festering inside. “Forgive and forget” is not the model to follow! The old man sitting beside me, a valued friend weathered by displacement and hard work under the sun, was willing to concede that one might forgive the person who killed a loved one with a bullet. But what about those who kill with chain saws, slicing precious bodies into pieces with brutal disregard?

Far too many Colombians are faced with this difficult task of learning how to forgive unimaginable atrocities. But forgiveness is an important part of personal healing, and will also be essential in turning Colombia’s vicious cycle into a virtuous cycle of reconciliation, as Ricardo Esquivia says. Justice does not turn a blind eye toward what is wrong, nor is it blinded by the need for revenge. The kind of justice we are taught in the Bible is something more mysterious and powerful than that, and some churches here are seeking ways to promote forgiveness, justice, and peace, ways to provide life-giving and prophetic spaces in the midst of violence.

No one I know of has a formula for how to forgive when the offense against human worth is inexpressibly great. And yet there are those examples of people who make a choice, like the woman who goes with her daughter to take flowers to the grave of her husband’s killer. People who say with their actions and attitudes, “I want the chains of vengeance and hatred to break. I want my daughter to know how to forgive.”

In Search of the "Good Life"

2009-04-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

I’m back in Barranquilla again, and it has been a joy so far. After nearly two years away from this city, I am grateful for the opportunity to reconnect and see how things have changed.

Today we left early with a couple of bags of food to share lunch with a group of displaced families at their farm near the town of Piojó. Things didn’t work out for us to sit in on a visit with the mayor as planned, but we did make the somewhat strenuous trip up and down the hills to the communal farm.

These families have been there for about a year now, and they have done a lot of work to establish themselves. They have rudimentary houses and cooking spaces, but they are in a tight spot waiting for the land to be officially theirs. The current owner is very supportive and patient, but the process of arranging for the purchase (through the government assistance program for the displaced) is convoluted, with plenty of hoops to jump through and the constant fear (because of known cases) that something might come up to dash their hopes and force them to start over—again.

The other difficulty the families are experiencing is related to the climate. They had a poor crop last year because of too much rain, but now they’ve been waiting since late November to see more than short-lived drizzle. While they wait to be able to plant and grow a new crop, they have limited access to food to sustain themselves day by day.

It has been an emotional day for me:
the excitement of going on an excursion;
the joy of seeing familiar faces;
the uncertainty of riding a horse for the second time in my life,
and sympathy for the poor mare who had to carry my out of shape self;
the thrill of the first glimpse of a place I’ve heard so much about
—a place that holds so much hope for these families and for the church that accompanies them;
the delight of playing and laughing and singing with small children;
the awkwardness of being the guest with such marked difference in wealth and position;
the miracle of making connections in spite of that disconcerting reality;
the sorrow of hearing about hunger and desperate hope for rain;
the warmth of generous hospitality;
the hope of things working together for good for these hard-working families.

At the end of the day I am weary from the heat and physical exertion, but I feel a deep sense of gratitude and renewed purpose.

New Waves of Terror

2009-04-03T01:19:00.003-05:00

These are frightening times for many people in Colombia.

In cities across the country, pamphlets thought to come from a neo-paramilitary group litter the streets, threatening imminent social cleansing of undesirable “delinquents” such as drug users, sex workers, and homosexuals.

Church partners in Urabá have informed us of a supermarket bombing by a presumed guerrilla group that took place on Saturday, seriously injuring many people.

Please lift up the people of Colombia in your prayers, and find a way to take action to support them. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Plan to celebrate the Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia, April 19-20 or whenever you can.

Send a message to our embassy officials in Colombia urging them to do something about the widespread threats.

A New Day Dawns

2009-01-17T15:09:00.001-05:00

Around the world, people are waiting with great expectation for the inauguration of a new U.S. President on Tuesday. Like me, many are hopeful that this will be the dawn of a new day for foreign policy and domestic harmony, even in the midst of great economic upheaval and looming questions.

For those committed to the cause of the Colombian people, we hope that our president-elect will stand for positive, civilian efforts toward building peace and ending impunity. We hope that he will honor the countless Colombians who stand up every day and raise their voices for justice, instead of giving the Medal of Freedom to a presidential counterpart who has proven unwilling to renounce and halt the use of state violence against his own people.

The changes underfoot have forced us to take a serious look at the foundations of our society. Will we stand for human rights above the claims of corporations? Will we seek peace based on dialogue instead of weapons and threats? Will we build a new economy that sustains the well-being of all creation, not just for people but for the whole planet, not just in our country but in Colombia and around the world?

As we look toward the dawning of this new day in history, one thing is certain. If this is to be a day of profound and lasting change, it will be based on a growing commitment of the people to be engaged in politics and the democratic process. We the people must stay informed and raise our voices each and every day if the promise of this new day is to be fulfilled.

Carepa

2008-08-25T12:08:00.002-05:00

I’ve been somewhat startled to discover that some people here take me for an evangelist. It makes sense, really: here in Carepa they’re having a revival campaign from Thursday to Sunday. There’s a lot of talk about evangelism and winning souls for Christ. Tonight and Wednesday I’m supposed to give brief reflections at the prayer meetings, and tomorrow a Bible study. I think I’ll use the book of Ruth, since I have a fairly solid base of knowledge there.

The water situation is very different here from anything I had personally experienced before. Since you never know when the running water will be shut off, houses tend to have a basin full of water to use for washing and some stores of water for bathing and for consumption. In many homes, you will bathe from water in a bucket. Public education posters are displayed in many places, informing that basins should be emptied and cleaned every week to prevent the spread of mosquitos. Mosquitos are more of a problem in some houses/neighborhoods than others.

This morning I went with the pastor and his wife to visit some parishioners. At the very edge of town are a number of little campo-style ranchitos and many displaced people live there. Some months ago one woman set fire to her house through a kitchen mishap, and several other houses went down with it. Now the families are being told not to rebuild there, but to wait for the mayor to assign them a new place—because the city plans to build a street right where the houses were. One woman, a single mother with three special needs children, lost her only means of income in the fire: her bicycle and machine for making empanadas and arepas to sell.

Arriving in Urabá

2008-08-22T21:54:00.004-05:00

From the moment our plane took off in Medellín for Apartadó and I heard the cheeping of the little chicks in the cargo hold, I knew that we were on our way to a different reality. Urabá is far more rural and less developed than the other presbyteries. The heat and humidity are unrelenting, and air conditioning is uncommon.

The tropical climate brings frequent downpours in the “winter” season, and the roads that remain unpaved (which are many) are often muddy. The swift changes from hot sun to breezy rain result in frequent illness. The prevalence of toxins from the vast plantations of banana and plantain also contribute to illness in the local population.

I arrived in Apartadó on Tuesday afternoon. After a brief meeting with members of the presbytery council where we outlined the schedule for my visit, I was taken to the home of my host for these days in Apartadó. Her home is still in the development stage, unfinished, but very open and hospitable. This pastoral visit has already been filled with opportunities to preach and share in prayer services, more than I was expecting!

On Thursday I spent the morning with the children in the Colegio Americano. We started with a long time for conversation with the oldest ones, and they asked me questions about life in the U.S.—everything from global warming to gun violence to education and fast food. It was fascinating to see what they have learned about the U.S. and what concerns are on their minds. Their dismay about the ease of gun purchases in the U.S. became especially significant to me a few weeks later, when I attended the Stony Point peacemaking colloquium on gun violence and gospel values and had the connection between guns and drugs brought home in very clear terms. How tragic that most folks in our churches have little concern about the prevalence of guns in our society, while these fourth- and fifth-grade students in rural Colombia, whose lives have been closely touched by gun violence, are worried about gun sales in the United States.

Money matters

2008-04-15T13:59:00.002-05:00

The U.S. House of Representatives made a bold move last week to change the rules and refuse to be pressured into considering the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Colombia. President Bush had "fast tracked" the agreement on April 7, requiring an up or down vote, with no changes or amendments, within 90 legislative days (which translates to late September). On April 10, the House approved a resolution which effectively removes those requirements and puts consideration of the agreement on hold indefinitely.

The Bush administration frames this in terms of supporting a strategic ally in Latin America. Many U.S. business interests have been in favor of this agreement because it would eliminate certain Colombian import tariffs on U.S. goods. Elites in Colombia have likewise been pushing for adoption of this trade agreement. However, money is not all that is at stake here, which is why many of us are opposed to this agreement. The House decision to delay a vote is in some sense helpful, but what we really need is for more members of Congress to make a public stance in opposition to the agreement so that it can be clearly defeated.

In summary, these are my primary concerns about this particular trade agreement and the idea of entering into such a relationship with the Colombian government at this time:

Colombia continues to be the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists.

Land appropriated from rural campesinos, Afro-Colombians, and indigenous peoples (by means sometimes questionable and sometimes clearly illegal) continues to be handed over to corporate interests for commercial exploitation.

Environmental protections are not guaranteed.

In recent months numerous members of the Colombian Congress and President Uribe's cabinet have been arrested and connected to collaboration with paramilitary groups and narcotraffickers. Similar collusion has been found in the Colombian armed forces.

For more information I recommend the following documents:

Lisa Haugard of the Latin America Working Group's update on human rights in Colombia:
http://www.lawg.org/docs/So%20Far%20To%20Go.pdf

The American Friends Service Committee has developed a dedicated space to denounce the connections between trade and war in Colombia:
http://www.tradeandwar.org/
Here you can download their excellent document:
http://www.tradeandwar.org/documents/violent-intersections.pdf

Who Causes the Violence in Colombia?

2008-04-11T20:44:00.002-05:00

On March 6, 2008 I was privileged to participate in a demonstration in Washington DC that remembered the victims of the violence in Colombia—the many thousands who have lost their lives, those who have been disappeared, as well as the millions who have been forcibly displaced from their lands and those who continue to face harassment, persecution, and assassination for their insistence in standing up for human rights. It was a beautiful moment, joining together in Washington while others were marching simultaneously in Colombia and around the world for an end to the violence. Sadly, I have learned that in the week following the march four unionists who were prominent organizers of the march have been killed in different parts of the country. In the Barranquilla area, two regional leaders of the National Association of Displaced Colombians were threatened by phone. Numerous grass roots and human rights organizations in Bogotá received threats via email on March 12, and the web sites of two human rights advocates were hacked into and emptied of all content. Iván Cepeda, lead organizer of the march, says that these attacks were encouraged because one of President Uribe's advisors publicly stated that the march was organized by the FARC.

No one group bears the blame for Colombia's violence. The guerrilla groups such as the FARC have certainly done their share of violence. But the Colombian military, and the paramilitary forces that have worked in concert with them, must also be denounced and held accountable for their crimes. The Colombian office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights has reported a rise in the reports of extrajudicial killings at the hands of the Colombian army, with nearly 1,000 reported from July 2002-June 2007. In many of these cases, the civilians killed are dressed up and passed off as insurgents, classified as military casualties. The vast majority of these crimes remain in impunity.

We, too, in the United States, have a hand in this and are in need of repentance. The School of the Americas (now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) is infamous among those concerned with human rights abuse because of the troubling legacy lived out by its graduates and even some of its recent instructors. Just this year, ranking Colombian military officials who attended the school have been implicated in false attacks that were attributed to FARC guerrillas and caused the death of a civilian and injury to 19 soldiers in 2006. To date, at least five Latin American countries have made official decisions not to send any more soldiers to the school. It is time for us to take an honest look at what the SOA/WHINSEC has been responsible for, repent of our complicity in human rights abuses, and move forward toward healing by openly denouncing the abuses and illegal activites of certain SOA and WHINSEC students and closing down the school and its counterparts for good.

For our part in the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, we continue to take the steps that we can in answer to our calling. We participate in the vigil at the SOA/WHINSEC each fall, and call for an end to funding for this tragically counterproductive school. We raise our voices for peace and diplomacy instead of heightened militarization. We go to Colombia to walk beside our brothers and sisters there who will not let the rights of the displaced and the other victims of the violence be trampled in silence and impunity. Now is also a key time to contact members of Congress and urge them to continue to reduce military aid to Colombia and not to ratify the Free Trade Agreement that our president is so eager to push through Congress. Please do what you can to stand for truth and human rights, for justice, for peace.

Appealing smoke screen?

2008-02-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

In cities around the world today, demonstrations were held against the FARC guerrilla forces. This mass mobilization gathered millions of supporters, mostly in Colombia but also in cities throughout Europe, Latin America, and the United States. While this collective moment to stand for peace and speak out against the violence that has plagued Colombia for generations is in a sense a positive sign, it has been denounced by numerous human rights groups for its unfortunately one-sided focus.

Those who stand for peace must denounce all forms of violence. This includes not only the tactics of the FARC, but also the paramilitaries, the rapacious multinational corporations, the narcotraffickers, and the members of government who collude with these various purveyors of violence. To organize a demonstration only against one armed faction turns a blind eye to the complex web of violence and contributes to the impunity of the other actors by focusing the call for correction on just one.

In order for peace to become a reality, the call must be without exception: no more violence. Period.

Palenquero

2007-10-18T23:15:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Alice Winters for sending along this link to a New York Times article and slide show on the language and culture of San Basilio de Palenque, an Afro-descendant community in northern Colombia. This town was established in the seventeenth century by slaves who seized and defended their own freedom. The Presbyterian Church of Colombia (along with ecumenical partners) is involved in ministery with two related displaced communities near Palenque.

Slideshow: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/10/18/world/20071018_COLOMBIA_index.html

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/world/americas/18colombia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The essence of accompaniment

2007-09-06T15:16:00.000-05:00

As you all know, I am deeply involved with accompaniment in Colombia. What you may not realize is that accompaniment is something that has been dear to my heart for many years now, and it has deeper and broader meaning than the specific example we are all familiar with from our work in Colombia.

When I lived in Uruguay, one of the things that stood out to me most about the culture is the way people regularly offer to accompany one another in all the tasks of everyday life. If I had an errand to run or a visit to pay, my host sister would say, “Te acompaño.” I’ll go with you. It was just an everyday way of doing things, a natural and genuine impulse.

This simple feature of life and relationships in rural Uruguay quickly became second nature to me, but it has been somewhat difficult for me to keep it as a part of my life here in the states. Here we value our independence and we like to imagine we have things under control. We value efficiency: why send two when one can do the job? The idea that someone would want to come along with us just for the sake of being with us is sometimes unsettling, but I think we need to keep at it.

The best way for me to learn about you and your experience is to walk beside you and share in that experience. If I walk by your side, we will have chances to talk and share stories with one another. Or sometimes we may simply walk in silence, but I will have seen and heard and smelt things along the road.

Accompaniment is an important model for the life of the Church. It can be practiced within our congregations, in our families, and across the globe, this way of coming together and learning about each other’s lives and experiences. When we walk together, we are not divided into leaders and followers, helpers and people in need. We do not seek to change the one with whom we walk, we simply walk alongside her and share in her experience of the world.

We walk together because it is not good for us to be alone. When we walk with each other, we get a taste of one another’s lives, and we begin to appreciate and understand one another. I wonder if we can’t learn even more by walking a mile at someone’s side than by walking a mile in her shoes.

As far as I can tell, the deepest benefit that comes from our accompaniment program in Colombia is the very real solidarity that is made present in our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ. This is not to discount the protective aspect of our presence, which is certainly important. But the transformation of lives comes, I think, from the way in which we embody our unity by journeying together. The distances between us are not enough to separate us, for we are one in the love of Christ. We, though many, and very diverse, are one body. When one member suffers, all suffer together with it, and when one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

This is why I think accompaniment should be something we do in every part of church life, in our families and local communities as well as around the world. Accompaniment is about taking the time to walk together, to share the journey. Accompaniment isn’t just about going to the church in Colombia or elsewhere in time of crisis, it’s about living out the reality that we are one body. It is good for us to walk together and get to know one another in a tangible way.

Unpacking dreams

2007-04-06T23:40:00.000-05:00

A few days ago a friend of mine asked if I would share these beautiful words at a gathering, and that reminder made me think of sharing them here. They are words by a friend and human rights advocate from Colombia, written last fall shortly after he left his beloved country in order to protect his physical integrity. This is my translation of his heartbreaking and inspiring letter:

It’s almost two weeks I’ve been out of the country and it seems as though it were only yesterday that I took that plane, that I packed my dreams, my illusions, my hopes. There are so, so many things, so many ideas spinning around in my head, so many feelings discovered, so much pain, so great the suffering of our people, of us ourselves, my own...

I couldn’t keep a tear from running down my cheek as if it were seeking a refuge, I couldn’t keep from crying, I couldn’t keep myself from trembling when I got off the plane, when I heard people speaking in a language that is not Spanish, I couldn’t keep from being afraid, from feeling naked, unprotected.

Behind... all my life, my family, my girlfriend. Behind me a country, a people that silently resists in the face of so much barbarity, a people full of martyrs, more than 70 thousand victims, with more than 5 million campesinos and people from peripheral neighborhoods of the cities, from the makeshift slums displaced by the military- paramilitary, with a government that sows terror, with a regime that generates social injustice, with more than four decades of living a civil war.

A friend, Sara, had asked me for a name to be spoken in the ceremony at the School of the Americas, I couldn’t give it to her because there are already so many men and so many women close to me, who I knew and shared things with, who taught me so much and who were vilely assasinated by the State in its strategy of low-intensity warfare, in its strategy of assassinating beneath the cover of darkness and fog. That’s why I couldn’t give Sara a name. When she wrote me asking for it, as a gesture of solidarity with me, I remembered each one of those who are no longer here, I believe that at 26 I’ve seen all the assassinations I needed to see in my life... That’s why I couldn’t give Sara a name.

Now I am hiding, leaving the country for a distant land, for another country so that the weapons of hatred, the weapons of injustice, the assassin arms of the State, of its paramilitaries might not assassinate me...

Now from this place I will unpack my dreams and my hopes anew, to carry on, to continue, to prepare myself to return with the surety, with the faith and the hope that one day those things will have to change, that one day we will all be able to be together, those who are no longer here, those of us who have left, those who will come to rebuild our homeland, that it might be like spring, that it might be the rainbow of flowers...

I try to control myself as I pick up my suitcase in the airport, I still tremble and my eyes must be shot, many people greet one another, they embrace, it is reencounter, it is the magic of life... as I exit, a friend awaits me, he smiles, in him the solidarity of the peoples is reflected, in him is the proof that a different world is possible, he looks at me, he hugs me close, he doesn’t say anything, there are more than enough words and in his embrace he understands and feels that the pain of our Colombia is the pain of humanity...

Almost two weeks now and it seems as if it were only yesterday...

Action Request

2007-03-24T01:58:00.000-05:00

Death Threat Against Community Leader
report from Church Commission for Justice and Peace

“My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes.
Yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.
Oh earth, do not cover my blood, May my cry never be laid to rest.”
Job 16: 16-18

SUMMARY –
On Saturday 17 of March - 6:30 p.m. ENRIQUE PETRO and all his family were threatened by paramilitary groups that operate under the name of “Black Eagles”. The telephone threat came days after the destruction of the Ethical Commission’s Monument of Memory and the boundary fences of the Humanitarian Zones and the Zones of Biodiversity. While these actions against the afro-descendants and mestizos happen, the ex or demobilized groups operate with side-arms and radios of communication, and illegally occupy the titled estates of individuals and collectives within Curvaradó.

ENRIQUE PETRO witnessed the crime against the afro-colombian leader, Orlando Valencia in October of 2005. ENRIQUE PETRO has been an inhabitant and the legitimate owner of 130 hectares of land within the Collective Territory of the Curvaradó, for more than 46 years. His land was taken by the paramilitary and was planted with palm by Urapalma, after his forced displacement, a crime against one of his children and an attempt on his life. Within his property and in agreement with the Law he has managed to avoid having 30 hectares of land planted with palm. Since April of 2006, this has been a Humanitarian Zone to protect the life of the inhabitants.

REQUESTS - To urgently contact by fax/email the following:

FRANCISCO SANTOS, Vice-president of the Republic
fax: 011-571-334-1138
Email: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

FERNANDO ARAUJO, Minister of Foreign Relations
fax: 011-571-282-5802
Email: cancilleria@cancilleria.gov.co

CARLOS HOLGUIN SARDI, Minister of the Interior & Justice
fax: 011- 571-560-4630
Email: dhdirector@mij.gov.co

ANDRES FELIPE ARIAS LEIVA, Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development
011-571-284-1775
Email: ministro@minagricultura.gov.co

JUAN LOZANO, Minister of the Environment
011-571-332-3434
Email: atencionalusuario@minambiente.gov.co

Demand the adoption of immediate measures of protection for the life and personal integrity of ENRIQUE PETRO, his family and the inhabitants of the Curvaradó including:

- Confrontation of the paramilitary structures that are in Belen de Bajirá, Mutatá, Brisas, Andalucia and Caño Claro.
- Relieving the state agents of 17th Brigade and Police of Urabá of their duties and commands and modifying the institutional structures that operate in complicity with the new criminal structures.
- Immediate cessation of the planting and extraction of palm and its transport to Mutatá with administrative and police measures of the Ministry of Agriculture, Interior and Environment
- Restitution of the individual and collective property to the legitimate owners of the Curvaradó.

Bogota, D.C. March 22 of 2007
COMMISSION INTERECLESIAL OF JUSTICE AND PEACE

Peace Dove

2007-03-03T17:38:00.000-05:00

A week ago, I had the joy of taking part in the sixth training for accompaniers. One part of the training event was a presentation of personal testimony from an Afro-Colombian couple that is in sanctuary in Chicago. Their stories were deeply moving, and we were all so grateful for their candor in telling us what the reality in their home region is like.

After their presentation, I drove them to the train station, and we had the chance to continue in somewhat lighter conversation. Somehow we started talking about pigeons and how dirty they can make things. We were speaking in Spanish, so I commented that in English we have two different words for the Spanish "paloma". One is pigeon, the kind of paloma that infests city streets. The other is called dove, the one that stands for peace. This led us to the sad observation that the paloma de la paz, the one we really need in the streets, is the one that is hardest to find.

Current Events

2007-02-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

The following article is from the Boston Globe, and provides an accessible summary of recent events in the "parapolitics" of Colombia as a way of underscoring the implications of US ties:

Colombia political scandal imperiling US ties
Congressional support for ally eroding

By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Globe Staff | February 25, 2007

BOGOTÁ -- Just two weeks ahead of a high-profile visit by President Bush to Latin America, the United States' key partner on the continent is engulfed in an extraordinary scandal that threatens to undermine the credibility of US alliances and policy priorities from Mexico to Argentina.

The widening probe linking dozens of political allies of Colombia's president, Álvaro Uribe, to the country's right-wing death squads and drug traffickers has started to erode support on Capitol Hill for Colombia, the biggest recipient of US aid outside the Middle East and Afghanistan.

The United States has spent $4.7 billion since 2000 fighting drugs and the insurgency in Colombia. In a show of support for his center-right ally, President Bush is scheduled next month to be the first US president since John F. Kennedy to visit the Colombian capital of Bogotá.

But after a week that saw the ouster of Uribe's foreign minister over her family's ties to paramilitary militias and the arrest of his hand picked former secret police chief for murder, the next casualty of the scandal could be America's reputation. The region feels forgotten by and estranged from Washington, D.C., since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and a string of victories by leftist presidents.

Bush is not expected to offer significant new aid or trade in his March 8-14 tour, his nemesis Hugo Chávez of oil-rich Venezuela is traversing the continent with an open checkbook.

"Who have we staked all of our political capital on in Latin America? Uribe," said Adam Isacson of the Center for International Policy, a think tank in Washington. "If this scandal engulfs him or his armed forces, it will be a devastating blow to the whole design of US policy."

The "para-political" scandal burst open last fall, when a computer seized from paramilitary leader "Jorge 40" revealed the names of dozens of politicians who supposedly collaborated with paramilitaries in intimidating voters, seizing land, and kidnapping or killing labor unionists and political rivals. Other revelations followed, including secret documents signed by officials pledging moral support or kickbacks to the illegal militias.

The paramilitaries formed in the 1980s to combat leftist guerrillas who have terrorized the population for more than 40 years. But the militias, like their leftist rivals, were soon implicated in massacres, kidnapping, and drug trafficking to the United States. The paramilitary umbrella group, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, is classified as a terrorist organization by Washington, and many of its leaders are wanted for extradition on drug charges.

In a peace process started by Uribe, about 31,000 alleged paramilitary fighters had put down their weapons and agreed to confess to crimes in exchange for lighter penalties, making way for investigations into links to powerful elites.

Eight pro-Uribe congressmen have been arrested for collaborating with paramilitaries, and dozens of national and regional politicians, some who have apparently fled the country, are under investigation. Pro-Uribe legislators, as well as the opposition, have called for special elections to "cleanse" Congress, to erase suspicions that many may have won because of support from paramilitaries. A decorated colonel has been relieved of his post, and other former military officials are also under investigation.

On Monday, Uribe's foreign minister, María Consuelo Araújo, resigned after the Supreme Court arrested her brother, an Uribe-allied senator, for involvement in the kidnapping of a political rival. Her father, a former governor, another brother, and a cousin are also under investigation.

On Thursday came the worst blow. Jorge Noguera, who served as Uribe's campaign manager and later as head of Colombia's secret police, was arrested by the attorney general. Noguera is accused of giving a hit list of trade unionists and activists to paramilitaries, who then killed them. Another former secret police official is serving an 18- year sentence for purging police records of paramilitaries and drug traffickers.

Already, the scandal has had a ripple effect on Capitol Hill, where questions are being raised about requests for an additional $4 billion in antinarcotics aid and a free-trade pact is up for approval.

"American taxpayers deserve assurances that the Colombian government has severed links to these terrorist groups," said Senator Patrick J. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat and chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that oversees US foreign-assistance programs. "[This] scandal only reinforces the need to reassess who we are dealing with, whether adequate corrective steps are being taken, and what we are getting for our money."

For the Bush administration, Uribe has been a staunch and rare supporter in a region increasingly dominated by leftist or anti-US leaders. But with Colombia's Congress opening hearings next month into paramilitary power in Uribe's home state, including accusations against Uribe's brother, the scandal threatens to swallow up the president himself.

Uribe's defenders at home and in Washington are standing firm, countering that it is his success in persuading paramilitaries to disarm and confess that has shed light on the links to illegal militias. A recent Gallup Colombia poll gave Uribe a 73 percent approval rating.

"The US applauds the Colombian government for its determination to investigate, and where appropriate, prosecute all charges of ties to paramilitary organizations and other illegal armed groups," Eric Watnik, a State Department spokesman, said in a telephone interview from Washington.

But with Bush set to visit Bogotá, US policy to Colombia will be under the microscope. In addition to Democrats in Congress, some of Colombia's neighbors may question why Washington sticks by an administration in the midst of a humiliating crisis.

US Representative William D. Delahunt, a Massachusetts Democrat active in Latin American affairs, said evidence of the right-of-center government's links to death squads "evokes memories of the 1980s in Central America. I think you're going to see hearings on these issues." Aside from the problems in Colombia, Delahunt contended that "what we have is a Latin America policy that is an afterthought."

Maria McFarland, a Colombia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said Bush has "stood by Uribe unconditionally," despite long standing allegations of his armed forces collaborating with death squads. With proof now emerging, McFarland said, US policy appears hypocritical.

"They are prepared to criticize very harshly leaders they disagree with, but when their allies do something, they turn a blind eye," she said. If the United States continues "to support so strongly a government mired in corruption and links to terrorists and drug lords," it will fuel resentment from other Latin American countries that have been ignored, she said.

Having put so much faith in Uribe, Bush is expected to broaden his agenda during a trip that will also take him to Brazil, Uruguay, Guatemala, and Mexico.

"We'll see a real emphasis on Mexico and Brazil, on ethanol and biofuel -- an attempt to elevate other regional players," predicted Dan Restrepo of the Center for American Progress, a think tank in Washington. "Part of the silver lining in all this could be a wake-up call to pursue all of our interests in Latin America."

But Leonardo Carvajal , a professor of foreign affairs at the Universidad Externado de Colombia in Bogotá, dismissed such comments as failing to take into account the strategic realpolitik of the region.

"Colombia is the beachhead of US interests in Latin America. . . . It doesn't matter what scandal happens," Carvajal said. "Everyone knows that the counterbalance to Chávez is Uribe and that Colombia is the bastion of US interests in Latin America."

Visioning

2007-02-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back in Chicago again. The bitter cold in the air isn't helping me get over the shock of such a sudden transition from Colombian accompanier to over-extended Chicago seminarian, but there are some very good things going on here to make me at least comfortable with the fact that I've returned. One is the upcoming accompanier training, just two weeks away, which I will be joining in leading this time. I also had the blessing to attend an excellent forum on domestic violence here at McCormick today, which reminded me of the discussion Anne was going to lead on Tuesday afternoon on women and the violence of war.

Jake left Colombia last Saturday morning, but I stayed through Tuesday morning. This enabled me to meet each of the three current accompaniers and spend a little time in conversation with them. It also meant that I could be present for the first day of meetings Anne Barstow, PPF's Colombia Coordinator, had with our colleagues in the IPC. This was important for me, since I will be working as PPF's Accompaniment Coordinator beginning March 1st.

The crowning event on Monday was the meeting we (Anne, her husband, and the accompaniers currently in the country) had that evening with the new executive presbyter, the moderator of the denomination, the presbytery's director of diaconal ministry, and a pastor member of the diaconal ministry committee. We spent several hours sharing our joys and hopes and vision for the future of the accompaniment program. The conversation affirmed the value of the program for the kind of model of relationship it builds, and for the important statement it makes about the communal, institutional nature of the ministry of the church in both countries, which encompasses and transcends the individual struggles and gifts of particular members. I left with a great sense of hope for the future, for the work we are doing together to create a world of justice, peace, dignity, and love.

Life is beautiful

2007-01-27T17:47:00.000-05:00

Here are some excerpts from the second accompanier report that Jake and I submitted, which is framed around this passage:

Though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold,
and there is no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
(Habakkuk 3:17-18)

In the midst of the tragedy of internal displacement, living with the scars of physical, psychological, and economic violence, or simply with the endemic problem of poverty, faith in God’s greatness and presence continues to flow through the veins of most of the Colombian people we have met. Here in this place where violence and death are close at hand, life itself is seen as a gift in a way that is difficult for many of us in the U.S. to comprehend.

Last Saturday night we went with several of the young adults to watch the Garabato del Norte parade, one of the pre-carnaval events. The garabato is one of the traditional carnaval elements, a man and his female companion in brightly colored costumes who fight against death, symbolized by someone dressed up as a skeleton. The man has a wooden stick to use as a weapon in that fight, but the real weapon is the fiesta, the dancing and happiness that the couple represents. This is one of the lessons we have to learn here, that life goes on as long as you can live it joyfully, no matter how difficult the situation may be.

In that spirit, I'd like to share the lyrics of a song that's getting a lot of radio play these days. It talks about all of the simple beauties and pleasures of life that we can enjoy, even though life is often so painful.
I've included my English translation after the original.

Esta Vida

Me gusta el olor que tiene la mañana
Me gusta el primer traguito de café
Sentir cuando el sol se asoma en mi ventana
y me llena la mirada de un hermoso amanecer

Me gusta escuchar la paz de las montañas
Mirar los colores del atardecer
Sentir en mis pies la arena de la playa
y lo dulce de la caña cuando beso a mi mujer

Sé, sé que el tiempo lleva prisa
pa' borrarme de la lista
pero yo le digo que...

Aay... ¡qué bonita es esta vida!
aunque a veces duela tanto
y a pesar de los pesares
siempre hay alguien que nos quiere
siempre hay alguien que nos cuida

Aay... ¡qué bonita es esta vida!
y aunque no sea para siempre
si la vivo con mi gente
es bonita hasta la muerte
con aguardiente y tequila.

Me gusta escuchar la voz de una guitarra
Brindar por aquel amigo que se fue
Sentir el abrazo de la madrugada
y llenarme la mirada de otro hermoso amanecer.

Sé, sé que el tiempo lleva prisa
pa' borrarme de la lista
pero yo le digo que...

Aay... ¡qué bonita es esta vida!

This Life

I like the smell of the morning
I like the first sip of coffee
To feel when the sun rises in my window
and fills my gaze with a beautiful sunrise

I like to hear the peace of the mountains
to see the colors of sunset
to feel the sand of the beach on my feet
and the sweetness of sugar when I kiss my wife

I know that time is in a hurry
to wipe me off the list
but I say...

Ay! life is so beautiful
even though somtimes it hurts so much
And, in spite of our burdens,
there’s always someone who loves us
there’s always someone who cares for us

Ay! life is so beautiful
and even though it doesn’t last forever
if I live it with my people
it’s beautiful unto death,
with aguardiente and tequila.

I like to hear the voice of a guitar
to toast to a friend who has gone
to feel dawn’s embrace
and fill my gaze with another beautiful sunrise

I know that time is in a hurry
to wipe me off the list
but I say...

Ay! life is so beautiful!

Walking Together

2007-01-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

On somewhat short notice, I was asked to preach at Comunidad del Camino Presbyterian Church yesterday. I accepted the invitation, with some hesitation because of the limited time I would have to prepare, but I am so glad that I did. It was wonderful to be with Comunidad del Camino again--they are the first church I visited here in Colombia. And the lectionary texts for the day were so beautiful, the sermon came together easily.

I spoke about community, using the passages for the day from Nehemiah and 1 Corinthians. I continue to be amazed by the nature of the preaching event, how the Word is illuminated and transmitted in a special way through prayerfully guided speech. I am still very new to preaching--I believe yesterday was my ninth sermon, including the two I prepared for preaching class last spring. I find it intimidating to a certain degree, but I love it.

I spoke about the importance of really living and being in community, not just individuals but an interdependent whole. I was nervous at first, but once I got going I felt much more at ease. It was a very moving experience for me, and it seemed appropriate to speak about community here where I have learned so much about what that word truly means.

Papaya & Trust

2007-01-19T17:01:00.000-05:00

Here in Colombia, "dar papaya" (to give papaya) is a way of saying "to trust" someone. I was reminded of this expression during a meeting we had on Tuesday afternoon with a man who has just discovered that his name is on a hit list from Jorge 40's computer. ("Jorge 40" is the alias of a major paramilitary leader whose laptop and other documents were confiscated several months ago. The list in question is 32 pages long and includes names of some who have already been killed and others whose lives may be in danger.) While talking about the possibilities for the presbytery to resume work with his community, he said that he thinks it might turn out well if we go about it carefully, making sure to cooperate with the Catholic priest who has been working there. He said that the people are careful about who they trust, and he likes it that way, no quiere que den mucha papaya. This is an important means of self preservation for the community, which has a troubling history of police and military manipulation and, because of its poverty, is easy prey for false promises.

That was the first time I've actually heard anyone use the expression "dar papaya" in conversation--I had learned it years ago from a friend who was married to a Colombian. What struck me about it particularly was an interesting coincidence: just that morning, when we were visiting the farm of the displaced persons' cooperative in Galapa, we were literally given a papaya (which you can see on the post in the upper left corner of this picture of me talking with one of the members of the cooperative, my thanks to Jake for the pictures in this post). It was one of those gestures of respect, gratitude, and hospitality that I always find deeply moving and humbling, when those who have so little still have the dignity and desire to give out of their need. I was even more touched by the gift of that papaya when I was reminded to think of it in the context of a culture that uses "giving papaya" as a metaphor for trust.

We received that gift from humble folk whose lives have been upset by the violence and greed of others. They have joined together in an effort to start a new life, working hard with what they have been able to acquire and dealing with all the red tape and hypocrisy of the government agency that is supposedly in place to help them gain title to new land of their own. They welcomed us into their home and told us of their struggles. We were strangers, and they gave us the gift of trust, confident that we might prove to be true friends who will accompany them in this process, even though they have received countless empty promises from their own people and from the U.S. government (for example, Plan Colombia funds available to help single mothers with school-age children are corruptly administered). I hope that God will give us the energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to help us be faithful to that trust.

Sightseeing

2007-01-14T22:31:00.001-05:00

Last Tuesday, since things were still quiet around the office, we were able to go to one of the more "touristy" parts of town with several of my friends. We started out with lunch at a seafood restaurant on the Río Magdalena, and then went out to Bocas de Ceniza, to the end of the narrow breaker that juts out into the water separating the mouth of the river from the Caribbean. It was incredibly windy, but beautiful, and we had a lovely time (although getting back was a bit rough, since there was a sort of traffic jam with the little train cars that carry you out there). Here's a glimpse of what it was like, you can see more of my pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/pastor_sarah/

Catching Up

2007-01-13T15:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't been writing much recently, since we haven't actually had internet access for most of the past week.

Last Sunday we went to church at Fifth Presbyterian, just a short walk from the presbytery/university campus. It was nice for me to be there again. The last time I was there was on election day at the end of May. I had been asked to preach, but didn't get the message until the day before! It was good to be there simply as a part of the congregation this time. One of the things that stood out to me from pastor Milciades' message was the proverb, "No wind is favorable if you don't know where you're going." He was talking about the need to trust in God's promise to be present with us as we walk along the roads that are laid before us. After lunch, we went for lunch at a friend's house with some of the young adults, which ended in some living room dancing (and lessons for Jake).

On Thursday we had two long meetings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, talking about ideas and situations impacting the church and the accompaniment program these days. We got to see the new work scheme of the Presbytery of the North Coast with its three programatic areas: education, evangelization, and diaconia (service). We also arranged some meetings with leaders from the local organization of displaced persons, starting with a visit Friday to a cooperative farm project undertaken by seven families.

I was really grateful for the opportunity to visit the farm. It represents an important step along the road to self-sufficiency for one small group among the many who have been displaced by the violence in Colombia. They are still struggling to make it a profitable enterprise--a late planting and poor rainfall made for a meager harvest this year. The men are eager to work, but they are struggling to get by and provide for their families while they are working the fields. Yesterday they were clearing brush from some land they want to begin to cultivate. I hope the next harvest will be better.

Welcoming

2007-01-06T15:27:00.000-05:00

Things have been pretty quiet around here, and our trusty coordinator isn't back from vacation with his family yet.

On Friday evening we went to the executive presbyter's house for dinner. It was a celebration of welcome and friendship, not only for us but for several others who were visiting or returned from their travels. We had a wonderful time, with so much life experience gathered in one room. One of the many who were being welcomed was the new pastor of the Valledupar church, who was there with his wife. He is a beloved friend of the presbytery, a Mennonite pastor who served at Fourth Presbyterian here in Barranquilla for a number of years. Now he has returned from Chocó to work in Valledupar.

All around, I had a wonderful time basking in the conversation, which alternated between the serious and the ridiculous in different streams swirling around us.

Getting settled

2007-01-04T23:48:00.000-05:00

Jake (my fellow accompanier) and I arrived safely in Barranquilla on Wednesday, and we have been warmly welcomed. There is an ever-present breeze in the air at this time of year, easing the heat that can be stifling at other times.

The pace has been slow and gentle so far--about what I expected given that many people and places are still on vacation through Epiphany (which will get a Monday holiday since it falls on a Saturday this year) or even later into January. There is sporadic activity at the Presbytery office. Back to school items are lined up at the entrance of the SAO mega store down the street.

It is good to be here again, on my third visit to Barranquilla. I am getting back into the gentle rhythm of life here, grateful this time to see that so many people are enjoying a much-needed respite, with family-focused efforts taking the place of their usual labors. The ever-present miracle of life goes on. Alleluia!

A new step

2007-01-02T21:47:00.000-05:00

Early tomorrow I will take a new step along the path before me, setting off again for Colombia. I pray that this journey will be a fruitful one, that God will grant me the wisdom and the fortitude to be a loving and supportive presence in solidarity with the people I go to meet. This is intended as a space for reflection on the people, places, and situations of Colombia, and for reflection on my personal experiences there.